System and method for rotorcraft blade storage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10518905-B2
Application number	US-201715645671-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2017
Priority date	Jul 10, 2017
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

A device is provided. The device includes a first pillar. The first pillar includes a bottom portion having an opening. The first pillar further includes a top portion coupled to the bottom portion by a middle portion. The top portion includes a plurality of shelves stacked along a common axis intersecting the bottom portion. Each of the shelves has a respective recess. The first pillar further includes a plurality of clamps. Each of the shelves has a respective clamp of the clamps. Each respective clamp and respective recess of the shelves forms an airfoil cross-sectional shape. The first pillar further includes a plurality of locks. Each of the shelves has a respective lock of the locks. Each of the locks has a first locking portion on respective shelves and a second locking portion on respective clamps of the shelves.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotorcraft blade storage device comprising: a first pillar comprising: a bottom portion having an opening; a top portion coupled to the bottom portion by a middle portion, the top portion comprising a plurality of shelves stacked along a common axis intersecting the bottom portion, each of the shelves having a respective recess; a plurality of clamps, each of the shelves having a respective clamp of the clamps, wherein each respective clamp and respective recess of the shelves forms an airfoil cross-sectional shape; and a plurality of locks, each of the shelves having a respective lock of the locks, wherein each of the locks has a first locking portion on respective shelves and a second locking portion on respective clamps of the shelves.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a second pillar.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the second pillar is taller than the first pillar.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the clamps are straps.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the clamps each comprise:
a frame; and
a conformal material on the frame, the conformal material forming, in use, a portion of the airfoil cross-sectional shape.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the clamps connect to the shelves on a first side and a second side, and wherein the clamps extend from the first side to the second side along a longitudinal axis of the airfoil cross-sectional shape.

7. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a first fastener and a second fastener connected to the bottom portion.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the first fastener and the second fastener are pins.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the opening extends between the first fastener and the second fastener.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the top portion further comprises a vertical beam coupled to a first side of each of the shelves.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the top portion further comprises:
a belt coupled to first side of each of the shelves;
a plurality of pulleys coupled to the belt; and
a motor configured to drive the pulleys.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the middle portion comprises:
a vertical beam coupled to the bottom portion and the top portion; and
a container coupled to the vertical beam.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first pillar further comprises:
a side brace coupled to the bottom portion, the side brace and the bottom portion forming an acute angle.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first pillar further comprises:
a supporting wheel attached to the bottom portion.

15. A rotorcraft blade storage system comprising: a first pillar configured to be coupled to a tail section of a rotorcraft, the first pillar having a first shelf over the tail section, a first clamp fastened to the first shelf, the first shelf and the first clamp forming an airfoil cross-sectional shape; and a second pillar configured to be coupled to a fuselage of the rotorcraft, the second pillar having a second shelf over the fuselage, a second clamp fastened to the second shelf, the second shelf and the second clamp forming the airfoil cross-sectional shape, wherein the airfoil cross-sectional shape of the first shelf and the first clamp is aligned with the airfoil cross-sectional shape of the second shelf and the second clamp along a longitudinal axis of the rotorcraft in use.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the second pillar is taller than the first pillar.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first shelf is coupled to a first vertical beam, and wherein the second shelf is coupled to a second vertical beam.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first shelf is coupled to a first blade elevator, and wherein the second shelf is coupled to a second blade elevator.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first shelf is one of a plurality of first shelves extending along a first common axis intersecting the tail section, and wherein the second shelf is one of a plurality of second shelves extending along a second common axis intersecting the fuselage.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the first common axis and the second common axis are parallel.

21. A method of storing a rotorcraft blade comprising: attaching a first pillar of a rotor blade storage rack to a tail section of a rotorcraft, and a second pillar of the rotor blade storage rack to a fuselage of the rotorcraft, the first and the second pillar each having a plurality of shelves; rotating a main rotor system of the rotorcraft until a first rotor blade of the main rotor system is positioned over the rotor blade storage rack; translating the first rotor blade towards the tail section; and lowering the first rotor blade onto a first shelf of the shelves of the first and the second pillar.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising fastening the first rotor blade to the first shelf with a first clamp.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising locking the first clamp with a lock coupled to the first shelf and the first clamp.

Assignees

• Textron Innovations Inc
• Textron Innnovations Inc

Inventors

• Knott Kevin Matthew
• Przano Dominic Michael

Classifications

• B64C27/00

  Rotorcraft; Rotors peculiar thereto · CPC title

• B62B3/102

  the objects being of elongated shape, e.g. rods or golf clubs · CPC title

• B60P3/11

  for carrying aircraft · CPC title

• A47B81/005

  Devices for storing or displaying rifles, guns, pistols or elongated objects such as fishing rods storing fishing rods (or the like in vehicles B60R7/08; storing guns in vehicles B60R7/14; cases for carrying guns F41C33/00) · CPC title

• B64F5/40

  Maintaining or repairing aircraft · CPC title