Bearingless gimbaled rotor hubs and swashplates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11097837-B2
Application number	US-201816004689-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2018
Priority date	Jun 11, 2018
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

A gimbal joint may employ a plurality of wear sleeves, each disposed between a pin or pin receptive bore of a first structure and a corresponding bore or pin of a second structure and between another pin or bore of the second structure and a corresponding bore or pin of a third structure. Each of these structures may be adapted to rotate in a single plane, with one structure adapted to also tilt about a first axis, and one other structure adapted to tilt about a second axis. Each integral flanged wear sleeve may comprise a right circular hollow cylindrical body portion, which may be interiorly sized to be retained on one of the pins and externally sized to be retained in one of the pin receptive bores, and a flange portion may radiate from one end of the cylindrical body portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A proprotor gimbal, comprising:
a yoke configured for mounting a plurality of proprotors thereto and comprising an opening;
a pair of pillow blocks attached to the yoke, each pillow block having a first bore with a flanged wear sleeve;
a drive coupling comprising a splined mast opening configured to mate with a rotor mast, and opposed second bores, each with a flanged wear sleeve;
a universal joint comprising an annular body defining a central mast opening and a plurality of trunnion pins extending outwardly from the annular body, wherein a first pair of trunnion pins extend into the flanged wear sleeve in the first bores and a second pair of trunnion pins extend into the flanged wear sleeve in the second bores;
each flanged wear sleeve comprising:
a right circular hollow cylindrical body portion interiorly sized to be retained on one of the trunnion pins and externally sized to be rotatably retained in one of the first or second bores; and
a low friction coating or lining disposed on at least an outer surface of the body portion.

2. The proprotor gimbal of claim 1 , further comprising:
a flange portion radiating from an outer end of the cylindrical body portion on each flanged wear sleeve, the flange portion having a diameter larger than a diameter of the respective first or second bore and bearing on a face of a respective pillow block or drive coupling.

3. The proprotor gimbal of claim 2 , wherein each trunnion pin further comprises a longitudinal bore; and
the proprotor gimbal further comprises a fastener secured in each trunnion pin longitudinal bore, the fastener bearing on, and tensioned against, the respective flange portion and replaceably retaining the respective flanged wear sleeve on the respective trunnion pin.

4. The proprotor gimbal of claim 1 , wherein the yoke opening in the yoke and the central mast opening of the annular body are configured to facilitate tilting of the proprotor gimbal.

5. The proprotor gimbal of claim 1 , wherein the low friction coating or lining is also disposed on an inner surface of the body portion on each flanged wear sleeve.

6. The proprotor gimbal of claim 1 , wherein the low friction coating or lining is also disposed on an inner face of the flange portion on each flanged wear sleeve.

7. A gimbal joint comprising:
a first plurality of integral flanged wear sleeves, each integral flanged wear sleeve disposed between a pin or pin receptive bore of a first structure and a corresponding pin receptive bore or pin of a second structure, the first structure coupled to a mast or driveshaft of an aircraft for movement along the mast or driveshaft and adapted to rotate in a single plane and the second structure adapted to move along the mast or driveshaft, rotate in the single plane and tilt relative to the single plane about a first axis parallel to the single plane; and
a second plurality of integral flanged wear sleeves, each disposed between another pin or pin receptive bore of the second structure and a corresponding pin receptive bore or pin of a third structure, the third structure linked to proprotors of the aircraft and adapted to rotate in the single plane and tilt relative to the single plane about a second axis parallel to the single plane and perpendicular to the first axis;
each integral flanged wear sleeve comprising:
a right circular hollow cylindrical body portion interiorly sized to be retained on one of the pins and externally sized to be retained in one of the pin receptive bores; and
a flange portion radiating from an outer end of the cylindrical body portion, the flange portion having a diameter larger than a diameter of the pin receptive bores and bearing on a face of a respective structure.

8. The gimbal of claim 7 , further comprising a low friction coating or lining disposed on at least an outer surface or inner surface of the body portion of each wear sleeve.

9. The gimbal joint of claim 7 , wherein each pin further comprises a longitudinal bore, and the gimbal joint further comprises a fastener secured in each longitudinal bore, bearing on, and tensioned against, the respective wear sleeve flange, replaceably retaining the respective wear sleeve on the respective pin and in the respective pin receptive bore.

10. The gimbal joint of claim 7 , wherein the right circular hollow cylindrical body portion is interiorly sized to be retained on one of the pins and externally sized to be rotatably retained in one of the pin receptive bores.

11. The gimbal of claim 10 , further comprising a low friction coating or lining disposed on an outer surface of the body portion and on an inner face of the flange portion of each wear sleeve.

12. The gimbal joint of claim 7 , wherein the right circular hollow cylindrical body portion is interiorly sized to be retained on one of the pins and externally sized to be retained in one of the pin receptive bores.

13. The gimbal joint of claim 7 , wherein the aircraft is a proprotor aircraft, the first structure is splined to the mast or driveshaft of the proprotor aircraft and the third structure mounts proprotors of the proprotor aircraft.

14. The gimbal joint of claim 13 , wherein the third structure is a proprotor yoke.

15. The gimbal joint of claim 7 , wherein the aircraft is a proprotor aircraft, the first structure is splined to the mast or driveshaft of the proprotor aircraft for movement along the mast or driveshaft, perpendicular to the single plane.

16. An aircraft gimbal comprising:
an integral universal joint trunnion comprising:
an annular body portion defining a central driveshaft or mast opening; and
a plurality of drive pin portions extending from the annular body portion;

a pair of pillow blocks configured to be secured to a proprotor yoke, each pillow block defining a trunnion pin receptive bore;
a drive coupling defining:
a splined central driveshaft or mast coupling bore configured to mate with a rotor driveshaft or mast end; and
opposing trunnion pin receptive bores; and

a plurality of integral flanged wear sleeves, one integral flanged wear sleeve disposed in each of the pillow block trunnion pin receptive bores and each of the drive coupling trunnion pin receptive bores, over a respective trunnion drive pin, rotatably retaining the respective trunnion drive pin with respect to the respective pillow block trunnion pin receptive bore or drive coupling trunnion pin receptive bore, each integral flanged wear sleeve comprising:
a right circular hollow cylindrical body portion interiorly sized to be retained on one of the trunnion drive pin portions of the trunnion and externally sized to be rotatably retained in one of the pillow block trunnion pin receptive bores and/or one of the drive coupling trunnion pin receptive bores;
a flange portion radiating from an outer end of the cylindrical body portion, the flange portion having a diameter larger than a diameter of the pillow block trunnion pin receptive bores and the drive coupling trunnion pin receptive bores, bearing on a face of a respective pillow block or a respective face of the drive coupling; and
a low friction coating or lining disposed on at least an outer surface of the body portion.

17. The gimbal of claim 16 , wherein each drive pin portion of the integral trunnion further comprises a longitudinal bore, and the rotor hub gimbal further comprises a fastener secured in each trunnion drive pin longitudinal bore and bearing on, and tensioned against, the respective wear sleeve flange, replaceably retaining the respective wear sleeve on the respective trunnion driv

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc

Inventors

• Baldwin Tyler Wayne
• Cravener Kyle Thomas

Classifications

• F16D3/38

  with a single intermediate member with trunnions or bearings arranged on two axes perpendicular to one another (F16D3/36 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B64C27/41 Primary

  with flapping hinge or universal joint, common to the blades · CPC title

• F16D2003/2026

  with trunnion rings, i.e. with tripod joints having rollers supported by a ring on the trunnion · CPC title

• F16C17/02

  for radial load only · CPC title

• F16C33/20

  Sliding surface consisting mainly of plastics (F16C33/22 - F16C33/28 take precedence) · CPC title