HELICOPTER HAVING MEANS FOR THE AERODYNAMIC SUPPORT OF THE TORQUE EQUALIZATION

• US 20090277991A1
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Helicopters Deutschland Gmbh (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland Gesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: MIKULLA, Volker
• Granted Patent: US 8,074,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/17.210
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2027/8245 using air jets
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/82 characterised by the provision of an auxiliary rotor or fluid-jet device for counter-balancing lifting rotor torque or changing direction of rotorcraft

Abstract

A helicopter has at least one main rotor (2) situated on an airframe (1), on which a tail rotor (4) is additionally attached spaced apart from the airframe (1) via a tail boom (3) for torque equalization. The tail boom (3) is provided with elements for the aerodynamic support of the torque equalization, which include at least one auxiliary wing (5a, 5b), extending along the tail boom (3) on the side facing away from the main rotor rotational direction, for flow acceleration of the exhaust air of the main rotor (2) passing this area.

Claims

1. A helicopter having at least one main rotor (2), situated on an airframe (1), on which a tail rotor (4) is additionally attached spaced apart from the airframe (1) via a tail boom (3) for torque equalization, the tail boom (3) being provided with means for the aerodynamic support of the torque equalization,

characterized in that the means for the aerodynamic support of the torque equalization comprise at least one auxiliary wing (5a, 5b), extending along the tail boom (3) on the side facing away from the main rotor rotational direction, for flow acceleration of the exhaust air of the main rotor (2) passing this area.

2. The helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one auxiliary wing (5a, 5b) has an aerodynamic wing profile.

3. The helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that precisely two auxiliary wings (5a, 5b) are situated on the tail boom (3) lying one behind another in the flow direction, of which a first auxiliary wing (5b) proximal to the main rotor accelerates the passing exhaust air of the main rotor (2) in a first stage, which the downstream second auxiliary wing (5a) accelerates further in a second stage.

4. The helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that the least one auxiliary wing (5a, 5b) is situated spaced apart from the surface of the tail boom (3) via fastening struts (6a, 6b).

5. The helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that the tail boom (3) is implemented as tubular and has a round to oval main cross-section.

6. The helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for the aerodynamic support of the torque equalization further comprise at least one spoiler (7), extending along the tail boom (3) on the side facing toward the main rotor rotational direction, for flow deceleration of the exhaust air of the main rotor (2) passing this area.

7. The helicopter according to claim 6, characterized in that the least one spoiler (7) has a wedge-shaped cross-section and is attached directly on the surface of the tail boom (3).

8. The helicopter according to claim 6, characterized in that the least one spoiler (7′

) is implemented as a baffle extending linearly outward from the surface of the tail boom (3).

9. The helicopter according to claim 6, characterized in that the least one spoiler (7″

a, 7″

b) is implemented as a baffle extending outward from the surface of the tail boom (3) and then bent in the direction of the main rotor (2).

10. The helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that reinforcement profiles (8) running externally over the tail boom (3) are provided with aerodynamic covers (9;

9a, 9b) to provide the tail boom (3) with an overall aerodynamic profile to support the torque equalization.

11. The helicopter according to claim 2, characterized in that precisely two auxiliary wings (5a, 5b) are situated on the tail boom (3) lying one behind another in the flow direction, of which a first auxiliary wing (5b) proximal to the main rotor accelerates the passing exhaust air of the main rotor (2) in a first stage, which the downstream second auxiliary wing (5a) accelerates further in a second stage.

12. The helicopter according to claim 2, characterized in that reinforcement profiles (8) running externally over the tail boom (3) are provided with aerodynamic covers (9;

9a, 9b) to provide the tail boom (3) with an overall aerodynamic profile to support the torque equalization.