Abstract:
The blades and the outer case of an encased engine, such as a turbo engine or the like will expand and contract during periods of operation. Blade expansion and contraction can result from operating temperature changes, rotational velocity changes, or the like. The engine casing includes a segmented seal (10) which is properly spaced apart from the engine blade tips so as to provide optimum operation of the engine. Proximity sensors mounted on the engine detect the radial clearance of the engine blades to the seal segments at all times. The seal segments are mounted on a corrugated piezoelectric support (12) which is electrically stimulated so as to properly adjust the seal segments relative to the blade tips to provide the proper spacing as the blades and case expand and contract. Appropriate stimulation of the piezoelectric support will move the seal segments toward or away from the blade tips as needed.
Abstract:
A shock strut assembly (10) for an aircraft landing gear includes a trunnion fitting (12), a compressible oleo strut subassembly (14), a wheel subassembly (16), an energy dissipating subassembly (50), and a mechanical fuze subassembly (60). The oleo strut subassembly (14) includes a cylinder member (24) having an upper end mounted in combination with the trunnion fitting (12) by means of the mechanical fuze subassembly (60). The energy dissipating subassembly (50) includes a cylindrical cutter member (52) secured in combination with the cylinder member (24) and the trunnion fitting (12) and a frangible tube member (58) mounted in concentric combination with the cylinder member (24). The mechanical fuze subassembly (60) includes a shear ring (62). During normal landings, the shear ring (62) prevents movement of the cylinder member (24) with respect to the trunion fitting (12) in a crash landing, the shear flanges (66) shear at a predetermined axial load failure limit, which allows the cylinder member (24) to be displaced relative to the trunnion fitting (12). Displacement of the cylinder member (24) causes the frangible tube member (58) to interact with the cutter member (58) to interact with the cutter member (52), causing fracturing of the frangible tube member (58) for crash landing energy dissipation.
Abstract:
A pitch adjustment assembly (100) for a bearingless rotor assembly (20) which includes a torque tube member (36) enveloping a flexbeam connector (22). The pitch adjustment assembly (100) includes a centering bearing (70) for centering an inboard end (38) of the torque tube member (36) relative to the flexbeam connector (22), wherein the centering bearing (70) defines a torque tube pivot point (110) about which the torque tube member (36) is rotationally displaced relative to the flexbeam connector (22), a pitch control rod (48) mechanically connecting to a pitch control arm (46) for imparting pitch control inputs to the torque tube member (36); wherein the pitch control rod and arm (46, 48) define an input pivot point (116) and, a displacement mechanism (102 or 140), in combination with the centering bearing (70), for effecting translational displacement of the geometric center (120) of the torque tube member (36) relative to the torque tube and input pivot points (110, 116). Adjustment shims (102) or a jacking arrangement (140) is used to effect the translational displacement of the torque tube member (36).
Abstract:
A hydraulic control system for a jet aircraft engine has an electronic control that commands a pair of torque motors to ultimately control the position of each one of a plurality of two-position, "latching" hydraulic actuator valves. A first torque motor is operable with a three-position, on/off hydraulic valve. The second torque motor operates in conjuction with a second valve to control the linear position of the spool of a multiplexer selector valve. The multiplexer selector valve has a plurality of positions that the spool can be linear translatable to. At each position is located a pair of control ports to which are ultimately connected one side of each of a pair of corresponding hydraulic actuator valves. The actuator valves may comprise fuel or air valves. A selected fuel or air actuator valve is translated between one of its two positions by translating the spool of the multiplexer selector valve to the appropriate position and then porting high pressure hydraulic fluid to that actuator valve for a predetermined period of time. The control system can asynchronously choose any fuel or air actuator valve to translate, as necessary, at any point in time.
Abstract:
A gas turbine engine (10) includes a translating sleeve (38) disposed within a downstream portion of an outer nacelle (20). A variable area fan exhaust nozzle (30) is defined between the trailing edge (32) of the translating sleeve (38) and a conical core cowl (26) disposed radially inward of the outer nacelle (20) and spaced apart therefrom. The translating sleeve (38) translates downstream to cooperate with the decreasing diameter of the core cowl (26) to increase the area of the fan exhaust nozzle (30).
Abstract:
The present invention teaches a method for fabricating a bipolar junction transistor ("BJT") from a semiconductor substrate having a base region, wherein the BJT comprises an increased Early voltage. The method initially comprises the step of forming a patterned interlevel dielectric layer superjacent the substrate such that a segment of the substrate is exposed. Subsequently, a contact comprising a material having a grain size smaller than polycrystalline silicon is formed superjacent the patterned interlevel dielectric layer and the segment of the substrate exposed. The contact is then implanted with a dopant. Once implanted, the substrate is annealed to enable the dopant to diffuse from the contact into the base region impeded by the grain size to form an emitter region and thereby increase the Early voltage of the bipolar junction transistor.
Abstract:
A composite spar for a helicopter rotor blade includes upper and lower sidewall regions (40, 42) and forward and aft conic regions (45, 47) wherein the conic regions further define transition and closure subregions (50, 52). Constant width crossplies (62) and unidirectional plies (72) are stacked and arranged to form crossply and unidirectional laminates (60, 70). The crossply laminates (60) form the upper and lower sidewall regions (40, 42) and end portions thereof extend into the forward and aft conic regions (45, 47) to form a staggered distribution of structural joints (68) and slip plane interfaces (66) therein. The crossply laminates are comprised of high modulus fibers which are oriented within a range of +/- 42 DEG to about +/- 38 DEG relative to the longitudinal axis (25) of the composite spar (10). The unidirectional laminates (70) form the upper and lower sidewall regions (40, 42) and have end portions (72e) extending into the transition subregions (50). The unidirectional laminates (70) are interposed between the crossply laminates (60) and comprised of a mix of high and low modulus fibers which are oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis (25). Furthermore, plies of reinforcing fabric (80) having low modulus fibers oriented above about 80 DEG relative to the longitudinal axis (25) may be disposed between the unidirectional plies (72) of the unidirectional laminate (70). The composite spar is manufactured in molds.
Abstract:
Apparatus and methods for fabricating a helicopter main rotor blade (100) include a compaction fixture (10) for assembling and compacting blade subassembly components and a sheath spreading/insertion apparatus (50) for spreading and inserting a leading-edge sheath (120) onto the blade subassembly during the compaction process. The compaction fixture includes a lower assembly (12) having a contoured upper airfoil nest (14) mounted in combination with a support structure and an upper assembly (30) having a pressure bag (32) affixed in sealed combination to a contoured backplate affixed in combination to a structural support truss (36). With the upper and lower assemblies in locked combination, the pressure bag is pressurized to compact the assembled blade subassembly components. The sheath spreading/insertion apparatus (50) includes a movable stanchion (52), upper (60U) and lower (60L) elongate carriage members mounted in synchronized movable combination with the stanchion, and a row of suction cups (66) mounted in combination with each carriage member. A vacuum source (68) is pneumatically interconnected to the suction cups (66) to generate suction forces to cause the leading-edge sheath to be spread apart. Movement of the movable stanchion causes the spread-apart leading-edge sheath to be inserted onto the blade subassembly during compaction thereof.
Abstract:
The described embodiment of an edge-of-part (EOP) scribe device (10) is operative to simultaneously scribe trim lines in an oversized, cured leading-edge sheath (120) mounted on a sheath mold assembly (160) so that the scribed, cured leading-edge sheath may be cut along the scribed trim lines to form a prefabricated leading-edge sheath having finished edges for a helicopter main rotor blade (100). Trim line templates (168) having profile edges (170) defining the profiles of the finished edges of the prefabricated leading-edge sheath are affixed to the sheath mold assembly. The EOP scribe device includes a primary carriage assembly (12) having V-groove rollers (14) secured thereto wherein the primary carriage assembly is translatable in a spanwise direction along side rails (166) secured to the sheath mold assembly, handles (16) for mounting and dismounting the EOP scribe (10) device in combination with the sheath mold assembly, opposed pairs of guide rails (18) affixed to the primary carriage assembly, and a secondary carriage assembly (20) mounted in movable combination with each pair of guide rails. Each secondary carriage assembly includes a spring-loaded scribe head (22) mounted in movable combination therewith, a positioning knob (24) secured in rigid combination with the scribe head and operative to allow the scribe head to be moved between a disengaged position for mounting/dismounting of the EOP scribe device and a scribe position for inscribing a trim line in the cured leading-edge sheath, a rigid follower linkage (26) secured to the secondary carriage assembly, and a follower slide roller (26) mounted in rotatable combination with the rigid follower linkage. The spring-loaded scribe head (22) includes a hardened scriber (30) for scribing the trim line and a tolerance roller (32) that interacts with the cured leading-edge sheath during the scribing operation to define the depth of the scribed trim line. With the EOP scribe device mounted in combination with the sheath mold assembly and the spring-loaded scribe heads in the scribe position, each follower slide roller interacts with the respective profiled edge (170). As the primary carriage assembly is subjected to spanwise translation along the sheath mold assembly, dimensional changes in the profiled edges induce vertical displacements in the follower slide rollers, the induced vertical displacements being coupled through the rigid follower linkages to cause corresponding vertical displacements in the secondary carriage assemblies and concomitantly, in the scribe heads. The vertical displacement of the hardened scribers matches the respective profiled edges such that the scribed trim lines correspond to the profiles of the finished edges of the prefabricated leading-edge sheath.
Abstract:
An inner and/or outer cylindrical wall limiting the working fluid flow path of an axial compressor radially has an ondulating contour. At the intersection with the leading edge of an airfoil the wall shows a convex contour (54) followed by a concave contour (58) in the region of the airfoils maximum thickness while at the intersection with the trailing edge of the airfoil the contour (56) is convex again. The airfoil can either be a rotor blade or a stator vane.