Directional tail thrust systems for rotorcraft
AssigneeBell Textron Canada Limited
InventorFrancis Marois
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A directional tail thrust system for a helicopter includes a tailboom defining an internal air passage. The aft portion of the internal air passage includes an aft diffuser. The directional tail thrust system also includes a fan in fluid communication with the aft diffuser and a vane array including vanes coupled to the aft diffuser and configured to receive air from the fan via the aft diffuser. The vanes are pivotable to switch the vane array between various modes including an anti-torque mode to produce anti-torque thrust, a forward thrust mode to produce forward thrust and a pro-torque mode to produce pro-torque thrust.
Claims19
A directional tail thrust system for a helicopter, the
- directional tail thrust system comprising:
- a tailboom defining an internal air passage having a forward portion comprising a forward diffuser, an aft portion comprising an aft diffuser and a straight ducting section interposed between the forward diffuser and the aft diffuser;
- a fan in fluid communication with the aft diffuser;
- and
- a vane array including a plurality of fixed geometry vanes coupled to the aft diffuser and configured to receive air from the fan via the aft diffuser, the fixed geometry vanes pivotable to switch the vane array between a plurality of modes including an anti-torque mode to produce antitorque thrust, a forward thrust mode to produce forward thrust and a pro-torque mode to produce pro-torque thrust.
A rotorcraft comprising:
- a fuselage;
- and
- a tailboom extending from the fuselage, the tailboom defining an internal air passage having a forward portion including a forward diffuser, an aft portion including an aft diffuser and a straight ducting section interposed between the forward diffuser and the aft diffuser;
- a fan in fluid communication with the aft diffuser;
- and
- a vane array including a plurality of fixed geometry vanes coupled to the aft diffuser and configured to receive air from the fan via the aft diffuser, the fixed geometry vanes pivotable to switch the vane array between a plurality of modes including an anti-torque mode to produce anti-torque thrust, a forward thrust mode to produce forward thrust and a pro-torque mode to produce pro-torque thrust.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.