System and method of rotating rotor blades from a distance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9989098-B2
Application number	US-201715440044-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2017
Priority date	Feb 24, 2016
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

In one aspect, there is provided a rotary blade movement system including a retaining member configured to receive a rotor blade, a graspable arm, and a coupling mechanism operable to removably couple the retaining member to the graspable arm. The rotor blade movement system is configured to enable a user to adjust the position of the rotor blade by moving the graspable arm. The coupling mechanism can be a ball and socket joint. In one aspect, there is a method of rotating a rotor blade using a rotary blade movement system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotor blade movement system comprising:
a retaining member configured to receive a rotor blade;
a graspable arm, the graspable arm comprises a pair of arms and a support member attached to the pair of arms; and
a coupling mechanism operable to removably couple the retaining member to the graspable arm, the coupling mechanism comprising a ball and socket joint, the ball and socket joint including a socket member and a ball that is received in the socket member the socket member disposed on the support member;
wherein the rotor blade movement system is configured to enable a user to adjust the position of the rotor blade by moving the graspable arm.

2. The rotor blade movement system according to claim 1 , wherein the retaining member comprises a jaw and a hinge, the jaw is configured to rotate about the hinge between an open configuration and a closed configuration.

3. The rotor blade movement system according to claim 1 , wherein the retaining member comprises a curved portion shaped to complement a curvature of the rotor blade.

4. The rotor blade movement system according to claim 1 , wherein the retaining member is a clamp.

5. The rotor blade movement system according to claim 1 , wherein the ball is disposed on the retaining member.

6. A rotor blade movement system comprising:
a retaining member configured to receive a rotor blade;
a graspable arm; and
a coupling mechanism operable to removably couple the retaining member to the graspable arm, the coupling mechanism comprising a ball and socket joint, the ball and socket joint including a socket member and a ball that is received in the socket member, the socket member comprises:
a base with a recess to receive the ball in an engaged position;
a positional shaft to retain the ball within the recess in the engaged position; and
a release member attached to the positional shaft that allows for release of the ball from the recess in a disengaged position;
wherein the rotor blade movement system is configured to enable a user to adjust the position of the rotor blade by moving the graspable arm.

7. The rotor blade movement system according to claim 6 , wherein the positional shaft comprises a spring disposed in the positional shaft to apply a compressive force to the positional shaft in the engaged position.

8. The rotor blade movement system according to claim 7 , wherein the spring is compressed by the release member in the disengaged position.

9. The rotor blade movement system according to claim 6 , wherein the release member comprises one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: a wire, a cord, a string, a spring, or a cable.

10. A rotor blade movement system comprising:
a retaining member configured to receive a rotor blade, the retaining member including a ball disposed thereon;
a graspable arm, the graspable arm comprises a pair of arms and a support member attached to the pair of arms; and
a socket member disposed on the support member and operable to removably couple the retaining member to the graspable arm;
wherein the rotor blade movement system is configured to enable a user to adjust the position of the rotor blade by moving the graspable arm.

11. A rotor blade movement system comprising:
a retaining member configured to receive a rotor blade, the retaining member including a ball disposed thereon;
a graspable arm; and
a socket member disposed on the graspable arm and operable to removably couple the retaining member to the graspable arm, the socket member comprises:
a base with a recess to receive the ball in an engaged position;
a positional shaft to retain the ball within the recess in the engaged position; and
a release member attached to the positional shaft that allows for release of the ball from the recess in a disengaged position;
wherein the rotor blade movement system is configured to enable a user to adjust the position of the rotor blade by moving the graspable arm.

12. The rotor blade movement system according to claim 11 , wherein the positional shaft comprises a spring disposed in the positional shaft to apply a compressive force to the positional shaft in the engaged position.

13. The rotor blade movement system according to claim 12 , wherein the spring is compressed by the release member in the disengaged position.

14. The rotor blade movement system according to claim 11 , wherein the release member comprises one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: a wire, a cord, a string, a spring, or a cable.

15. A method of rotating a rotor blade for storage using a rotor blade movement system, the method comprising:
removably attaching a retaining member to the rotor blade, the retaining member including a ball of a coupling mechanism, the coupling mechanism comprising a ball and socket joint, the ball and socket joint including a socket member that receives the ball therein;
grasping a pair of arms having a support member with the socket member of a coupling mechanism by a user;
engaging the ball with the socket member so that the coupling mechanism is in an engaged position; and
moving the pair of arms to adjust the position of the rotor blade.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the step of moving the pair of arms to adjust the position of the rotor blade comprises rotating the position of the rotor blade to a stowed position.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the socket member comprises:
a base with a recess to receive the ball in an engaged position;
a positional shaft to retain the ball within the recess in the engaged position; and
a release member attached to the positional shaft that allows for release of the ball from the recess;
the method further comprising disengaging the ball from the socket member by releasing the release member so the coupling mechanism is in a disengaged position.

18. A method of rotating a rotor blade for storage using a rotor blade movement system, the method comprising:
removably attaching a retaining member to the rotor blade, the retaining member including a ball of a coupling mechanism, the coupling mechanism comprising a ball and socket joint, the ball and socket joint including a socket member for receiving the ball therein, the socket member comprises:
a base with a recess to receive the ball in an engaged position;
a positional shaft to retain the ball within the recess in the engaged position; and
a release member attached to the positional shaft that allows for release of the ball from the recess;

grasping an arm having a support member with the socket member of the coupling mechanism by a user;
engaging the ball with the socket member so that the coupling mechanism is in the engaged position; and
moving the arm to adjust the position of the rotor blade.

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc

Inventors

• Jenkins Ricky
• Matson Robert
• Sumner William
• Lafon Brian

Classifications

• F16C11/06 Primary

  Ball-joints; Other joints having more than one degree of angular freedom, i.e. universal joints (universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts F16D3/16) · CPC title

• B64C27/04

  Helicopters · CPC title

• B64C27/50

  Blades foldable to facilitate stowage of aircraft · CPC title

• F16C2326/43

  Aeroplanes; Helicopters · CPC title

• B25J1/04

  rigid, e.g. shelf-reachers {(without grippers A47F13/06)} · CPC title