elastomeric hinge

elastomeric hinge

elastomeric hingeA rotor hinge made of elastomer (a rubberlike compound). It combines flapping, lagging, and pitching degrees of freedom in one unit and at one location. The elastomeric bearing consists of concentric laminations of elastomer and metal bonded together in alternate layers. Elastomers absorb the centrifugal force in compression, while lagging and flapping motions are achieved by shear in elastomer layers. This type of hub may obviate some of the problems of mechanical hinges, such as mechanical complexity, maintenance, and reliability.