Convertiplane
AssigneeAgusta S.p.A.
InventorSantino Pancotti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A convertiplane having a wing in turn having two halfwings, each defined by a fixed portion adjacent to the fuselage, and by a movable portion rotating, with respect to the fixed portion, about a beam element extending the full length of the wing; the beam element supports, integrally, rotors located at respective ends of the wing, and engines connected to the rotors by a transmission, and is rotated about a respective axis by actuators to change the position of the rotors from a vertical-axis position wherein the convertiplane operates in helicopter mode, to a horizontal-axis position wherein the convertiplane operates in airplane mode.
Claims9
A convertiplane (1) comprising:
- a fuselage (2);
- a wing (4) having a central portion (5) fixed to said fuselage (2), and two half-wings (6), projecting from said fuselage (2);
- two rotors (11) carried by respective supporting structures (9) at opposite ends of the half wings (6), and having respective shafts (12);
- two engines (20) fixed to respective said half-wings (6) by respective supporting means (23, 24);
- transmission means (25) connecting each of said rotors (11) to both said engines (20);
- and
- means (7, 48) for changing the position of said rotors (11) between a helicopter mode wherein said shafts (12) of said rotors (11) are substantially vertical;
- and an airplane mode wherein said shafts (12) of said rotors (11) are substantially horizontal;
- wherein said means (7, 48) for changing the position of said rotors (11) comprising a beam element (7) extending the full length of the wing (4), rotating about a respective axis (A), and rigidly interconnecting said supporting structures (9) of said rotors (11);
- and first actuating means (48) for rotating said beam element (7) about said axis (A);
- said half-wings comprising respective fixed portions (13) adjacent to said fuselage (2), and respective movable portions (14) located between said fixed portions (13) and the respective supporting structures (9) of said rotors (11) and rotatable about said beam element (7);
- said convertiplane (1) comprising second actuating means (55) for rotating said movable portions (14) with respect to said fixed portions (13) and to said beam element (7).
A convertiplane (1) comprising:
- a fuselage (2);
- a wing (4) having a central portion (5) fixed to said fuselage (2), and two halfwings (6), projecting from said fuselage;
- two rotors (11) carried by respective supporting structures (9) at the ends of the half wings (6), and having respective shafts (12);
- two engines (20) fixed to respective said half-wings (6) by respective supporting means (23, 24);
- transmission means (25) connecting each of said rotors (11) to both said engines (20);
- and
- means (7, 48) for changing the position of said rotors (11) between a helicopter mode wherein said shafts (12) of said rotors (11) are substantially vertical;
- and an airplane mode wherein said shafts (12) of said rotors (11) are substantially horizontal;
- wherein said means (7, 48) for changing the position of said rotors (11) comprise a beam element (7) extending the full length of the wing (4), rotating about a respective axis (A), and rigidly interconnecting said supporting structures (9) of said rotors (11);
- and first actuating means (48) for rotating said beam element (7) about said axis (A);
- said half-wings comprising respective fixed portions (13) adjacent to said fuselage (2), and respective movable portions (14) rotating about said axis (A) of said beam element (7);
- said convertiplane (1) comprising second actuating means (55) for rotating said movable portions (14) with respect to said fixed portions (13) and to said beam element (7);
- and
- said engines (20) are housed in respective nacelles (21) located at said fixed portions (13) of said half wings (6) and movable integrally with said beam element (7).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.