Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Textron Innovations Inc.

Bell Textron Inc.

Jared Mark Paulson

Tyler Wayne Baldwin

Kyle Thomas Cravener

Michael Christopher Burnett

Christopher Edward Foskey

Jeffrey Paul Nissen

Thomas S Chiang

Paul K Oldroyd

Paul Branson Sherrill

Bryan W Marshall

Glenn Alan Shimek

Ken Shundo

Bryan Huber

Mark Mays

Steven Ray Ivans

James Everett Kooiman

Brent Chadwick Ross

Andrew Paul Haldeman

Michael E Rinehart

Ryan Thomas Ehinger

Aaron Alexander Acee

Amarjit Olenchery Kizhakkepat

Jeffrey Mark Bosworth

Mark Loring Isaac

Michael Dean Dearman

Andrew Thomas Carter

Lynn Francis Eschete

Tom Donovan

Roger J Aubert

Steven Allen Robedeau, Jr

Joel J McIntyre

Jason Paul Winter

Colin John Thomas

Derek Ray Eddins

Clegg Benjamin Brian Smith

Bryan Judd

Jeffrey Bosworth

Joel Mcintyre

Robert J Aubert

Michael Chris Burnett

A method for forming composite components includes disposing composite laminate over a mandrel. The method further includes infusing the composite laminate with a resin. A gelation of the infused resin is caused by applying a first environmental condition to the composite laminate and mandrel. At least a portion of the mandrel is deformed by applying a second environmental condition to the composite laminate and mandrel. The method further includes forming a composite structure by curing the composite laminate infused with resin. The deformed mandrel is removed from the composite structure after forming the composite structure.

Methods and systems for manufacturing composite components

An ice protection system is configured for a rotor blade having a leading edge along at least a portion of a spanwise length extending between a root portion and a tip portion. The system has an electric spanwise anti-ice heater configured for placement on the leading edge of the blade and a first electric spanwise de-ice heater adjacent the anti-ice heater and having varying chordwise dimensions. The de-ice heater is configured for placement on an upper surface of the blade or a lower surface of the blade. Electrical connectors for each heater are configured for connection near the root portion of the blade to a source of electrical power.

Tailored rotor-blade ice-protection system

A spar assembly has a spar having a tip comprising a most outboard portion of the spar, a root comprising a most inboard portion of the spar, a main section disposed inboard relative to the tip, and a middle section disposed inboard relative to the main section. The spar also has a transition section disposed between the main section and the middle section and the transition section has an outboard interface cross-sectional shape and an inboard cross-sectional shape that is different than the outboard interface cross-sectional shape.

Common spar assembly for use in nonfoldable and foldable proprotor blades

A thermally conductive curing process adds conductive additives to create pathways for dissipating heat during a curing process, thereby reducing the cure time, increasing the output capability, and reducing cost. Conductive particles or short fibers can be dispersed throughout the resin system or composite fiber layers in pre-impregnated or RTM-processed composite material. By disposing conductive particles or short fibers in a resin as part of the curing process, heat generated during the curing process can dissipate more quickly from any type of composite, especially thick composites. Conductive additive examples include multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), graphene/graphite powder, buckyballs, short fibrous particulate, nano-clays, nano-particles, and other suitable materials.

Thermally conductive curing process for composite rotorcraft structure fabrication

An airfoil member having a root end, a tip end, a leading edge, and a trailing edge, the airfoil member including an upper skin; a lower skin; and a support network having a plurality of interconnected support members in a lattice arrangement and/or a reticulated arrangement, the support network being configured to provide tailored characteristics of the airfoil member. Also provided are methods and systems for repairing an airfoil member.

Methods of customizing, manufacturing, and repairing a rotor blade using additive manufacturing processes and a rotor blade incorporating the same

Embodiments are directed to systems and methods for two or more cured composite assemblies that are bonded together to form a tubular composite structure, wherein each of the cured composite assemblies do not have a tubular shape. The tubular composite structure may form a spar for an aerodynamic component, for example. The two or more cured composite assemblies may comprise carbon or fiberglass composite materials or a combination of materials. Each of the cured composite assemblies may further comprise axial edges that are configured to be bonded to another of the cured composite assemblies, wherein the axial edges have a sloped shape. An adhesive agent may be applied on the axial edges for bonding two cured composite assemblies. Alternatively, or additionally, one or more fasteners may be used to attach the axial edges of at least two cured composite assemblies.

Multi-piece assembly for a tubular composite body

The present invention includes an apparatus for protecting an aerodynamic surface from erosion including a screen capable of being applied to a leading edge of the aerodynamic surface; and an erosion protection coating applied to the screen before or after the screen is applied to the leading edge, wherein the erosion protection coating protects the aerodynamic surface from erosion.

Erosion protection coating with screen

Embodiments are directed to systems and methods for creating a tubular composite structure. In one embodiment, a device comprises multiple layers of cured composite fabric bonded together to form a tubular composite structure, wherein alternating groups of the multiple layers comprise on-axis fabric and off-axis fabric. The tubular composite structure may form a spar for an aerodynamic component. The composite fabric may comprise one or more of carbon, fiberglass, or other composite materials, or a combination of materials. One or more stacks of the fabric wrap completely around the tubular composite structure, and other stacks of fabric may not wrap completely around the tubular composite structure.

All-fabric spar for aerodynamic components

A balance weight assembly for a rotor blade of a rotorcraft. The balance weight assembly includes a balance weight pocket formed by a balance weight tray and a cover. The balance weight tray has an upper surface including a lip region extending outwardly from a projected region with an outboard boss. A balance weight receiving cavity is recessed from the upper surface and contains a plurality of balance weights. The projected region is disposed within an opening in a hollow blade spar such that the outboard boss of the balance weight tray has a contact relationship with an outboard surface of the opening. The cover is coupled to the balance weight tray such that the lip region of the balance weight tray and at least a portion of the cover have a clamping relationship with the blade spar, thereby coupling the balance weight pocket to the blade spar.

Balance weight assemblies for rotor blades

A rotorcraft includes a main rotor system coupled to a mast and a rotor assembly. The rotor assembly includes a yoke comprising a rotor coupling, a first damper mount attached to the rotor coupling, a rotor extension configured to couple to the rotor coupling and comprising a second damper mount, a damper coupled to the first and second damper mounts, and a fairing enclosing the damper and the yoke.

Low-drag fairing and rotor assembly

The present invention includes a balancing system that includes a weight box, mounted substantially within the rotor-blade spar, flush with a rotor-blade spar outer surface, operably accessible from a rotor-blade tip, and retained within the rotor-blade spar by a weight-box retention pin, one or more weight-box contact surfaces bonded to a rotor-blade-spar inner surface, or a weight-box lip providing a bearing contact with an edge of a spar rotor-blade spar cutout; and a weight package attached to the weight box, the weight package including a weight-box cover, two or more weight guide-rods attached to the weight-box cover, wherein one of the two or more weight guide-rods is positioned forward of a pitch change axis or center of twist and wherein one of the two weight guide-rods is positioned aft of the pitch change axis or center of twist, and one or more balance weights mounted on the weight guide-rods.

Zero-fastener flushmount balance weight system preserving rotor-blade tip with integral tuning weight retention feature

A link includes an outer composite portion substantially encircling at least two bearing pockets and a central substantially incompressible portion disposed between the at least two bearing pockets.

Drive link

A folding rotor blade assembly includes a blade fold support and a blade-fold actuator system coupled to the blade fold support. The blade-fold actuator system includes a motor, a tab configured to selectively prevent rotation of a blade tang of a rotor blade, and a cam connected to the blade fold support and coupled to the motor, the cam configured to move the tab between a locked position that prevents rotation of the blade tang and an unlocked position that permits rotation of the blade tang.

Blade fold method and apparatus for a tilt rotor hub

The present invention includes a first barrier layer configured to cover a leading edge of the blade or wing; one or more electrical bus bars disposed on the first barrier layer proximate to and substantially parallel with the leading edge; a ground bus bar disposed on the first barrier layer proximate to and substantially parallel with the leading edge; a second barrier layer disposed over the one or more electrical bus bars and the ground bus bar; one or more heating elements disposed on the second barrier layer, and each heating element electrically connected to one of the electrical bus bars and to the ground bus bar; and a third barrier layer disposed over the one or more heating elements.

Electrical bus arrangement for ice protection systems

Growing community of inventors

Fort Worth, TX, United States of America

Jared Mark Paulson