An anti-torque rotor is described for a helicopter, comprising: a mast rotatable about a first axis; a plurality of blades hinged on the mast, extending along respective second axes transversal to said first axis and rotatable about respective said second axes to alter the respective angles of attack; a control element sliding and rotating with respect to the mast, and operatively connected to said blades to cause the rotation of said blades about respective second axes following a translation of said element along the first axis; a control rod sliding axially along first axis with respect to the mast and angularly fixed with respect to the first axis; and a bearing interposed between the control rod and the control element, sliding along the first axis with respect to the mast and integrally with the control rod; the anti-torque rotor further comprises an interface made of an antifriction material interposed between said control rod and said bearing.

An anti-torque rotor is described for a helicopter, comprising: a mast rotatable about a first axis; a plurality of blades hinged on the mast, extending along respective second axes transversal to said first axis and rotatable about respective said second axes to alter the respective angles of attack; a control element sliding and rotating with respect to the mast, and operatively connected to said blades to cause the rotation of said blades about respective second axes following a translation of said element along the first axis; a control rod sliding axially along first axis with respect to the mast and angularly fixed with respect to the first axis; and a bearing interposed between the control rod and the control element, sliding along the first axis with respect to the mast and integrally with the control rod; the anti-torque rotor further comprises an interface made of an antifriction material interposed between said control rod and said bearing.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a drive tube and swashplate trunnion assembly. The drive tube and swashplate trunnion assembly includes a drive tube having a plurality of grooves formed on an outer surface of the drive tube; a swashplate trunnion having a plurality of grooves formed on an inner surface of the swashplate trunnion, wherein individual grooves of the plurality of grooves on the swashplate trunnion mate with individual grooves of the plurality of grooves on the drive tube to form a plurality of channels; and a plurality of cylindrical bearings, wherein each of said cylindrical bearings is disposed within an individual channel of the plurality of channels.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a drive tube and swashplate trunnion assembly. The drive tube and swashplate trunnion assembly includes a drive tube having a plurality of grooves formed on an outer surface of the drive tube; a swashplate trunnion having a plurality of grooves formed on an inner surface of the swashplate trunnion, wherein individual grooves of the plurality of grooves on the swashplate trunnion mate with individual grooves of the plurality of grooves on the drive tube to form a plurality of channels; and a plurality of cylindrical bearings, wherein each of said cylindrical bearings is disposed within an individual channel of the plurality of channels.

A helicopter with a rotor pivotally connected to a shaft by a universal joint or ball and socket joint. The helicopter includes: a fuselage; a rotor mast that is fixed against relative rotation with respect to the fuselage; at least one blade; a motor for rotating the at least one blade; and a universal joint or ball and socket joint. The universal joint or ball and socket joint: (i) is disposed between the at least one blade and the rotor mast, with the at least one blade being rotatable relative to the universal joint or ball and socket joint; (ii) is disposed between the motor and the rotor mast; and (iii) is fixed against relative rotation with respect to the rotor mast, such that, pivoting of the universal joint or ball and socket joint causes the at least one blade and the motor to tilt.

A rotor comprising a hub and a plurality of lift assemblies. Each lift assembly is connected to two adjacent lift assemblies respectively by a first damper and a second damper. The first damper is hinged to a lift assembly about a first axis, and the second damper is hinged to said lift assembly about a second axis. A first plane contains a lead-lag axis of the lift assembly and orthogonally to the pitch axis of the lift assembly. The first axis is situated in a volume lying between the first plane and an axis of rotation of the rotor, the second axis being positioned outside said volume.

A rotor comprising a hub and a plurality of lift assemblies. Each lift assembly is connected to two adjacent lift assemblies respectively by a first damper and a second damper. The first damper is hinged to a lift assembly about a first axis, and the second damper is hinged to said lift assembly about a second axis. A first plane contains a lead-lag axis of the lift assembly and orthogonally to the pitch axis of the lift assembly. The first axis is situated in a volume lying between the first plane and an axis of rotation of the rotor, the second axis being positioned outside said volume.

A rotary wing vehicle includes a body structure having an elongated tubular backbone or core, and a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system having rotors with each rotor having a separate motor to drive the rotors about a common rotor axis of rotation. The rotor system is used to move the rotary wing vehicle in directional flight.

A rotary wing vehicle includes a body structure having an elongated tubular backbone or core, and a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system having rotors with each rotor having a separate motor to drive the rotors about a common rotor axis of rotation. The rotor system is used to move the rotary wing vehicle in directional flight.

One embodiment is an electric drive system including a plurality of redundant motors, wherein power generated by the plurality of motors is used to drive a rotor system comprising a rotor shaft having a plurality of rotor blades connected thereto via a swashplate; a gear box associated with the plurality of redundant motors; a cyclic actuation system for controlling an individual pitch of the rotor blades connected to the swashplate; and at least one structural element for retaining the redundant motors, the gear box, and the cyclic actuation system together as a single integrated unit.