Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Textron Innovations Inc.

Patrick R Tisdale

Frank B Stamps

Richard Erler Rauber

James Braswell, Jr

David Popelka

Tom Donovan

Paul K Oldroyd

Robert Patrick Wardlaw

Thomas C Campbell

David A Popelka

Drew Alan Sutton

John R McCullough

Andrew Paul Haldeman

Andrew Ryan Maresh

Cecil E Covington

Ronald J Measom

Keith Alan Stanney

Timothy Kent Ledbetter

David Allen Haynie

Terry K Thompson

Ron Measom

Mark E Wasikowski

Tricia Hiros

Charles L Baskin

Ernest A Powell

Werner Idler

Bryan Kenneth Baskin

James Donn Hethcock, Jr

Paul Branson Sherrill

Mark Adam Wiinikka

Bryan W Marshall

Daniel P Sottiaux

Mithat Yuce

Tommie Lynn Wood

Ajay Sehgal

William D Neathery

Wei-Yueh Lee

John James Corrigan

Willem Broekhuizen

Robert Arnold Brack

Stanley G Sadler

Madison K Robinson

Tom Campbell

Joseph J Zierer

Michael J Southerland

Peter A Reyes

Tim Ledbetter

Ronnie Lee Martin

Dharam Jithender Reddy

James L Braswell

Ryan Smith

Robert W Metzger

Loan Thanh Vo

Joe J Zierer

John J Corrigan, Iii

Bob Mullins

James Lee Braswell

Ronald Dean Rice

John L Sims

Ernie A Powell

D J Reddy

Jim Harse

Orion Braziel

John J Iii Corrigan

Jr Hethcock James D

Mithal Yuce

Jr James D Hethcock

Jr Braswell James L

Richard E Rauber

Bryan Wade Marshall

Timothy K Ledbetter

Mark Wasikowski

Keith Stanney

Paul Sherrill

Stanley Gene Sadler

Ronnie L Martin

An airfoil member can have a root end, a tip end, a leading edge, and a trailing edge. The airfoil member can include an upper skin, a lower skin, and a composite core member having a plurality of cells, an upper surface network of the cells can be bonded to the upper skin, a lower surface network of the cells can be bonded to the lower skin. The composite core can have a septum layer embedded in the cells that form the composite core, the septum layer being configured to provide tailored characteristics of the airfoil member.

Method of optimizing and customizing rotor blade structural properties by tailoring large cell composite core and a rotor blade incorporating the same

A hub system comprises at least one yoke, at least one shear bearing, and at least one mast adapter. The at least one mast adapter is configured to support the at least one yoke and the at least one shear bearing, and the at least one yoke has a flapping hinge that is non-coincident with a flapping hinge of the at least one shear bearing. Another hub system comprises a stacked yoke and a mast adapter. The mast adapter is configured to transfer rotation from a rotor mast to the hub system to rotate the hub system about a central axis of rotation. The mast adapter is further configured to support the stacked yoke such that each yoke in the stacked yoke is configured to accommodate at least some amount of rotation about an axis that is perpendicular to or about perpendicular to the central axis of rotation.

Composite rotor system using two race track style cantilevered yokes

An apparatus comprising a soft in plane rotor yoke comprising two longitudinal side portions connected together via two outboard portions, wherein the outboard portions comprise a plurality of first layers formed of a first composite fabric material having a plurality of first fibers oriented in a first direction, and a plurality of second layers formed of a second composite fabric material having a plurality of second fibers oriented in a second direction. Included is an apparatus comprising a soft in plane rotor comprising two longitudinal side portions connected together via two outboard portions, wherein the outboard portions comprise a plurality of first layers formed of a first composite fabric material, and a plurality of second layers formed of a second composite fabric material, wherein the soft in plane rotor yoke does not comprise any narrow steered slit tape or filament windings.

Fiber orientation to allow for automated ply placement with composite rotor yokes

A rotary system and method to control feathering and centrifugal forces of a rotor blade during flight. The rotary system having a hub assembly, which includes a hollow yoke arm to receive a spindle section of the rotor blade. A tension-torsion strap extends through the hollow yoke arm and couples the rotor blade and the hub assembly. The method includes allowing the spindle section of the rotor blade to pivot within the hollow yoke arm and controlling rotational and centrifugal movement of the rotor blade with the tension-torsion strap.

Hub assembly with grease lubricated roller bearing and tension-torsion strap

A rotor assembly for a rotary-wing aircraft, the rotor having a central hub assembly with a flexure-type, twist-shank yoke with multiple arms, each arm being adapted for a rotor blade to be mounted thereto. The arms provide for pitch changes of blades attached to the yoke through twisting of portions of the arms about a corresponding pitch axis. An inboard pitch bearing associated with each arm is attached to the hub assembly and allows for rotation of the attached blade about the pitch axis, the inboard pitch bearing also allowing for out-of-plane motion of the arm relative to the hub assembly about a flapping axis. An outboard pitch bearing associated with each arm is attached to the associated arm a selected distance from the inboard pitch bearing and allows for rotation of the attached blade about the pitch axis.

Stiff-in-plane rotor configuration

A flexible joint assembly for providing flexure to a rotor blade comprising an upper hub plate and a lower hub plate configured to secure a rotor blade yoke via a bolted joint located radially outward of a mast; and an upper flexure assembly connected to the upper hub plate and a lower flexure assembly connected to the lower hub plate, wherein the upper flexure assembly and lower flexure assembly are configured to promote flapping of the rotor blade yoke about a flapping hinge located radially outward of the bolted joint.

Flexing clevis arrangement bolted joint attachment for flexible rotor hub with high offset and high flapping

An aircraft rotor assembly has upper and lower hub plates adapted to be mounted to a central rotor mast for rotation therewith. A plurality of radial arms is connected to at least two flap bearings mounted between the hub plates and forming a discrete flap hinge, each flap hinge defining a flap axis and allowing rotation of the associated arm relative to the hub plates and about the corresponding flap axis. Each of a plurality of blade grips is rotatably connected to one of the arms for rotation about a pitch axis and adapted for mounting of a blade to each blade grip, such that each blade is capable of rotation with the grip about the pitch axis and capable of rotation together with the corresponding arm relative to the hub plates and about the corresponding flap axis.

Aircraft rotor with discrete flap hinge

According to one embodiment, a method comprises calendering an elastomeric material into an elastomeric layer having a thickness that is more uniform than the elastomeric material prior to the calendaring. After calendaring, the elastomeric layer is vulcanized to a composite shim comprising at least one reinforcement layer and at least one layer of adhesive.

Attachable elastomeric pad

A rotor hub assembly and method for controlling movement of a rotor blade relative to a swashplate. The hub assembly having an attachment device operably associated with the rotor blade and the swashplate. The attachment device provides pivot and rotational blade movement relative to the swashplate. A dual spring-rate damper is operably associated with the attachment device. The damper switches between a first spring rate and a second spring rate during flight to control movement of the rotor blade. The method includes the process of switching the damper between the first spring rate and the second spring rate during flight.

Dual mode rotor hub assembly

The present application includes a main rotor assembly for an aircraft. The rotor assembly has a main rotor mast configured for rotation about a mast axis and two yokes pivotally connected to the mast for rotation therewith about the mast axis. Each yoke is independently pivotable relative to the mast about at least one flap axis that is generally perpendicular to the mast axis. In at least one embodiment, a torque splitter connects the yokes and allows for limited rotation of the yokes relative to each other about the mast axis. Each yoke is configured for the attachment of rotor blades extending generally radially relative to the mast axis.

Multiple-yoke main rotor assembly

A rotary system includes a retention member and a flexible yoke having an opening forming a bridge. The rotary system is further provided with two bearing assemblies, a first bearing assembly extending through the opening of the yoke and configured to secure a rotor blade to the retention member and a second bearing assembly extending through the opening of the flexible yoke and configured to secure the rotor blade to the bridge. The second bearing element includes a bearing element having a first surface forming a spherical contouring and an opposing integral second surface forming a conical contouring.

Compact rotorcraft dual-element spherical elastomeric centrifugal-force bearing assembly

Growing community of inventors

Roanoke, TX, United States of America

Patrick R Tisdale