United Technologies Corporation

Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation

Ratier-Figeac Sas

Ratier Figeac

David P Nagle

John A Violette

Paul A Carvalho

Ludovic Prunet

Blair A Smith

Bruno Seminel

Patrice Brion

James A Cook

Michael E Folsom

Stephane Grimal

Sean Auyeung

Robert E Gustafson

Stephen L Smith

Stéphane Grimal

Bruno Seminal

Coleman D Shattuck

A propeller blade includes an inner spar structure surrounding an inner spar foam core. Also included is a leading edge foam structure disposed proximate a leading edge of the inner spar structure. Further included is a trailing edge foam structure disposed proximate a trailing edge of the inner spar structure. Yet further included is an outer spar structure surrounding the inner spar structure, the leading edge foam structure and the trailing edge foam structure. Also included is a blade shell, a leading edge foam core located between the outer spar structure and the blade shell, and a trailing edge foam core located between the outer spar structure and the blade shell.

Propeller blade and method

A propeller blade assembly includes a spar extending along a propeller blade axis and an outer sleeve surrounding the spar portion at a root end of the rotor blade assembly. The spar is adhesively bonded to the outer sleeve at an interface portion. A spar maximum diameter along the interface portion is larger than an outer sleeve minimum diameter along the interface portion. A method of assembling a propeller blade includes installing an outer sleeve over a spar at a root end of the spar, the spar a not fully cured composite component, and urging the spar into compressive conformance with the outer sleeve at an interface portion of the propeller blade assembly. A spar maximum diameter along the interface portion is larger than an outer sleeve minimum diameter along the interface portion. The spar is cured thereby adhesively bonding the spar to the outer sleeve at the interface portion.

Lightweight propeller blade with improved retention capacity

A propeller blade includes a foam core, an adhesive layer formed on the core and a structural layer that covers at least a portion of the adhesive layer and that surrounds at least a portion of the foam core.

Propeller blade having compliant adhesive at spar interface

According to one embodiment, a propeller blade includes a foam core and a structural layer formed of multiple layers that surrounds at least a portion of the foam core. The structural layer includes a mid-thickness location defined between the foam core and an outer edge of the structural layer and the multiple layers include at least one unidirectional layer and at least one biased layer disposed asymmetrically about the mid-thickness location.

Propeller blade with modified spar layup

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.

Propeller blade with lightweight insert

A propeller blade includes a foam core having a slot formed through it from a camber side to a face side, an internal stiffener disposed through the slot and including flanges in contact with both the camber and face sides and a structural layer that surrounds at least a portion of the foam core and in contact with the flanges on both the camber and face sides.

Propeller blade with internal stiffener

According to one embodiment, a propeller blade includes a carbon foam core and a structural layer that surrounds at least a portion of the carbon foam core.

Propeller blade with carbon foam spar core

A propeller blade for attachment to a receiving member of a hub of a propeller, is disclosed. The blade comprises a composite spar having an elongated portion formed in the shape of an airfoil. The elongated portion has a base end and a tip end, and a base portion for attachment to the receiving member. The base portion extends substantially transverse to the elongated portion and includes openings for receiving fasteners for fastening the spar to the receiving member. The blade also preferably includes an inner and outer sleeve for protecting the spar from frictional and compressive force wear in the base portion from fasteners. Preferably, the blade also includes an outer fiberglass shell and an inner weight tube for optionally adding more weight to the blade. The composite spar is preferably formed from a composite wall defining an interior space, which space is preferably filled with foam.

Bolted-on propeller blade

A composite propeller blade and hub attachment assembly is disclosed. The assembly includes a blade root having a first connecting member and a hub arm having a second connecting member. The first connecting member meshingly engages the second connecting member. A device preloads the blade root and the hub arm. The first and second connecting members form a slot for receiving the preloading device. The preloading device includes an outer movable unit, an inner movable unit, and a mechanism for displacing the outer and inner movable units relative each other. As the mechanism for displacing relatively moves the inner and outer units, the preloading device is caused to expand and tension the blade root and hub arm for mechanically preloading the blade, in a manner which increases the low centrifugal load off lightweight composite blades.

Bar wedge preload apparatus for a propeller blade

Composite Blade With Reinforced Leading Edge The shell (30) of a lightweight composite propulsor blade (10) of spar and shell construction has a leading edge portion (39) having twice the thickness as the remainder (33, 35, 37) of the shell thereby enhancing resistance to foreign object damage and improving erosion resistance.

Composite blade with reinforced leading edge

A method of making a shell (30) of a lightweight composite propulsor blade (10) of spar and shell construction having a leading edge portion (39) having twice the thickness as the remainder (33, 35, 37) of the shell thereby enhancing resistance to foreign object damage and improving erosion resistance.

Method of manufacturing a composite blade with a reinforced leading edge

A propeller or fan blade is rotatably mounted to a blade retention pitch member by a pin radially outside of a spinner. By mounting the propeller blade for rotation about the axis of the pin, the blade response to a vibratory excitation in a first mode of vibration is modified such that the twisting motion of the blade is minimized. High speed stability of the blade is enhanced thereby. Moreover a damaged blade may be easily replaced.

Pinned airfoil propeller assembly

A pitch retention member rotatably mounts a propeller or fan hereto radially outwardly from a spinner or a hub. The member attaches to the blade of a pair of tenons, each tenon having a hole passing therethrough for receiving a pin about which the blade may rotate. The pitch retention member cooperates with a motion limiter provided at the base of the blade to: damp rotational movement of the blade about the pin to minimize blade angular excursions when centrifugal loads are low; improve high speed blade stability; moderate blade vibratory motion and tune out undesirable blade resonant frequencies; and, absorb force created by impact with foreign objects. Such impact is adsorbed at a desired threshold level of bending load of a crushable material disposed within the blade retention pitch member.

Pitch retention member

An easily manipulable nut 72 is disposed within a cavity 30 within an environmentally sealed military vehicle, such cavity being designed to hold a standard nuclear biological filter 10 within. The nut transfers a rotational force to a sleeve 16 which engages a seal 28 disposed about an outlet 24 of the filter. The nut ensures that the seal on the filter is compressed to the proper force. A lock mechanism 18 is provided about said sleeve to absorb shock and vibration forces which might tend to disengage the sleeve from the filter.

Filter replacement mechanism

A propeller blade is insulated to withstand the high temperature exhaust of a gas turbine engine. The blade has a spar, a skin covering the spar and forming a contour of the blade, and an insulating layer disposed between the spar and the skin along the portion of the blade operating within the high temperature exhaust of an engine.

Growing community of inventors

Westfield, MA, United States of America

David P Nagle