De-rotation system for a shaft fairing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10053207-B2
Application number	US-201315105255-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2013
Priority date	Dec 19, 2013
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

A fairing system for a rotary wing aircraft is provided including a shaft fairing mounted for rotation about a first axis of rotation. A de-rotation system contained with the shaft fairing includes a toroidal continuously variable transmission configured to control the rotation of the shaft fairing about the first axis of rotation. A position control system includes at least one position sensor and a controller. The at least one position sensor is configured to monitor a position of the shaft fairing relative to the first axis of rotation. The controller is operably coupled to the at least one position sensor and the de-rotation system. The controller is configured to adjust a gear ratio of the toroidal continuously variable transmission in response to a sensed position of the shaft fairing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fairing system for a rotary wing aircraft comprising:
a shaft fairing mounted for rotation about a first axis of rotation;
a de-rotation system contained within the shaft fairing, the de-rotation system including a toroidal continuously variable transmission (CVT) configured to control the rotation of the shaft fairing about the first axis of rotation; and
a position control system including at least one position sensor configured to monitor a position of the shaft fairing relative to the first axis of rotation and a controller operably coupled to the at least one position sensor and to the de-rotation system, the controller being configured to adjust a gear ratio of the toroidal CVT in response to a sensed position of the shaft fairing.

2. The fairing system according to claim 1 , wherein the de-rotation system further comprises:
a cage configured to mount to a shaft via one or more bearings, the cage being configured to attached to the shaft fairing;
a first platform and a second platform spaced apart by a distance and extending generally outwardly form a surface of the cage;
a first opening formed in the cage generally adjacent the first platform; and
a second opening formed in the cage generally adjacent the second platform, wherein the toroidal CVT is mounted to the first platform and the second platform.

3. The fairing system according to claim 2 , the toroidal CVT further comprising:
an upper drive system mounted to the first platform including a first drive pulley, at least one first idler pulley, and a first belt arranged in a continuous loop about the first drive pulley and at least one first idler pulley, wherein a portion of the first belt is arranged within the first opening and is configured to contact an adjacent first sprocket rotating in a first direction;
a lower drive system mounted to the second platform including a second drive pulley, at least one second idler pulley, and a second belt arranged in a continuous loop about the second drive pulley and at least one second idler pulley, wherein a portion of the second belt is arranged within the second opening and is configured to contact an adjacent second sprocket rotating in a second direction;
an upper cone disc operably coupled to the first drive pulley;
a lower cone disc operably coupled to the second drive pulley, the upper cone disc and the lower cone disc being arranged about a common second axis of rotation;
a pair of power rollers arranged on opposing sides of and in contact with the upper cone disc and the lower cone disc, the power rollers are configured to rotate between a balanced position and a rotated position to alter a gear ratio between the upper cone disc and the lower cone disc; and
at least one actuator operably coupled to each of the power rollers to adjust the position of the power rollers.

4. The fairing system according to claim 3 , wherein when the power rollers are arranged in the balanced position, the gear ratio of the toroidal CVT is 1:1.

5. The fairing system according to claim 4 , wherein when the gear ratio of the toroidal CVT is 1:1, the de-rotation system does not rotate the shaft fairing relative to the first axis of rotation.

6. The fairing system according to claim 3 , wherein when the power rollers are arranged in a rotated position, the de-rotation system is configured to rotate about the first axis of rotation.

7. The fairing system according to claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to activate the at least one actuator to adjust the gear ratio of the power rollers.

8. A rotary wing aircraft comprising:
a lower rotor system including a lower shaft connected to a lower rotor hub;
an upper rotor system include an upper shaft connected to an upper hub, the lower shaft being configured to rotate about a first axis of rotation in a first direction and the upper shaft being configured to rotate about the first axis of rotation in a second direction;
a shaft fairing mounted between the lower rotor hub and the upper rotor hub for rotation about the first axis of rotation;
a de-rotation system contained within the shaft fairing, the de-rotation system including a toroidal continuously variable transmission (CVT) configured to control the rotation of the shaft fairing about the first axis of rotation; and
a position control system including at least one position sensor configured to monitor a position of the shaft fairing relative to the first axis of rotation and a controller operably coupled to the at least one position sensor and to the de-rotation system, the controller being configured to adjust a gear ratio of the toroidal CVT in response to a sensed position of the shaft fairing.

9. The rotary wing aircraft according to claim 8 , wherein the de-rotation system further comprises:
a cage configured to mount to one of the upper and lower shafts;
a first platform and a second platform spaced apart by a distance and extending generally outwardly form a surface of the cage;
a first opening formed in the cage between the first platform and a first end of the cage and exposing one of the upper and lower shafts; and
a second opening formed in the cage between the second platform and a second end, opposite the first end, of the cage and exposing the other one of the upper and lower shafts, wherein the toroidal CVT is mounted to the first platform and the second platform.

10. The rotary wing aircraft according to claim 9 , further comprising a first sprocket coupled to the upper rotor shaft and a second sprocket connected to the lower rotor shaft.

11. The rotary wing aircraft according to claim 10 , the toroidal CVT further comprising:
an upper drive system mounted to the first platform including a first drive pulley, at least one first idler pulley, and a first belt arranged in a continuous loop about the first drive pulley and at least one first idler pulley, wherein a portion of the first belt is arranged within the first opening is configured to engage the first sprocket;
a lower drive system mounted to the second platform including a second drive pulley, at least one second idler pulley, and a second belt arranged in a continuous loop about the second drive pulley and at least one second idler pulley, wherein a portion of the second belt is arranged within the second opening and is configured to engage the second sprocket;
an upper cone disc operably coupled to the first drive pulley;
a lower cone disc operably coupled to the second drive pulley, the upper cone disc and the lower cone disc being arranged about a common second axis of rotation;
a pair of power rollers arranged on opposing sides of and in contact with the upper cone disc and lower cone disc, the power rollers are configured to rotate between a balanced position and a rotated position to alter a gear ratio between the upper cone disc and the lower cone disc; and
at least one actuator operably coupled to each of the power rollers to adjust the position of the power rollers.

12. The rotary wing aircraft according to claim 11 , wherein when the power rollers are arranged in the balanced position, the gear ratio of the toroidal CVT is 1:1.

13. The rotary wing aircraft according to claim 12 , wherein when the gear ratio of the toroidal CVT is 1:1, the de-rotation system does not rotate the shaft fairing relative to the first axis of rotation.

14. The rotary wing aircraft according to claim 11 , wherein when the power rollers are arranged in a rotated position, the de-rotation system is configured to rotate about the first axis of rotation.

15. The rotary wing aircraft according to claim 11 , wh

Assignees

• Sikorsky Aircraft Corp

Inventors

• Cox John C

Classifications

• B64C2027/125

  including toroidal transmissions, e.g. of the CVT type · CPC title

• B64C27/59

  mechanical · CPC title

• B64C27/04

  Helicopters · CPC title

• B64C7/00 Primary

  Structures or fairings not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64C27/10

  arranged coaxially · CPC title