Retention assembly for a propeller blade

Abstract

A retention assembly for a propeller blade includes an inner ring that is conformally shaped to a bore of an annular loop, the annular loop being associated with a root portion of the propeller blade; a base that is configured to be immediately adjacent the annular loop; an outer ring that includes an extended tapered portion which decreases in radial thickness from an inboard end to an outboard end; and an adhesive that adhesively connects complementary surfaces of the outer ring and the annular loop. Also, a propeller blade assembly includes a propeller blade having a blade portion and a root portion and the retention assembly configured to be attached to the propeller blade.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A retention assembly for a propeller blade, comprising:
 an inner ring that is conformally shaped to a bore of an annular loop, the annular loop being associated with a root portion of the propeller blade;   a base that is configured to be immediately adjacent the annular loop;   an outer ring that includes an extended tapered portion which decreases in radial thickness from an inboard end to an outboard end; and   an adhesive that adhesively connects complementary surfaces of the outer ring and the annular loop.   
     
     
         2 . The retention assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the extended tapered portion decreases in radial thickness of between 0.05 inch to 0.10 inch for every one inch of length from the inboard end to the outboard end. 
     
     
         3 . The retention assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the outboard end is about 0.005 inch to about 0.035 inch. 
     
     
         4 . The retention assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the outer ring further comprises a bearing race interface, a bearing race groove, a lower annular groove, and an upper annular groove. 
     
     
         5 . The retention assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a radial outer surface of the annular loop is adhesively connected to a radial inner surface of the bearing race interface. 
     
     
         6 . The retention assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a bearing assembly coupled to the bearing race groove. 
     
     
         7 . The retention assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a length of the extended tapered portion is about 0.5 inch to about 2 inch. 
     
     
         8 . The retention assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the extended tapered portion includes a first taper on an inner surface and a second taper on an external surface. 
     
     
         9 . A propeller blade assembly, comprising:
 a propeller blade including a blade portion and a root portion; and   a retention assembly configured to be attached to the propeller blade, the retention assembly further comprising:
 an inner ring that is conformally shaped to a bore of an annular loop, the annular loop being associated with the root portion; 
 a base that is configured to be immediately adjacent the annular loop; 
 an outer ring that includes an extended tapered portion which decreases in radial thickness from an inboard end to an outboard end; and 
 an adhesive that adhesively connects complementary surfaces of the outer ring and the annular loop. 
   
     
     
         10 . The propeller blade assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the extended tapered portion decreases in radial thickness of between 0.05 inch to 0.10 inch for every one inch of length from the inboard end to the outboard end. 
     
     
         11 . The propeller blade assembly of  claim 9 , wherein a thickness of the outboard end is about 0.005 inch to about 0.035 inch. 
     
     
         12 . The propeller blade assembly of  claim 9 , wherein a length of the extended tapered portion is about 0.5 inch to about 2 inch. 
     
     
         13 . The propeller blade assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the outer ring further comprises a bearing race interface, a bearing race groove, a lower annular groove, and an upper annular groove. 
     
     
         14 . The propeller blade assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising a bearing assembly coupled to the bearing race groove. 
     
     
         15 . The propeller blade assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the extended tapered portion includes a first taper on an inner surface and a second taper on an external surface.