System and Method for Linkage Length Adjustment

• US 20140178199A1
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Textron Innovations Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Wiinikka, Mark A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,731,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/008 Rotors tracking or balancing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/32 Rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/51 Damping of blade movements
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/0614 the female part of the joint being open on two sides

Abstract

A rotor system has a rotor, an axis of rotation about which the rotor may be rotated, a linkage system having a first adjustable length portion and a second adjustable length portion, wherein the second adjustable length portion is configured to provide a relatively finer adjustment of an overall effective length of the linkage system as compared to the first adjustable length portion and wherein the rotor is configured to rotate about the axis in response to changing the overall effective length of the linkage system.

Claims

1. A rotor system, comprising:

a rotor;

an axis of rotation about which the rotor may be rotated;

a linkage system, comprising;

a first adjustable length portion; and

a second adjustable length portion;

wherein the second adjustable length portion is configured to provide a relatively finer adjustment of an overall effective length of the linkage system as compared to the first adjustable length portion;

wherein the rotor is configured to rotate about the axis in response to changing the overall effective length of the linkage system.

2. The rotor system of claim 1, wherein the axis comprises a lead-lag axis.

3. The rotor system of claim 1, wherein the linkage system comprises an elastomeric damper.

4. The rotor system of claim 3, wherein the elastomeric damper comprises a lead-lag damper.

5. The rotor system of claim 1, wherein the axis comprises a pitch change axis.

6. The rotor system of claim 1, wherein the linkage system comprises a pitch link.

7. The rotor system of claim 1, wherein each of the first adjustable length portion and the second adjustable length portion are adjustable while maintaining a link between a first rotor system component from a second rotor system component via the linkage system.

8. The rotor system of claim 1, wherein the first adjustable length portion comprises a threaded component.

9. The rotor system of claim 1, wherein the second adjustable length portion comprises an eccentric component.

10. The rotor system of claim 9, wherein the eccentric component comprises an eccentric bushing.

11. The rotor system of claim 1, wherein the first adjustable length portion is adjusted by rotating about a lengthwise axis along which the overall effective length is measured.

12. The rotor system of claim 11, wherein the second adjustable length portion is adjusted by rotating about an incident axis that is substantially orthogonal to the lengthwise axis.

13. A method of adjusting a rotational position of a rotor relative to an axis of rotation, comprising:

linking a first rotor system component to a second rotor system component via a linkage system comprising a variable overall effective length;

while maintaining the link between the first rotor system component and the second rotor system component via the linkage system, adjusting the overall effective length of the linkage system by at least one of adjusting a first adjustable length portion and adjusting a second adjustable length portion, wherein the second adjustable length portion is configured to provide a relatively finer adjustment of an overall effective length of the linkage system as compared to the first adjustable length portion.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a lead-lag position of the rotor is changed as a function of the adjusting the overall effective length of the linkage system.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein a pitch of the rotor is changed as a function of the adjusting the overall effective length of the linkage system.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the adjusting the first adjustable length portion comprises rotating a threaded component.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the adjusting the second adjustable length portion comprises rotating an eccentric component.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the adjusting the second adjustable length portion comprises rotating an eccentric bushing.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the adjusting the first adjustable length portion comprises rotating about a lengthwise axis along which the overall effective length is measured.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the adjusting the second adjustable length portion comprises rotating about an incident axis that is substantially orthogonal to the lengthwise axis.