초록 ▼

A load absorbing elastic member or members is incorporated in the design of a rotor blade to assist in reducing flapwise and chordwise bending moments, torsional loading, and to reduce or eliminate the control system loads induced by rotor blade moment stall. In all its embodiments, the load absorbi

A load absorbing elastic member or members is incorporated in the design of a rotor blade to assist in reducing flapwise and chordwise bending moments, torsional loading, and to reduce or eliminate the control system loads induced by rotor blade moment stall. In all its embodiments, the load absorbing elastic member has operatively associated therewith a constraining member which serves as a strain amplifier permitting the load absorbing elastic member to achieve its purpose effectively.

대표청구항 ▼

An aerodynamic rotor blade comprising: (a) an elongated structural spar member having an inner surface forming a hollow interior throughout its length and a contoured outer surface forming a leading edge portion and a spar heel portion, which together define the chordwise limits of the spar member,

An aerodynamic rotor blade comprising: (a) an elongated structural spar member having an inner surface forming a hollow interior throughout its length and a contoured outer surface forming a leading edge portion and a spar heel portion, which together define the chordwise limits of the spar member, and a tip end portion and a root end portion, which together define the spanwise limits of the spar member; (b) an aft fairing structure attached to the spar member at the spar heel portion along the full length thereof, said aft fairing structure having a trailing edge wedge at its end remote from its attachment to the spar heel portion; (c) a plurality of constraining members situated within the hollow interior of the spar member to form at least one assembly of two constraining members arranged in parallel, with one of the constraining members being situated within the hollow interior of the spar member adjacent to the leading edge portion and with the other constraining member being situated within the hollow interior of the spar member adjacent to the spar heel portion, such that in each assembly the constraining members have that portion of their outer surfaces which face the adjacent inner surface of the spar member substantially conforming to the chordwise shape of the adjacent inner surface of the spar member; (d) an associated load absorbing elastic member for each assembly of constraining members, each load absorbing elastic member having a stiffness less than that of the spar member and the constraining members of its associated assembly, each being spanwise coextensive with the constraining members of its associated assembly, and each being situated within the hollow interior of the spar member between the inner surface of the spar member and constraining members of its associated assembly, as a result of which the shape of each load absorbing elastic member also substantially conforms to the shape of the adjacent inner surface of the spar member and that portion of the outer surface of its associated constraining member that faces the adjacent inner surface of the spar member, wherein each load absorbing elastic member is attached to the outer surface of its associated constraining member and to the adjacent inner surface of the spar member; (e) at least one further constraining member situated within the trailing edge wedge, having substantially parallel surfaces facing the trailing edge wedge; and (f) two further load absorbing elastic members associated with each further constraining member, each load absorbing elastic member having a stiffness less than that of their associated constraining member and the trailing edge wedge, the further load absorbing elastic members being attached to their associated further constraining members along a respective one of its parallel surfaces and to the facing trailing edge wedge.