Tiltrotor aircraft having pillow block mounted pylon assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10029802-B2
Application number	US-201715835617-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2017
Priority date	Aug 14, 2013
Publication date	Jul 24, 2018
Grant date	Jul 24, 2018

Abstract

A pedestal assembly for receiving a pylon assembly of a tiltrotor aircraft having a helicopter mode and an airplane mode, the tiltrotor aircraft having an airframe including a fuselage and a wing. The pedestal assembly includes an inboard pedestal supported by the airframe and positioned above the wing. The inboard pedestal includes an inboard bearing assembly disposed within an inboard pillow block housing. The pedestal assembly also includes an outboard pedestal supported by the airframe and positioned above the wing. The outboard pedestal includes an outboard bearing assembly disposed within an outboard pillow block housing. The inboard and outboard bearing assemblies are operable to receive the pylon assembly therein such that the pylon assembly is rotatably mounted between the inboard and outboard pedestals to selectively operate the tiltrotor aircraft between the helicopter mode and the airplane mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pedestal assembly for receiving a pylon assembly of a tiltrotor aircraft having a helicopter mode and an airplane mode, the tiltrotor aircraft having an airframe including a fuselage and a wing, the pedestal assembly comprising:
an inboard pedestal supported by the airframe and positioned above the wing, the inboard pedestal including an inboard bearing assembly disposed within an inboard pillow block housing; and
an outboard pedestal supported by the airframe and positioned above the wing, the outboard pedestal including an outboard bearing assembly disposed within an outboard pillow block housing;
wherein, the inboard and outboard bearing assemblies are operable to receive the pylon assembly therein such that the pylon assembly is rotatably mounted between the inboard and outboard pedestals to selectively operate the tiltrotor aircraft between the helicopter mode and the airplane mode.

2. The pedestal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the inboard and outboard pillow block housings further comprises a full pillow block housing.

3. The pedestal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the inboard and outboard pillow block housings further comprises a split pillow block housing.

4. The pedestal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the inboard pillow block housing further comprises a full pillow block housing and wherein the outboard pillow block housing further comprises a split pillow block housing.

5. The pedestal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein one of the inboard and outboard pillow block housings further comprises a full pillow block housing and the other of the inboard and outboard pillow block housings further comprises a split pillow block housing.

6. The pedestal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the inboard and outboard pedestals are coupled to the airframe.

7. The pedestal assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein each of the inboard and outboard pedestals further comprises an intermediate support.

8. The pedestal assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein each of the inboard and outboard pedestals is coupled directly to the airframe.

9. The pedestal assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein the coupling between each of the inboard and outboard pedestals and the airframe further comprises a sheer boss.

10. The pedestal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the inboard and outboard pedestals is integral with the airframe.

11. The pedestal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the inboard and outboard pedestals support fore/aft loads when the tiltrotor aircraft is in the airplane mode.

12. The pedestal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the inboard and outboard pedestals support vertical loads when the tiltrotor aircraft is in the helicopter mode.

13. A tiltrotor aircraft having a pylon assembly, a helicopter mode and an airplane mode, the tiltrotor aircraft comprising:
an airframe including a fuselage and a wing; and
a pedestal assembly disposed above the wing distal from the fuselage, the pedestal assembly including:
an inboard pedestal supported by the airframe and positioned above the wing, the inboard pedestal including an inboard bearing assembly disposed within an inboard pillow block housing; and
an outboard pedestal supported by the airframe and positioned above the wing, the outboard pedestal including an outboard bearing assembly disposed within an outboard pillow block housing;
wherein, the inboard and outboard bearing assemblies are operable to receive the pylon assembly therein such that the pylon assembly is rotatably mounted between the inboard and outboard pedestals to selectively operate the tiltrotor aircraft between the helicopter mode and the airplane mode.

14. The tiltrotor aircraft as recited in claim 13 wherein each of the inboard and outboard pillow block housings further comprises a full pillow block housing.

15. The tiltrotor aircraft as recited in claim 13 wherein each of the inboard and outboard pillow block housings further comprises a split pillow block housing.

16. The tiltrotor aircraft as recited in claim 13 wherein the inboard pillow block housing further comprises a full pillow block housing and wherein the outboard pillow block housing further comprises a split pillow block housing.

17. The tiltrotor aircraft as recited in claim 13 wherein one of the inboard and outboard pillow block housings further comprises a full pillow block housing and the other of the inboard and outboard pillow block housings further comprises a split pillow block housing.

18. The tiltrotor aircraft as recited in claim 13 wherein the inboard and outboard pedestals are coupled to the airframe.

19. The tiltrotor aircraft as recited in claim 13 wherein at least a portion of the inboard and outboard pedestals is integral with the airframe.

20. The tiltrotor aircraft as recited in claim 13 wherein the inboard and outboard pedestals support fore/aft loads when the tiltrotor aircraft is in the airplane mode and wherein the inboard and outboard pedestals support vertical loads when the tiltrotor aircraft is in the helicopter mode.

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc

Inventors

• Williams Jeffrey Matthew
• King James Elbert
• Kooiman James Everett
• Baines Andrew G
• Jackson Christopher R
• Decker George Ryan
• Sweigard Daniel J

Classifications

• F16H57/025

  Support of gearboxes, e.g. torque arms, or attachment to other devices · CPC title

• Y10T74/1966

  Intersecting axes · CPC title

• F16H2057/02043

  for vehicle transmissions · CPC title

• Y10T29/49318

  Repairing or disassembling · CPC title

• B64D35/00

  Transmitting power from power plants to propellers or rotors; Arrangements of transmissions · CPC title