IP Library Granted Patent US 8,061,991
Granted Patent B2
US 8,061,991 · App. 12/357,539 · Granted Nov 22, 2011

Rotorcraft blade provided with a spar incorporating a fastener attachment, and a method of fabricating such a spar

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,061,991
App. No.
12/357,539
Granted
Nov 22, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A rotorcraft blade is provided with a rigid attachment filler ( 1 ) and with a spar ( 40 ) that extends from a root ( 51 ) of the blade to a free end ( 52 ) of the blade, the attachment filler ( 1 ) having top, bottom, front, rear, left side, and right side faces ( 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 , and 6 ). The spar ( 40 ) then includes a succession of fiber layers ( 31, 32, 33 ) that hold the attachment filler ( 1 ) captive at the root ( 51 ) of the blade, the spar ( 40 ) being secured to the top, bottom, front, rear, and left side faces ( 2, 3, 4, 5 , and 7 ) of the attachment filler ( 1 ).

Claims (8)

1. A rotorcraft blade provided with a rigid attachment filler ( 1 ) and with a spar ( 40 ) that extends along the span of the blade from a root ( 51 ) of the blade to a free end ( 52 ) of the blade, said attachment filler ( 1 ) having top, bottom, front, rear, left side, and right side faces ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , and 6 ), wherein said spar ( 40 ) includes a succession of fiber layers ( 31 , 32 , 33 ) that hold said attachment filler ( 1 ) captive at the root ( 51 ) of said blade, said spar ( 40 ) being secured to said top, bottom, front, rear, and left side faces ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 and 7 ) of said attachment filler ( 1 ).

2. A blade according to claim 1 , wherein said spar ( 40 ) has top, bottom, front, rear, and end portions ( 43 , 44 , 41 , 42 , and 45 ) secured respectively to the top, bottom, front, rear, and left side faces ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , and 7 ) of said attachment filler ( 1 ).

3. A blade according to claim 2 , wherein said spar ( 40 ) presents rounded edges between its various portions.

4. A blade according to claim 2 , wherein said end portion ( 45 ) is concave, its concave side facing the free end ( 52 ) of the blade, remote from its root ( 51 ).

5. A blade according to claim 1 , wherein said spar ( 40 ) is a wound spar, said succession of layers consisting in a stack of layers ( 31 , 32 , 33 ) of fibers.

6. A blade according to claim 1 , wherein said succession comprises at least one stack ( 30 ) having first, second, and third fiber layers ( 31 , 32 , 33 ) respectively presenting first, second, and third angles (A 1 , A 2 , A 3 ) relative to a longitudinal axis (AX), said first and third angles (A 1 , A 3 ) lying in the range 15° to 90°, and said second angle (A 2 ) lying in the range 0° to 15′.

7. A blade according to claim 1 , wherein said spar ( 40 ) opens out beside the free end ( 52 ) of the blade.

8. A blade according to claim 1 , wherein said spar ( 40 ) and the attachment filler ( 1 ) include at least one passage ( 9 ′, 9 ″, 46 ′, 46 ″) to allow a fastener pin to be inserted.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 2, 2014
From: EUROCOPTER
To: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
Reel/Frame 032813/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 10, 2009
From: METIVIER, REMI
To: EUROCOPTER
Reel/Frame 022535/0015 →