Modular power plant for a rotorcraft and associated rotorcraft
A modular power plant for a rotorcraft comprising at least one lift rotor, the power plant comprising: at least one combustion or electric engine; a main gearbox, comprising a gearbox housing and a toothed wheel arranged in an internal space at least partially delimited by the gearbox housing, the toothed wheel having a degree of rotational freedom about a primary axis of rotation relative to the gearbox housing, the toothed wheel mechanically transmitting an engine torque generated by the at least one engine to the at least one lift rotor; and at least two mechanical connection interfaces, a first mechanical connection interface mechanically connecting the main gearbox to a first engine, and a second mechanical connection interface being left free or mechanically connecting the main gearbox to a second engine.
1 . A rotorcraft with a lift rotor driven with a modular power plant comprising:
at least one engine chosen in the group comprising a combustion type engines and an electric type engines;
a main gearbox comprising a gearbox housing and a toothed wheel arranged in an internal space at least partially delimited by the gearbox housing, the toothed wheel having a degree of rotational freedom about a primary axis of rotation relative to the gearbox housing, the primary axis of rotation coinciding with or being parallel to a rotor axis of rotation of the at least one lift rotor, the toothed wheel mechanically transmitting an engine torque generated by the at least one engine to a rotor mast constrained to rotate with the at least one lift rotor; and
a first mechanical connection interface positioned in a first interface housing separate from and secured to the main gear box, the first mechanical connection interface mechanically connecting the main gearbox to a first engine of the at least one engine; and
a second mechanical connection interface positioned in a second interface housing separate from and secured to the main gear box, the second mechanical connection interface configured to mechanically connect and disconnect the main gearbox to a second engine of the at least one engine,
wherein each mechanical connection interface comprises a pinion directly meshing with the toothed wheel, the first and second pinions being distributed in azimuth around the primary axis of rotation, each of the first and second pinions having a degree of rotational freedom about a secondary axis of rotation relative to the gearbox housing, each secondary axis of rotation being arranged parallel to the primary axis of rotation,
wherein the modular power plant is operable in a first and second configuration,
wherein in the first configuration the modular power plant only connects the first engine and the second engine is disconnected in the first configuration,
wherein in the second configuration the modular power plant connects the first engine and the second engine is connected in the second configuration.
2 . The rotorcraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least one of the first and second mechanical connection interfaces comprises at least one rotation speed reduction stage.
3 . The rotorcraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least one of the first and second mechanical connection interfaces comprises at least one angle gear.
4 . The rotorcraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein one of the at first and second connection interfaces comprises an output shaft constrained to rotate with the pinion, the output shaft mechanically transmitting an engine torque generated by the at least one engine to an auxiliary member of the rotorcraft.
5 . The rotorcraft according to claim 4 , wherein the first mechanical connection interface comprises the output shaft.
6 . The rotorcraft according to claim 4 , wherein the second mechanical connection interface comprises the output shaft.
7 . The rotorcraft according to claim 1 , further comprising a third mechanical connection interface that configured to mechanically connects the main gearbox to a third engine of the at least one engine in a third configuration of the modular power plant.
8 . The rotorcraft according to claim 1 , wherein the secondary axes of rotation are oriented in azimuth from the primary axis of rotation at an azimuth angle of in a range of +/−20-60 degrees.
9 . A rotorcraft with a lift rotor driven with a modular power plant comprising:
two engines selected from the group comprising a combustion type engine and an electric type engine;
a main gearbox comprising a gearbox housing and a toothed wheel arranged in an internal space at least partially delimited by the gearbox housing, the toothed wheel having a degree of rotational freedom about a primary axis of rotation relative to the gearbox housing, the primary axis of rotation coinciding with or being parallel to a rotor axis of rotation of the at least one lift rotor, the toothed wheel mechanically transmitting an engine torque generated at least one of the engines to a rotor mast constrained to rotate with the at least one lift rotor; and
at least two mechanical connection interfaces, a first mechanical connection interface mechanically connecting the main gearbox to a first engine of the two engines, and a second mechanical connection interface configured to mechanically connect and disconnect the main gearbox to a second engine of the two engines,
wherein each mechanical connection interface comprises a pinion directly meshing with the toothed wheel, each of the pinions distributed around the primary axis of rotation, each pinion having a degree of rotational freedom about a secondary axis of rotation relative to the gearbox housing, each secondary axis of rotation arranged parallel to the primary axis of rotation, and
wherein each mechanical connection interface comprises an interface housing reversible securing the interface housing with the gearbox housing and alternatively for releasing the interface housing from the gearbox housing,
wherein the modular power plant is operable in a first and second configuration,
wherein in the first configuration the modular power plant only connects the first engine and the second engine is disconnected in the first configuration,
wherein in the second configuration the modular power plant connects the first engine and the second engine is connected in the second configuration.
10 . The rotorcraft according to claim 9 , wherein at least one of the at least two mechanical connection interfaces comprises at least one rotation speed reduction stage.
11 . The rotorcraft according to claim 9 , wherein at least one of the at least two mechanical connection interfaces comprises at least one angle gear.
12 . The rotorcraft according to claim 9 , wherein one of the at least two mechanical connection interfaces comprises an output shaft constrained to rotate with the pinion, the output shaft mechanically transmitting an engine torque generated by the at least one engine to an auxiliary member of the rotorcraft.
13 . The rotorcraft according to claim 12 , wherein the first mechanical connection interface comprises the output shaft.
14 . The rotorcraft according to claim 12 , wherein the second mechanical connection interface comprises the output shaft.
15 . The rotorcraft according to claim 9 , further comprising a third engine, and a third mechanical connection interface configured to mechanically connects the main gearbox to the third engine in a third configuration of the modular power plant.
16 . A rotorcraft with a lift rotor driven with a modular power plant comprising:
a first engine and a second engine, the first and second engines selected from the group comprising a combustion engine and an electric engine;
a main gearbox comprising a gearbox housing and a toothed wheel arranged in an internal space of the gearbox housing, the toothed wheel having a degree of rotational freedom about a primary axis of rotation relative to the gearbox housing, the primary axis of rotation coinciding with or being parallel to a rotor axis of rotation of the lift rotor, the toothed wheel mechanically transmitting an engine torque generated by the engines to a rotor mast constrained to rotate with the lift rotor; and
two mechanical connection interfaces, a first mechanical connection interface mechanically connecting the main gearbox to the first engine, and a second mechanical connection interface opeable to connect and disconnect the second engine to the main gearbox,
wherein each mechanical connection interface comprises a pinion directly meshing with the toothed wheel, the pinions distributed in azimuth around the primary axis of rotation, each pinion having a degree of rotational freedom about a secondary axis of rotation relative to the gearbox housing, each secondary axis of rotation being arranged parallel to the primary axis of rotation, and
wherein each mechanical connection interface comprises an interface housing reversible securing the interface housing with the gearbox housing and alternatively for releasing the interface housing from the gearbox housing,
wherein the modular power plant is operable in a first and second configuration,
wherein in the first configuration the modular power plant only connects the first engine and the second engine is disconnected in the first configuration,
wherein in the second configuration the modular power plant connects the first engine and the second engine is connected in the second configuration.
17 . The rotorcraft according to claim 16 , wherein at least one of the two mechanical connection interfaces comprises at least one rotation speed reduction stage.
18 . The rotorcraft according to claim 16 , wherein at least one of the two mechanical connection interfaces comprises at least one angle gear.
19 . A rotorcraft according to claim 16 , further comprising a third engine, and a third mechanical connection interface configured to mechanically connects the main gearbox to the third engine in a third configuration of the modular power plant.