Textron Innovations Inc.

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Charles J Kilmain

Ryan Thomas Ehinger

Carlos Alexander Fenny

Eric Albert Sinusas

Kevin Worrell

Frank B Stamps

Dudley E Smith

Walter West Riley

David A Elliott

Ron Measom

Sherman S Lin

Bob Collins

Ramesh Thiagarajan

Gary Cope

K Myron Jackson

David Sembritzky

John Benjamin Osborne

Gary A Cope

Walter Riley

Eric A Sinusas

Embodiments are directed to systems and methods for providing a control link for an aircraft in which the control link comprises an impact-resistant structure with a redundant load path. The control link has an inner structure that is sized to carry the anticipated load of the flight control system and to meet all safety factors. The control link also has an outer structure that is sacrificial and configured to absorb impact damage during operation, thereby protecting the inner structure. The outer structure is also designed to carry the anticipated load of the flight control system on its own, independent of the inner structure, and to meet all safety factors. If the outer structure fails, the inner structure allows for continued safe operation of the flight control system. The space or cavity between the inner and outer structures may be filled with a material, such as a closed-cell foam, to improve the impact resistance of the outer structure.

Redundant impact-resistant structure

According to one embodiment, a clutch may be coupled between a rotor system and a power train of a rotorcraft. The clutch may be operable to disengage the rotor system from the power train during operation of the power train. A clutch control system in communication with the clutch and include a rotorcraft condition sensor operable to sense an operating condition of the rotorcraft and a control unit operable to prevent the clutch from disengaging the rotor system from the power train if the operating condition of the rotorcraft fails to satisfy a predetermined criterion.

Disconnecting a rotor

In one particular embodiment, a method for making a fiber-reinforced, composite article having an internal passageway includes providing a layup tool, fiber placing a base layup onto the layup tool, and generating a groove in the base layup. The method further includes placing a mandrel in the groove, fiber placing a top layup onto the base layup and the mandrel, curing the base layup and the top layup, and removing the mandrel from the base layup and the top layup. In another particular embodiment, the mandrel is replaced with a non-removable tube.

Method of making a composite article having an internal passageway

A multi-ratio rotorcraft drive system and a method of changing gear ratios thereof are disclosed. According to one embodiment, the multi-ratio rotorcraft drive system comprises a rotor system comprising one or more rotors and one or more engines. Each engine of the one or more engines is coupled to the rotor system through a multi-ratio transmission. The multi-ratio transmission comprises an output shaft coupled to the rotor system, an input shaft coupled to a respective engine of the one or more engines, a high speed clutch integrated into a high speed gear train, and a low speed clutch integrated into a low speed gear train. The high speed clutch and the low speed clutch are freewheeling clutches without a friction plate and are capable of disconnecting the output shaft and the input shaft in an overrunning condition when the output shaft spins faster than the input shaft.

Multi-ratio rotorcraft drive system and a method of changing gear ratios thereof

A transmission for a rotary-wing aircraft has a differential torque-splitting mechanism associated with an input shaft. The differential has a drive disk coaxial with the shaft and integral in rotation with the shaft, a first driven member coaxial with the shaft and generally adjacent the drive disk, and a second driven member coaxial with the shaft and generally adjacent the drive disk. At least one pin engages each of the drive disk, the first driven member, and the second driven member. The first driven member is configured to drive a first transfer gear, and the second driven member is configured to drive a second transfer gear for supplying torque to a bull gear associated with a rotor mast.

Multiple drive-path transmission with torque-splitting differential mechanism

A multi-ratio rotorcraft drive system and a method of changing gear ratios thereof are disclosed. According to one embodiment, the multi-ratio rotorcraft drive system comprises a rotor system comprising one or more rotors and one or more engines. Each engine of the one or more engines is coupled to the rotor system through a multi-ratio transmission. The multi-ratio transmission comprises an output shaft coupled to the rotor system, an input shaft coupled to a respective engine of the one or more engines, a high speed clutch integrated into a high speed gear train, and a low speed clutch integrated into a low speed gear train. The high speed clutch and the low speed clutch are freewheeling clutches without a friction plate and are capable of disconnecting the output shaft and the input shaft in an overrunning condition when the output shaft spins faster than the input shaft. The multi-ratio transmission shifts between the high speed gear train and the low speed gear train by engaging or disengaging the high speed clutch and modulating speed of the coupled engine.

Growing community of inventors

Fort Worth, TX, United States of America

Charles J Kilmain