EXTERNAL LOAD MASS ROPE OF A ROTORCRAFT

• US 20150360779A1
• Filed: 05/13/2015
• Published: 12/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Helicopters Deutschland Gmbh (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Helicopters Deutschland Gmbh (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: BEHRENS, Michael, WAHNFRIED, Markus
• Granted Patent: US 9,845,154 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/22 Other structures integral with fuselages to facilitate loading , e.g. cargo bays, cranes
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/22 Taking-up articles from earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 9/00 Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like emergency equipment B64D17/00, B64D19/00, B64D25/00; structures integral with fuselage to facilitate loading, fuselage floors specially adapted for freight, steps mounted on and retractable within aircraft B64C; ground installations B64F

Abstract

An external load mass rope for attachment to a cargo hook device of a rotorcraft that comprises at least one first cargo hook and at least one second cargo hook, the external load mass rope comprising at least one first rope leg and at least one second rope leg, wherein the at least one first rope leg is adapted for attachment to the at least one first cargo hook and the at least one second rope leg is adapted for attachment to the at least one second cargo hook, characterized in that at least one of the first and second rope legs comprises an associated length adjustment unit that is adapted to shorten or lengthen the at least one of the first and second rope legs in operation on the basis of associated operating parameters.

Claims

1. An external load mass rope for attachment to a cargo hook device of a rotorcraft that comprises at least one first cargo hook and at least one second cargo hook, the external load mass rope comprising at least one first rope leg and at least one second rope leg, wherein the at least one first rope leg is adapted for attachment to the at least one first cargo hook and the at least one second rope leg is adapted for attachment to the at least one second cargo hook, wherein at least one of the first and second rope legs comprises an associated length adjustment unit that is adapted to shorten or lengthen the at least one of the first and second rope legs in operation on the basis of associated operating parameters.

2. The external load mass rope according to claim 1, wherein the associated length adjustment unit comprises a shortening and lengthening capacity that is defined as a function of a predetermined clearance between the at least one first cargo hook and the at least one second cargo hook.

3. The external load mass rope according to claim 1, wherein the associated length adjustment unit is adapted to shorten or lengthen the at least one of the first and second rope legs in operation on the basis of the associated operating parameters for distributing a payload that is applied to the external load mass rope to the at least one first rope leg and the at least one second rope leg.

4. The external load mass rope according to claim 1, wherein an external load mass interface is provided for attachment to an external load mass that is to be carried by the rotorcraft in operation, the external load mass being deflected in forward or backward flight of the rotorcraft by an associated external load mass deflection angle, wherein the associated operating parameters comprise at least weight and dimensions of the external load mass and/or the external load mass deflection angle.

5. The external load mass rope according to claim 4, wherein the associated length adjustment unit is adapted to shorten or lengthen the at least one of the first and second rope legs in operation depending at least on the weight and dimensions of the external load mass and/or the external load mass deflection angle for distributing a payload that is applied to the external load mass rope by the external load mass to the at least one first rope leg and the at least one second rope leg.

6. The external load mass rope according to claim 1, wherein at least one third rope leg is connected to the at least one first rope leg and the at least one second rope leg, the at least one third rope leg comprising an external load mass interface for attachment to an external load mass that is to be carried by the rotorcraft in operation.

7. The external load mass rope according to claim 1, wherein the first rope leg comprises a first length adjustment unit that is adapted to shorten or lengthen the at least one first rope leg in operation on the basis of the associated operating parameters and the second rope leg comprises a second length adjustment unit that is adapted to shorten or lengthen the at least one second rope leg in operation on the basis of the associated operating parameters, wherein the first and second length adjustment units define a length adjustment device.

8. The external load mass rope according to claim 7, wherein the first length adjustment unit and/or the second length adjustment unit is defined by a rope material having predefined lengthening properties for elastic elongation.

9. The external load mass rope according to claim 8, wherein the rope material comprises polyamide.

10. The external load mass rope according to claim 8, wherein the predefined lengthening properties are adapted to enable the length adjustment device to distribute a payload that is applied in operation to the external load mass rope to the at least one first rope leg and the at least one second rope leg such that the payload may exceed a maximum payload that is applicable to each one of the at least one first and second cargo hooks separately.

11. The external load mass rope according to claim 7, wherein the first length adjustment unit and/or the second length adjustment unit comprises at least one spring coil damper having predefined dampening properties.

12. The external load mass rope according to claim 11, wherein the predefined dampening properties are adapted to enable the length adjustment device to distribute a payload that is applied in operation to the external load mass rope to the at least one first rope leg and the at least one second rope leg such that the payload may exceed a maximum payload that is applicable to each one of the at least one first and second cargo hooks separately.

13. The external load mass rope according to claim 7, wherein the first length adjustment unit and/or the second length adjustment unit comprises at least one pulley block arrangement, wherein at least a part of the at least one first rope leg and/or the at least one second rope leg is enrolled on the at least one pulley block arrangement.

14. The external load mass rope according to claim 13, wherein at least the part of the at least one first rope leg and/or the at least one second rope leg that is enrolled on the at least one pulley block arrangement comprises a rope material having predefined lengthening properties for elastic elongation, in particular polyamide.

15. The external load mass rope according to claim 13, wherein the at least one pulley block arrangement comprises a plurality of pulleys on which the part of the at least one first rope leg and/or the at least one second rope leg is enrolled.

16. The external load mass rope according to claim 13, wherein the at least one pulley block arrangement is adapted to enable the length adjustment device to distribute a payload that is applied in operation to the external load mass rope to the at least one first rope leg and the at least one second rope leg such that the payload may exceed a maximum payload that is applicable to each one of the at least one first and second cargo hooks separately.

17. The external load mass rope according to claim 1, wherein the associated length adjustment unit comprises a guide pulley arrangement.

18. The external load mass rope according to claim 17, wherein the guide pulley arrangement comprises at least one guide pulley that is moveably arranged on the at least one first and second rope legs, the at least one guide pulley being adapted to move in operation on the first and second rope legs for shortening or lengthening the at least one of the first and second rope legs.

19. The external load mass rope according to claim 18, wherein the at least one guide pulley is adapted to move in operation on the first and second rope legs for shortening or lengthening the at least one of the first and second rope legs in order to distribute a payload that is applied in operation to the external load mass rope to the at least one first rope leg and the at least one second rope leg such that the payload may exceed a maximum payload that is applicable to each one of the at least one first and second cargo hooks separately.