Textron Innovations Inc.

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Bell Textron Inc.

Paul Branson Sherrill

Robert Alan Self

Paul K Oldroyd

Russell S Cole

George Matthew Thompson

Jonathan Andrew Knoll

Ronald J Measom

Frank B Stamps

Jared Mark Paulson

Bryan W Marshall

James R Stamper, Jr

Neil Edward Morrow

Troy Cyril Schank

Bryan Kenneth Baskin

Drew Alan Sutton

David Popelka

Dudley E Smith

James Braswell, Jr

Thomas Parham

Charles L Hollimon

Jimmy Charles Narramore

John Michael Kebrle

Nathan Patrick Green

Bryan Huber

Tricia Hiros

Tim Ledbetter

James R Andrews

Justin Daw

Jim Hurdle

Sidney Xue

Bryce Docker

John T Brieger

Jim C Narramore

Thomas C Parham

John R McCullough

Kyle Thomas Cravener

Richard Erler Rauber

James Donn Hethcock, Jr

Andrew Paul Haldeman

Tyler Wayne Baldwin

Albert Gerard Brand

Patrick R Tisdale

Robert Patrick Wardlaw

Joseph Richard Carpenter, Jr

Andrew Thomas Carter

Michael Dean Dearman

Dalton T Hampton

Matthew John Hill

Hunter Jay Davis

Keith Alan Stanney

Thomas C Campbell

Timothy Kent Ledbetter

Peter H Kintzinger

Ron Measom

Mark E Wasikowski

Nicholas Allen Torske

Michael J Southerland

Colin John Thomas

Scott Wolthuis

Bryan Judd

David A Popelka

Brian Erik Barnes

James Lee Braswell

David Shultz

Jason Owens

Madeline Kvaka

Ned Hanisko

Peter H Kitzinger

Kelli Yates

Joseph Richard Carpenter

Jr James Braswell

A method of designing a rotor blade for a rotary aircraft includes establishing a target thrust-weighted solidity of the rotor blade, calculating a reverse flow circle of the rotor blade at a target forward speed of the rotary aircraft, inboard of the reverse flow circle, decreasing chord of the rotor blade relative to a baseline rotor blade possessing the target thrust-weighted solidity, and outboard of the reverse flow circle, increasing the chord of the rotor blade relative to the baseline rotor blade. The rotor blade possesses the target thrust-weighted solidity of the baseline rotor blade and improved stall margin or speed margin at the target forward speed relative to the baseline rotor blade.

Method and system for inverse-tapered high-speed rotors

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

A rotorcraft has a rotor blade having a spar comprising an internal space. A weight system is disposed within the spar and the weight system includes a weight tray having an open top, a weight guide rod connected to the weight tray. The weight guide rod extends in a spanwise direction through an interior of the weight tray and a weight is disposed on the weight guide rod and vertically captured by at least one side wall of the weight tray. The weight guide rod is insertable into the weight tray from a location above the weight tray to restrict longitudinal movement of the weight guide rod relative to the weight tray.

Rotor blade weight system

A rotor assembly has a rotor hub having a unitary structure. The rotor assembly further includes a unitary crosshead having a first upper tab and a first lower tab located vertically below the first upper tab. The first upper tab and the first lower tab define a slot therebetween to accept a first pin of the first rotor blade. A second upper tab and a second lower tab located vertically below the second upper tab define a slot therebetween to accept a second pin of the second rotor blade. A first recess is provided between the first lower tab and the second lower tab so that the crosshead comprises no material directly between at least a portion of the first lower tab and the second lower tab along at least one straight path.

Rotor assembly and method of assembling same

In an implementation, a rotor blade (alternatively referred to herein as 'blade') for a helicopter or other aircraft may include an outer layer. The outer layer may define a cavity. The outer layer may at least partially correspond to an airfoil, e.g., a wing. One or more inserts may be included within the cavity and be encompassed thereby. The first insert may have a density of at least 0.6 pounds per cubic inch.

Insert for a blade of a rotary-wing aircraft

A bearing system includes an inboard bearing assembly and an outboard bearing assembly. The inboard bearing assembly includes an inboard fitting and an inboard race. The inboard fitting includes a plate with a convex mating surface and a first aperture formed through the plate for receiving a blade root of a rotor blade. The inboard race comprising a concave mating surface configured to receive the convex mating surface a second aperture formed the inboard race. The outboard bearing assembly includes an outboard bearing assembly comprising an outboard fitting having an aperture formed therethrough for receiving the blade root of the rotor blade.

Rotor retention fitting with integral bearing and pitch control

A rotor assembly including a rotor mast, a rotor hub coupled to the rotor mast, a plurality of rotor blades coupled to the rotor hub, a control tube extending through the rotor mast, a crosshead coupled to the control tube, and a mechanism configured to drive the rotor mast in rotation. Wherein the mechanism is longitudinally positioned between a top portion and a bottom portion of the control tube and translation of the control tube relative to the rotor mast causes rotation of the rotor blades about their pitch-change axes. While the crosshead is installed, the crosshead is prevented from angular rotation about the mast axis. A pin of a rotor blade assembly is captured between opposing tabs of the crosshead and movable relative to the opposing tabs in response to translation of the crosshead along the mast axis.

Rotor assembly

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 method of constructing a cured composite assembly includes positioning a composite assembly within a bonding tool, wherein the composite assembly comprises an uncured composite spar and a skin and performing a curing cycle on the composite assembly to simultaneously cure the uncured composite spar and bond the skin to the cured composite spar.

Systems and methods of constructing composite assemblies

The present invention includes a rotor-blade span-balancing system, including a span-balance pocket in a surface of a rotor blade; a cover operably configured to cover the span-balance pocket, wherein the cover is operably configured to be substantially flush with the surface of the rotor blade surface when covering the span-balance pocket, and wherein the cover includes a cover boss for reacting centrifugal force of the cover into the rotor blade; and one or more span-balance weights attached to the cover to span-balance the rotor blade.

Rotor span-balance pocket

The present invention includes a span-balance pocket in a surface of a rotor blade, the span-balance pocket including an inboard surface and an outboard surface; and one or more weights disposed in the span-balance pocket to span-balance the rotor blade; and at least one of one or more retention devices to retain the one or more weights against the outboard surface of the span-balance pocket or the span-balance pocket is machined or molded into a tip block of the rotor blade.

A weight system for a rotor blade includes a weight box open in an outboard direction, a weight guide rod connected to the weight box, the weight guide rod extending in a spanwise direction through an interior of the weight box, and a span balance weight disposed within the weight box, the span balance weight being captured between the weight guide rod and the weight box.

In one embodiment, a method may comprise coupling a plurality of reinforcement fibers to a plurality of spherical components; inserting the plurality of spherical components into an enclosure; and heating the enclosure to cause the plurality of spherical components to expand, wherein the plurality of spherical components expands to form a geodesic structure, wherein the geodesic structure comprises a plurality of polyhedron components configured in a geodesic arrangement.

Geodesic composite structures

The aircraft includes a rotor. The rotor includes a plurality of rotor blades. The aircraft further includes a non-rotating aircraft component. A proximity sensor is disposed with at least one of the non-rotating aircraft component and the rotor blades. A flight control computer is electrically coupled to the proximity sensor.

Method and apparatus for proximity control between rotating and non-rotating aircraft components

Growing community of inventors

Grapevine, TX, United States of America

Paul Branson Sherrill