Fixed engine and rotating proprotor arrangement for a tiltrotor aircraft
AssigneeBell Helicopter Textron Inc.
InventorsBrent C. Ross, David R. Bockmiller, John R. McCullough, David G. Carlson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tiltrotor aircraft includes a fuselage; a wing member having a first rib, a second rib, a first spar, second spar; and an upper wing skin; an engine disposed at a fixed location relative to the wing member; and a proprotor having a spindle gearbox, rotor mast, and a plurality of rotor blades drivable in rotation about the rotor mast, the spindle gearbox being rotatable about a conversion axis. The spindle gearbox is located above the upper wing skin of the wing member.
Claims16
A propulsion system for a tiltrotor aircraft, the propulsion system comprising:
- an engine disposed at a fixed location relative to a wing member, the wing member having a first rib, a second rib, a first spar, second spar;
- and an upper wing skin;
- a proprotor mechanically coupled to the engine, the proprotor comprising:
- a plurality of rotor blades;
- a rotor mast having a rotor mast axis of rotation;
- a spindle gearbox coupled to the rotor mast, the spindle gearbox being rotatable about a conversion axis, the conversion axis and the rotor mast axis of rotation intersecting at an intersection point, the intersection point being centrally located in a central portion, the central portion being a central region aft of the first spar, forward of the second spar, outboard of the first rib, and inboard of the second rib, and above an airfoil surface profile of the upper wing skin;
- wherein the first rib, the second rib, the first spar, and the second spar are coupled together to form a torque box.
A tiltrotor aircraft, comprising:
- a fuselage;
- a wing member having a first rib, a second rib, a first spar, second spar;
- and an upper wing skin;
- an engine disposed at a fixed location relative to the wing member;
- and
- a proprotor mechanically coupled to the engine, the proprotor comprising:
- a plurality of rotor blades;
- a rotor mast having a rotor mast axis of rotation;
- a spindle gearbox coupled to the rotor mast, the spindle gearbox being rotatable about a conversion axis, the conversion axis and the rotor mast axis of rotation intersecting at an intersection point, the intersection point being centrally located in a central portion, the central portion being a central region aft of the first spar, forward of the second spar, outboard of the first rib, and inboard of the second rib, and above an airfoil surface profile of the upper wing skin;
- wherein the first rib, the second rib, the first spar, and the second spar are coupled together to form a torque box.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.