Propeller/rotor control apparatus and method
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorRichard L. Kulesha
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for controlling a rotor of a rotary wing aircraft, including a stationary frame, a rotary propulsion shaft extending through the frame, the propulsion shaft having a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion coupled to the first shaft portion at a joint, the first shaft portion being configured to be coupled to a drive unit and the second shaft portion being pivotable relative to a centerline of the first shaft portion in two degrees of freedom about the joint, and at least one actuator coupled to the stationary frame at one end and connected to the second shaft portion at the other end so that the second shaft portion rotates relative to the at least one actuator, the at least one actuator being configured to pivot the second shaft portion in the two degrees of freedom.
Claims20
An apparatus for controlling a rotor of a rotary wing aircraft, comprising:
- a stationary frame;
- a rotary propulsion shaft extending through the stationary frame, the propulsion shaft having a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion coupled to the first shaft portion at a joint, the first shaft portion being configured to be coupled to a drive unit and the second shaft portion being pivotable relative to a centerline of the first shaft portion in two degrees of freedom about the joint;
- a bearing assembly mounted to the second shaft portion;
- a spherical bearing mounted to the stationary frame;
- at least one control arm coupling the spherical bearing to the bearing assembly;
- a stabilizing member that is common to each of the at least one control arm, the stabilizing member being configured to adjust a contact pressure of each control arm against one or more of the bearing assembly and spherical bearing while allowing pivoting of the second shaft portion;
- and
- at least one actuator coupled to the stationary frame at one end and connected to the second shaft portion at the other end so that the second shaft portion rotates relative to the at least one actuator, the at least one actuator being substantially parallel with the rotary propulsion shaft and configured to pivot the second shaft portion in the two degrees of freedom.
A rotary wing aircraft comprising:
- a frame;
- a tail rotor connected to the frame, the tail rotor including
- a rotary propulsion shaft extending through the frame, the propulsion shaft having a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion coupled to the first shaft portion at a joint, the first shaft portion being configured to be coupled to a drive unit and the second shaft portion being pivotable relative to a centerline of the first shaft portion in two degrees of freedom about the joint;
- a bearing assembly mounted to the second shaft portion;
- a spherical bearing mounted to the stationary frame;
- at least one control arm coupling the spherical bearing to the bearing assembly;
- a stabilizing member that is common to each of the at least one control arm, the stabilizing member being configured to adjust a contact pressure of each control arm against one or more of the bearing assembly and spherical bearing while allowing pivoting of the second shaft portion;
- and
- at least one actuator connected to the frame at one end and connected to the second shaft portion at the other end so that the second shaft portion rotates relative to the at least one actuator, the at least one actuator being substantially parallel with the rotary propulsion shaft and configured to pivot the second shaft portion in the two degrees of freedom.
A method comprising:
- providing a rotary wing aircraft with a rotary propulsion shaft having a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion so that the second shaft portion is pivotable relative to a centerline of the first shaft portion in two degrees of freedom about a joint;
- and
- pivoting the second shaft portion in the two degrees of freedom with at least one actuator that is arranged substantially parallel to the rotary propulsion shaft and connecting a non-rotatable frame of the rotary wing aircraft to the second shaft portion so that the second shaft portion rotates relative to the at least one actuator;
- wherein control arms are connected to both a spherical bearing mounted to the non-rotatable frame and a bearing assembly mounted to the second shaft portion and a contact pressure of each control arm against one or more of the spherical bearing and the bearing assembly is adjusted with a stabilizing member that is common to each control arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.