Composite cuff structure for helicopter rotors
First Claim
1. A composite cuff structure (40) for mounting a root end (14e) of a rotor blade assembly (14) to radial arms (24a, 24b) of a rotor assembly yoke (24), the composite cuff structure (40) characterized by:
- a unitary body having a generally tubular shape and including;
a blade-receiving sleeve portion (42) for being disposed in combination with the root end (14e) of the rotor blade assembly (14), said blade-receiving portion (42) having first and second blade mounting segments (42a, 42b) which define a rotor blade attachment plane PB,a yoke mounting portion (44) for being disposed in combination with the radial arms (24a, 24b) of the rotor assembly yoke (24), said yoke mounting portion (44) having fore and aft pairs (44-1, 44-2) of first and second yoke mounting segments (44a, 44b), said pairs (44-1, 44-2) being disposed laterally of said blade mounting segments (42a, 42b), said yoke mounting segments (44a, 44b) defining a yoke attachment plane PY ;
spanwise fold portions (46) having first and second complementary curve segments (46a, 46b) for structurally interconnecting said blade and yoke mounting segments (42a, 42b, 44a, 44b), such that said rotor blade attachment plane PB forms an angle θ
with respect to said yoke attachment plane PY ; and
sidelobe portions (48) having fore and aft curved segments (48a, 48b) for structurally interconnecting said first and second yoke mounting segments (44a, 44b);
said unitary body, furthermore, being fabricated from a composite material having reinforcing fibers (70) disposed in a binding matrix.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A composite cuff structure (40) for mounting the root end (14e) of a rotor blade assembly (14) to the radial arms (24a, 24b) of a rotor assembly yoke (24) and for accommodating a twist disparity therebetween. The composite cuff structure (40) is generally tubular in shape and is fabricated from a composite material having reinforcing fibers (70) disposed in a binding matrix. The composite cuff structure (40), furthermore, includes a blade-receiving sleeve portion (42), a yoke mounting portion (44), spanwise fold portions (46) and sidelobe portions (48), which portions (42, 44, 46, 48) are structurally integrated to form a unitary body. The blade-receiving sleeve portion (42) is disposed in combination with the root end (14e) of the rotor blade assembly (14) and includes first and second blade mounting segments (42a, 42b), which define a rotor blade attachment plane PB. The yoke mounting portion (44) is disposed in combination with the radial arms (24a, 24b) of the rotor assembly yoke (24) and includes fore and aft pairs (44-1, 44-2) of first and second yoke mounting segments (44a, 44b) defining a yoke attachment plane PY. The pairs (44-1, 44-2) of yoke mounting segments (44a, 44b) are, furthermore, disposed laterally of the blade mounting segments (42a, 42b). The spanwise fold portions (46) include first and second complementary curve segments (46a, 46b) for structurally interconnecting the blade and yoke mounting segments (42a, 42b, 44a, 44b) such that the rotor blade attachment plane PB forms an angle θ with respect to the yoke attachment plane PY. The sidelobe portions (48) include fore and aft curved segments (48a, 48b) for structurally interconnecting the first and second yoke mounting segments (44a, 44b).
33 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A composite cuff structure (40) for mounting a root end (14e) of a rotor blade assembly (14) to radial arms (24a, 24b) of a rotor assembly yoke (24), the composite cuff structure (40) characterized by:
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a unitary body having a generally tubular shape and including; a blade-receiving sleeve portion (42) for being disposed in combination with the root end (14e) of the rotor blade assembly (14), said blade-receiving portion (42) having first and second blade mounting segments (42a, 42b) which define a rotor blade attachment plane PB, a yoke mounting portion (44) for being disposed in combination with the radial arms (24a, 24b) of the rotor assembly yoke (24), said yoke mounting portion (44) having fore and aft pairs (44-1, 44-2) of first and second yoke mounting segments (44a, 44b), said pairs (44-1, 44-2) being disposed laterally of said blade mounting segments (42a, 42b), said yoke mounting segments (44a, 44b) defining a yoke attachment plane PY ; spanwise fold portions (46) having first and second complementary curve segments (46a, 46b) for structurally interconnecting said blade and yoke mounting segments (42a, 42b, 44a, 44b), such that said rotor blade attachment plane PB forms an angle θ
with respect to said yoke attachment plane PY ; andsidelobe portions (48) having fore and aft curved segments (48a, 48b) for structurally interconnecting said first and second yoke mounting segments (44a, 44b); said unitary body, furthermore, being fabricated from a composite material having reinforcing fibers (70) disposed in a binding matrix. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A composite cuff structure (40) for mounting a root end (14e) of a rotor blade assembly (14) to radial arms (24a, 24b) of a rotor assembly yoke (24), the composite cuff structure (40) characterized by:
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a unitary body having a generally tubular shape and defining a longitudinal axis (40L), said unitary body including; a blade-receiving sleeve portion (42) for being disposed in combination with the root end (14e) of the rotor blade assembly (14), said blade-receiving portion (42) having first and second blade mounting segments (42a, 42b) which define a rotor blade attachment plane PB, a yoke mounting portion (44) for being disposed in combination with the radial arms (24a, 24b) of the rotor assembly yoke (24), said yoke mounting portion (44) having fore and aft pairs (44-1, 44-2) of first and second yoke mounting segments (44a, 44b), said pairs (44-1, 44-2) being disposed laterally of said blade mounting segments (42a, 42b), said yoke mounting segments (44a, 44b) defining a yoke attachment plane PY ; spanwise fold portions (46) having first and second complementary curve segments (46a, 46b) for structurally interconnecting said blade and yoke mounting segments (42a, 42b, 44a, 44b), such that said rotor blade attachment plane PB forms an angle θ
with respect to said yoke attachment plane PY, said angle θ
being between about 4 degrees to about 30 degrees with respect to said yoke attachment plane PY,said spanwise fold segments (46a, 46b), furthermore defining longitudinal mold lines (58), said longitudinal mold lines (58) being substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis (40L); and sidelobe portions (48) having fore and aft curved segments (48a, 48b) for structurally interconnecting said first and second yoke mounting segments (44a, 44b); said unitary body, furthermore, being fabricated from a composite material having reinforcing fibers (70) disposed in a binding matrix.
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11. A rotor hub assembly (10) having a rotor assembly yokes (24) for driving a plurality of rotor blades assemblies (14), the rotor blades assemblies (14) each having a root end (14e) for mounting to radial arms (24a, 24b) of each rotor assembly yoke, the root end portion (14e) and the respective radial arms (24a, 24b) having a twist disparity therebetween, said rotor hub assembly (10) being characterized by:
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a composite cuff structure (40) for mounting in combination with the root end (14e) of each rotor blade assembly (14) and the radial arms (24a, 24b) of each rotor assembly yoke (24), each said composite cuff structure (40) defining a unitary body having a generally tubular shape, said unitary body including; a blade-receiving sleeve portion (42) for being disposed in combination with the root end (14e) of the rotor blade assembly (14), said blade-receiving portion (42) having first and second blade mounting segments (42a, 42b) which define a rotor blade attachment plane PB, a yoke mounting portion (44) for being disposed in combination with the radial arms (24a, 24b) of the rotor assembly yoke (24), said yoke mounting portion (44) having fore and aft pairs (44-1, 44-2) of first and second yoke mounting segments (44a, 44b), said pairs (44-1, 44-2) being disposed laterally of said blade mounting segments (42a, 42b), said yoke mounting segments (44a, 44b) defining a yoke attachment plane PY ; spanwise fold portions (46) having first and second complementary curve segments (46a, 46b) for structurally interconnecting said blade and yoke mounting segments (42a, 42b, 44a, 44b), such that said rotor blade attachment plane PB forms an angle θ
with respect to said yoke attachment plane PY ; andsidelobe portions (48) having fore and aft curved segments (48a, 48b) for structurally interconnecting said first and second yoke mounting segments (44a, 44b); said unitary body, furthermore, being fabricated from a composite material having reinforcing fibers (70) disposed in a binding matrix. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification