Proprotor blade with leading edge slot
US7594625B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 23, 2003 |
| Grant date | Sep 29, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 23, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64C29/0033
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A proprotor blade (27a, 27b, 127a, 127b) having a fixed, spanwise, leading edge slot (215) located in at least the inboard portion of the proprotor is disclosed. The slot (215) is formed by a selectively shaped slat (217) disposed in a selectively shaped recessed area (219) located at the leading edge (202) of the main portion of the proprotor blade. The slot (215) is selectively shaped so the a portion of the airflow over the lower airfoil surface of the proprotor blade is diverted between the main portion of the proprotor blade and the slat (217) and exits at the upper airfoil surface of the proprotor blade. The present invention may be used on both military-type tiltrotor aircraft (11) and civilian-type tiltrotor aircraft (111) with only minor variations to accommodate the different shapes of the proprotor blades.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.