Protective shroud for aircraft tail rotor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12473086-B2
Application number	US-202217873983-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2022
Priority date	Jul 26, 2022
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

One embodiment is an apparatus for inhibiting accidental contact by a human with a tail rotor connected to an empennage of an aircraft. The apparatus includes an inverted V-tail connected to an empennage of the aircraft forward of the tail rotor, the inverted V-tail stabilizer comprising a first V-tail stabilizer on a side of the empennage to which the tail rotor is connected and a second V-tail stabilizer on a side of the empennage opposite the side of the empennage to which the tail rotor is connected; and a shroud bar having a first end connected to an outboard end of the first V-tail stabilizer and a second end opposite the first end connected to the empennage aft of the tail rotor, wherein a horizontal distance from the shroud bar to the tail rotor is greater than a length of an arm of the human.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . Apparatus for inhibiting accidental contact by a human with a tail rotor connected to an empennage of an aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
an inverted V-tail stabilizer connected to an empennage of the aircraft forward of the tail rotor, the inverted V-tail stabilizer comprising a first V-tail stabilizer portion on a side of the empennage to which the tail rotor is connected and a second V-tail stabilizer portion on a side of the empennage opposite the side of the empennage to which the tail rotor is connected, and a shroud bar having a first end connected to an outboard end of the first V-tail stabilizer portion and a second end opposite the first end connected directly to the empennage aft of the tail rotor.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inverted V-tail stabilizer is movable.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inverted V-tail stabilizer includes at least one control surface.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inverted V-tail stabilizer comprises a forward inverted V-tail stabilizer, the apparatus further comprising an aft inverted V-tail stabilizer connected to the empennage aft of the tail rotor, the aft inverted V-tail stabilizer including a first V-tail stabilizer portion on side of the empennage to which the tail rotor is connected and a second V-tail stabilizer portion on the side of the empennage opposite the side of the empennage to which the tail rotor is connected.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the shroud bar is connected to the empennage via the first V-tail stabilizer portion of the aft inverted V-tail stabilizer.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the second end of the shroud bar is connected to the outboard end of the first V-tail stabilizer portion of the aft inverted V-tail stabilizer.

7 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the forward and aft inverted V-tail stabilizers is movable.

8 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the forward and aft inverted V-tail stabilizers includes at least one control surface.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the shroud bar comprises a substantially horizontal portion including the first end of the shroud bar and a substantially vertical portion including the second end of the shroud bar.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inverted V-tail stabilizer is symmetrical.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inverted V-tail stabilizer is asymmetrical.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inverted V-tail stabilizer provides horizontal and vertical stabilization for the aircraft while the aircraft is in motion.

13 . A rotorcraft comprising:
a fuselage; an empennage aft of the fuselage; a tail rotor connected to a first side of the empennage; and a tail rotor shroud comprising:
an inverted V-tail stabilizer connected to the empennage forward of the tail rotor, wherein a portion of the inverted V-tail stabilizer is on the first side of the empennage; and
a shroud bar having a first end connected to an outboard end of the portion of the inverted V-tail stabilizer and a second end opposite the first end connected directly to the empennage aft of the tail rotor;
wherein the tail rotor shroud provides ground strike protection for the tail rotor.

14 . The rotorcraft of claim 13 , wherein the inverted V-tail stabilizer comprises a forward inverted V-tail stabilizer, the rotorcraft further comprising an aft inverted V-tail stabilizer, wherein a portion of the aft inverted V-tail stabilizer is on the first side of the empennage aft of the tail rotor.

15 . The rotorcraft of claim 14 , wherein the second end of the shroud bar is connected to an outboard end of the portion of the aft inverted V-tail stabilizer.

16 . The rotorcraft of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the forward and aft inverted V-tail stabilizers is movable.

17 . The rotorcraft of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the forward and aft inverted V-tail stabilizers includes a control surface.

18 . The rotorcraft of claim 13 , further comprising a vertical stabilizer proximate an aft end of the empennage.

19 . A protective shroud for a tail rotor on a first side of an empennage of a helicopter comprising a forward inverted V-tail stabilizer and an aft inverted V-tail stabilizer, the protective shroud comprising:
a portion of the forward inverted V-tail stabilizer connected to the first side of the empennage forward of the tail rotor; a portion of the aft inverted V-tail stabilizer connected to the first side of the empennage aft of the tail rotor; and a shroud bar having a first end connected to an outboard end of the portion of the forward inverted V-tail stabilizer and a second end opposite the first end connected an outboard end of the portion of the aft inverted V-tail stabilizer; wherein the forward and aft V-tail stabilizers are configured to provide horizontal stabilization and vertical stabilization for the helicopter.

20 . The protective shroud of claim 19 , wherein at least one of the forward and aft inverted V-tail stabilizers is movable, includes a control surface, or both.

Assignees

• Textron Innovations Inc

Inventors

• Ivans Steven R
• Moore Danielle Lynn
• Amante William Anthony
• Campbell Kip Gregory
• Chapdelaine Mathew
• Cox Brian John
• Cross Carey Andrew
• Loveland Steve Michael
• Regnier Bradley Paul
• Roe Robert W
• Schafer Steve R

Classifications

• B64C2027/829

  comprising a V-tail units · CPC title

• B64C2027/8272

  comprising fins, or movable rudders · CPC title

• B64C27/20

  Rotorcraft characterised by having shrouded rotors, e.g. flying platforms · CPC title

• B64C2027/8254

  Shrouded tail rotors, e.g. "Fenestron" fans · CPC title

• 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