Centerline tiltrotor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11225323-B2
Application number	US-201916541561-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2019
Priority date	Aug 15, 2019
Publication date	Jan 18, 2022
Grant date	Jan 18, 2022

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to a rotorcraft comprising a body having a longitudinal axis, a wing coupled to the body, a single tiltrotor assembly pivotally coupled to the body, and the tiltrotor assembly configured to move between a position generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis during a vertical flight mode and a position generally parallel to the longitudinal axis during a horizontal flight mode. The rotorcraft may further comprise an anti-torque system configured to counteract torque generated by the tiltrotor assembly during vertical flight. The rotorcraft may further comprise a center of gravity compensation system configured to manage a rotorcraft center of gravity during movement of the tiltrotor assembly between the vertical flight mode and the horizontal flight mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotorcraft, comprising:
a body having a longitudinal axis;
a wing coupled to the body;
a single tiltrotor assembly pivotally coupled to the body, the tiltrotor assembly configured to move between a position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis during a vertical flight mode and a position parallel to the longitudinal axis during a horizontal flight mode; and
a center of gravity compensation system configured to manage a rotorcraft center of gravity during movement of the tiltrotor assembly between the vertical flight mode and the horizontal flight mode, the center of gravity compensation system comprising a cantilever beam supporting a counterweight that is forward of the tiltrotor assembly when in the vertical flight mode and beneath the tiltrotor assembly when in the horizontal flight mode.

2. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , further comprising an anti-torque system configured to counteract torque generated by the tiltrotor assembly during vertical flight, wherein the anti-torque system is further configured to generate a variable anti-torque force that is at a maximum during the vertical flight mode and at a minimum during the horizontal flight mode.

3. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , further comprising an anti-torque system configured to counteract torque generated by the tiltrotor assembly during vertical flight, wherein the anti-torque system comprises one or more of an open tail rotor, a protected tail rotor, an electric distributed anti-torque system, a propulsive anti-torque system, and a wingtip anti-torque system.

4. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the center of gravity compensation system comprising a gearbox that is moved forward when the tiltrotor assembly is rotated to the vertical flight mode and rearward when the tiltrotor assembly is rotated to the horizontal flight mode.

5. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the counterweight is configured to counterbalance movement of the tiltrotor assembly.

6. The rotorcraft of claim 5 , wherein the counterweight comprises at least a portion of a propulsion system.

7. The rotorcraft of claim 5 , wherein the counterweight comprises mission equipment.

8. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the tiltrotor assembly comprises:
a proprotor; and
a propulsion system.

9. The rotorcraft of claim 8 , wherein the proprotor moves between a vertical flight mode position and a horizontal flight mode position, and wherein the propulsion system is fixedly mounted in the body.

10. The rotorcraft of claim 8 , wherein the proprotor and the propulsion system move together between a vertical flight mode position and a horizontal flight mode position.

11. A rotorcraft, comprising:
a body having a longitudinal axis;
a wing coupled to the body;
a single tiltrotor assembly pivotally coupled to the body, the tiltrotor assembly configured to move between a position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis during a vertical flight mode and a position parallel to the longitudinal axis during a horizontal flight mode; and
a center of gravity compensation system configured to manage a rotorcraft center of gravity during movement of the tiltrotor assembly between the vertical flight mode and the horizontal flight mode, the center of gravity compensation system comprising a gearbox that is moved forward when the tiltrotor assembly is rotated to the vertical flight mode and rearward when the tiltrotor assembly is rotated to the horizontal flight mode.

12. The rotorcraft of claim 11 , wherein the center of gravity compensation system comprises a counterweight that is configured to counterbalance movement of the tiltrotor assembly.

13. The rotorcraft of claim 12 , wherein the counterweight comprises at least a portion of a propulsion system.

14. The rotorcraft of claim 12 , wherein the counterweight comprises mission equipment.

15. The rotorcraft of claim 11 , further comprising:
an anti-torque system configured to counteract torque generated by the tiltrotor assembly during vertical flight.

16. The rotorcraft of claim 15 , wherein the anti-torque system is further configured to generate a variable anti-torque force that is at a maximum during the vertical flight mode and at a minimum during the horizontal flight mode.

17. The rotorcraft of claim 15 , wherein the anti-torque system comprises one or more of an open tail rotor, a protected tail rotor, an electric distributed anti-torque system, a propulsive anti-torque system, and a wingtip anti-torque system.

18. The rotorcraft of claim 11 , wherein the tiltrotor assembly comprises:
a proprotor; and
a propulsion system.

19. The rotorcraft of claim 18 , wherein the proprotor moves between a vertical flight mode position and a horizontal flight mode position, and wherein the propulsion system is fixedly mounted in the body.

20. The rotorcraft of claim 18 , wherein the proprotor and the propulsion system moves together between a vertical flight mode position and a horizontal flight mode position.

Assignees

• Bell Textron Inc
• Textron Innovations Inc

Inventors

• Stanney Keith Alan
• Ivans Steven Ray
• Ross Brent Chadwick
• Bushmire Troy

Classifications

• B64C1/30

  Parts of fuselage relatively movable to reduce overall dimensions of aircraft · CPC title

• B64C3/56

  Folding or collapsing to reduce overall dimensions of aircraft · CPC title

• B64C2025/325

  specially adapted for helicopters · CPC title

• B64C27/50

  Blades foldable to facilitate stowage of aircraft · CPC title

• B64C2027/8236

  including pusher propellers · CPC title