Rotorcraft with cowling able to rotate and translate relative to the fuselage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10173783-B2
Application number	US-201615244379-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2016
Priority date	Aug 23, 2016
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

A rotorcraft comprising a cowling for closing an opening in the fuselage, the cowling being linked to the fuselage by means of a fastening system having a supporting means pivotally attached to the interior of the fuselage and a translation means coupled to the supporting means to respectively enable movements of rotation and translation of the cowling.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotorcraft comprising:
a fuselage having an opening,
a cowling suitable for closing the opening,
a fastening system for attaching the cowling to the fuselage, the fastening system comprising:
at least one supporting means pivotally attached to an interior of the fuselage, so that the at least one supporting means can rotate between a closing position and an opening position, the at least one supporting means comprising a projecting region located outside the fuselage when the at least one supporting means is at the opening position and located inside the fuselage when the at least one supporting means is at the closing position,
at least one translation means coupled to the projecting region and to the cowling to enable a translation of the cowling with respect to the projecting region outside of the fuselage when the at least one supporting means is at the opening position and so that rotation of the cowling with respect to the fuselage takes place with rotation of the at least one supporting means whereby the entire cowling is cleared from the fuselage and the opening when the at least one supporting means is at the opening position, and the at least one translation means arranged in such a way that the cowling is at a closed position closing the opening when the at least one supporting means is at the closing position,
wherein pivotal attachments between the interior of the fuselage and the at least one supporting means are located on a first reference axis (F) at the interior of the fuselage, and a second reference axis (S) is provided at the projecting region along which the translation of the cowling with respect to the projecting region outside of the fuselage can take place; and
wherein the first reference axis (F) and the second reference axis (S) extend along a longitudinal direction of the rotorcraft, such that when rotation of the cowling with respect to the fuselage and translation of the cowling with respect to the projection region outside the fuselage take place the cowling can reach a final position in which the entire cowling is cleared from the fuselage and the opening, is longitudinally translated away from the opening, and extends perpendicularly to an elevation direction.

2. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the at least one translation means comprises:
a guiding rail which is fixed to the projecting region and which extends along the second reference axis (S),
a slider suitable for sliding along the guiding rail,
a holding means suitable for integrally attaching the slider and the cowling, the holding means comprising:
a longitudinal bar substantially parallel to the guiding rail,
a pin integrally joining the slider, the longitudinal bar, and the cowling, and
wherein the fastening system additionally comprises a roller integrally attached to the at least one supporting means and abutting the longitudinal bar for impeding the rotation of the cowling with respect to the projecting region.

3. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the at least one translation means is coupled to the projecting region and to the cowling to enable a rotation of the cowling with respect to the projecting region.

4. The rotorcraft of claim 3 , wherein the translation and the rotation of the cowling with respect to the projecting region can take place along and around the second reference axis (S).

5. The rotorcraft of claim 4 , wherein the at least one translation means further comprises:
a guiding rail which is fixed to the projecting region and which extends along the second reference axis (S),
a slider suitable for sliding along and rotating around the guiding rail,
a holding means suitable for integrally attaching the slider and the cowling.

6. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , further comprising a guiding rod pivotally attached to the fuselage and the cowling.

7. The rotorcraft of claim 6 , wherein the guiding rod is pivotally attached to the fuselage and to the cowling by spherical bearings.

8. The rotorcraft of claim 6 , wherein the cowling is delimited by a periphery, and the guiding rod is pivotally attached to the cowling at a distance from the periphery of at least 10 cm.

9. The rotorcraft of claim 6 , wherein, when the cowling is at the final position, the point of attachment between the guiding rod and the cowling is farther from a landing gear than the point of attachment between the guiding rod and the fuselage, so that the guiding rod holds the cowling at the final position.

10. The rotorcraft of claim 9 , wherein the fastening system further comprises a retention means suitable for holding the cowling, together with the guiding rod, at an intermediate position between the closed position and the final position.

11. A method for opening a cowling of the rotorcraft according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
rotating the at least one supporting means from a closing position to an opening position,
translating the cowling with respect to the projecting region,
so that the cowling moves from a closed position closing the opening of the fuselage to an opened position in which the cowling is cleared from the opening.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of rotating the cowling with respect to the projecting region.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cowling reaches a final position in which the cowling extends perpendicularly to the elevation direction and an intermediate position between the closing position and the final position.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising the step of holding the cowling at the intermediate and/or at the final position by a guiding rod.

15. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the at least one translation means comprises:
a guiding rail which is fixed to the projecting region and which extends along the second reference axis (S),
a slider suitable for sliding along the guiding rail, and
a holding means suitable for integrally attaching the slider and the cowling whereby translation of the cowling with respect to the projecting region takes place along the guiding rail.

16. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the at least one translation means comprises
a guiding rail which is fixed to the projecting region and which extends along the second reference axis (S),
a first slider and a second slider both suitable for sliding along and rotating around the guiding rail, and
a first holding means suitable for integrally attaching the first slider and the cowling and a second holding means suitable for integrally attaching the first slider and the cowling whereby translation of the cowling with respect to the projecting region takes place along the guiding rail.

17. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one supporting means includes a first supporting means having a first projection region and a second supporting means having a second projection region; and
the at least one translation means includes a guiding rail which is fixed to the first projecting region and the second projection region and which extends along the second reference axis (S), a first slider and a second slider both suitable for sliding along and rotating around the guiding rail, and a first holding means suitable for integrally attaching the first slider and the cowling and a second holding means suitable for integrally attaching the first slider and the cowling whereby translation of the cowling with respect to the first projection region and the second projection region takes place along the guiding rail.

18. The rotorcraft of claim 17 , wherein the f

Assignees

• Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH
• Airbus Helicopters

Inventors

• Le Cadet Yann
• Leteurtre Christophe

Classifications

• B64C1/1446

  Inspection hatches (for engine cowls B64D29/08) · CPC title

• B64D29/08

  Inspection panels for power plants · CPC title

• B64C7/00

  Structures or fairings not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64D29/06 Primary

  Attaching of nacelles, fairings or cowlings · CPC title

• B64C27/06

  with single rotor · CPC title