High flapping yoke hub assembly using a cylindrical elastomeric attachment to avoid holes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10336445-B2
Application number	US-201313797334-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2013
Priority date	Mar 12, 2013
Publication date	Jul 2, 2019
Grant date	Jul 2, 2019

Abstract

An apparatus comprising a rotor yoke comprising two longitudinal side portions interconnected by two outboard portions, wherein a center portion of each longitudinal side portion comprises a build-up of material that is configured to accommodate a yoke hub clamp. Included is an apparatus comprising a rotor yoke comprising two longitudinal side portions interconnected by two outboard portions, wherein no apertures pass through the two longitudinal side portions and the two outboard portions. Also included is a method of coupling aircraft blades comprising providing a rotor yoke comprising two longitudinal side portions interconnected by two outboard portions, wherein no apertures pass through the two longitudinal side portions and the two outboard portions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
an assembly comprising a first and a second rotor yoke, each comprising:
two longitudinal side portions interconnected by and spanning between two outboard portions at each longitudinal end of the rotor yoke to form an elongated loop about an axis of rotation of the rotor yoke, wherein a center portion of each longitudinal side portion comprises a solid cylindrical or solid oval build-up of material that is integral with the yoke and that accommodates a yoke hub clamp, wherein the two longitudinal side portions are free of apertures passing through the two longitudinal side portions;
a first lower and a first upper clamp assembly that are contoured to the solid cylindrical or oval build-up of material and that transfers torque from a mast to the first rotor yoke, wherein one or more first fasteners between the first lower and first upper clamps eliminate movement of the first rotor yoke along a lateral axis of the first lower and first upper clamp assembly; and
a second lower and a second upper clamp assembly that are contoured to the solid cylindrical or oval build-up of material and that transfers torque from a mast to the second rotor yoke, wherein one or more second fasteners between the second lower and second upper clamp eliminate movement of the second rotor yoke along a lateral axis of the second lower and second upper clamp assembly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an aircraft fuselage comprising an engine, wherein the engine is coupled to a mast that is coupled to a yoke hub, wherein the yoke hub is coupled to a plurality of blades through the yoke, and wherein the yoke hub further comprises a yoke hub clamp rounded to accept at least one rotor yoke.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a center portion of each longitudinal side portion comprises a build-up of material that is configured to accommodate the yoke hub clamp, the center portion of each longitudinal side portion being adjacent to the axis of rotation of the rotor yoke, the center portion of each longitudinal side portion being disposed along a lateral axis that is orthogonal to and intersects the axis of rotation and is perpendicular to the longitudinal side portions.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the hub clamp does not extend past the center portion of each longitudinal side portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein a cushioning material is positioned between the hub clamp and the build-up of material of the rotor yoke.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the cushioning material comprises rubber, an elastomeric material, or a polymer material.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the cushioning material is surrounded by a protective layer.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the build-up of material provides a pivot point along the lateral axis, the rotor yoke configured to pivot about the pivot point.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising the yoke hub clamp configured to accept the build-up of material of the rotor yoke.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the build-up of material is pivotally coupled to the yoke hub clamp to provide a pivot point along the lateral axis, the rotor yoke configured to pivot about the pivot point.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the yoke hub clamp comprises an upper clamping assembly and a lower clamping assembly, wherein the upper clamping assembly is contoured to accept an upper surface of the build-up of material, and wherein the lower clamping assembly is contoured to accept a lower surface of the build-up of material.

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc

Inventors

• Maresh Andrew
• Stamps Frank Bradley
• Haldeman Andrew

Classifications

• B64C27/33 Primary

  having flexing arms · CPC title

• B64C11/02

  Hub construction · CPC title

• B64C27/35

  having elastomeric joints · CPC title

• Y10T29/49316

  Impeller making · CPC title

• B64C27/48

  Root attachment to rotor head · CPC title