Aircraft stabilization systems and methods of modifying an aircraft with the same
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B64C-027/82
B64C-027/12
B64C-027/04
출원번호
US-0871710
(2013-04-26)
등록번호
US-8991747
(2015-03-31)
발명자
/ 주소
Desroche, Robert J.
출원인 / 주소
BLR AeroSpace, L.L.C.
대리인 / 주소
Seed IP Law Group PLLC
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
18
초록▼
A method of modifying a helicopter includes providing a tail boom of the helicopter and modifying a surface profile of the tail boom on at least a first side of the tail boom to improve flow attachment of air flowing over the first side of the modified tail boom during operation of the helicopter. T
A method of modifying a helicopter includes providing a tail boom of the helicopter and modifying a surface profile of the tail boom on at least a first side of the tail boom to improve flow attachment of air flowing over the first side of the modified tail boom during operation of the helicopter. The first side of the tail boom is located on an opposite side of the tail boom from a second side of the tail boom towards which a main rotor blade of the helicopter approaches during rotation.
대표청구항▼
1. A method to modify a helicopter, comprising: removing a first tail rotor drive shaft cover that covers a tail rotor drive shaft that is mounted exterior to a tail boom of the helicopter; andphysically coupling a replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to a first exterior surface of the tail boom
1. A method to modify a helicopter, comprising: removing a first tail rotor drive shaft cover that covers a tail rotor drive shaft that is mounted exterior to a tail boom of the helicopter; andphysically coupling a replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to a first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft, the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover having an approaching side that includes at least a portion that is not curved and extends directly in a vertical direction, an exiting side opposite the approaching side, and a vertical apex at an intersection between the approaching side and the exiting side, the approaching side, the exiting side, and the vertical apex which collectively form at least a portion of a second exterior surface of the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover that causes acceleration of air flow along the exiting side and does not cause acceleration of air flow along the approaching side, the second exterior surface asymmetrical with respect to a vertical plane that passes through the vertical apex. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein physically coupling the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft comprises physically coupling the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to form a cavity to house the tail rotor drive shaft between the tail boom of the helicopter and the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein physically coupling the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft comprises physically coupling the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft, the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover having the approaching side that includes at least the portion that is not curved, the exiting side that is opposite the approaching side and extends curvedly downwards from the vertical apex, and the vertical apex at the intersection between the approaching side and the exiting side. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein physically coupling the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft comprises physically coupling the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft, the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover having the approaching side that includes at least the portion that is not curved and that extends directly in the vertical direction, the exiting side that is opposite the approaching side and extends curvedly downwards from the vertical apex, and the vertical apex at the intersection between the approaching side and the exiting side. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein physically coupling the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft comprises physically coupling the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft, the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover having the approaching side that includes at least the portion that is not curved, the exiting side that is opposite the approaching side and extends downwards from the vertical apex to form a single continuous curve from the vertical apex to a first end, and the vertical apex at the intersection between the approaching side and the exiting side. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein physically coupling the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft comprises physically coupling the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft, the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover having the approaching side, the exiting side, and the vertical apex which collectively form a cambered housing that covers the tail rotor drive shaft. 7. The method of claim 6 wherein physically coupling the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft comprises physically coupling the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft, the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover having an interior space opposite the second exterior surface and sized to house the tail rotor drive shaft. 8. The method of claim 1 wherein physically coupling the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft comprises physically coupling the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft, the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover having the approaching side that includes a first portion that extends curvedly downwards from a vertical apex to a transition point and a second portion that extends vertically downwards from the transition point to a first end, the exiting side opposite the approaching side, and the vertical apex at the intersection between the approaching side and the exiting side. 9. The method of claim 8 wherein physically coupling the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft comprises physically coupling at least the first end of the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft, the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover having the approaching side that includes the first portion that extends curvedly downwards from the vertical apex to the transition point and the second portion that extends vertically downwards from the transition point to the first end, the exiting side opposite the approaching side, the vertical apex at the intersection between the approaching side and the exiting side, and a hinge at the transition point. 10. The method of claim 8 wherein physically coupling the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft comprises physically coupling at least the first end of the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft, the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover having the approaching side that includes the first portion that extends curvedly downwards from the vertical apex to the transition point and the second portion that extends vertically downwards from the transition point to the first end, the exiting side opposite the approaching side, the vertical apex at the intersection between the approaching side and the exiting side, and a strake at the transition point. 11. The method of claim wherein physically coupling the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft comprises physically coupling at least the first end and a second end of the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover to the first exterior surface of the tail boom of the helicopter to cover the tail rotor drive shaft, the replacement tail rotor drive shaft cover having the approaching side that includes the first portion that extends curvedly downwards from the vertical apex to the transition point and the second portion that extends vertically downwards from the transition point to the first end, the exiting side that is opposite the approaching side and extends downwards from the vertical apex to the second end in a single continuous curve, and the vertical apex at the intersection between the approaching side and the exiting side. 12. A tail rotor drive shaft cover, comprising: an approaching side that includes at least a portion that and extends directly in a vertical direction;an exiting side opposite the approaching side; anda vertical apex at an intersection between the approaching side and the exiting side;wherein the approaching side, the exiting side, and the vertical apex collectively form at least a portion of a first exterior surface of the tail rotor drive shaft cover that causes acceleration of air flow along the exiting side and does not cause acceleration of air flow along the approaching side, the first exterior surface asymmetrical with respect to a vertical plane that passes through the vertical apex; andwherein the tail rotor drive shaft cover is physically coupleable to a second exterior surface of a helicopter tail boom. 13. The tail rotor drive shaft cover of claim 12 wherein the exiting side extends curvedly downwards from the vertical apex. 14. The tail rotor drive shaft cover of claim 12 wherein the exiting side extends curvedly downwards from the vertical apex. 15. The tail rotor drive shaft cover of claim 12 wherein the exiting side extends downwards from the vertical apex to form a single continuous curve from the vertical apex to a first end of the tail rotor drive shaft cover. 16. The tail rotor drive shaft cover of claim 12 wherein the approaching side comprises: a first portion that extends curvedly downwards from the vertical apex to a transition point; anda second portion that extends vertically downwards from the transition point and forms a first end of the tail rotor drive shaft cover. 17. The tail rotor drive shaft cover of claim 16 wherein the first portion and the second portion of the approaching side of the tail rotor drive shaft cover form a shelf. 18. The tail rotor drive shaft cover of claim 16, further comprising: a hinge located at the transition point. 19. The tail rotor drive shaft cover of claim 16, further comprising: a strake located at the transition point. 20. The tail rotor drive shaft cover of claim 12 wherein at least a portion of the approaching side and the exiting side are integral and continuous at the intersection at the vertical apex. 21. The tail rotor drive shaft cover of claim 12 wherein the approaching side, the exiting side, and the vertical apex collectively form a cambered housing that has the first exterior surface. 22. The tail rotor drive shaft cover of claim 21 wherein the cambered housing has an interior space that is opposite the first exterior surface and sized to house a tail rotor drive shaft mounted exterior to the helicopter tail boom. 23. The tail rotor drive shaft cover of claim 21 wherein a bottom of the cambered housing is open to receive the tail rotor drive shaft. 24. The tail rotor drive shaft cover of claim 16 wherein the exiting side extends downwards from the vertical apex in a single continuous curve and forms a second end of the tail rotor drive shaft cover. 25. The tail rotor drive shaft cover of claim 24 wherein the first end is at a first vertical height that is a first vertical distance from the vertical apex, the second end is at a second vertical height that is a second vertical distance from the vertical apex, and the second vertical distance is greater than the first vertical distance. 26. The tail rotor drive shaft cover of claim 24 wherein the first end is at a first horizontal distance from the vertical apex, the second end is at a second horizontal distance from the vertical apex, and the second horizontal distance is greater than the first horizontal distance. 27. The tail rotor drive shaft cover of claim 24 wherein the first end and the second end are respectively physically coupleable to different portions of the second exterior surface of the helicopter tail boom. 28. A helicopter, comprising: a tail boom that has a first exterior surface;a tail rotor drive shaft mounted exterior to the tail boom; anda tail rotor drive shaft cover physically coupled to the first exterior surface of the tail boom to cover the tail rotor drive shaft, the tail rotor drive shaft cover comprising: an approaching side;an exiting side opposite the approaching side; anda vertical apex at an intersection between the approaching side and the exiting side;wherein the approaching side, the exiting side, and the vertical apex of the tail rotor drive shaft cover collectively form at least a portion of a second exterior surface of the tail rotor drive shaft cover that causes acceleration of air flow along the exiting side and does not cause acceleration of air flow along the approaching side, the second exterior surface asymmetrical with respect to a vertical plane that passes through the vertical apex, and wherein the approaching side of the tail rotor drive shaft cover extends from the vertical apex to a point at the first exterior surface of the tail boom located at or above a vertical center of the tail boom. 29. The helicopter of claim 28 the tail rotor drive shaft cover and the tail boom form a cavity therebetween to house the tail rotor drive shaft. 30. The helicopter of claim 28 wherein the approaching side includes at least a portion that is not curved, and the exiting side extends curvedly downwards from the vertical apex. 31. The helicopter of claim 28 wherein the approaching side includes at least a portion that is not curved and that extends directly in a vertical direction, and the exiting side extends curvedly downwards from the vertical apex. 32. The helicopter of claim 28 wherein the approaching side includes at least a portion that is not curved, the exiting side has a first end at the vertical apex and a second end that is opposite the first end and physically coupled to the first exterior surface of the tail boom, and the exiting side extends downwards from the vertical apex to form a single, continuous curve from the vertical apex to the second end. 33. The helicopter of claim 28 wherein the vertical apex is located directly vertically above the tail rotor drive shaft. 34. The helicopter of claim 28 wherein the approaching side comprises: a first portion that extends curvedly downwards from the vertical apex to a transition point that is located above a vertical center of the tail boom; anda second portion that extends vertically downwards from the transition point and forms a first end of the tail rotor drive shaft cover that is physically coupled to the first exterior surface of the tail boom at the point located at or above the vertical center of the tail boom and horizontally between a center of the tail boom and a first horizontal apex of the tail boom. 35. The helicopter of claim 34 wherein the first portion and the second portion of the approaching side of the tail rotor drive shaft cover form a shelf. 36. The helicopter of claim 34, further comprising: a hinge located at the transition point. 37. The helicopter of claim 34, further comprising: a strake located at the transition point. 38. The helicopter of claim 37, further comprising: a second strake located on the first exterior surface of the tail boom at a point vertically directly below the transition point. 39. The helicopter of claim 34 wherein the exiting side extends downwards from the vertical apex in a single, continuous curve and forms a second end of the tail rotor drive shaft cover that is physically coupled to the first exterior surface of the tail boom at a second horizontal apex of the tail boom that is opposite the first horizontal apex. 40. The helicopter of claim 39 wherein the first end is at a first vertical height that is a first vertical distance from the vertical apex, the second end is at a second vertical height that is a second vertical distance from the vertical apex, and the second vertical distance is greater than the first vertical distance. 41. The helicopter of claim 39 wherein the first end is at a first horizontal distance from the vertical apex, the second end is at a second horizontal distance from the vertical apex, and the second horizontal distance is greater than the first horizontal distance.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (18)
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