Auxiliary-pod mounting system and mounting methods for a helicopter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11279486-B2
Application number	US-201916359866-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2019
Priority date	Mar 20, 2019
Publication date	Mar 22, 2022
Grant date	Mar 22, 2022

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an auxiliary-pod mounting system for mounting an auxiliary pod to a landing skid assembly of a helicopter. The landing skid assembly comprises a forward crossbar, a rearward crossbar, and skids coupled to the forward crossbar and the rearward crossbar. The auxiliary-pod mounting system comprises a first rail. The auxiliary-pod mounting system also comprises a second rail, spaced apart from the first rail. The auxiliary-pod mounting system further comprises a mounting plate, interposed between and coupled to the first rail and the second rail. The mounting plate comprises pod engagement features configured to engage the auxiliary pod and to secure the auxiliary pod to the mounting plate. The auxiliary-pod mounting system additionally comprises a plurality of brackets configured to couple the first rail and the second rail to the forward crossbar and the rearward crossbar of the landing skid assembly of the helicopter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An auxiliary-pod mounting system for mounting an auxiliary pod to a landing skid assembly of a helicopter, wherein the landing skid assembly comprises a forward crossbar, a rearward crossbar, and skids coupled to the forward crossbar and the rearward crossbar, and the auxiliary-pod mounting system comprises:
a first rail;
a second rail, spaced apart from the first rail;
a mounting plate, interposed between and coupled to the first rail and the second rail, wherein the mounting plate comprises pod engagement features configured to engage the auxiliary pod and to secure the auxiliary pod to the mounting plate; and
a plurality of brackets configured to couple the first rail and the second rail to the forward crossbar and the rearward crossbar of the landing skid assembly of the helicopter.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the auxiliary pod comprises lugs, spaced apart from each other by a first distance; and
the pod engagement features of the mounting plate comprise apertures, spaced apart from each other by the first distance and configured to receive the lugs of the auxiliary pod.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein:
the apertures comprise a pair of first apertures spaced apart from each other by the first distance;
the apertures further comprise a pair of second apertures spaced apart from each other by a second distance, different than the first distance;
the pair of second apertures are configured to receive lugs of a second auxiliary pod; and
the lugs of the second auxiliary pod are spaced apart from each other by the second distance.

4. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a spacer, coupled to the second rail, positionable between the second rail and one of the skids, and configured to maintain an adjustable distance between the second rail and the one of the skids when the first rail and the second rail are coupled to the forward crossbar and the rearward crossbar by the plurality of brackets.

5. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising anti-sway braces, coupled to the mounting plate and each configured to engage a corresponding one of opposing sides of the auxiliary pod.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the anti-sway braces are adjustable to adjust a distance the anti-sway braces extend from the mounting plate.

7. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the anti-sway braces comprise multiple pairs of anti-sway braces, spaced apart from each other along the mounting plate.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein each one of the brackets is configured to releasably clamp onto one of the forward crossbar or the rearward crossbar.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the mounting plate comprises a flat mounting surface; and
the auxiliary pod is engaged against the flat mounting surface when the auxiliary pod is secured to the mounting plate.

10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the mounting plate comprises a contoured mounting surface;
a contour of the contoured mounting surface complements a contour of the auxiliary pod; and
the auxiliary pod is engaged against the contoured mounting surface when the auxiliary pod is secured to the mounting plate.

11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting plate is configured such that, when the first rail and the second rail are coupled to the forward crossbar and the rearward crossbar of the landing skid assembly of the helicopter by the plurality of brackets, an entirety of the mounting plate is interposed between the forward crossbar and the rearward crossbar.

12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the mounting plate comprises a first mounting surface and a second mounting surface, opposite the first mounting surface;
when the first rail and the second rail are coupled to the forward crossbar and the rearward crossbar of the landing skid assembly of the helicopter by the plurality of brackets, the first mounting surface faces outwardly relative to the helicopter and the second mounting surface faces inwardly relative to the helicopter; and
the pod engagement features are configured to engage the auxiliary pod with the auxiliary pod above the forward crossbar and the rearward crossbar or below the forward crossbar and the rearward crossbar and to secure the auxiliary pod against either the first mounting surface or the second mounting surface.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface are flat.

14. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface are contoured.

15. A helicopter, comprising:
a body;
rotors, rotatably coupled to the body at a top portion of the body;
a landing skid assembly, fixedly coupled to the body at a bottom portion of the body, wherein the landing skid assembly comprises a forward crossbar, a rearward crossbar, and skids coupled to the forward crossbar and the rearward crossbar;
auxiliary-pod mounting systems, each coupled to the forward crossbar and the rearward crossbar between a corresponding one of the skids and the body;
a first auxiliary pod secured to one of the auxiliary-pod mounting systems; and
one of a second auxiliary pod or a counterweight secured to an other one of the auxiliary-pod mounting system,
wherein each one of the auxiliary-pod mounting systems comprises:
a first rail;
a second rail, spaced apart from the first rail;
a mounting plate, interposed between and coupled to the first rail and the second rail, wherein the mounting plate comprises pod engagement features configured to engage a corresponding one of the first auxiliary pod or the one of the second auxiliary pod or the counterweight to secure the corresponding one of the first auxiliary pod or the one of the second auxiliary pod or the counterweight to the mounting plate; and
a plurality of brackets configured to couple the first rail and the second rail to the forward crossbar and the rearward crossbar of the landing skid assembly of the helicopter.

16. The helicopter according to claim 15 , wherein the second auxiliary pod is secured to the other one of the auxiliary-pod mounting systems.

17. The helicopter according to claim 15 , wherein the counterweight is secured to the other one of the auxiliary-pod mounting systems.

18. The helicopter of claim according to claim 15 , wherein each one of the auxiliary-pod mounting systems further comprises a spacer, coupled to the second rail of the corresponding auxiliary-pod mounting system, positionable between the second rail of the corresponding auxiliary-pod mounting system and a corresponding one of the skids, and configured to maintain an adjustable distance between the second rail of the corresponding auxiliary-pod mounting system and the corresponding one of the skids.

19. A method of mounting an auxiliary pod to a helicopter, comprising:
releasably securing a first auxiliary-pod mounting system to a forward crossbar and a rearward crossbar, of a landing skid assembly of the helicopter, between a body of the helicopter and one of two skids of the landing skid assembly by coupling a first rail and a second rail to the forward crossbar and to the rearward crossbar on a first side of the helicopter and by coupling a first mounting plate to the first rail and to the second rail such that the mounting plate is interposed between the first rail and the second rail;
releasably securing a second auxiliary-pod mounting system to the forward crossbar and the rearward cros

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Szarek Kenneth A

Classifications

• F41F3/06

  from aircraft {(F41F3/0406 takes precedence; arrangements of rocket launchers on aircraft B64D7/08; bomb releasing in flight B64D1/06)} · CPC title

• F41F3/065 Primary

  Rocket pods, i.e. detachable containers for launching a plurality of rockets · CPC title

• F41H11/02

  Anti-aircraft or anti-guided missile {or anti-torpedo} defence installations or systems (cartridges or missiles for producing smoke or for dispensing radar chaff or infrared material F42B5/15, F42B12/48, F42B12/70; {informative reference: details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00; jamming or electronic countermeasures G01S7/38, G01S7/495, H04K3/00}) · CPC title

• B64D9/00 Primary

  Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like · CPC title

• B64D7/00

  Arrangement of military equipment, e.g. armaments, armament accessories or military shielding, in aircraft; Adaptations of armament mountings for aircraft (dropping bombs or the like B64D1/00) · CPC title