Vertical stabilizer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11046417-B2
Application number	US-201815933106-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2018
Priority date	Mar 22, 2018
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

Systems and methods include providing an aircraft with a vertical stabilizer system having a vertical stabilizer operatively coupled to a tail boom, tail rotor gearbox, or other component of the aircraft at a forward attachment and an aft attachment. The vertical stabilizer is selectively rotatable to adjust an angle of attack of the vertical stabilizer with respect to a forward flight direction of the aircraft. The vertical stabilizer is rotatable between a forward flight position having a substantially small degree angle of attack and a hover or lateral movement position having a substantially ninety degree angle of attack.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tailboom system, comprising:
a tailboom; and
a vertical stabilizer operatively coupled to a portion of the tailboom via a forward attachment and an aft attachment, wherein the vertical stabilizer is selectively rotatable to adjust an angle of attack of the vertical stabilizer with respect to a longitudinal length direction of the tailboom;
wherein the vertical stabilizer at least partially overlaps, along the longitudinal length direction, a rotor blade of a tail rotor system that is carried by the tailboom.

2. The tailboom system of claim 1 , wherein the forward attachment comprises a hinge having a hinge axis, and wherein the vertical stabilizer is selectively rotatable about the hinge axis.

3. The tailboom system of claim 2 , wherein the hinge axis is substantially parallel to a yaw axis of the tailboom.

4. The tailboom system of claim 3 , wherein the aft attachment comprises at least one actuator configured to provide selective rotation of the vertical stabilizer about the hinge axis.

5. The tailboom system of claim 1 , wherein each of the forward attachment and the aft attachment comprises at least one actuator configured to provide selective rotation of the vertical stabilizer.

6. The tailboom system of claim 3 , wherein the aft attachment comprises a spring system comprising at least one spring.

7. The tailboom system of claim 6 , wherein the spring is configured to allow selective rotation of the vertical stabilizer about the hinge axis in response to a change in forward movement of the tailboom.

8. An aircraft, comprising:
a fuselage; and
a tail boom extending from the fuselage; and
a vertical stabilizer operatively coupled to the aircraft via a forward attachment and an aft attachment, wherein the vertical stabilizer is selectively rotatable with respect to the fuselage to adjust an angle of attack of the vertical stabilizer with respect to a forward flight direction of the aircraft;
wherein the vertical stabilizer at least partially overlaps a rotor blade of a tail rotor system in a fore-aft direction.

9. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein the forward attachment comprises a hinge having a hinge axis substantially parallel to a yaw axis of the aircraft, and wherein the vertical stabilizer is selectively rotatable about the hinge axis.

10. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein the aft attachment comprises an actuator configured to provide selective rotation of the vertical stabilizer about the hinge axis.

11. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein each of the forward attachment and the aft attachment comprises at least one actuator configured to provide selective rotation of the vertical stabilizer.

12. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein the aft attachment comprises a spring system comprising at least one spring tuned to the aircraft and configured to allow selective rotation of the vertical stabilizer about the hinge axis in response to a change in forward flight speed of the aircraft.

13. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein the angle of attack is less than or equal to about five degrees when the aircraft is operated in forward flight, and wherein the angle of attack is about ninety degrees when the aircraft is hovering or maneuvering laterally.

14. The aircraft of claim 13 , wherein the vertical stabilizer is configured to default to a predetermined angle of attack.

15. The aircraft of claim 14 , wherein the angle of attack is controlled by at least one of (1) an input received via a pilot control system of the aircraft and (2) a flight control system of the aircraft.

16. A method of operating an aircraft, comprising:
providing the aircraft with a vertical stabilizer coupled to the aircraft via a forward attachment and an aft attachment, wherein the vertical stabilizer is selectively rotatable with respect to the aircraft;
operating the aircraft in forward flight in a forward flight direction at a forward flight speed;
decreasing the forward flight speed of the aircraft; and
selectively rotating the vertical stabilizer to adjust an angle of attack of the vertical stabilizer with respect to the forward flight direction of the aircraft in response to decreasing the forward flight speed of the aircraft;
wherein the vertical stabilizer at least partially overlaps a rotor blade of a tail rotor system in a fore-aft direction.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the selectively rotating the vertical stabilizer is accomplished via selective operation of at least one actuator at the aft attachment.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the selectively rotating the vertical stabilizer is accomplished via at least one of tensile force and a compressive force to a spring at the aft attachment.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the angle of attack is less than or equal to about five degrees when the aircraft is operated in forward flight at the forward flight speed, and wherein the angle of attack adjusted to substantially ninety degrees when the forward flight speed is decreased below a predetermined speed.

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc
• Textron Innovations Inc

Inventors

• Duval Sebastien
• Noiseux-Boucher Guillaume
• Acee Aaron Alexander

Classifications

• B64C27/82 Primary

  characterised by the provision of an auxiliary rotor or fluid-jet device for counter-balancing lifting rotor torque or changing direction of rotorcraft · CPC title

• B64C2027/8272

  comprising fins, or movable rudders · CPC title

• B64C2027/8263

  comprising in addition rudders, tails, fins, or the like · CPC title

• B64C5/12

  for retraction against or within fuselage or nacelle · CPC title

• B64C5/06 Primary

  Fins (B64C5/08 takes precedence) · CPC title