Aircraft provided with hoist means, and an associated method

• US 8,915,466 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2011
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
• Original Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
• Inventors: Figoureux, David, Ayache, David, Gaillard, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins, Timothy D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woldemaryam, Assres H
• Application Number:
  US13/274,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20120104152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 244/17.11, 244/137.1, 244/136, 244/137.4
• US Class Current: 244/17.11
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/04 Helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/22 Taking-up articles from earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/18 specially adapted for use in particular purposes

Abstract

An aircraft (1) having an airframe (2) extending along an anteroposterior plane of symmetry (P1) in elevation transversely separating a first side (11) of said aircraft (1) from a second side (12) thereof, said aircraft (1) being provided with hoist means (20) including a winch (21) provided with a drum for winding a hoist cable (22), said hoist means (20) including a beam (30) for guiding said cable, said beam (30) extending from a first end (31) constituting an inlet end for said cable (22) to a second end (32) constituting an outlet end for said cable (22). The hoist means (20) have a counterweight (23), said counterweight including said winch (21) that is fastened to said first end (31), said second end (32) being located on said second side (12) while said winch (21) and said first end (31) are located on said first side (11).

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising:

an airframe extending from a front end to a rear end along an anteroposterior longitudinal plane of symmetry in elevation transversely separating a first side of the aircraft from a second side of the aircraft;

a hoist secured to the airframe for lifting a load, the hoist including;

a winch provided with a drum for winding a hoist cable;

a fixed beam for guiding the cable, the fixed beam being stationary with respect to the airframe and extending from a first end constituting an inlet end for the cable and fixed on the first side of the airframe to a second end constituting an outlet end for the cable and fixed on the second side of the airframe; and

a fairing fastened directly to the beam along the first end of the beam, wherein the winch is positioned within the fairing, wherein the fairing and winch act as a counterweight along the first end of the beam and fixed on the first side of the airframe, such that the counterweight counteracts the load being lifted by the hoist cable adjacent the second end of the beam fixed on the second side of the airframe,

wherein the aircraft has a rotary wing set into rotation via a main gearbox, the main gearbox being housed in a gearbox compartment arranged in an upper plane above a cabin of the aircraft, the winch being arranged in the gearbox compartment.

2. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the second end of the beam includes a deflector pulley.

3. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the second end of the beam is situated above a side door of the airframe leading to a cabin of the aircraft.

4. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the gearbox compartment is arranged longitudinally between the rear end of the airframe and the cabin of the aircraft.

5. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the hoist includes a support for supporting the beam, the support being arranged on the second side of the airframe.

6. A method of optimizing the external load that can be carried by a hoist of an aircraft having an airframe extending from a front end to a rear end along an anteroposterior plane of symmetry in elevation transversely separating a first side of the aircraft from a second side of the aircraft, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a winch associated with the hoist;

locating a drum in the winch for winding a hoist cable;

guiding a cable around the drum with a fixed beam that extends from a first end constituting an inlet end for the cable to a second end constituting an outlet end for the cable;

arranging the winch including the drum on the first side of the aircraft to act as a counterweight such that the winch and drum are mounted to the fixed beam on the first side of the aircraft and the fixed beam and cable exit the aircraft on the second side of the aircraft, wherein the beam is fixed at a second end on the second side of the aircraft; and

lifting a load adjacent the second side of the aircraft such that the counterweight counteracts the load and optimizes the load that can be carried by the aircraft.

7. An aircraft comprising:

an airframe extending from a front end to a rear end along an anteroposterior longitudinal plane of symmetry in elevation transversely separating a first side of the aircraft from a second side thereof, the airframe having a gearbox compartment; and

a hoist secured to the airframe for lifting a load, the having at least a portion disposed within the gearbox compartment, the hoist comprising;

a winch disposed within the gearbox compartment on the first side of the aircraft, the winch having a drum for winding a hoist cable; and

a fixed beam for guiding the cable such that the beam is fixed to the aircraft and does not move, a first end of the beam fixed to the first side of the aircraft and comprising an inlet end for the cable, and a second end of the beam extending outside the airframe in a fixed position adjacent the second side of the aircraft and comprising an outlet end for the cable,

wherein the winch including the drum define a counterweight and are fastened to the first end of the beam on the first side of the aircraft, and wherein the load is secured to the outlet end of the cable for lifting the load along the second side of the aircraft,

wherein the aircraft has a rotary wing set into rotation via a main gearbox, the main gearbox being housed in the gearbox compartment arranged in an upper plane above a cabin of the aircraft.

8. The aircraft according to claim 7, includes a deflector pulley secured to the second end of the beam.

9. The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the second end of the beam is situated above a side door of the airframe leading to a cabin of the aircraft.

10. The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the gearbox compartment is arranged longitudinally between the rear end and the cabin of the aircraft.

11. The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the counterweight includes a fairing fastened directly to the first end of the beam, with the winch being arranged in the fairing.

12. The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the hoist includes a support member for supporting the beam, the support member being arranged on the second side of the aircraft.