公开(公告)号：US11453491B2

公开(公告)日：2022-09-27

申请号：US17173860

申请日：2021-02-11

Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.

Inventor： Elizabeth Feeley ,  Karl H. Schroeder ,  George Matthew Thompson ,  Michael Mark Attaway ,  Joseph Richard Carpenter, Jr.

IPC: B64C11/00 ,  B64C27/82 ,  B64C29/00 ,  F01D5/02 ,  F04D29/54 ,  F01D9/04

Abstract: One embodiment is a rotor system comprising a duct ring; a hub disposed centrally to the duct ring; first and second stators each connected between the duct ring and the hub; first and second control vanes rotatably connected to the first and second stators, respectively; a structural hoop having a first end connected to the first control vane and a second end connected to the second control vane, the structural hoop for translating rotation of the first control vane about a vane axis to the second control vane; and a mechanism for restricting at least one of forward-aft movement and side-to-side movement of the structural hoop relative to the duct ring.

公开(公告)号：US11420762B2

公开(公告)日：2022-08-23

申请号：US16679000

申请日：2019-11-08

Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.

Inventor： George Matthew Thompson ,  Paul Sherrill ,  Jonathan Knoll

IPC: A47C7/74 ,  B64D35/04 ,  B64C11/00 ,  B64C11/46 ,  B64D27/24 ,  B64C29/00 ,  F16H57/02

Abstract: A rotor assembly including a rotor mast, a rotor hub coupled to the rotor mast, a plurality of rotor blades coupled to the rotor hub, a control tube extending through the rotor mast, a crosshead coupled to the control tube, and a mechanism configured to drive the rotor mast in rotation. Wherein the mechanism is longitudinally positioned between a top portion and a bottom portion of the control tube and translation of the control tube relative to the rotor mast causes rotation of the rotor blades about their pitch-change axes. While the crosshead is installed, the crosshead is prevented from angular rotation about the mast axis. A pin of a rotor blade assembly is captured between opposing tabs of the crosshead and movable relative to the opposing tabs in response to translation of the crosshead along the mast axis.

公开(公告)号：US20220219826A1

公开(公告)日：2022-07-14

申请号：US17148273

申请日：2021-01-13

Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.

Inventor： Jonathan Andrew Knoll ,  George Matthew Thompson ,  Charles Hubert Speller ,  Grant Michael Beall

IPC: B64D27/24 ,  B64C29/00 ,  B64D35/08

Abstract: A rotor system for an aircraft is described and includes an open rotor assembly comprising a plurality of rotor blades connected to a rotor mast; and a drive system for providing rotational energy to the open rotor assembly via the rotor mast. The drive system includes at least one electric motor for providing rotational energy to a motor shaft; and a gearbox connected to the drive shaft for receiving rotational energy from the at least one electric motor via the motor shaft and providing rotational energy to the rotor mast via a rotor shaft.

公开(公告)号：US20210316849A1

公开(公告)日：2021-10-14

申请号：US16846371

申请日：2020-04-12

Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.

Inventor： George Matthew Thompson ,  Jonathan Andrew Knoll ,  Nicholas Carlson

IPC: B64C27/33 ,  B64C27/48

Abstract: A rotor blade retention device for use in an aircraft having a plurality of blades includes an array of cavities, each cavity adapted to receive a portion of a tension-torsion strap therein. Each cavity is oriented such that, when the portion of the tension-torsion strap is received therein, a central plane of the tension-torsion strap is inclined relative to a blade plane of rotation defined by the plurality of blades. The retention device may have a body that defines an aperture adapted to receive a portion of a rotor mast of the aircraft, may comprise a rotor mast of the aircraft, or may comprise first and second plates that cooperate to form the array of cavities and that are adapted to receive a portion of the rotor mast of the aircraft.

公开(公告)号：US11104414B2

公开(公告)日：2021-08-31

申请号：US16590223

申请日：2019-10-01

Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.

Inventor： George Matthew Thompson ,  Jonathan Knoll ,  Paul Sherrill

IPC: B63H1/20 ,  B64C11/06 ,  B64C11/30 ,  F01D7/00

Abstract: A rotor assembly has a rotor hub having a unitary structure. The rotor assembly further includes a unitary crosshead having a first upper tab and a first lower tab located vertically below the first upper tab. The first upper tab and the first lower tab define a slot therebetween to accept a first pin of the first rotor blade. A second upper tab and a second lower tab located vertically below the second upper tab define a slot therebetween to accept a second pin of the second rotor blade. A first recess is provided between the first lower tab and the second lower tab so that the crosshead comprises no material directly between at least a portion of the first lower tab and the second lower tab along at least one straight path.