Detachable rotor blade fairing apparatus and method

摘要

A rotor blade having a detachable fairing is disclosed. The rotor blade includes leading and trailing edge fairings secured to the blade spar and one or more control lines extending between of the fairings and the blade spar. A detachable fairing extends from one or both of the leading and trailing edge fairings toward one of the distal and proximal ends of the blade spar. The detachable fairing and blade spar form an airfoil contour. The detachable fairing may secure to a tip jet attachment fitting at a distal end of the blade spar. A mounting structure including upper and lower plates may secure near a proximal end of the blade spar and the detachable fairing may secure to both the upper and lower plates to form all or part of an airfoil contour. The mounting structure may include a spherical seat engaging a spherical surface of a hub shroud.

主权项

1. A rotorcraft rotor comprising:
a hub configured to rotationally mount to a mast of a rotorcraft; and a plurality of rotor blades, each rotor blade comprising
rotatably mounted to the hub;leading edge fairing being mounted to the blade spar such that the leading edge fairing extends along a major portion of the blade spar;a trailing edge fairing mounted to the blade spar such that the trailing edge fairing extends along a major portion of the blade spar and is located opposite the leading edge fairing secured to the blade spar and such that the blade spar, leading edge fairing, and trailing edge fairing form an airfoil contour along the length of the leading edge fairing;at least one line formed to do at least one of extending between the leading edge fairing and the blade spar and extending between the trailing edge fairing and the blade spar; andone or more detachable fairings, each of the detachable fairings being selectively securable to the blade spar and one of the leading and trailing edge fairings being flush with one of the leading and trailing edge fairings such that the blade spar and one or more detachable fairings form an airfoil contour; wherein each rotor blade further comprises
the blade spar comprising a proximal end and a distal end, the blade spar pivotably secured to the hub at the proximal end; andeach of the one or more detachable fairings extending between a distal end of one of the leading and trailing edge fairings and the distal end of the blade spar.