Two position cowling assembly for single person operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10723472-B2
Application number	US-201715627393-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2017
Priority date	Jun 19, 2017
Publication date	Jul 28, 2020
Grant date	Jul 28, 2020

Abstract

One example of a cowling assembly for a rotorcraft includes a stationary fairing affixed to an airframe of the rotorcraft, an articulated fairing hinged on the stationary fairing for articulation relative to the stationary fairing between a closed position, a first partially open maintenance position and a second fully open maintenance position. The articulated fairing is supported in the first maintenance position by a for example gas-charged strut and is releasably locked in the second maintenance position against the stationary fairing by a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism includes a latch blade disposed on the stationary fairing and a latch arranged on the articulated fairing, wherein a latch pin engages with a hole or recess in the latch blade when the latch blade extends through a slot in the articulated fairing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cowling assembly for a rotorcraft, the cowling assembly comprising:
a first fairing affixed to an airframe of the rotorcraft;
a second fairing hinged on the first fairing for articulation relative to the first fairing between a closed position, a first partially open maintenance position and a second fully open maintenance position; and
a releasable locking mechanism for locking the second fairing against the first fairing in the second maintenance position,
a latch blade disposed on the first fairing and projecting outwardly from an exterior surface of the first fairing,
the second fairing comprising an opening arranged such that the latch blade projects through the opening when the second fairing is opened into the second maintenance position,
wherein the locking mechanism is arranged on an underside of the second fairing and comprises a latch having a latch pin, and wherein the latch pin engages with a recess disposed on or in a part of the latch blade that projects through the opening when the second fairing is opened into the second maintenance position.

2. The cowling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second fairing is constructed as a single piece extending laterally over a substantial portion of a width of the rotorcraft.

3. The cowling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second fairing covers an environmental control unit (ECU) or an auxiliary power unit (APU) of the rotorcraft.

4. The cowling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the latch blade is oriented along a longitudinal direction of the rotorcraft and constructed to reduce drag.

5. The cowling assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one strut extending between the second fairing and the airframe, and configured to hold the second fairing in the first maintenance position.

6. The cowling assembly of claim 5 , wherein the at least one strut is constructed as a gas-charged strut.

7. The cowling assembly of claim 5 , wherein a first end of the at least one strut is hinged on either the airframe or the second fairing, and wherein a second end of the at least one strut bears releasably against either the second fairing or the airframe.

8. The cowling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the recess is constructed as a hole or a slot.

9. The cowling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a release mechanism configured to disengage the latch pin from the recess.

10. The cowling assembly of claim 9 , wherein the release mechanism is constructed as a cable or rod connected to the latch pin.

11. The cowling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cowling assembly is constructed of a composite material.

12. A locking mechanism for locking a stationary first fairing of a cowling assembly of a rotorcraft with a pivotable second fairing of the cowling assembly in a maintenance position, the locking mechanism comprising:
a latch blade affixed on the stationary first fairing of the cowling assembly and projecting outwardly from an exterior surface of the first fairing, the latch blade having a free end comprising a recess; and
a latch disposed on an underside of a pivotable second fairing of the cowling assembly, wherein the second fairing comprises an opening arranged such that the latch blade projects through the opening when the second fairing is opened into the maintenance position, and wherein the latch comprises a latch pin configured to engage with the recess in the latch blade when cowling assembly is in the maintenance position.

13. The locking mechanism of claim 12 , further comprising a release mechanism configured to disengage the latch pin from the recess.

14. The locking mechanism of claim 13 , wherein the release mechanism is constructed as a cable or rod connected to the latch pin.

15. The locking mechanism of claim 12 , wherein the latch blade is oriented along a longitudinal direction of the rotorcraft and constructed to reduce drag.

16. The locking mechanism of claim 12 , wherein the recess is constructed as a hole or a slot.

17. The locking mechanism of claim 12 , wherein the cowling assembly is constructed of a composite material.

18. A method for locking a pivotable fairing hinged on a stationary fairing of a cowling assembly for a rotorcraft in two maintenance positions, the method comprising:
opening the pivotable fairing to a first partially open maintenance position and supporting the pivotable fairing on an airframe of the rotorcraft in the first maintenance position;
opening the pivotable fairing from the first maintenance position to a second fully open maintenance position, and
engaging in the second maintenance position a recess of a latch blade disposed on the stationary fairing and projecting outwardly from an exterior surface of the stationary fairing with a latch pin of a latch disposed on an underside of the pivotable fairing when the latch blade projects through the opening in the second maintenance position.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the pivotable fairing is supported on the airframe by at least one strut which has a first end hinged on either the airframe or the pivotable fairing and a second end that bears releasably against either the second fairing or the airframe.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the latch pin is disengaged from the recess of the latch blade by operating an actuating device operatively connected to the latch pin.

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc

Inventors

• Scannell Brent
• Mast Thomas
• Villanueva Sarah R

Classifications

• B64C7/02

  Nacelles · CPC title

• E05C17/12

  consisting of a single rod · CPC title

• B64C27/04

  Helicopters · CPC title

• B64D41/00

  Power installations for auxiliary purposes · CPC title

• B64D29/06 Primary

  Attaching of nacelles, fairings or cowlings · CPC title