Device for aircraft and aircraft provided with such a device

• US 5,497,960 A
• Filed: 09/14/1993
• Issued: 03/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emmanuel E. Previnaire
• Original Assignee: Emmanuel E. Previnaire
• Inventors: Previnaire, Emmanuel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barefoot, Galen L.
• Application Number:
  US08/120,463
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 244/17.11, 244/118.01, 244/190, 354/65, 354/74, 267/140.11, 267/140.3, 267/141, 267/141.1, 267/153, 248/566, 248/568, 248/581, 248/634, 248/638, 188/268, 361/807, 361/809, 361/811, 348/114, 348/117, 348/208, 348/373, 348/374, 348/143, 348/144, 348/195, 206/521, 206/312.2
• US Class Current: 244/17.11
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/001 Vibration damping devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/02 Suppression of vibrations of non-rotating, e.g. reciprocating systems; Suppression of vibrations of rotating systems by use of members not moving with the rotating systems F16F15/005 takes precedence ; layered products B32B; suppression of vibration in ships B63; relieving load on bearings, using magnetic means F16C39/06
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/006 Apparatus mounted on flying objects

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for a motorized aircraft, said device having a room for containing an inspection apparatus, said device comprising at least two elements, a first element absorbing essentially vibrations with a frequency higher than a specific frequency, while the second element absorbs essentially vibrations with a frequency lower then said specific frequency, said first and second elements being linked together and placed the one with respect to the other, so that the .second element is adjacent to the said room. The invention relates also to an aircraft, such as a helicopter, with a camera placed in such a device.

Claims

1. A device to be attached to an aircraft provided with a motor, said device having the form of a substantially spherical hollow housing, said housing comprising:

an outer wall defining a substantially hollow sphere with an opening therein;

a first vibration-absorbing layer disposed inside said housing and in contact with an inner face of said outer wall;

a second vibration-absorbing layer disposed inside said housing and in contact with an inner face of said first layer, said second layer defining an inner chamber for containing an inspecting apparatus, the first layer absorbing essentially vibrations with a frequency higher than a specific frequency, while the second layer absorbs essentially vibrations with a frequency lower than said specific frequency, said first and second layers being linked together and arranged the one with respect to the other so that vibrations are first absorbed by the first layer before being absorbed by the second layer.

2. The device according to claim 1, in which the mean frequency of the vibrations absorbed by the first layer is greater than the mean frequency of the vibrations absorbed by the second layer.

3. The device according to claim 1, in which the absorbing layers are made of resilient expanded material.

4. The device according to claim 1, in which the thickness of the second layer is greater than the thickness of the first layer.

5. The device according to claim 1, in which the thickness of the second layer is at least twice the thickness of the first layer.

6. The device according to claim 1, in which the second layer is a polyurethane foam.

7. Device according to claim 1, in which the first layer is made of expanded polystyrene.

8. The device according to claim 1, in which the hollow housing comprises:

(a) a supporting means constituted by two pans which are linked together by means of an articulation, and each of which defines a hollow hemispherical space, whereby the two parts are movable between a closed position, in which the hollow housing is substantially closed, and an open position, and

(b) two half shells, made of said first and second layers, and being each placed into the hollow hemispherical space of the two parts, respectively, whereby, in the closed position of the two parts, an inner chamber is defined between said two half shells, an open channel stretching from said chamber towards the supporting means.

9. An aircraft provided with a motor, an inspection apparatus, and a device having the form of a substantially spherical hollow housing, said housing comprising:

an outer wall defining a substantially hollow sphere with an opening therein;

a first vibration-absorbing layer disposed inside said housing and in contact with an inner face of said outer wall;

a second vibration-absorbing layer disposed inside said housing and in contact with an inner face of said first layer, said second layer defining an inner chamber for containing an inspection apparatus, the first layer absorbing essentially vibrations with a frequency higher than a specific frequency, while the second layer absorbs essentially vibrations with a frequency lower than said specific frequency, said first and second layers being linked together and arranged the one with respect to the other so that vibrations are first absorbed by the first layer before being absorbed by the second layer.

10. Aircraft according to claim 9, in which the inspection apparatus is a camera.

11. Aircraft according to claim 9, in which the aircraft is a telecontrolled helicopter.

12. Aircraft according to claim 9, in which the inspection apparatus is a camera, said aircraft comprising a system for rotating the device with respect to the aircraft so as to direct the camera towards an objective.

13. The aircraft according to claim 12, said aircraft being a helicopter actuated by a pilot and a cameraman, and comprising:

a structure with two opposite ends,

a head mounted at one end of the structure and containing a camera,

a motor, carried by said structure, for driving into rotation two sets of blades, a first set creating essentially an ascending force and a forward movement of the helicopter, while the second set is mounted on a shaft carried at the end of the structure opposite to the one end at which the head is mounted, the blades of said second set being inclinable so as to rotate the structure for modifying the direction of the forward movement of the structure,

means for controlling the direction of the camera,

a first receiver mounted on the helicopter, for receiving signals from an on-board transmitter actuated by the cameraman,

a second receiver, mounted on the helicopter, for receiving signals from an on-board transmitter actuated by the pilot of the helicopter,

means, mounted on the helicopter, for receiving signals from the second receiver for modifying the inclination of the second set of blades;

wherein the transmitter actuated by the pilot has

(a) a receiver for receiving signals emitted by the transmitter actuated by the cameraman for modifying the inclination of the blades of the second set,

(b) means, actuated by the pilot, for limiting the signals received by the receiver from the transmitter actuated by the cameraman, and

(c) mixing means mixing the limited signals of the cameraman and the signals actuated by the pilot for modifying the inclination of the blades, so as to form a mixed signal which is sent to the second receiver by the transmitter actuated by the pilot.

14. An aircraft according to claim 12, said aircraft being a helicopter, actuated by a pilot and a cameraman, and comprising:

a structure with two opposite ends,

a head mounted at one end of the structure and containing a camera,

a motor carried by said structure for driving into rotation two sets of blades, a first set creating essentially an ascending force and a forward movement of the helicopter, while the second set is mounted on a shaft carried at the end of the structure opposite to the one end at which the head is mounted, the blades of said second set being inclinable so as to rotate the structure for modifying the direction of the forward movement of the structure,

means for controlling the direction of the camera,

a first receiver, mounted on the helicopter, for receiving signals from a transmitter actuated by the pilot of the helicopter, and

means, mounted on the helicopter, for receiving signals from the second receiver for modifying the inclination of the second set of blades;

wherein the transmitter actuated by the pilot has

(a) a receiver for receiving signals emitted by the transmitter actuated by the cameraman for modifying the inclination of the blades of the second set, and

(b) means actuated by the pilot for limiting the signals received by the receiver from the transmitter actuated by the cameraman; and

wherein the second receiver further comprises a mixing means mixing the limited signals of the cameraman and the signals actuated by the pilot for modifying the inclination of the blade, so as to form a mixed signal which is sent to the second receiver by the transmitter actuated by the pilot.