Helicopter kit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11433995-B2
Application number	US-201916763043-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2019
Priority date	Jul 27, 2018
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

A kit for a helicopter is described, the helicopter comprising a fuselage and a rotor; the kit comprises at least one device adapted to dampen the vibrations transmitted from the rotor to the fuselage and to be interposed between the fuselage and the rotor; the device, in turn, comprises a first threaded element operatively connectable to the rotor and adapted to, in use, vibrate parallel to a first axis; a second threaded element operatively connectable to the fuselage and operatively connected to the first threaded element so as to, in use, rotationally vibrate about the first axis; and a plurality of threaded rollers, which are screwed on the first and second threaded elements; the rollers being rotatable about their respective second axes parallel to and separate from the first axis with respect to the first and second threaded elements; the rollers are also rotatable about the first axis with respect to the first threaded element and the second threaded element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A kit for a helicopter, said helicopter comprising a fuselage and a rotor; the kit comprising at least one device adapted to dampen vibrations transmitted from said rotor to said fuselage and adapted for placement between said fuselage and said rotor;
said device, in turn, comprising:
a first threaded element operatively connectable to said rotor and adapted to, in use, vibrate parallel to a first axis (B);
a second threaded element operatively connectable to said fuselage and operatively connected to said first threaded element so as to, in use, rotationally vibrate about said first axis (B); and
a plurality of threaded rollers, which are screwed on said first and second threaded elements;
wherein said rollers are rotatable about respective second axes (C) parallel to and separate from said first axis (B) with respect to said second threaded element;
wherein said rollers are also rotatable about said axis (B) with respect to said first threaded element and to said second threaded element;
wherein said second threaded element is a screw screwed on said rollers and said first threaded element is a female screw screwed on said rollers;
said female screw defining a second thread that is internal with respect to said first axis (B) and screwed on said rollers;
said screw defining a third thread that is external with respect to said first axis (B) and screwed on said rollers.

2. The kit according to claim 1 , wherein said rollers are integrally movable with said first threaded element with translation in a direction parallel to said first axis (B).

3. The kit according to claim 1 , wherein said device is an inerter.

4. The kit according to claim 1 , wherein said rollers and said first threaded element have the same thread angles; and/or
in that said rollers comprise a first single-start thread; and/or
in that said first threaded element and second threaded element comprise a second and a third multi-start thread, respectively.

5. The kit according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a constraint element to constrain said second threaded element to said fuselage; and
a bearing interposed between said first threaded element and said constraint element, so as to enable relative rotation of said second threaded element with respect to said constraint element about said first axis (B).

6. The kit according to claim 1 , further comprising a flywheel rotatable about said first axis (B) and operatively connected to said rollers and said second threaded element.

7. The kit according to claim 6 , wherein said flywheel is angularly integral with said second threaded element.

8. The kit according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one crown fastened to said second threaded element;
said crown comprising a gear tooth facing said first axis (B) and engaged by a plurality of gear teeth carried by respective rollers.

9. A kit for a helicopter, said helicopter comprising a fuselage and a rotor; the kit comprising at least one device adapted to dampen vibrations transmitted from said rotor to said fuselage and adapted for placement between said fuselage and said rotor;
said device, in turn, comprising:
a first threaded element operatively connectable to said rotor and adapted to, in use, vibrate parallel to a first axis (B);
a second threaded element operatively connectable to said fuselage and operatively connected to said first threaded element so as to, in use, rotationally vibrate about said first axis (B); and
a plurality of threaded rollers, which are screwed on said first and second threaded elements;
wherein said rollers are rotatable about respective second axes (C) parallel to and separate from said first axis (B) with respect to said second threaded element;
wherein said rollers are also rotatable about said axis (B) with respect to said first threaded element and to said second threaded element;
wherein said kit further comprises at least one crown fastened to said second threaded element;
said crown comprising a gear tooth facing said first axis (B) and engaged by a plurality of gear teeth carried by respective rollers.

10. The kit according to claim 1 , further comprising a support element defining a plurality of seats engaged by said respective rollers in an angularly fixed manner;
wherein said support element is angularly movable around said first axis (B) with respect to said first threaded element and said second threaded element.

11. A helicopter comprising:
said fuselage;
said rotor;
a support casing of said rotor; and
a plurality of connecting rods interposed between said fuselage and said support casing;
wherein said helicopter comprises, for each said rod, a kit according to claim 1 ;
wherein said damping device is interposed between said casing and said fuselage.

12. The helicopter according to claim 11 , wherein said first threaded element and second threaded element are constrained to said rods.

13. The helicopter according to claim 11 , wherein at least one said rod and said respective device are hinged to said fuselage about third axes (D) coincident with each other;
wherein said at least one rod and said respective device are hinged to said rotor about respective fourth axes (E) that are coincident with each other.

14. The helicopter according to claim 11 , wherein one of said rod and said device is housed inside the other of said rod and said device.

Assignees

• Leonardo Spa

Inventors

• Bottasso Luigi
• Colombo Attilio
• Masarati Pierangelo
• Tamer Aykut
• Quaranta Giuseppe

Classifications

• F16H25/2252

  Planetary rollers between nut and screw · CPC title

• B64C27/001 Primary

  Vibration damping devices · CPC title

• F16F2232/06

  Translation-to-rotary conversion · CPC title

• B64C27/06

  with single rotor · CPC title

• F16F2222/08

  Inertia · CPC title