Textron Inc.
Adaptable rotor control system for a variable number of blades

Abstract:

In one embodiment, a rotor hub comprises a yoke for attaching a plurality of rotor blades, a constant velocity joint to drive torque from a mast to the yoke and to enable the yoke to pivot, and a rotor control system configured to adjust an orientation of the plurality of rotor blades. Moreover, the rotor control system comprises: a swashplate, an adapter ring, a plurality of actuators controlled based on a flight control input, a plurality of lower pitch links configured to transfer motion between the swashplate and the adapter ring, a plurality of phase adjustment levers configured to adjust a control phase associated with motion transferred between the swashplate and the adapter ring, and a plurality of upper pitch links configured to adjust a pitch of the plurality of rotor blades, wherein there are more upper pitch links than lower pitch links.