US 12,448,121 B2
Rotor control for a convertible aircraft
Erez Eller, Plymouth, CT (US); Timothy F. Lauder, Oxford, CT (US); Richard Thomas Hood, Fairfield, CT (US); Frederick John Miner, Barkhamsted, CT (US); and Brian Anderson, Aledo, TX (US)
Assigned to Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bethesda, MD (US)
Filed by Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bethesda, MD (US)
Filed on Feb. 14, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/441,883.
Prior Publication US 2025/0256840 A1, Aug. 14, 2025
Int. Cl. B64C 27/605 (2006.01); B64C 11/32 (2006.01); B64C 29/00 (2006.01)
CPC B64C 27/605 (2013.01) [B64C 11/32 (2013.01); B64C 29/0033 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An aircraft comprising:
a body including a fuselage and a wing assembly;
a main shaft supported at the body for rotation with respect to the body about a rotor axis;
a blade assembly coupled to the main shaft for corotation therewith, the blade assembly including a rotor hub and a plurality of blades circumferentially spaced about the rotor hub, each blade coupled to the rotor hub for rotation about a respective blade axis;
a pitch control system coupled to the blade assembly to rotate each blade about the respective blade axis, the pitch control system including
a slider coupled to the main shaft for translation along the rotor axis, wherein translation of the slider rotates each blade about the respective blade axis by an equal amount;
a swashplate assembly coupled to the slider for rotation about a tilt axis substantially perpendicular to the rotor axis, wherein rotation of the swashplate assembly about the tilt axis rotates each blade about the respective blade axis by a different amount,
a first actuator coupled to the slider, the first actuator including
a first link pivotally coupled to the body,
a pivot link pivotally coupled to the body and defining a pivot point movable with respect to the body, and
a lever arm rotatably coupled to the pivot link for rotation about the pivot point according to movement of the first link, and
a second actuator operable to rotate the swashplate assembly with respect to the slider, the second actuator including a second link pivotally coupled to the slider and pivotally coupled to the swashplate assembly;
wherein the first link is configured to vary a length thereof to rotate the lever arm about the pivot point and translate the slider along the rotor axis; and
wherein the second link is configured to vary a length thereof to rotate the swashplate assembly about the tilt axis,
wherein the lever arm extends between a first lever end, coupled to the first link, and second lever end, coupled to the slider, and the pivot point is positioned between the first lever end and the second lever end.