Propeller assemblies and propeller blade retention assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016368591-A1
Application number	US-201514740337-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 16, 2015
Priority date	Jun 16, 2015
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Propeller blade assemblies and a propeller blade retention assembly including a sleeve for operably coupling a propeller blade to a hub wherein the sleeve retains the propeller blade within the hub and allows the propeller blade to rotate about its pitch axis and where the sleeve includes a self-aligning mechanism.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A propeller assembly, comprising:
a hub having a receiver recess; a sleeve located within the receiver recess and having a through passage defining a blade recess having a first contour; and a propeller blade having a protrusion, with a second contour and received within the blade recess; wherein the first contour and second contour are complementary and when the protrusion is inserted into the blade recess the sleeve having the first contour mates with the second contour of the protrusion of the propeller blade.

2 . The propeller assembly of claim 1 wherein the sleeve includes multiple pieces.

3 . The propeller assembly of claim 1 wherein the first contour includes a convex profile.

4 . The propeller assembly of claim 1 wherein the convex profile includes a crescent shape.

5 . The propeller assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a friction reducing coating applied to at least one of the first contour or the second contour.

6 . The propeller assembly of claim 1 wherein a gap is defined between the first contour and the second contour.

7 . The propeller assembly of claim 6 , further comprising at least one seal configured to close a portion of the gap.

8 . The propeller assembly of claim 7 , further comprising oil located within the gap between a first seal and a second seal.

9 . The propeller assembly of claim 1 wherein the hub further includes first and second pieces selectively operably couplable to define the receiver recess.

10 . The propeller assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a retainer selectively operably coupled to the hub and configured to retain the sleeve and the propeller blade within the hub when the retainer is coupled to the hub.

11 . A propeller blade retention assembly comprising:
a sleeve for operably coupling a propeller blade to a hub; wherein the sleeve retains the propeller blade within the hub and allows the propeller blade to rotate about its pitch axis within the hub and where the sleeve includes a self-aligning mechanism that interfaces with a portion of the propeller blade or hub to define an interference structure that prevents outboard radial movement of the propeller blade.

12 . The propeller blade retention assembly of claim 11 wherein the self-aligning mechanism includes a first contour that mates with a second contour of the hub.

13 . The propeller blade retention assembly of claim 12 wherein the sleeve is mounted to the propeller blade.

14 . The propeller blade retention assembly of claim 11 wherein the self-aligning mechanism includes a first contour that mates with a second contour of the propeller blade.

15 . A propeller assembly, comprising:
a hub having a first piece operably coupled to a second piece to define at least one blade recess formed by a wall having a profile defining a first contour; and a propeller blade having a protrusion, with a second contour, received within the blade recess; wherein the first contour and second contour are complementary and when the protrusion is inserted into the blade recess the hub having the first contour mates with the second contour of the protrusion of the propeller blade to define an interference structure configured to prevent radial movement of the blade.

16 . The propeller assembly of claim 15 wherein a gap is defined between the first contour and the second contour.

17 . The propeller assembly of claim 16 , further comprising first and second seals located at distal ends of the gap.

18 . The propeller assembly of claim 17 , further comprising a lubricant located within the gap between the first and second seals.

19 . The propeller assembly of claim 15 wherein the propeller blade includes a sleeve and the sleeve includes the second contour.

20 . The propeller assembly of claim 19 wherein the sleeve is operably coupled to the protrusion.

Assignees

• Ge Aviation Systems Llc

Inventors

• Pawar Rajendra Vishwanath
• Ganiger Ravindra Shankar
• Periasamy Murugesan
• Yamarthi David Raju
• Kumar Sandeep
• Kurvinkop Amit Arvind
• Agrawal Bajarang
• G Nagashiresha

Classifications

• B64C11/06 Primary

  for variable-pitch blades · CPC title

• F01D5/303

  in a circumferential slot · CPC title

• B64C11/20

  Constructional features · CPC title