Flexible coupling for standpipe assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10587103-B2
Application number	US-201815923201-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2018
Priority date	Mar 16, 2018
Publication date	Mar 10, 2020
Grant date	Mar 10, 2020

Abstract

A standpipe assembly for a rotorcraft includes a slip ring positioned within the mast of the rotorcraft. The slip ring includes a stator rotationally connected to a rotor. A flexible coupling is connected to the stator and a standpipe tube is connected to the flexible coupling. The flexible coupling is capable of angular, axial, and torsional displacement.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flexible coupling for a standpipe assembly of a rotorcraft, comprising:
an upper fitting unitarily formed with a localized area of flexibility and configured to connect to a slip ring;
a lower fitting unitarily formed with the localized area of flexibility and configured to connect to a standpipe;
a first helical slot formed in the localized area of flexibility, the first helical slot including a first stop positioned midway between ends of the first helical slot; and
a second helical slot formed in the localized area of flexibility.

2. The flexible coupling of claim 1 , wherein a sidewall thickness of the localized area of flexibility is greater than a sidewall thickness of the upper fitting.

3. The flexible coupling of claim 1 , wherein a sidewall thickness of the localized area of flexibility is greater than a sidewall thickness of the lower fitting.

4. The flexible coupling of claim 1 , wherein the first helical slot is parallel with the second helical slot.

5. The flexible coupling of claim 1 , wherein the second helical slot includes a second stop positioned midway between ends of the second helical slot.

6. The flexible coupling of claim 5 , wherein the ends of the first helical slot are disposed longitudinally on opposite sides of the second helical slot and the ends of the second helical slot are disposed longitudinally on opposite sides of the first helical slot.

7. The flexible coupling of claim 1 , wherein a sidewall thickness of the localized area of flexibility is greater than a sidewall thickness of the upper fitting; and
the sidewall thickness of the localized area of flexibility is greater than a sidewall thickness of the lower fitting.

8. The flexible coupling of claim 5 , wherein a sidewall thickness of the localized area of flexibility is greater than a sidewall thickness of the upper fitting; and
the sidewall thickness of the localized area of flexibility is greater than a sidewall thickness of the lower fitting.

9. The flexible coupling of claim 5 , further comprising:
a first stop extending into the first helical slot no more than half a thickness of the first helical slot; and
a second stop extending into the second helical slot no more than half a thickness of the second helical slot.

10. The flexible coupling of claim 9 , wherein a sidewall thickness of the localized area of flexibility is greater than a sidewall thickness of the upper fitting; and
the sidewall thickness of the localized area of flexibility is greater than a sidewall thickness of the lower fitting.

11. A standpipe assembly of a rotorcraft, comprising:
a slip ring including a stator rotationally connected to a rotor, configured to be positioned within a mast of the rotorcraft;
a flexible coupling connected to the stator;
a standpipe tube connected to the flexible coupling;
a first helical slot extending once around the flexible coupling from a first end to a second end; and
a second helical slot extending once around the flexible coupling from a third end to a fourth end, wherein the first end is separated longitudinally from the second end by the second helical slot and the third end is separated longitudinally from the fourth end by the first helical slot.

12. The standpipe assembly of claim 11 , wherein the flexible coupling is capable of angular, axial, and torsional displacement.

13. The standpipe assembly of claim 11 , wherein the second helical slot is parallel with the first helical slot.

14. The standpipe assembly of claim 11 , wherein the flexible coupling comprises:
a first stop extending into the first helical slot no more than half a thickness of the first helical slot; and
a second stop extending into the second helical slot no more than half a thickness of the second helical slot.

15. The standpipe assembly of claim 14 , wherein the first helical slot extends from a first end to a second end and the first stop is positioned midway between the first end and the second end and the second helical slot extends from a third end to a fourth end and the second stop is positioned midway between the third end and the fourth end.

16. The standpipe assembly of claim 11 , wherein the flexible coupling further comprises a first stop positioned between the first end and the second end of the first helical slot.

17. The standpipe assembly of claim 16 , wherein the flexible coupling further comprises a second stop positioned between the third end and the fourth end of the first helical slot.

18. The standpipe assembly of claim 17 , wherein the flexible coupling comprises an upper fitting coupled to the slip ring;
a lower fitting coupled to the standpipe tube, wherein a sidewall thickness of the flexible coupling is greater than a thickness of the upper fitting and the sidewall thickness is greater than a thickness of the lower fitting.

19. A standpipe assembly of a rotorcraft, comprising:
a slip ring connected to a flexible coupling;
a standpipe tube connected to the flexible coupling;
a first helical slot formed in the flexible coupling;
a second helical slot formed in the flexible coupling parallel with the first helical slot;
a first stop formed in the first helical slot;
a second stop formed in the second helical slot; and
wherein the flexible coupling is capable of angular, axial, and torsional displacement.

20. The standpipe assembly of claim 19 , wherein ends of the first helical slot are disposed longitudinally on opposite sides of the second helical slot proximate the second stop and ends of the second helical slot are disposed longitudinally on opposite sides of the first helical slot proximate the first stop.

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc

Inventors

• Jarrett Chad
• Haldeman Andrew Paul
• Dailey Zachary

Classifications

• F16D3/72

  with axially-spaced attachments to the coupling parts (F16D3/56 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R39/08

  Slip-rings · CPC title

• F16D3/52

  comprising a continuous strip, spring, or the like engaging the coupling parts at a number of places · CPC title

• B64C27/32 Primary

  Rotors · CPC title

• H01R39/34

  Connections of conductor to slip-ring · CPC title