Propeller blade for an aircraft engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016176509-A1
Application number	US-201514757591-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 23, 2015
Priority date	Dec 23, 2014
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The disclosure refers to a propeller blade for an aircraft engine that includes an airbag system contained inside the blade and comprising at least one bag and at least one gas generator, the at least one gas generator in fluid communication with at least one bag for inflating the bag, a detecting system for detecting a rupture of a part of the blade, a trigger for activating the at least one gas generator when the rupture is detected by the detecting system, and the blade skin being configured for allowing the at least one bag to pass through the blade skin for being expanded outside the blade upon the bag inflation by the gas generator.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A propeller blade for an aircraft engine, the propeller blade comprising:
a root at one end and a tip at the other end, a leading edge and a trailing edge at opposite sides and extending between the root and the tip, said blade covered by a skin and having an annular spar in its interior; an airbag system contained inside the propeller blade and having at least one bag and at least one gas generator in fluid communication with at least one bag for inflating the bag; a detecting system for detecting a rupture of a part of the blade; and a trigger for activating the at least one gas generator when the rupture is detected by the detecting system, wherein the blade skin is configured to allow the at least one bag to pass through the blade skin and to allow the bag to expand outside the blade upon the bag's inflation by the gas generator.

2 . The propeller blade according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one frangible line in the blade skin for allowing the bag to pass through the blade skin.

3 . The propeller blade according to claim 1 , wherein the gas generator is disposed inside the spar.

4 . The propeller blade according to claim 1 , wherein the bag is contained inside the tip of the blade.

5 . The propeller blade according to claim 1 , wherein the tip has a frangible line.

6 . The propeller blade according to claim 1 , wherein the tip is detachably mounted in the blade.

7 . The propeller blade according to claim 1 , wherein the bag is disposed outside the spar along the leading edge of the blade, said leading edge has at least one frangible line.

8 . The propeller blade according to claim 1 , wherein the bag is placed outside the spar along the trailing edge of the blade, said trailing edge has at least one frangible line.

9 . The propeller blade according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a tube passing through the spar for allowing the fluid communication between the at least one gas generator and the at least one bag.

10 . The propeller blade according to claim 1 , wherein the bag is cylinder shaped when expanded, and wherein an inner diameter of the cylinder shape is larger than a widest section of the blade.

11 . The propeller blade according to claim 1 , wherein the gas generator is disposed at a distance from the root of the blade of at least three quarters of the blade span.

12 . The propeller blade according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting system has an electric closed circuit extended along a part of the blade span, and wherein the trigger is electrically connected to said closed circuit for activating the gas generator when the circuit is opened.

13 . The propeller blade according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting system has at least one accelerometer positioned in a part of the blade for detecting data of acceleration of said part of the blade, and wherein the trigger is in communication with the at least one accelerometer for activating the gas generator when the acceleration data exceeds a threshold.

14 . The propeller blade according to claim 2 , wherein the frangible line has one of a reduction in the blade skin thickness and a plurality of drillings performed in the blade skin.

15 . A propeller for an aircraft, the propeller comprising:
at least two propeller blades; a detecting system for detecting a rupture of a part of the blade; and a trigger for activating the at least one gas generator when the rupture is detected by the detecting system, wherein the propeller has a shaft for driving the propeller blades, wherein the detecting system of each blade has at least one load cell placed onto said shaft for detecting blade weight, and wherein the trigger of each blade is in communication with the at least one load cell for activating the gas generator of the blade when the weight data of the corresponding blade exceeds a threshold.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Sl

Inventors

• Toral Vazquez Javier
• Folch Cortes Diego
• Martino Gonzalez Esteban
• Goya Abaurrea Pablo
• Votsios Vasilis
• Fouinnetau Michel
• Roumegas Sylvain

Classifications

• B64D2201/00

  Airbags mounted in aircraft for any use · CPC title

• B64C11/26 Primary

  Fabricated blades · CPC title

• B64C11/205 Primary

  for protecting blades, e.g. coating · CPC title

• B64C11/20 Primary

  Constructional features · CPC title

• B64D45/00

  Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for · CPC title