Rotor blade pitch horn assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10752347-B2
Application number	US-201515328328-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2015
Priority date	Aug 20, 2014
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

A rotor assembly includes a rotor hub which rotates about a hub rotation axis and a blade connected to the rotor hub. The blade rotates with the rotor hub around the hub rotation axis, and the blade is configured to rotate around a pitch rotation axis of the blade to adjust a pitch of the blade. The rotor assembly includes a pitch horn having a first end rotatably connected to the blade. The pitch horn is configured to rotate with the blade around the pitch rotation axis of the blade to adjust the pitch of the blade, and the pitch horn is configured to rotate relative to the blade around a pitch horn pivot axis arranged at a non-parallel angle relative to the pitch rotation axis of the blade.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotor assembly, comprising:
a rotor hub which rotates about a hub rotation axis;
a blade connected to the rotor hub and configured to rotate with the rotor hub around the hub rotation axis, the blade including a blade core having a first portion connected to the rotor hub and a second portion configured to rotate around a pitch rotation axis of the blade relative to the first portion to adjust a pitch of the blade;
a pitch horn having a first end rotatably connected to the second portion of the blade core, an interface between the pitch horn and the second portion of the blade core including at least two prongs, the pitch horn configured to rotate with the blade around the pitch rotation axis of the blade to adjust the pitch of the blade, and the pitch horn being configured to rotate relative to the blade around a pitch horn pivot axis arranged at a non-parallel angle relative to the pitch rotation axis of the blade, wherein the pitch horn pivot axis is oriented parallel to the hub rotation axis;
a control beam includes a first end and a second end, the first end of the control beam being connected to a second end of the pitch horn opposite the first end such that actuation of the control beam moves the second end of the pitch horn, causing the first end of the pitch horn to rotate around the pitch rotation axis of the blade and around the pitch horn pivot axis, wherein actuation of the control beam includes rotation of the control beam around a control beam rotation axis located at a position between the first end of the control beam and the second end of the control beam.

2. The rotor assembly of claim 1 , wherein a blade plane is defined as a plane substantially passing through a leading edge and a trailing edge of the blade, and
the pitch horn pivot axis is substantially orthogonal to the blade plane.

3. The rotor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pitch horn pivot axis is substantially orthogonal to the pitch rotation axis of the blade.

4. The rotor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the blade includes a blade shell that covers the blade core.

5. The rotor assembly of claim 1 , wherein a junction of the pitch horn and the blade includes a hinge element extending through the blade and the first end of the pitch horn, such that the pitch horn is configured to rotate around a center axis of the hinge element.

6. The rotor assembly of claim 5 , wherein the hinge element includes one or more fixing pins extending through the hinge element to connect the blade to the pitch horn.

7. The rotor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pitch horn is located substantially above a lower plane defined by a lower outer surface of the blade and substantially below an upper plane defined by an upper outer surface of the blade.

8. The rotor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the pitch horn includes a spherical joint connected to the control beam.

9. The rotor assembly of claim 8 , wherein the control beam includes a first end connected to the pitch horn and a second end opposite the first end, and the second end of the control beam is located inside the rotor hub.

10. The rotor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the control beam includes a first end connected to the pitch horn and a second end opposite the first end, and actuation of the control beam includes rotation of the control beam around a control beam rotation axis at the second end of the control beam.

11. A pitch horn, comprising:
a first end having a first joint element defining a pitch horn pivot axis, such that the first end pivots relative to a blade connected to the first end;
a second end including a spherical joint for connecting to a pivot control element that applies a force to the spherical joint to cause the pitch horn to pivot around the pitch horn pivot axis and around a pitch rotation axis of the blade connected to the joint element to change a pitch of the blade; and
a beam connecting the first end to the second end;
wherein the first end of the pitch horn includes a single prong for fitting between two prongs of a blade core, the single prong including a joint element for rotatably connecting to the two prongs of the blade core to define the pitch horn pivot axis.

12. A rotorcraft, comprising:
a rotorcraft body; and
a rotor assembly to control movement of the rotorcraft body, the rotor assembly comprising:
a rotor hub which rotates about a hub rotation axis;
a blade connected to the rotor hub and configured to rotate with the rotor hub around the hub rotation axis, the blade including a blade core having a first portion connected to the rotor hub and a second portion configured to rotate around a pitch rotation axis of the blade to adjust a pitch of the blade; and
a pitch horn having a first end rotatably connected to the second portion of the blade core, an interface between the pitch horn and the second portion of the blade core including at least two prongs, the pitch horn configured to rotate with the blade around the pitch rotation axis of the blade to adjust the pitch of the blade, and the pitch horn configured to rotate relative to the blade around a pitch horn pivot axis arranged at a non-parallel angle relative to the pitch rotation axis of the blade, wherein the pitch horn pivot axis is oriented parallel to the hub rotation axis;
a control beam includes a first end and a second end, the first end of the control beam being connected to a second end of the pitch horn opposite the first end such that actuation of the control beam moves the second end of the pitch horn, causing the first end of the pitch horn to rotate around the pitch rotation axis of the blade and around the pitch horn pivot axis, wherein actuation of the control beam includes rotation of the control beam around a control beam rotation axis located at a position between the first end of the control beam and the second end of the control beam.

13. The rotorcraft of claim 12 , wherein a blade plane is defined as a plane substantially passing through a leading edge and a trailing edge of the blade, and
the pitch horn pivot axis is substantially orthogonal to the blade plane.

14. The rotorcraft of claim 12 , wherein the blade includes a blade shell that covers the blade core.

15. The rotorcraft of claim 12 , wherein a junction of the pitch horn and the blade includes a hinge element extending through the blade and the first end of the pitch horn, such that the pitch horn is configured to rotate around a center axis of the hinge element.

16. The rotorcraft of claim 12 , wherein the rotor assembly includes a first rotor assembly for controlling an altitude of the rotorcraft and a second rotor assembly substantially orthogonal to the first rotor assembly for controlling one or both of a directional facing and a speed of the rotorcraft, and
the pitch horn includes a first pitch horn of the first rotor assembly and a second pitch horn of the second rotor assembly.

Assignees

• Sikorsky Aircraft Corp

Inventors

• Halcom Lance
• D'Anna Frank P
• Doolin Leonard J

Classifications

• B64C27/605 Primary

  including swash plate, spider or cam mechanisms · CPC title

• B64C27/82

  characterised by the provision of an auxiliary rotor or fluid-jet device for counter-balancing lifting rotor torque or changing direction of rotorcraft · CPC title

• B64C27/78

  in association with pitch adjustment of blades of anti-torque rotor · CPC title