Planetary de-rotation system for a shaft fairing system

• US 8,882,025 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2013
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Lauder, Timothy Fred
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Hara, Brian M
• Application Number:
  US13/970,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20130334362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 244/12.2, 244/17.11, 244/17.17, 244/17.19, 244/17.23, 244/60, 244/135.B, 416/128, 416/129
• US Class Current: 244/17.19
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/00 Fuselages; Constructional features common to fuselages, wings, stabilising surfaces or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/04 Helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/10 arranged coaxially
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/12 Rotor drives
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/14 Direct drive between power plant and rotor hub
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/20 Rotorcraft characterised by having shrouded rotors, e.g. flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 7/00 Structures or fairings not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A fairing system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a shaft fairing mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation and a planetary gear set configured to control a position of the shaft fairing about the axis of rotation.

Claims

1. A fairing system comprising:

a lower rotor hub mounted to a lower rotor shaft which is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation of a rotor of a rotary wing aircraft;

an upper rotor hub mounted to an upper rotor shaft which is configured to rotate about said axis of rotation;

a shaft fairing mounted for rotation about said axis of rotation; and

a planetary gear set configured to control a position of said shaft fairing about said axis of rotation, wherein said shaft fairing is located between said lower rotor hub and said upper rotor hub.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an upper hub fairing defined about said axis and mounted at least partially about said upper rotor hub; and

a lower hub fairing defined about said axis and mounted at least partially about said lower rotor hub,

wherein said shaft fairing is mounted for relative rotation between said upper hub fairing and said lower hub fairing.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said planetary gear set further comprises:

a first ring gear defined about said axis;

a second ring gear defined about said axis;

the planetary gear set in meshing engagement with said first ring gear and said second ring gear;

a cage assembly which supports said planetary gear set; and

a fairing support structure mounted for rotation with said first ring gear and said shaft fairing.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein said shaft fairing is located between a rotor hub and at least one of the first ring gear and the second ring gear.

5. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein said second ring gear is fixed relative to said axis.

6. The system as recited in claim 3, further comprising a drive system which selectively rotates said second ring gear.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, further comprising a control system in communication with said drive system to selectively rotate said second ring gear to azimuthally position said second ring gear in response to a flight control system.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said planetary gear is configured to rotate said shaft fairing between multiple fixed positions.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said shaft fairing is axially spaced from said planetary gear set.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said shaft fairing is for a rotary wing aircraft.

11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said planetary gear set includes a first ring gear and a second ring gear and said shaft fairing is mounted to said first ring gear.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said upper rotor shaft is mounted through said lower rotor shaft and configured to rotate in a direction opposite a direction of rotation of the lower rotor shaft.

13. A coaxial rotor system comprising:

a lower rotor hub mounted to a lower rotor shaft which is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation;

an upper rotor hub mounted to an upper rotor shaft which is configured to rotate about said axis of rotation, said upper rotor shaft mounted through said lower rotor shaft and rotating in a direction opposite a direction of rotation of the lower rotor shaft;

an upper hub fairing mounted at least partially about said upper rotor hub;

a lower hub fairing mounted at least partially about said lower rotor hub;

a shaft fairing mounted between said upper hub fairing and said lower hub fairing for rotation about said axis of rotation;

a planetary gear set configured to control a position of said shaft fairing about said axis of rotation.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein said planetary gear set further comprises:

a first ring gear defined about said axis;

a second ring gear defined about said axis;

a planet gear assembly in meshing engagement with said first ring gear and said second ring gear;

a cage assembly which supports said planet gear assembly; and

a fairing support structure mounted for rotation with said first ring gear and said shaft fairing.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein said second ring gear is fixed relative to said axis.

16. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein said cage assembly rotates with said lower rotor hub.

17. The system as recited in claim 14, further comprising a drive system which selectively rotates said second ring gear.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, further comprising a control system in communication with said drive system to selectively rotate said second ring gear to azimuthally position said second ring gear in response to a flight control system.

19. An aircraft comprising:

a lower rotor hub mounted to a lower rotor shaft and configured to rotate about an axis of rotation;

an upper rotor hub mounted to an upper rotor shaft and configured to rotate about said axis of rotation, said upper rotor shaft mounted through said lower rotor shaft and rotating in a direction opposite a direction of rotation of the lower rotor shaft;

an upper hub fairing mounted at least partially about said upper rotor hub;

a lower hub fairing mounted at least partially about said lower rotor hub;

a shaft fairing mounted between said upper hub fairing and said lower hub fairing for rotation about said axis of rotation;

a planetary gear set configured to control a position of said shaft fairing about said axis of rotation.

20. The aircraft as recited in claim 19, wherein said aircraft is a helicopter.