Textron Innovations Inc.

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Bell Textron Inc.

Other

Richard Erler Rauber

Frank B Stamps

Jouyoung Jason Choi

Thomas Clement Parham, Jr

Patrick R Tisdale

Gary Michael Miller

James Braswell, Jr

David Popelka

Tom Donovan

Michael Scott Seifert

Thomas C Campbell

David A Popelka

Michael Reaugh Smith

David Heverly

James L Braswell

Christopher Edward Foskey

Tyler Wayne Baldwin

Mark Adam Wiinikka

Alan Carl Ewing

Mithat Yuce

Keith Alan Stanney

Thomas J Newman

Mark E Wasikowski

Paul K Oldroyd

Bryan Kenneth Baskin

Albert Gerard Brand

Paul Branson Sherrill

John Elton Brunken, Jr

Jeffrey Mark Bosworth

Tommie Lynn Wood

David Allen Haynie

John James Corrigan

Joseph J Zierer

Ron Measom

Tom Campbell

Pat Tisdale

Tricia Hiros

Michael J Southerland

Charles L Baskin

Tim Ledbetter

Joe J Zierer

John J Corrigan, Iii

Ryan Smith

James Lee Braswell

John J Iii Corrigan

Thomas Clement Parham Jr

Alan Ewing

Jr Thomas Clement Parham

Jeffrey Bosworth

Michael R Smith

Thomas C Parham

Frank Bradley Stamps

Mark Wasikowski

Keith Stanney

Thomas Clement Parham

Paul Sherrill

A vibration attenuator is configured for use on an aircraft rotor rotatable about a mast axis and has upper and lower weight assemblies, each comprising a weight with a center of gravity being a radial distance from the mast axis. The weight assemblies are configured for rotation together relative to the rotor at a selected angular rate about the mast axis, the weights being located on opposing sides of the mast axis. A first motor is configured for selective translation of one of the weight assemblies relative to the other weight assembly along the mast axis between a minimum-moment configuration, in which the centers of gravity of the weights revolve about the mast axis in the same plane, and a maximum-moment configuration, in which the centers of gravity of the weights revolve about the mast axis in different planes for producing a whirling moment about the mast axis.

Vibration attenuator

A gimbaled rotor assembly for an aircraft. The gimbaled rotor assembly including a static mast; a spherical bearing comprising an inner component and an outer component pivotable relative to each other about a bearing focus, the inner component fixedly coupled to the static mast; a rotor hub rotatably coupled to the outer component, allowing for relative rotation of the rotor hub about a rotor axis and for pivoting together with the outer component about the bearing focus; and a primary hub spring coupling the outer component to the static mast and configured for opposing pivoting of the rotor hub about the bearing focus from a neutral position.

Rotor assembly with static mast and pivoting rotor hub

A rotor hub assembly that includes a yoke configured to attach blades thereto, a universal joint configured to attach to, and transmit forces between, a mast and the yoke, and an elastomeric member configured to attenuate vibrations transmitted from the universal joint to the mast.

Rotor hub assembly with universal joint

A vibration attenuator for an aircraft has first and second coaxial spinners configured for rotation about a mast axis and relative to a rotor. Upper and lower weights of each spinner are spaced radially from the axis and positioned 180 degrees from each other about the axis. The weights of each spinner are spaced from each other a distance parallel to the mast axis, each weight rotating about the mast axis in a different plane. The spinners rotate together relative to the rotor at a selected angular rate and are selectively rotatable relative to each other between a minimum-moment configuration, in which the upper weight of each spinner is angularly aligned with the lower weight of the other spinner, and a maximum-moment configuration, in which the upper weights are angularly aligned and the lower weights are angularly aligned, producing a whirling moment about the mast axis as the spinners rotate.

A vibration attenuator for a rotor is rotatable about a mast axis and has a frame configured for rotation about the mast axis relative to the rotor. A first mass is axially translatable in a first direction relative to the frame parallel to a first axis, and a first biasing force urges the first mass toward a first-mass rest position in which the first mass is symmetric about the mast axis. A second mass is axially translatable in a second direction relative to the frame parallel to a second axis, and a second biasing force urges the second mass toward a second-mass rest position in which the second mass is symmetric about the mast axis. A selected first or second mass moves radially outward from the rest position to oppose vibrations in the rotor.

The present application provides a drive link for a constant-velocity joint of an aircraft rotor, the link connecting a drive hub attached to a driveshaft to a rotor yoke. The link comprises a leading bearing connected to the drive hub, a trailing bearing connected to the yoke, a central portion between the bearings, and a tension loop connecting the bearings. The tension loop is formed from a composite material and is formed as a continuous band. The tension loop transfers drive forces from the leading bearing to the trailing bearing for driving the yoke in rotation with the driveshaft.

Constant-velocity joint link with reduced axial stiffness

A wing airframe for a wing of a tiltrotor aircraft includes a wing airframe core assembly and a wing skin assembly disposed on the wing airframe core assembly. The wing skin assembly includes an outer skin and a damping sublayer, the damping sublayer interposed between the outer skin and the wing airframe core assembly. The tiltrotor aircraft includes a pylon assembly subject to aeroelastic movement during forward flight. The wing is subject to deflection in response to the aeroelastic movement of the pylon assembly. The damping sublayer reduces the deflection of the wing, thereby stabilizing the wing during forward flight.

Damping structures for tiltrotor aircraft wings

A soft-in-plane proprotor system for a tiltrotor aircraft having a helicopter mode and an airplane mode. The proprotor system includes a hub, a plurality of proprotor blades and a plurality of blade support assemblies coupling the proprotor blades with the hub. Each blade support assembly includes a flapping bearing coupled to the hub and a yoke having first and second longitudinal sections with outboard grip members and an inboard arcuate section connecting the first and second longitudinal sections and coupled to the flapping bearing. A lead-lag damper is coupled between the hub and an inboard station of the respective proprotor blade. A twist shank is coupled between the outboard grip members of the yoke and an outboard station of the respective the proprotor blade. The twist shank defines a virtual lead-lag hinge outboard of the yoke and coincident with the respective pitch change axis.

Soft-in-plane proprotor systems

A proprotor system for tiltrotor aircraft having a helicopter mode and an airplane mode. The proprotor system includes a hub and a plurality of proprotor blades coupled to the hub such that each proprotor blade is operable to independently flap relative to the hub and independently change pitch. In the airplane mode, the proprotor blades have a first in-plane frequency greater than 2.0/rev.

Proprotor systems for tiltrotor aircraft

An aircraft includes a rotor blade and a rotor hub system. The rotor hub system includes a lead-lag damper having a rod end and being operably associated with the rotor blade; a blade adapter having a first arm and an opposing second arm; a pin carried by the blade adapter and configured to secure in position via the first arm and the second arm; and an actuator secured to the pin and configured to adjust the position of the lead-lag rod end relative to the first arm and the second arm.

Adjustable blade-to-hub lead-lag damper attachment

A yoke for providing a centrifugal force retention load path between a proprotor blade and a hub of a soft-in-plane proprotor system operable for use on a tiltrotor aircraft. The yoke includes a continuous loop having a longitudinal axis and first and second longitudinal sections extending between inboard and outboard arcuate sections. A flapping bearing receiving region is disposed at least partially within the inboard arcuate section to an interior of the continuous loop. A centrifugal force bearing receiving region is disposed at least partially within the outboard arcuate section to the interior of the continuous loop. The continuous loop is formed from a composite material having a plurality of double bias material plies and a plurality of unidirectional material plies such that the number of unidirectional material plies is greater than the number of double bias material plies.

Loop yoke for proprotor systems

A soft-in-plane proprotor system for a tiltrotor aircraft having a helicopter mode and an airplane mode. The proprotor system includes a hub, a plurality of proprotor blades and a plurality of loop yokes, each coupling one of the proprotor blades with the hub and each including first and second longitudinal sections extending between inboard and outboard arcuate sections and a bearing assembly disposed between the inboard and outboard arcuate sections of each loop yoke. Each bearing assembly includes a flapping bearing disposed generally within the inboard arcuate section of the respective loop yoke and coupled to the hub, a lead-lag damper coupled to the hub, a centrifugal force bearing disposed generally within the outboard arcuate section of the respective loop yoke and a blade anchor coupled between the lead-lag damper and the centrifugal force bearing. The blade anchor is also coupled to the respective proprotor blade.

An aircraft rotor assembly has a central hub and a plurality of rotor blades coupled to the hub for rotation with the hub about an axis, each blade having a Lock number of approximately 5 or greater. A lead-lag pivot for each blade is formed by a flexure coupling the associated blade to the hub. Each pivot is a radial distance from the axis and allows for in-plane lead-lag motion of the associated blade relative to the hub, each pivot allowing for in-plane motion from a neutral position of at least 1 degree in each of the lead and lag directions. Elastic deformation of the flexure produces a biasing force for biasing the associated blade toward the neutral position, and the biasing force is selected to achieve a first in-plane frequency of greater than 1/rev for each blade.

Rotor assembly with high lock-number blades

An apparatus comprising a spinner fairing assembly comprising a spinner configured to be fixed relative to a gimbaled yoke coupled to a mast system, and a spinner base configured to be fixed relative to the mast system. A spinner fairing assembly comprising a spinner aligned along a first axis, and a spinner base aligned along a second axis and configured to interface with the spinner, wherein the spinner is configured to transition between a neutral position and a canted position with respect to the spinner base, wherein the first axis and the second axis are coincident in the neutral position, and wherein the first axis and the second axis are not coincident and meet at an origin within the spinner in the canted position.

Spinner fairing assembly

Growing community of inventors

Euless, TX, United States of America

Richard Erler Rauber