Patent ID: 7867096
Filing Date: 2011-01-11
Classification: B64C,F16D

Abstract:
1. A joint for a rotary-wing aircraft having at least one engine, the joint comprising: a driver adapted to be coupled to an output shaft of the at least one engine, the driver being rotatable about an axis; a yoke at least partially rotatable relative to the driver about a first center of rotation, the center of rotation being located on the axis; and a plurality of upright links coupling the yoke to the driver, each link being translatable relative to at least one of the yoke and the driver; wherein at least one link has a leading coupler and a trailing coupler that is not coaxial with the leading coupler, each coupler coupling the link to one of the yoke and the driver; wherein the leading coupler is rotatable about a leading coupler axis, the trailing coupler rotatable about a trailing coupler axis, the trailing coupler axis and the leading coupler axis being offset and approximately parallel to each other, the leading coupler axis and the trailing coupler axis also being approximately parallel to the axis associated with rotation of the driver.