Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation

United Technologies Corporation

Lockheed Martin Corporation

The United States of America As Represented by the Department of Health

Stephen V Poulin

Leonard J Doolin

Frank Paul D'Anna

David A Darrow, Jr

Frederick J Miner

Kevin A White

James Orbon

Kevin Laitenberger

David H Hunter

Bryan Kenneth Baskin

Pedro L Cabrera

William L Noehren

Francis D Federici

Kenneth L Lauck

Richard Thomas Hood

Joseph John Andrews

Adrial Kirchen

Robert James Milne

Steven M Capelle

Bryan D Mayrides

Devon Cowles

David A Darrow

John Stephen Yerant

Jonathon Crim

Robert J Milne

Erik Byrne

Dave H Hunter

Robert J Trembicki

Timothy Heising Bean

Frank P D'anna

David A Darrow Jr

A control input operable by a user for controlling movement of an aircraft includes a base portion configured for coupling to a support surface, the base portion biased towards a neutral position defined along a central axis and pivotable to a plurality of angular positions relative to the central axis. The control input also includes a grip portion having inputs for controlling movement of the aircraft and pivotally coupled to the base portion, the grip portion pivotable between a first position in which the grip portion extends from the base portion and a second position in which the grip portion is pivoted relative to the base portion. Further, the control input includes a lock mechanism for locking the grip portion in the first position wherein releasing the lock mechanism allows the grip portion to move to the second position.

Folding control stick and locking mechanism

A spherical bearing which extends from and connects to a deformable component includes an outer member and an inner member. The inner member is pivotable relative to the outer member about an axis. The inner member has an opening formed therein that defines a plurality of coplanar contact surfaces shaped to accommodate and contact the component. The plurality of contact surfaces are movable to accommodate deformation of the component positioned within the opening.

Uniball bearing with compliant inner member

A scissor link includes a first component defining a first bore and including first outer pads defining first and second holes and a first recession defining a first threaded hole, a second component defining a second bore and including second outer pads defining third and fourth holes and a second recession defining a second threaded hole, a shim disposable between the first and second outer pads of the first and second components, a stud to engage with each of the first and second threaded holes to tighten the first and second components about the shim and flanking bolts insertible through respective pairs of the first through fourth holes of the first and second components.

Adjustable scissor link

A box frame hub arm structure is provided and includes a body having an outboard surface, which is disposable to abut with an inboard surface of an outboard arm of an aircraft rotor head, and lead/lag sides. The body is formed to define a first cavity, an aperture communicative with the first cavity through the outboard surface and second and third cavities. The second and third cavities extend outwardly in opposite lead/lag directions from the first cavity to the lead/lag sides.

Rigid rotor head with tension torsion (TT) strap retention

A swashplate of a blade pitch control assembly is provided including a metal component having one or more interfacing features. The metal component includes a hollow first cylinder having a first flange extending outwardly from a first end thereof and a second flange extending outwardly from a second end thereof. A sidewall extends between the first and second flanges such that a cavity is defined between the first flange, the second flange, and the sidewall. A plurality of connecting members is connected to a portion of the first flange and the second flange and is spaced about a periphery of the first cylinder. A tubular composite component is arranged at least partially within the cavity between adjacent pairs of the connecting members.

Composite reinforced swashplate

An aircraft is provided and includes an airframe, a blade disk, which is rotatable relative to the airframe, including a plurality of rotor blades, a rotor shaft disposed to drive rotation of the blade disk relative to the airframe and a pitching of each of the rotor blades about corresponding pitch axes and a rotor assembly configured to form couplings by which each of the rotor blades is coupled to the rotor shaft. The rotor assembly includes a composite laminate arranged to resolve loading associated with the couplings in-plane of the composite laminate.

Aircraft rotor assembly with composite laminate

A bearing sleeve assembly includes a rigid inner element having a cylindrical inner diameter bore and an outer surface that is non-cylindrical. Also included is a rigid outer element spaced radially outwardly from the rigid inner element, the rigid outer element comprising a cylindrical member with a uniform cross-section that forms a ring with an inner-diameter surface and an outer-diameter surface, the outer element's inner-diameter surface and the non-cylindrical outer surface of the inner element defining a non-uniform annulus therebetween. Further included is an elastomeric core disposed between the rigid inner element and the rigid outer element within the non-uniform annulus, the elastomeric core having a first thickness at a first location and a second thickness at a second location, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness.

Directional stiffness bearing sleeve assembly for rotor systems

A linkage assembly configured for use on a rotor blade having a first section and a second section, the second section being configured to rotate about a blade fold axis between an aligned position and a rotated position relative to the first section is provided. The linkage assembly includes a bracket having a first portion rotatably coupled to the first section about the blade fold axis and a second portion mounted to the second section. A spacer assembly is positioned between the bracket and an adjacent wall of the second section. The overall thickness of the spacer assembly is adjustable to control a distance between the second section and the bracket to adjust the rotated position.

System for shimming blade fold angle about an axis of rotation

A mounting assembly for connecting a first surface to a second surface and for holding a first servo which moves an adjacent first component is provided including a leg. A first end of the leg is attachable to the first surface and a second end of the leg is attachable to the second surface. The leg is generally bent such that the first end of each leg is arranged at an angle to the second end of each leg so as to transmit forces between the first and second surface. A bracket connected to the leg includes a notch configured to receive the first servo. When the first servo is positioned within the first notch, a free end of the first servo is operably coupled to the adjacent first component and the leg reacts forces generated by the first servo into the first and second surfaces.

Weight efficient servo attachment scheme for rigid coaxial rotor control system

A swashplate apparatus is provided and includes a first swashplate including outer and inner bodies and an intermediate portion defining a major groove between the outer and inner bodies, a second swashplate disposable in the major groove to be rotatable relative to the first swashplate, the second swashplate including an interior facing surface radially separated from the inner body to define a minor groove and defining a recess in which the rod end is disposable, a connector disposable in the recess to pivotably couple the rod end to the second swashplate and a plate element disposable in the minor groove and affixable to the interior facing surface of the second swashplate and the connector.

Swashplate apparatus

An anti-torque mechanism which permits a full range of swashplate assembly motion. The anti-torque mechanism generally includes an anti-torque shaft and a compound bearing mounted thereto to provide five-degrees-of-freedom (spherical-linear-elastomeric) so as to permit a swashplate attachment point to move axially in response to pitch input; pivot in response to swashplate tilt; and move in/out in the radial direction.

Swash plate anti-torque mechanism

A helicopter rotor has two or more blades which extend from a hub and has an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the lead/lag variation of the blades which typically occur due to manufacturing tolerance variations or to changes which occur through operation such as softening of the supporting elastomer dampers. One embodiment of the invention incorporates an end plate on an upper damper with a lug positioned adjacent to a lug on the torque tube such that the end plate of the damper can be changed relative to the longitudinal axis of the blade. For example, a .+-.1/2 degree adjustment can be made in the blade angle relative to the hub to insure that lead/lag errors are reduced. In another embodiment, the damper set includes extended metal shims adjacent to the end most laminate plys of the upper and lower dampers such that these shims can be bolted to the end plates of the snubber assemblies for step increasing the stiffness of the assemblies. Utilizing the apparatus of the invention, each blade of the rotor can be adjusted to balance the rotor assembly to minimize vibration.

Apparatus and method for adjusting rotor blade tracking

A mounting arrangement (60) for coupling a control rod (38) to a stationary swashplate member (32) of a helicopter swashplate assembly (30) wherein the mounting arrangement (60) is characterized by a specially configured stationary swashplate member (32) and a trunnion fitting (62) for mounting in combination therewith. More specifically, the stationary swashplate member (32) includes a horizontal web (74) disposed between an inner ring segment (72.sub.IR) and an outer ring segment (72.sub.OR), wherein the horizontal web (74) includes an aperture (78) and defines a mounting surface (74.sub.S). The trunnion fitting (62) includes a base (64) defining a mounting surface (64.sub.S) and a pair of mounting ears (66) having aligned apertures (66.sub.O). The mounting surface (64.sub.S) of the trunnion fitting (62) engages the mounting surface (74.sub.S) of the horizontal web (74) such that the mounting ears (66) are disposed through the aperture (78) of the horizontal web (74). The mounting arrangement (60) further includes a mounting device (80) for demountably affixing the trunnion fitting (62) in combination with the horizontal web (74) and a coupling device (84), disposed in combination with the aligned apertures (66.sub.O), for coupling the control rod (38) in combination with the trunnion fitting (62).

Control rod mounting arrangement for helicopter swashplates

One embodiment of a main rotor pitch control rod subassembly includes an upper rod end segment having a bearing subassembly, a lower rod end segment having a bearing subassembly, an eccentric bushing disposed in rotatable combination with the upper rod end segment bearing subassembly for varying the axial length of the pitch control rod subassembly, a composite central body structure interposed between the upper and lower end segments, a composite strap member wrapped around and secured in combination with the lower end segment bearing subassembly, the composite central body structure, and the upper end segment bearing subassembly, eccentric bushing combination, a composite overwrap overlayed in combination with the composite strap member, a locking key member and a clamp-up bolt for clamping the composite strap member in tensioned combination with the locking key member, and a locking bolt. The eccentric bushing has a plurality of spaced apart bushing apertures formed therethrough, and the locking key member includes a clevis configuration having a plurality of spaced key apertures formed therethrough, interaction between the bushing and key apertures providing a fine, vernier-type adjustment capability. To vary the axial length of the pitch control rod subassembly, the eccentric bushing is rotated about the upper rod end segment bearing subassembly to a predetermined position wherein one of the bushing apertures aligns with one pair of the key apertures. The locking bolt is inserted through the aligned apertures to lock the eccentric bushing in the predetermined position.

Main rotor pitch control rod subassembly

A mid-beam jointed reconfigurable bearingless main rotor (BMR) assembly that includes reconfiguration joints that facilitate BMR assembly reconfiguration by main rotor blade removal or folding to reduce the structural envelope of a helicopter for rapid deployment, routine transport, and/or storage. The BMR assembly comprises a rotor hub structure that includes a plurality of radially extending flexbeams, combinations of torsion flexure members and main rotor blades disposed in combination with corresponding flexbeams, and torque tube subassemblies disposed in combination with corresponding flexbeams and torsion flexure member, main rotor blade combinations. Each reconfiguration joint is formed by a combination of an outboard joint segment of a flexbeam and an inboard joint segment of the corresponding torsion flexure member. The rotor hub structure is fabricated so that the configuration joints are purposefully located at radial stations that are subjected to minimal flapwise loading, which for aerodynamic efficiency and manufacturing considerations should not exceed about fifteen percent of the overall span of the BMR assembly. The torque tube subassemblies are fabricated to provide access to the respective reconfiguration joints. For reconfiguration by the removal technique, each torque tube subassembly includes one or more access panels. For reconfiguration by the folding technique, each torque tube subassembly includes a removable splice tube.

Growing community of inventors

Milford, CT, United States of America

Stephen V Poulin