Tiltrotor with inboard engines
An aircraft is described and includes a fuselage, a wing coupled to the fuselage, and a rotor system including a proprotor system and an engine. An interconnect driveshaft gear is configured to communicate mechanical energy between a gearbox and an interconnect driveshaft. An accessory gear is coplanar with and in mechanical communication with the driveshaft gear. A proprotor gear is coplanar with and in mechanical communication with the interconnect driveshaft gear and the accessory gear and communicates mechanical energy to the proprotor system. An engine gear coplanar and in mechanical communication with the interconnect driveshaft ear, the accessory gear, and the proprotor gear transmits mechanical energy to the proprotor system via the proprotor gear.
1. An aircraft, comprising:
a fuselage;
a wing coupled to the fuselage;
a first rotor system coupled to the wing, the first rotor system comprising:
a first proprotor system comprising a first pylon disposed proximate to a first wing tip of the wing, the first pylon being tiltable between a helicopter mode position and an airplane mode position;
a first engine in mechanical communication with the first proprotor system and coupled above the wing proximate to the first wing tip, outboard of the fuselage, and inboard of the first pylon;
a second rotor system coupled to the wing, the second rotor system comprising:
a second proprotor system comprising a second pylon disposed proximate to a second wing tip of the wing opposite the first wing tip, the second pylon being tiltable between a helicopter mode position and an airplane mode position; and
a second engine in mechanical communication with the second proprotor system and coupled above the wing proximate to the second wing tip, outboard of the fuselage, and inboard of the second pylon;
one or more interconnect drive shafts in mechanical communication with the first and second engines;
a first gearbox in mechanical communication with the first engine, the first proprotor system, and the one or more interconnect drive shafts; and
a second gearbox in mechanical communication with the second engine, the second proprotor system, and the one or more interconnect drive shafts;
an interconnect driveshaft gear configured to communicate mechanical energy between the first gearbox and the one or more interconnect driveshafts;
one or more accessory gears coplanar with and in mechanical communication with the interconnect driveshaft gear;
a proprotor gear located inboard of the first proprotor system, the proprotor gear being coplanar with and in mechanical communication with the interconnect driveshaft gear and the one or more accessory gears, the proprotor gear configured to communicate mechanical energy to the first proprotor system; and
an engine gear coplanar with and in mechanical communication with the interconnect driveshaft gear, the one or more accessory gears, and the proprotor gear, the engine gear configured to transmit mechanical energy from the first engine to the first proprotor system via the proprotor gear.
2. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the first and second engines are fixed relative to the wing.
3. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the first and second gearboxes are fixed relative to the wing.
4. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein:
the first gearbox is in mechanical communication between the first engine and the first proprotor system; and
the second gearbox is in mechanical communication between the second engine and the second proprotor system.
5. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the first gearbox is located inboard of the first proprotor system proximate to the first wing tip and the second gearbox is located inboard of the second proprotor system proximate to the second wing tip.
6. The aircraft of claim 1 , the wing comprising:
a first wing spar;
a second wing spar;
a first wing rib coupled and substantially perpendicular to the first and second wing spars; and
a second wing rib coupled and substantially perpendicular to the first and second wing spars, wherein:
the first wing spar, the second wing spar, the first wing rib, and the second wing rib form, in combination, a torque box; and
the first gearbox is positioned adjacent to and about the first wing spar such that the first gearbox does not intrude into the torque box.
7. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein:
the first proprotor system is in mechanical communication between the first engine and the first gearbox; and
the second proprotor system is in mechanical communication between the second engine and the second gearbox.
8. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the first gearbox is located outboard of the first proprotor system and the second gearbox is located outboard of the second proprotor system.
9. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the first gearbox receives mechanical energy from the first engine via the first proprotor system.
10. An aircraft, comprising:
a fuselage;
a wing coupled to the fuselage;
a first rotor system coupled to the wing, the first rotor system comprising:
a first proprotor system comprising a first pylon coupled proximate to a first wing tip of the wing, the first pylon being tiltable between a helicopter mode position and an airplane mode position;
a first engine in mechanical communication with the first proprotor system and coupled above the wing, outboard of the fuselage and inboard of a first pylon;
a second rotor system coupled to the wing, the second rotor system comprising:
a second proprotor system comprising a second pylon coupled proximate to a second wing tip of the wing opposite the first wing tip, the second pylon being tiltable between a helicopter mode position and an airplane mode position; and
a second engine in mechanical communication with the second proprotor system and coupled above the wing, outboard of the fuselage, and inboard of the second pylon;
one or more interconnect drive shafts in mechanical communication with the first and second engines;
a first gearbox in mechanical communication with the first engine, the first proprotor system, and the one or more interconnect drive shafts; and
a second gearbox in mechanical communication with the second engine, the second proprotor system, and the one or more interconnect drive shafts;
wherein the first gearbox comprises:
an interconnect driveshaft gear configured to communicate mechanical energy between the first gearbox and the one or more interconnect driveshafts;
one or more accessory gears coplanar with and in mechanical communication with the interconnect driveshaft gear;
a proprotor gear located inboard of the first proprotor system, the proprotor gear being coplanar with and in mechanical communication with the interconnect driveshaft gear and the one or more accessory gears, the proprotor gear configured to communicate mechanical energy to the first proprotor system; and
an engine gear coplanar with and in mechanical communication with the interconnect driveshaft gear, the one or more accessory gears, and the proprotor gear, the engine gear configured to transmit mechanical energy from the first engine to the first proprotor system via the proprotor gear.
11. An aircraft, comprising:
a fuselage;
a wing coupled to the fuselage;
a first rotor system coupled to the wing, the first rotor system comprising:
a first proprotor system comprising a first pylon coupled proximate to a first wing tip of the wing, the first pylon being tiltable between a helicopter mode position and an airplane mode position;
a first engine in mechanical communication with the first proprotor system and coupled above the wing, outboard of the fuselage and inboard of a first pylon;
a second rotor system coupled to the wing, the second rotor system comprising:
a second proprotor system comprising a second pylon coupled proximate to a second wing tip of the wing opposite the first wing tip, the second pylon being tiltable between a helicopter mode position and an airplane mode position; and
a second engine in mechanical communication with the second proprotor system and coupled above the wing, outboard of the fuselage, and inboard of the second pylon;
one or more interconnect drive shafts in mechanical communication with the first and second engines;
a first gearbox in mechanical communication with the first engine, the first proprotor system, and the one or more interconnect drive shafts; and
a second gearbox in mechanical communication with the second engine, the second proprotor system, and the one or more interconnect drive shafts;
wherein the first gearbox comprises:
an interconnect driveshaft gear configured to communicate mechanical energy between the first gearbox and the one or more interconnect driveshafts;
one or more accessory gears coplanar with and in mechanical communication with the interconnect driveshaft gear;
a proprotor gear located outboard of the first proprotor system, the proprotor gear being coplanar with and in mechanical communication with the interconnect driveshaft gear and the one or more accessory gears, the proprotor gear in mechanical communication with the first proprotor system;
one or more proprotor shafts coupled to the proprotor gear and passing through the first proprotor system; and
an engine gear coupled to the one or more proprotor shafts and configured to provide mechanical energy from the first engine to the first proprotor system and the proprotor gear.