DE102012002256A1 - Compound helicopter e.g. heliplane has several wings in which several trust units are attached at bearing areas - Google Patents

Abstract

The compound helicopter has several wings having wing cover skin in which several narrow strip segments are formed. The narrow strip segments are arranged transversely to the flight direction and are rotatable about minimal obstruction of the rotor downdraft in suspension, or to reach slow flight. Several trust units are attached to wings at the bearing areas.

Description

The "Heliplane" is a novel compound helicopter that combines the advantages of helicopters and aircraft. This makes it possible to significantly increase the airspeed of helicopters without losing the hovering and slow-flight characteristics of a conventional helicopter.

The state of the art is, on the one hand, conventional helicopters whose buoyancy is (almost) generated exclusively in the main rotor at every flight phase. As the flying speed increases, the approaching speed of the leading rotor blade approaches more and more the speed of sound, which leads to heavy structural loads, forces that are difficult to control (in particular pitching moments) on the rotor blade in question and an excessive increase in resistance.

A reduction in the speed in this phase of flight, however, is not possible because the flow on the returning rotor blade by the component-wise addition of the speeds is always lower. This results in less buoyancy on the returning blade, which the pilot intuitively corrects by a control input on the cyclic pitch (stick).

The blade therefore moves with low approach speed and high attack angle, which provokes the effect of the "dynamic stall" and thus leads to a strict limitation of the airspeed.

In compound helicopters, it is attempted to relieve the rotor in high-speed flight by the attachment of additional wings and / or drive units. This can reduce the collective pitch angle and thus delay the dynamic stall. So far, however, the size of these wings is very limited, as these strongly impede the downwash (downwind of the main rotor) and thus reduce the performance of the helicopter in hovering, and significantly reduce the efficiency.

Also state of the art are the so-called. Vertical starters. Although they have excellent high-speed flight characteristics, they can not compete with the maneuverability or efficiency of a helicopter when hovering.

invention

To relieve the main rotor Heliplane also has additional wings. (see above) The planking of these wings consists of individual, narrow lamellar segments, which are preferably arranged transversely to the direction of flight and can each rotate about its longitudinal axis. In fast-flight position, these slats are closed, whereby they fit into the overall construction, forming an ordinary wing with profiling. Both the top, as well as the underside of the wing are equipped with the described lamellar segments. In hover position both slats can be opened by a longitudinal rotation of each individual slat by about 90 ° (depending on the installation position), so that the usual wing configuration dissolves and the entire wing can be flowed through. The inner struts of the wing construction should be adapted to this phase of flight so that when a flow through the wing from the top as low as possible resistance is generated.

By the two slat planes are arranged slightly offset, an opening of all slats is guaranteed without interference of the two levels. So z. B. arranged in the direction of flight forward slats, the upper slats arranged slightly further back, so that in the vertical position (hover position) whose lower half is placed behind the upper half of the lower slats.

By such an arrangement, it is possible to keep the obstruction of the rotor downwind as low as possible.

Another configuration would be to rotate the entire wing about its longitudinal axis instead of the individual lamellae to achieve this effect. This would hinder the Downwash in Hoverstellung even less. However, this means a much stronger structural load on the pivoting devices, since the wings can not be fixed.

For high-speed flight one or more thrust units are provided, which are attached to the wings if possible. As a result, the rotor is further relieved, since it is no longer needed for the thrust generation. Lowering the speed can now relax the situation of high blade tip speeds on the leading rotor blade without driving the returning blade into stall. In addition, the two thrust units could serve on the wings for torque compensation of the helicopter and make the tail rotor superfluous. The tail boom could be replaced by a much smaller tail assembly, which only the correct rear tracking - especially when turning - must ensure.

Claims (9)

Compound helicopter, or component for increasing the speed of flight, characterized in that one or more wings are mounted, which can be made permeable by segmentation, or or are arranged rotatably in their entirety, to a minimum obstruction of the rotor downwind in the hover, or To reach slow flight. Compound helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that the segmentation is achieved by lamellae, which are preferably arranged transversely to the direction of flight in order to follow the course of an optimal airfoil profile can. The lamellae are preferably rotatable about their longitudinal axis. If wings are used on both sides of the helicopter, the opening of the lamellae in opposite directions is conceivable, wherein the vertical position is not fully achieved in order to provide minimal resistance to the obliquely from the top streaming rotor downwind. This also applies to the arrangement with one or more wings pivoting in their entirety. Compound helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that instead of the lamination and the entire wing can be rotated. To prefer here is also a longitudinal rotation of an entire wing unit. The rotation of the entire wing unit can also be used with multiple wings. Compound helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that preferably two wings are mounted laterally on the helicopter. An asymmetric configuration, e.g. B. in terms of wing length, profiling or mounting bracket is also conceivable, especially to counteract the problem of "dissymmetry of lift" of a conventional helicopter. Compound helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that one or more additional thrust units are preferably mounted on the wings, which further relieve the main rotor in high-speed flight and possibly serve in hovering in addition to the torque compensation and so can support or replace the tail rotor. Compound helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that a combination of Lamellierung and rotatable wing can be eigesetzt. It would be conceivable, for example, a lamination up to the propulsion units mounted on the wings and from there further outwardly a rotatably arranged wing. This has the advantage that the propulsion units can not be swiveled and so can be used in hover for torque compensation. An alternative would be a wing which rotates about a fixed spar on which the propulsion units are mounted. Compound helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that the lamellae, (or the entire wing) can assume an intermediate position, which generates additional buoyancy in the slow forward flight, or in the transition region. This is done by deflecting air through the fins, which would normally flow over the wing, and flows through the wing in a similar manner as in floating position and then leaves it again with a marked downward component. A support of the effect by Grenzschichtausblasung, or -absaugung is also conceivable. Compound helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that the individual slats are equipped to increase the reliability with additional suppression spring assemblies. If it comes to clamping a blade (for example, by foreign body), the spring assembly of the corresponding blade can be suppressed and it is still possible to move all the other slats, even if all slats are moved via a common actuator unit. Compound helicopter according to claim 1 characterized, a speed-measuring device and / or an arrangement for determining the direction of flow can be used for angular control of the vanes or of the vanes. As a result, the optimal position is guaranteed in every flight phase and the transition is greatly simplified. Alternatively, a mechanical working arrangement would be conceivable which moves by itself to a suitable position by the aerodynamic forces on the vane or vanes and a return spring or similar device.