초록 ▼

An improved jet thruster system for use in a helicopter without a tail rotor. A non-rotating outer thruster assembly is attached to the rear of the tail boom which, within it, has a source of low pressure air. The outer thruster assembly has a window on each side. Nested within the outer thruster as

An improved jet thruster system for use in a helicopter without a tail rotor. A non-rotating outer thruster assembly is attached to the rear of the tail boom which, within it, has a source of low pressure air. The outer thruster assembly has a window on each side. Nested within the outer thruster assembly is an inner thruster assembly with a single window which rotates within the outer thruster assembly in response to commands from the helicopter control system. As the single window in the inner assembly is rotated around to where it overlaps with one or the other of the side windows in the outer assembly, an exit opening is created for the low pressure air which in turn creates a desired side force on the tail boom to counteract the torque created by the main rotor and also to provide yaw control for the helicopter. The interior of the inner thruster assembly contains vanes and an air ramp to efficiently redirect the air flow from axial flow to lateral flow within the inner thruster assembly. Diverters are employed on the lower edges of the side windows in the outer thruster assembly to produce a substantially pure horizontal force on the tail boom without a significant vertical component.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] An improved jet thruster system attached to the end of a hollow tail boom on a helicopter, through which boom passes air for expulsion by the jet thruster system, the system comprising:a non-rotating, substantially cylindrically shaped, outer thruster assembly attached to

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] An improved jet thruster system attached to the end of a hollow tail boom on a helicopter, through which boom passes air for expulsion by the jet thruster system, the system comprising:a non-rotating, substantially cylindrically shaped, outer thruster assembly attached to the end of the boom and having laterally opposing outer thruster windows providing respective air passages outwardly extending therethrough;a substantially cylindrically-shaped inner thruster assembly nested within the outer thruster assembly, capable of rotation about its cylindrical axis and having an inner thruster window providing an air passage outwardly therethrough and disposed so as to be able to at least partially overlap a selected one of the outer thurster windows, the selected outer thruster window depending upon the angular orientation of the inner thruster assembly relative to the outer thruster assembly; andat least one flow diverter having a first end portion extending substantially parallel to the cylindrical axis of the inner thruster assembly and attached to the outer thruster assembly at a location adjacent a lower edge of one of the outer thruster windows, and having an opposite end portion extendable in an outwardly direction from the outer thruster window, thereby creating a substantially horizontal air jet when the inner thruster window is rotated into an at least partially overlapping position with respect to the outer thruster window.