Helicopter blade droop stop with slidable droop stop seat
First Claim
1. In a helicopter rotor hub assembly of the type having a plurality of rotor blades extending outwardly from a central hub, each blade joined thereto at an elastomeric bearing permitting universal movement of the mounted blade with respect to the hub, improved apparatus for supporting the blades under static and dynamic blade loads comprising:
- a droop stop mounted on the rotor hub and facing outwardly toward the airfoil section of the rotor blade to be supported; and
a droop stop seat attached to the base of the rotor blade to be supported and having a conical surface at one end thereof facing inwardly toward the rotor hub in opposition to the fixed droop stop, wherein the droop stop seat is mounted on the pitch axis of the blade and is slidable along the pitch axis to a first position for limiting, in conjunction with the droop stop, blade droop under statically loaded conditions and to a second position for limiting, in conjunction with the droop stop, blade droop under dynamically loaded conditions.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for supporting the rotor blades of a helicopter is disclosed. Support in droop under both statically and dynamically loaded conditions is discussed. The droop stop mechanism 34 has low susceptibility to the deleterious effects of snow/ice or dirt contamination. The droop stop seat 42 is mounted for rotation in a corresponding receptacle 50 at the base of the rotor blade assembly 14 and is slidable between static stop and dynamic stop positions along the pitch axis of the blade to be supported.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. In a helicopter rotor hub assembly of the type having a plurality of rotor blades extending outwardly from a central hub, each blade joined thereto at an elastomeric bearing permitting universal movement of the mounted blade with respect to the hub, improved apparatus for supporting the blades under static and dynamic blade loads comprising:
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a droop stop mounted on the rotor hub and facing outwardly toward the airfoil section of the rotor blade to be supported; and a droop stop seat attached to the base of the rotor blade to be supported and having a conical surface at one end thereof facing inwardly toward the rotor hub in opposition to the fixed droop stop, wherein the droop stop seat is mounted on the pitch axis of the blade and is slidable along the pitch axis to a first position for limiting, in conjunction with the droop stop, blade droop under statically loaded conditions and to a second position for limiting, in conjunction with the droop stop, blade droop under dynamically loaded conditions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification