Patents by Inventor Gerold Becker

Gerold Becker has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7384238
    Abstract: A rotor, in particular for a rotorcraft, encompassing: a rotor head, at least one rotor blade, and a rotor-head-end rotor-blade connector having an integral, bearingless, centrifugal-force-controlled blade angle adjustment device. A rotorcraft, in particular a helicopter, in particular a tiltrotor helicopter, encompassing at least one such rotor. A method for adjusting the blade angle of a rotor blade of a rotor, in particular of a bearingless rotor that possesses a rotor head and a rotor-head-end rotor-blade connector, encompassing the following steps: rotating the rotor blade; and automatically adjusting the blade angle by twisting the rotor-head-end rotor-blade connector, and thus the rotor blade, about its longitudinal axis by means of centrifugal forces acting on the rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Gerold Becker, Rupert Pfaller
  • Patent number: 7275913
    Abstract: A rotor, comprising at least one rotor blade connectable to a rotor head, which rotor blade possesses a blade neck having a virtual flapping hinge in the form of a flexurally soft, flexurally elastic blade-neck portion, there being provided, in a blade-connector region of the blade neck, two auxiliary flapping hinges, spaced apart from one another in the radial longitudinal direction of the rotor blade with reference to a rotor radius, between which the virtual flapping hinge is substantially disposed and between which the blade neck is deformable in flexurally elastic and curved fashion in the context of a flapwise motion. A rotorcraft, in particular a helicopter, in particular a tiltrotor helicopter, having at least one such rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Gerold Becker, Rupert Pfaller
  • Patent number: 7270516
    Abstract: A hingeless rotor, in particular for a rotorcraft, comprising: a rotor head, a rotor mast having a rotor axis, a torque-transmission element nonrotatably joined to the rotor mast, at least one rotor blade, and a rotor-head-side rotor-blade connector having a centrifugal-force-discharging blade connector loop, which loop encircles the rotor axis or the rotor mast and is nonrotatably joined to the torque-transmission element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Gerold Becker, Rupert Pfaller
  • Patent number: 7226272
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotor comprising a rotor shaft, a rotation torque transmission element which is mounted thereon and at least one element of the plate-shaped rotor head whose axis of rotation extends therethrough. Said rotor is provided with two groups of different arms. The first group consists of the flexible rotor blade connection arms which remove centrifugal forces and to which a respective blade can be fixed. The second group consists of flexible connection rotor arms which are devoid of centrifugal force to which the elements of the plate-shape rotor head can be rotationally fixed by means of the rotation torque transmission element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Gerold Becker, Rupert Pfaller
  • Publication number: 20060216150
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotor comprising a rotor shaft, a rotation torque transmission element which is mounted thereon and at least one element of the plate-shaped rotor head whose axis of rotation extends therethrough. Said rotor is provided with two groups of different arms. The first group consists of the flexible rotor blade connection arms which remove centrifugal forces and to which a respective blade can be fixed. The second group consists of flexible connection rotor arms which are devoid of centrifugal force to which the elements of the plate-shape rotor head can be rotationally fixed by means of the rotation torque transmission element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Applicant: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Gerold Becker, Rupert Pfaller
  • Publication number: 20060216151
    Abstract: A rotor, comprising at least one rotor blade (B1, B2, B3, B4; B5) connectable to a rotor head (2), which rotor blade possesses a blade neck (8) having a virtual flapping hinge in the form of a flexurally soft, flexurally elastic blade-neck portion, there being provided, in a blade-connector region (12, 14; 16; 30, 32) of the blade neck (8), two auxiliary flapping hinges (H1, H2), spaced apart from one another in the radial longitudinal direction of the rotor blade (B1, B2, B3, B4; B5) with reference to a rotor radius (R), between which the virtual flapping hinge is substantially disposed and between which the blade neck (8) is deformable in flexurally elastic and curved fashion in the context of a flapwise motion. A rotorcraft, in particular a helicopter, in particular a tiltrotor helicopter, having at least one such rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Applicant: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Gerold Becker, Rupert Pfaller
  • Publication number: 20060198732
    Abstract: A hingeless rotor, in particular for a rotorcraft, comprising: a rotor head, a rotor mast having a rotor axis, a torque-transmission element nonrotatably joined to the rotor mast, at least one rotor blade, and a rotor-head-side rotor-blade connector having a centrifugal-force-discharging blade connector loop, which loop encircles the rotor axis or the rotor mast and is nonrotatably joined to the torque-transmission element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Publication date: September 7, 2006
    Applicant: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Gerold Becker, Rupert Pfaller
  • Publication number: 20060186263
    Abstract: A rotor, in particular for a rotorcraft, encompassing: a rotor head, at least one rotor blade, and a rotor-head-end rotor-blade connector having an integral, bearingless, centrifugal-force-controlled blade angle adjustment device. A rotorcraft, in particular a helicopter, in particular a tiltrotor helicopter, encompassing at least one such rotor. A method for adjusting the blade angle of a rotor blade of a rotor, in particular of a bearingless rotor that possesses a rotor head and a rotor-head-end rotor-blade connector, encompassing the following steps: rotating the rotor blade; and automatically adjusting the blade angle by twisting the rotor-head-end rotor-blade connector, and thus the rotor blade, about its longitudinal axis by means of centrifugal forces acting on the rotor blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Publication date: August 24, 2006
    Applicant: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Gerold Becker, Rupert Pfaller