US 12,214,872 B2
Tip end joint arrangement for a rotor blade with reconfigurable attributes for structural and aerodynamic tuning
Timothy James Conti, Shelton, CT (US); Eric S. Parsons, Middlebury, CT (US); Joshua A. Breon, Lafayette, IN (US); Benjamin E. Isabella, Hamden, CT (US); William Paul Adams, Norwalk, CT (US); and Christopher Michael Colschen, Hamden, CT (US)
Assigned to LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION, Bethesda, MD (US)
Filed by Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bethesda, MD (US)
Filed on Apr. 7, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/132,330.
Prior Publication US 2024/0336357 A1, Oct. 10, 2024
Int. Cl. B64C 27/46 (2006.01); B64C 27/473 (2006.01)
CPC B64C 27/463 (2013.01) [B64C 27/473 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A rotor blade configured to be installed on a rotary-wing aircraft, the rotor blade comprising:
a main blade body comprising an inboard end configured to be coupled to a rotor blade hub and an outboard end;
a blade tip removably coupled to the outboard end of the main blade body, the blade tip comprising an inner cavity; and
a tip block comprising an inboard portion coupled to the outboard end of the main blade body and a cantilevered portion extending beyond the outboard end of the main blade body and into the inner cavity of the blade tip without directly contacting the blade tip, such that loads generated at the blade tip are transferred to the main blade body independently of the cantilevered portion.