Flexbeam rotor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9555880-B2
Application number	US-201213368795-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 8, 2012
Priority date	Feb 9, 2011
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

A rotor hub assembly for a helicopter includes a rotor hub operably connectable to a shaft of a helicopter. One or more flex beams extend through the rotor hub, with each end of each flex beam operably connectable to a rotor blade. One or more inner bearings are located at the rotor hub to spherically support the one or more flex beams in the rotor hub. A rotor assembly for a helicopter includes a rotor hub operably connectable to a shaft of a helicopter. One or more flex beams extending through the rotor hub and one or more inner bearings are located at the rotor hub to spherically support the one or more flex beams in the rotor hub. A plurality of rotor blades are operably connected to the ends of the one or more flex beams.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rotor hub assembly for a helicopter comprising:
a rotor hub operably connectable to a shaft of a helicopter;
at least two flex beams extending through the rotor hub within the same plane, each end of each flex beam operably connectable to a rotor blade, the at least two flex beams comprising a first flex beam and a second flex beam, wherein an opening formed in the first flex beam defines a passage through which the second flex beam extends through the first flex beam such that the first flex beam and the second flex beam cross at an axis of the shaft; and
one or more inner bearings disposed at the rotor hub to spherically support the at least two flex beams in the rotor hub, the rotor hub being configured to provide a preload required for operation of the one or more inner bearings.

2. The rotor hub assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more inner bearings are one or more inner snubber bearings, and wherein the first flex beam and the second flex beam are each formed of a substantially circular cross-section.

3. The rotor hub assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more inner bearings include a first inner bearing and a second inner bearing configured to spherically support each flexbeam.

4. The rotor hub assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rotor hub comprises an upper hub secured to a lower hub.

5. The rotor hub assembly of claim 4 , wherein a compressive force between the upper hub and lower hub retains the one or more inner bearings in the rotor hub.

6. The rotor hub assembly of claim 4 , wherein the upper hub and the lower hub define a hub cavity there between.

7. The rotor hub assembly of claim 6 , wherein the at least two flex beams extend through the hub cavity.

8. The rotor hub assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of torque tubes, wherein a first torque tube is secured to a first end of each flex beam and a second torque tube is secured to a second, opposite end of each flex beam.

9. The rotor hub assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first torque tube and the second torque tube are secured to the first end and the second end of each flex beam, respectively via an outer bearing.

10. The rotor hub assembly of claim 9 , wherein each outer bearing is an outer snubber bearing.

11. The rotor hub assembly of claim 8 , wherein a rotor blade is operably connectable to each flex beam via one of the plurality of torque tubes.

12. A rotor assembly for a helicopter comprising:
a rotor hub operably connectable to a shaft of a helicopter;
at least two flex beams extending through the rotor hub within the same plane, the at least two flex beams comprising a first flex beam and a second flex beam, wherein an opening formed in the first flex beam defines a passage through which the second flex beam extends through the first flex beam such that the first flex beam and the second flex beam cross at an axis of the shaft;
one or more inner bearings disposed at the rotor hub to spherically support the at least two flex beams in the rotor hub, the rotor hub being configured to provide a preload required for operation of the one or more inner bearings; and
a plurality of rotor blades, each rotor blade operably connected to one end of the at least two flex beams.

13. The rotor assembly of claim 12 , wherein the one or more inner bearings are one or more inner snubber bearings.

14. The rotor assembly of claim 12 , wherein the one or more inner bearings include a first inner bearing and a second inner bearing configured to spherically supported each flexbeam.

15. The rotor assembly of claim 12 , wherein the rotor hub comprises an upper hub secured to a lower hub.

16. The rotor assembly of claim 15 , wherein a compressive force between the upper hub and lower hub retains the one or more inner bearings in the rotor hub.

17. The rotor assembly of claim 15 , wherein the upper hub and the lower hub define a hub cavity there between.

18. The rotor assembly of claim 17 , wherein the at least two flex beams extend through the hub cavity.

19. The rotor assembly of claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of torque tubes, wherein a first torque tube is secured to a first end of each flex beam and a second torque tube is secured to a second, opposite end of each flex beam.

20. The rotor assembly of claim 19 , wherein the first torque tube and the second torque tube are secured to the first end and the second end of each flex beam, respectively via an outer bearing.

21. The rotor assembly of claim 20 , wherein each outer bearing is an outer snubber bearing.

22. The rotor assembly of claim 19 , wherein a rotor blade is operably connectable to each flex beam via one of the plurality of torque tubes.

Assignees

• Hunter David H
• Casey Ryan Thomas
• Byrnes Francis Edward
• Sikorsky Aircraft Corp

Inventors

• Hunter David H
• Casey Ryan Thomas
• Byrnes Francis Edward

Classifications

• B64C27/33 Primary

  having flexing arms · CPC title