Method for static balancing of aircraft rotor blades

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9914534-B2
Application number	US-201615071872-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2016
Priority date	Apr 7, 2015
Publication date	Mar 13, 2018
Grant date	Mar 13, 2018

Abstract

A method of assembling a rotor blade includes determining first spanwise and chordwise moments of a first component of the blade and comparing the first spanwise and chordwise moments to respective target first spanwise and chordwise moments. The first spanwise and/or chordwise moment(s) of the first component is/are adjusted based upon corresponding results of the comparison to provide balancing of the first component. Second spanwise and chordwise moments of a second component of the blade are determined and compared to respective target second spanwise and chordwise moments. The second spanwise and/or chordwise moment(s) of the second component is/are adjusted based upon corresponding results of the comparison to provide balancing of the second component. The balanced first and second components are assembled to each other so that target spanwise and chordwise moments of the blade are met.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of assembling a rotor blade comprising:
determining first spanwise and chordwise moments of a first component of the blade;
comparing the first spanwise and chordwise moments to respective target first spanwise and chordwise moments;
adjusting at least one of the first spanwise and chordwise moment of the first component based upon corresponding results of the comparison to provide balancing of the first component;
determining second spanwise and chordwise moments of a second component of the blade;
comparing the second spanwise and chordwise moments to respective target second spanwise and chordwise moments;
adjusting at least one of the second spanwise and chordwise moment of the second component based upon corresponding results of the comparison to provide balancing of the second component; and
assembling the balanced first and second components to each other so that target spanwise and chordwise moments of the blade are met;
wherein the adjusting at least one of the first spanwise and chordwise moment of the first component and the adjusting at least one of the second spanwise and chordwise moment of the second component includes adjusting at least one of the first and second chordwise moment by affixing at least one structural adhesive strip to the first and/or second component, and a mass of the at least one structural adhesive strip is distributed uniformly over the blade in a spanwise direction, and
wherein a length of the at least one structural adhesive strip in the spanwise direction of the blade is constant and not dependent on the corresponding results of the comparisons, to uniformly distribute the mass of the at least one structural adhesive strip over the blade, and a width of the at least one structural adhesive strip in a chordwise direction is dependent upon the corresponding results of the comparisons.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting of at least one of the first spanwise and chordwise moment and at least one of the second spanwise and chordwise moment further includes removing material from the at least one of the first and second component.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the material removed from the first component is at least one counterweight.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein a weight of the counterweight is about 0.5 pound.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting at least one of the first spanwise and chordwise moment and at least one of the second spanwise and chordwise moment includes affixing the at least one structural adhesive strip chordwise to and along a substantial entirety of at least one of the first and second component.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the width of the at least one structural adhesive strip in the chordwise direction is determined by the corresponding results of the comparison of the first and second spanwise and chordwise moments to the respective target first and second spanwise and chordwise moments.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one structural adhesive strip is long in a spanwise direction and thin in a chordwise direction of the blade.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a weight of the at least one structural adhesive strip is about 0.5 pound.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one structural adhesive strip is affixed to at least one of the first and second component at a distance from at least one of a leading edge and trailing edge of the respective component.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one structural adhesive strip is affixed to at least one of the first and second component in a range of about three-and-a-half inches from a leading edge of the respective component to about eight inches from the leading edge of the respective component.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the first spanwise and chordwise moment is determined by placing the first component on a balance fixture defining at least two load cells and reading a corresponding load at the load cells.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first component includes a spar assembly and the second component includes a trailing-edge pocket assembly.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
determining third spanwise and chordwise moments of a third component of the blade;
comparing the third spanwise and chordwise moments to respective target third spanwise and chordwise moments;
adjusting at least one of the third spanwise and chordwise moment of the third component based upon corresponding results of the comparison to provide a balanced third component; and
assembling the balanced third component with at least one of the balanced first and second components so that target spanwise and chordwise moments of the blade are met.

14. A method of assembling a rotor blade comprising:
determining first spanwise and chordwise moments of a first component of the blade;
comparing the first spanwise and chordwise moments to respective target first spanwise and chordwise moments;
adjusting at least one of the first spanwise and chordwise moment of the first component based upon corresponding results of the comparison to provide balancing of the first component;
determining second spanwise and chordwise moments of a second component of the blade;
comparing the second spanwise and chordwise moments to respective target second spanwise and chordwise moments;
adjusting at least one of the second spanwise and chordwise moment of the second component based upon corresponding results of the comparison to provide balancing of the second component; and
assembling the balanced first and second components to each other so that target spanwise and chordwise moments of the blade are met;
wherein the adjusting at least one of the first spanwise and chordwise moment of the first component and at least one of the second spanwise and chordwise moment of the second component includes affixing at least one structural adhesive strip chordwise to and along a substantial entirety of at least one of the first and second component; and a length of the at least one structural adhesive strip in a spanwise direction of the blade is constant and not dependent on the corresponding results of the components to uniformly distribute a mass of the at least one structural adhesive strip over the blade, and a width of the at least one structural adhesive strip in a chordwise direction is variable based upon the corresponding results of the comparisons.

15. A method of assembling a rotor blade comprising:
determining first spanwise and chordwise moments of a first component of the blade;
comparing the first spanwise and chordwise moments to respective target first spanwise and chordwise moments;
adjusting at least one of the first spanwise and chordwise moment of the first component based upon corresponding results of the comparison to provide balancing of the first component;
determining second spanwise and chordwise moments of a second component of the blade;
comparing the second spanwise and chordwise moments to respective target second spanwise and chordwise moments;
adjusting at least one of the second spanwise and chordwise moment of the second component based upon corresponding results of the comparison to provide balancing of the second component; and
assembling the balanced first and second components to each other so that target spanwise and chordwise moments of the blade are met;
wherein the adjusting at least one of the first spanwise and chordwise moment of the first component and/or the adjusting at least one of the second spanwise and chordwise mo

Assignees

• Sikorsky Aircraft Corp

Inventors

• Meyer Leon M
• Scott Andrew P
• Drago Anthony Stephen
• Hafner Edwin Mark

Classifications

• B64C27/473

  Constructional features · CPC title

• B64F5/10

  Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor · CPC title

• G01M1/34

  by removing material from the body to be tested, e.g. from the tread of tyres · CPC title

• B64C2027/4736

  from composite materials · CPC title

• Y10T29/37

  Impeller making apparatus · CPC title