IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,655,021
Granted Patent B2
US 11,655,021 · App. 17/376,576 · Granted May 23, 2023

Rotary wing aircraft with an asymmetrical rear section

Inventors: Rupert Pfaller (Riemerling, DE); Tobias Ries (Nordendorf, DE)
Assignee: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
B64C27/82B64C1/0009B64C27/06B64C2027/8236B64C2027/8272B64C2027/8281
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,655,021
App. No.
17/376,576
Granted
May 23, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A rotary wing aircraft that extends along an associated roll axis between a nose region and an aft region and that comprises a fuselage with a front section and a rear section, the rotary wing aircraft comprising: a main rotor that is rotatably mounted at the front section, a shrouded duct that is arranged in the aft region, and a propeller that is rotatably mounted to the shrouded duct, wherein the rear section extends between the front section and the shrouded duct and comprises an asymmetrical cross-sectional profile in direction of the associated roll axis.

Claims (30)

1. A rotary wing aircraft that extends along an associated roll axis between a nose region and an aft region and that comprises a fuselage with a front section and a rear section, the rotary wing aircraft comprising:

a main rotor that is rotatably mounted at the front section,

a shrouded duct that is arranged in the aft region, and

a propeller that is rotatably mounted to the shrouded duct,

wherein the rear section extends between the front section and the shrouded duct and comprises an asymmetrical cross-sectional profile in direction of the associated roll axis,

wherein the rear section is configured to generate sideward thrust for main rotor anti-torque from main rotor downwash, and

wherein the front section comprises a port side wall and a starboard side wall, and wherein the rear section extends in prolongation to one of the port side wall or the starboard side wall.

2. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 1

wherein the rear section comprises at least one airfoil-shaped aerodynamic device that extends from the front section to the shrouded duct, and wherein the at least one airfoil-shaped aerodynamic device is configured to generate sideward thrust for main rotor anti-torque from main rotor downwash.

3. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 2

wherein the at least one airfoil-shaped aerodynamic device comprises a deflectable flap.

4. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 1

wherein the rear section comprises at least one rotatable airfoil-shaped aerodynamic device that is configured to generate sideward thrust for main rotor anti-torque from main rotor downwash, and wherein the at least one rotatable airfoil-shaped aerodynamic device is rotatable to enable adjustment of the generated sideward thrust.

5. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 1

wherein the asymmetrical cross-sectional profile is at least approximately C-shaped.

6. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 1 further comprising at least one wing-type aerodynamic device that extends between the front section and the shrouded duct, wherein the at least one wing-type aerodynamic device and the rear section are connected to opposite sides of the shrouded duct.

7. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 6

wherein the at least one wing-type aerodynamic device is mounted to the shrouded duct and to an aircraft upper deck and has a width that increases from the aircraft upper deck over a predetermined length of the at least one wing-type aerodynamic device, preferably over at least 75% of the length of the at least one wing-type aerodynamic device.

8. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 6

wherein the at least one wing-type aerodynamic device is configured to generate sideward thrust for main rotor anti-torque from main rotor downwash.

9. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 8

wherein the at least one wing-type aerodynamic device is rotatable to enable adjustment of the generated sideward thrust.

10. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 6

wherein the at least one wing-type aerodynamic device comprises a deflectable flap.

11. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 1 further comprising an uncovered propeller drive shaft that is configured to create a Magnus effect upon rotation in main rotor downwash.

12. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 11

wherein the uncovered propeller drive shaft extends coupling- and bearing-free between the front section and the shrouded duct.

13. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 11

wherein the uncovered propeller drive shaft comprises a big diameter cylinder shaft or a big diameter conical shaft.

14. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 1 which is embodied as a compound helicopter, wherein the front section of the fuselage forms a cabin for passengers and/or cargo, wherein the propeller is a pusher propeller, and wherein the main rotor forms a single rotor plane.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 5, 2021
From: PFALLER, RUPERT; RIES, TOBIAS
To: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
Reel/Frame 057552/0950 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 20400024 · Dec 14, 2020 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220185465A1 · Jun 16, 2022
Cited By (2)
US 12,325,514 US 12,473,086