CF bearing with steady pitching moment

• US 8,231,346 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2006
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Textron Innovations Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Stamps, Frank B., Rauber, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Kershteyn, Igor
• Application Number:
  US12/303,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20100230529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,233 Days
• Field of Search: 416/83, 416/98, 416/134.R, 416/134.A
• US Class Current: 416/83
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/35 having elastomeric joints
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 1/40 consisting of a stack of similar elements separated by non-elastic intermediate layers F16F9/306 takes precedence; laminated constructions to protect buildings against abnormal external influences, e.g. earthquakes, E04H9/022

Abstract

A centrifugal force bearing having a means for providing a steady pitching moment is disclosed. The centrifugal force bearing may optionally comprise a coning means. A rotor system having the centrifugal force bearing is disclosed. A rotary-wing aircraft having the centrifugal force bearing is disclosed.

Claims

1. A centrifugal force bearing for a rotor hub, the centrifugal force bearing comprising:

a mounting means adapted for attachment to a yoke;

a grip interface means adapted for pitch rotation with a blade grip and for receiving centrifugal compression forces from the grip; and

a pitching moment means connected to the mounting means and the grip interface means, the pitching moment means being configured to exert a pitching moment when the pitching moment means is compressed by the centrifugal compression forces.

2. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 1, the pitching moment means comprising:

a plurality of shims; and

inserts located between adjacent shims;

wherein the shims and the inserts cooperate to generate the pitching moment when the pitching moment means is compressed by the centrifugal compression forces.

3. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 2, wherein the shims and the inserts are disposed along a pitch change axis, and wherein the centrifugal compression forces act along the pitch change axis.

4. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the shims is configured to have at least one helically contoured ramp.

5. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 2, wherein the inserts are constructed at least partially of an elastomeric material.

6. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 1, further comprising:

an angle differential means for allowing relative angular movement between the grip interface means and the mounting means.

7. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 1, wherein the pitching moment is substantially constant.

8. A centrifugal force bearing for a rotor hub, the centrifugal force bearing comprising:

a first end portion adapted for rigid connection to a yoke;

a second end portion opposing the first end portion, the second end portion being adapted to pivot with a blade grip and adapted to receive centrifugal compression forces from the grip generally along a longitudinal bearing axis, and the second end portion being configured to rotate about the longitudinal bearing axis with respect to the first end portion;

a plurality of stacked shims carried between the first end portion and the second end portion; and

at least one insert carried between adjacent shims;

wherein the shims and inserts cooperate to generate a pitching moment about the longitudinal bearing axis when the centrifugal compression forces cause displacement of the second end portion toward the first end portion.

9. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 8, the second end portion comprising:

a first side; and

studs protruding from the first side, the studs being adapted for receiving rotational force from the grip.

10. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 8, the second end portion further comprising:

a second side; and

at least one ramp protruding from the second side, each ramp being helically inclined, and each ramp helically advancing substantially coaxial with the longitudinal bearing axis and toward the first end portion;

wherein each shim has a first shim side configured to substantially matingly conform to the shape of the second side of the second end portion, and a second shim side shaped substantially similar to the second side of the second end portion.

11. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 8, wherein an insert separates an outermost shim from the first end portion, and an innermost side of the first end portion is configured to matingly conform to the shape of the second shim side of the outermost shim.

12. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 8, the second end portion further comprising:

a second side; and

at least one ramp protruding from the second side, each ramp being helically inclined, and each ramp helically advancing substantially coaxial with the longitudinal bearing axis and toward the first end portion;

wherein each shim has a first shim side configured to substantially matingly conform to the shape of the second side of the second end portion, and a second shim side shaped substantially similar to the second side of the second end portion; and

wherein an insert separates an outermost shim from the first end portion, and an innermost side of the first end portion is configured to matingly conform to the shape of the second shim side of the outermost shim.

13. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 8, wherein the inserts are constructed at least partially of an elastomeric material.

14. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 8, further comprising:

an angular differential means for allowing relative angular movement between the first end portion and the second end portion, the angular differential means comprising;

a moment plate having an inner side and an outer side, the inner side being configured to interface with an adjacent shim, and the outer side being shaped as a cylindrical curve having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis being generally tangent to a mast axis and coplanar with the longitudinal bearing axis;

a plurality of stacked cylindrically curved shims carried between the plate and the first end portion; and

at least one cylindrically curved insert carried between adjacent shims and between an outermost cylindrically curved shim and the first end portion;

wherein an inward-facing side of the first end portion is cylindrically curved to facilitate the relative angular movement.

15. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 14, the first end portion further comprising:

retainer walls bounding the inward-facing side for limiting the relative coning movement between the moment plate and the first end portion.

16. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 14, wherein the cylindrically curved inserts are constructed at least partially of an elastomeric material.

17. A rotary-wing aircraft having at least one rotor, the rotor comprising:

a yoke;

at least two blades associated with the yoke;

at least one blade grip for connecting the blades to the yoke; and

a centrifugal force bearing, comprising;

a mounting means adapted for attachment to the yoke;

a grip interface means adapted for rotation with one of the grips and for receiving centrifugal compression forces from the grip; and

a pitching moment means connected to the mounting means and the grip interface means, the pitching moment means being configured to exert a pitching moment on the associated grip when the pitching moment means is compressed by the centrifugal compression forces.

18. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 17, the pitching moment means comprising:

a plurality of shims; and

inserts located between adjacent shims;

wherein the shims and the inserts cooperate to generate the pitching moment when the pitching moment means is compressed by the centrifugal compression forces.

19. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 18, wherein the shims and the inserts are disposed along a pitch change axis, and wherein the centrifugal compression forces act along the pitch change axis.

20. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 18, wherein at least one of the shims is configured to have at least one helically contoured ramp.

21. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 18, wherein the inserts are constructed at least partially of an elastomeric material.

22. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 17, further comprising:

an angular differential means for allowing relative angular movement between the grip interface means and the mounting means.

23. The centrifugal force bearing according to claim 17, wherein the pitching moment is substantially constant.