Unmanned helicopter

• US 9,725,167 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2014
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Nagasaki, Yoshiki, Yoshihara, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, Richard G
• Application Number:
  US14/901,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20160368599A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/14 Direct drive between power plant and rotor hub
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/11 using internal combustion piston engines
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/32 generated by fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/50 with landing legs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/70 Movable wings, rotor supports or shrouds acting as ground-engaging elements

Abstract

An unmanned helicopter includes a drive source, a tail rotor, a shaft unit that transmits a drive force from the drive source to the tail rotor, and an elastic member. The shaft unit includes a drive shaft, a transmission which transmits a drive force from the drive source to the drive shaft, and a transmittal portion that transmits a rotation torque from the drive shaft to the tail rotor. The drive shaft includes a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion. The elastic member is located between the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion.

Claims

1. An unmanned helicopter comprising:

a drive source;

a tail rotor;

a shaft unit that transmits a driving force from the drive source to the tail rotor;

an elastic member disposed in the shaft unit;

a bearing; and

a tail body;

wherein

the shaft unit includes a drive shaft, a transmission that transmits a driving force from the drive source to the drive shaft, and a transmittal portion that transmits a rotation torque from the drive shaft to the tail rotor;

the elastic member is interposed in the shaft unit between the transmission and the transmittal portion;

the bearing does not include an inner ring and is disposed around an outer circumference of the drive shaft in direct contact with the drive shaft; and

the tail body covers the drive shaft and supports the drive shaft via the bearing.

2. The unmanned helicopter according to claim 1, further comprising a housing provided around an outer circumference of the bearing and supported by the tail body;

wherein

the housing is annular; and

the housing includes a hole that is located farther outward than the bearing in a radial direction of the housing and penetrates the housing in an axial direction of the drive shaft.

3. An unmanned helicopter comprising:

a drive source;

a tail rotor;

a shaft unit that transmits a driving force from the drive source to the tail rotor; and

an elastic member disposed in the shaft unit;

wherein

the shaft unit includes a drive shaft, a transmission that transmits a driving force from the drive source to the drive shaft, and a transmittal portion that transmits a rotation torque from the drive shaft to the tail rotor;

the elastic member is interposed in the shaft unit between the transmission and the transmittal portion; and

the elastic member has a relationship between a displacement amount of the elastic member and a rotation torque outputted from the elastic member such that, as the displacement amount increases, the rotation torque increases toward a predetermined value in an asymptotic manner.

4. An unmanned helicopter comprising:

a drive source;

a tail rotor;

a shaft unit that transmits a driving force from the drive source to the tail rotor; and

an elastic member disposed in the shaft unit;

wherein

the shaft unit includes a drive shaft, a transmission that transmits a driving force from the drive source to the drive shaft, and a transmittal portion that transmits a rotation torque from the drive shaft to the tail rotor;

the elastic member is interposed in the shaft unit between the transmission and the transmittal portion; and

the drive shaft includes a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion, and the elastic member is located between the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion.

5. The unmanned helicopter according to claim 4, wherein

the first shaft portion and the elastic member are connected to each other at a plurality of locations across or around a centerline of the drive shaft, and the second shaft portion and the elastic member are connected to each other at a plurality of locations across or around the centerline of the drive shaft;

and

a connection location between the first shaft portion and the elastic member is a first connection area, a connection location between the second shaft portion and the elastic member is a second connection area, and the first connection area and the second connection area do not overlap each other when viewed from an axial direction of the drive shaft.

6. The unmanned helicopter according to claim 5, further comprising:

a first plate portion provided on a main surface of the elastic member which faces the first shaft portion; and

a second plate portion provided on a main surface of the elastic member which faces the second shaft portion;

wherein

the first plate portion and the elastic member are connected to each other at a plurality of locations across or around the centerline of the drive shaft, and the second plate portion and the elastic member are connected to each other at a plurality of locations across or around the centerline of the drive shaft; and

the first plate portion and the second connection area overlap each other, and the second plate portion and the first connection area overlap each other when viewed from the axial direction of the drive shaft.

7. The unmanned helicopter according to claim 6, wherein the drive source includes an engine.