Helicopter having means for the aerodynamic support of the torque equalization

• US 8,074,920 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins, Timothy D
• Assistant Examiner(s): McFall, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US12/405,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20090277991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 244/17.11, 244/17.19, 244/17.21, 244/45.R
• US Class Current: 244/17.19
• 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 comprising:

at least one main rotor with blades situated on an airframe on which a tail rotor is additionally attached spaced apart from the airframe via a tail boom for torque equalization, the tail boom having an outer surface with a facing side that faces the main rotor blades when advancing towards the tail boom, an opposing side laterally opposed to the facing side, and a proximal portion interposed between the facing side and the opposing side and proximal to the main rotor, the outer surface having an impact zone on the facing side where an exhaust gas jet produced from the blades of the main rotor impacts the outer surface, the tail boom being provided with equalization means for the aerodynamic support of the torque equalization, said equalization means laterally attached below the impact zone on the facing side of the tail boom and spaced apart from the facing side, said equalization means having at least one auxiliary wing with an aerodynamic wing profile situated spaced apart from the surface of the tail boom via fastening struts, the at least one auxiliary wing extending laterally along the tail boom for flow acceleration of the exhaust gas jet of the main rotor passing by.

2. The helicopter according to claim 1, wherein the equalization means has precisely two auxiliary wings situated on the tail boom, one of the wings being an upstream auxiliary wing, and the other of the wings being a downstream auxiliary wing, the upstream auxiliary wing being proximal to the main rotor so as to accelerate the exhaust gas jet of the main rotor in a first stage, the downstream auxiliary wing accelerates further in a second stage.

3. The helicopter according to claim 1, wherein the fastening struts are configured to cause a flow acceleration of the exhaust gas jet passing between the auxiliary wing and the outer surface of the tail boom.

4. The helicopter according to claim 1, wherein the tail boom is implemented as tubular and has an ovate main cross-section and the equalization means extend along the length of the tail boom.

5. The helicopter according to claim 1, further comprising at least one spoiler, extending along the tail boom on the opposing side, for flow deceleration of the exhaust gas jet of the main rotor passing by the opposing side.

6. The helicopter according to claim 5, wherein the least one spoiler has a wedge-shaped cross-section and is attached directly on the outer surface of the tail boom.

7. The helicopter according to claim 5, wherein the least one spoiler is implemented as a baffle extending linearly outward from the opposed side of the tail boom.

8. The helicopter according to claim 5, wherein the least one spoiler is implemented as a baffle extending outward from the opposed side of the tail boom and then bent in towards the main rotor.

9. The helicopter according to claim 1, further comprising reinforcement profiles running externally over the tail boom and provided with aerodynamic covers to provide the tail boom with an overall aerodynamic profile to support the torque equalization.

10. The helicopter according to claim 1 wherein the at least one auxiliary wing includes a first and a second auxiliary wing, the auxiliary wings situated on the tail boom lying one behind another in a flow direction, of which the first auxiliary wing proximal to the main rotor accelerates the passing exhaust air of the main rotor in a first stage, which the downstream second auxiliary wing accelerates further in a second stage.

11. The helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that reinforcement profiles running externally over the tail boom are provided with aerodynamic covers to provide the tail boom with an overall aerodynamic profile to support the torque equalization.

12. The helicopter according to claim 1 wherein the at least one auxiliary wing has a flank side in front of the facing side of the tail boom.