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US 9,429,024 B2Granted
Propeller blade with lightweight insert
AssigneesHamilton Sundstrand Corporation, Ratier-Figeac SAS
InventorsDavid P. Nagle, Paul Carvalho, Bruno Seminal, Stephane Grimal
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A propeller blade includes a foam core and a structural layer that surrounds at least a portion of the foam core and includes a face side and a camber side is disclosed. The propeller blade also includes an insert disposed in the foam core in operable contact with the face side and the camber side of the structural layer.
Claims15
A propeller blade comprising:
- a foam core;
- a structural layer that surrounds at least a portion of the foam core and includes a face side and a camber side;
- an insert disposed in the foam core in operable contact with the face side and the camber side of the structural layer;
- a root disposed within the structural layer at an end of the propeller blade, wherein a void exists between an end of the root and an end of the foam core.
1 more element
A method of forming a propeller blade comprising:
- providing a mold;
- disposing an insert in the mold;
- forming a foam core;
- forming a structural layer that surround the foam core and includes a face side and a camber side such that the face side and the camber side are in operable contact with the insert;
- coupling a root to the foam core;
- wherein forming a structural layer includes disposing the structural layer over at least a portion of the root;
- and
- removing a portion of the foam core between an end of the root and an end of the insert after the structural layer has been formed.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.