Patent ID: 6659722
Filing Date: 2003-12-09
Classification: B64C,Y10T

Abstract:
A helicopter tail rotor blade assembly comprising:a flexural strap having an inboard end and an outboard end, the inboard end being adapted for coupling to a rotor hub, and the outboard end forming an upper spar and a lower spar; a core member disposed between the upper spar and the lower spar; an upper skin bonded to the upper spar having an inboard end and an outboard end; a lower skin bonded to the lower spar having an inboard end and an outboard end; a rotor cuff formed by the inboard ends of the upper skin and the lower skin, the rotor cuff being disposed about the flexural strap; a blade portion formed by the outboard ends of the upper skin and the lower skin; a pitch change mechanism coupled to the rotor cuff for selectively adjusting the pitch of the blade portion; and a shear spindle coupled to the rotor cuff and being adapted for coupling to a rotor hub, so as to provide a blade shear load path to a rotor hub; wherein the flexural strap is adapted to twist about its lengthwise axis in response to actuation of the pitch change mechanism.