Patent ID: 8147198

Claim:
A rotor yoke for a helicopter, comprising: a blade attachment portion; a mast attachment portion; an intermediate portion extending between the blade attachment portion and the mast attachment portion, wherein the intermediate portion, the blade attachment portion, and the mast attachment portion define an inner edge, such that the inner edge defines an opening; and a peripheral, outer edge extending about the blade attachment portion, the intermediate portion, and the mast attachment portion; wherein both the outer edge and the inner edge include reduced thickness portions exhibiting thicknesses that are less than thicknesses of portions of the rotor yoke adjacent the reduced thickness portions; wherein the reduced thickness portion extends substantially along an entirety of the outer edge and the inner edge; and wherein the blade attachment portion, the mast attachment portion, and the intermediate portion are formed from a plurality of loop layers and a plurality of reinforcement layers, the loop layers being configured with a unidirectional fiber roving, the reinforcing layers being comprised of a cross-ply of fibers.