Aircraft propeller comprising collapsible variable pitch blades

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10683081-B2
Application number	US-201716086817-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2017
Priority date	Mar 21, 2016
Publication date	Jun 16, 2020
Grant date	Jun 16, 2020

Abstract

Propeller for an aircraft engine comprising: a blade mounting associated with each blade, mounted so as to pivot on the hub according to an incident pitch axis; a pivoting link between each blade mounting and the root, allowing the blade to pivot relative to the blade mounting thereof according to a blade collapsing axis; associated with at least one of the blades, a member for controlling the collapsing/extension of the blade configured to pivot the root relative to the blade mounting according to the collapsing axis; and a passive device for synchronising the collapsing/extension of the blades, including a central synchronisation element mounted so as to rotate relative to the hub according to the propeller rotation axis, as well as a coupling element associated with each blade, including a first end mounted on the blade root and a second end mounted on the central synchronisation element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A propeller ( 2 ) for an aircraft engine ( 1 ) for being rotated about a propeller axis of rotation ( 4 ), the propeller comprising a hub ( 8 ) as well as a plurality of blades ( 6 ) circumferentially distributed about the hub, characterized in that it further comprises:
a blade support ( 10 ) associated with each blade, said blade support being pivotably mounted on said hub ( 8 ) about an incidence pitch axis ( 14 );
incidence control means ( 16 ) for the blades configured to pivot said blade support ( 10 ) relative to the hub ( 8 ), about said incidence pitch axis ( 14 );
a pivoting connection ( 20 ) between each blade support ( 10 ) and the root ( 6 a ) of its associated blade, the pivot connection enabling the blade ( 6 ) to be pivoted relative to its blade support ( 10 ) about a blade folding axis ( 22 );
associated with at least one of the blades ( 6 ), a blade folding/unfolding control member ( 24 ) configured to pivot said blade root ( 6 a ) relative to the blade support ( 10 ) about said folding axis ( 22 ), said folding/unfolding control member ( 24 ) comprising a first element ( 28 ) and a second element ( 30 ) translationally movable with respect to each other, the first element ( 28 ) being mounted on said hub ( 8 ) using a first pin joint ( 32 a ) and the second element ( 30 ) being mounted on a transmission device ( 36 ) using a second pin joint ( 32 b ), the transmission device being connected to said blade root ( 6 a );
a blade folding/unfolding synchronization passive device ( 40 ), including a central synchronization element ( 42 ) rotatably mounted relative to the hub ( 8 ) about said propeller axis of rotation ( 4 ), as well as a connector element ( 44 ) associated with each blade ( 6 ), said connector element ( 44 ) including a first end mounted on said blade root ( 6 a ) about a first ball joint ( 32 c ), as well as a second end mounted on said central synchronization element ( 42 ) using a second ball joint ( 32 d ).

2. The propeller according to claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises at least two blade folding/unfolding control members ( 24 ), respectively associated with two blades ( 6 ).

3. The propeller according to claim 1 , characterized in that said blade folding/unfolding control member ( 24 ) is a controlled cylinder.

4. The propeller according to claim 1 , characterized in that each connector element ( 44 ) is a connecting rod.

5. The propeller according to claim 1 , characterized in that said central synchronization element ( 42 ) is a ring.

6. The propeller according to claim 1 , characterized in that said transmission device ( 36 ) comprises two links ( 37 ) hinged to each other.

7. The propeller according to claim 1 , characterized in that said blade folding axis ( 22 ) and said incidence pitch axis ( 14 ) are substantially orthogonal.

8. The propeller according to claim 1 , characterized in that the number of blades ( 6 ) is between one and four.

9. The propeller according to claim 1 , characterized in that the folding/unfolding control member ( 24 ) is oriented substantially parallel to the propeller axis of rotation ( 4 ) when the blades ( 6 ) lie in an active spread out position.

10. An aircraft engine ( 1 ) including a propeller ( 2 ) according to claim 1 .

11. An engine according to claim 10 , characterized in that it is configured such that its propeller ( 2 ) rotates at a substantially constant speed about its axis of rotation ( 4 ).

Assignees

• Arianegroup Sas

Inventors

• Heranger Christophe
• Prampolini Marco

Classifications

• B64C27/50 Primary

  Blades foldable to facilitate stowage of aircraft · CPC title

• B64U30/293

  Foldable or collapsible rotors or rotor supports · CPC title

• B64U50/13

  using external fans or propellers · CPC title

• B64C11/32

  mechanical · CPC title

• B64C11/28 Primary

  Collapsible or foldable blades · CPC title