Composite blade construction for a propeller or rotor blade
First Claim
1. A composite blade construction, comprising a blade root for connection to a rotor hub defining a rotational axis, mounting means for securing said blade root to said rotor hub, a blade body integrally secured to said blade root, said blade body and said blade root comprising fiber composite material including elongated fiber strands extending substantially radially relative to said rotational axis and forming fiber loops around said mounting means, said fiber strands merging with their radially outer ends into said blade body, jacket means covering said blade body, said jacket means comprising mounting flanges formed at a radially inner end of said jacket means near said blade root, said mounting flanges extending substantially perpendicularly to a radial blade plane, means for securing said mounting flanges to a respective rim of said rotor hub, and wherein said mounting means comprise a shackle member having a radially inner end reaching into a radial opening of said rotor hub, said radially inner shackle end having a through-bore extending substantially in parallel to said rotational axis, a mounting bolt extending through said through-bore, said mounting bolt having ends protruding from said first bore into respective bores of said rotor hub for securing said radially inner shackle end to said rotor hub, and tie means having tie ends projecting from a radially outer shackle end for holding a respective group of fiber loops.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A composite propeller blade construction has fiber strands extending predominantly in a radial direction and looping around mounting hardware connecting a blade root to a rotor hub. The mounting hardware includes at least one bolt secured to the rotor hub or a shackle member secured to the hub by a mounting bolt and holding a tying bolt so that fiber strand loops forming the blade body loop around the shackle member and around free ends of the tying bolt. The radially extending fiber strands take up centrifugal forces and are enclosed by a jacket, the radially inner end of which is formed as mounting flanges screwed to a respective rim of the hub. The arrangement of the fiber loops is especially suitable for a fiber composite lightweight construction wherein the fibers form redundant load take-up paths and provide an advantageous centrifugal force and moment introduction into the structure.
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Citations
21 Claims
- 1. A composite blade construction, comprising a blade root for connection to a rotor hub defining a rotational axis, mounting means for securing said blade root to said rotor hub, a blade body integrally secured to said blade root, said blade body and said blade root comprising fiber composite material including elongated fiber strands extending substantially radially relative to said rotational axis and forming fiber loops around said mounting means, said fiber strands merging with their radially outer ends into said blade body, jacket means covering said blade body, said jacket means comprising mounting flanges formed at a radially inner end of said jacket means near said blade root, said mounting flanges extending substantially perpendicularly to a radial blade plane, means for securing said mounting flanges to a respective rim of said rotor hub, and wherein said mounting means comprise a shackle member having a radially inner end reaching into a radial opening of said rotor hub, said radially inner shackle end having a through-bore extending substantially in parallel to said rotational axis, a mounting bolt extending through said through-bore, said mounting bolt having ends protruding from said first bore into respective bores of said rotor hub for securing said radially inner shackle end to said rotor hub, and tie means having tie ends projecting from a radially outer shackle end for holding a respective group of fiber loops.
Specification