Dual spring rate damper

US8857581B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Textron Innovations Inc. · US

Inventors

• Frank B. Stamps · Colleyville, US
• Michael R. Smith · Colleyville, US
• Christopher M. Bothwell · Grapevine, US
• Lawrence M. Corso · Keller, US
• James L. Braswell, Jr. · Colleyville, US
• David A. Popelka · Colleyville, US
• Ernst C. Schellhase · Fort Worth, US
• Charles Hollimon · Oosterdijk, US
• Thomas J. Newman · Midlothian, US
• Bryan Kenneth Baskin · Arlington, US
• Thomas C. Campbell · Wichita Falls, US
• Daniel Bryan Robertson · Southlake, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 1, 2012
• Grant date: Oct 14, 2014
• Expiry date: May 1, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F16F2230/30
• WIPO field: Mechanical elements
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A rotor hub and method to dampen a force exerted on a rotor hub by a rotor blade during flight. The rotor hub including a central member rotatably coupled to a rotor mast, a blade grip rigidly attached to a blade and movably coupled to the central member, and an adjustable damper operably associated with the blade grip. The method includes damping the force exerted on the rotor hub with the adjustable damper and selectively adjusting the adjustable damper between a first spring rate and a second spring rate.