Auxiliary drive system for a helicopter
AssigneeAirbus Defence and Space GmbH
InventorPeter Jaenker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drive system for a helicopter includes a main drive for driving a rotor the helicopter, a flywheel mass battery including at least one flywheel, a first transmission coupling the flywheel mass battery with the main drive such that, during operation of the main drive, output can be transferred from the main drive to the flywheel mass battery, and a second, variable transmission connecting the flywheel mass battery to the rotor of the helicopter such that a predetermined output can be transferred to the rotor through adjustment of a transmission ratio of the variable transmission.
Claims12
A helicopter with a drive system, comprising:
- a main drive configured to drive a lift-generating rotor of the helicopter;
- a flywheel mass battery comprising at least one flywheel;
- a first transmission coupling the flywheel mass battery to the main drive such that, during operation of the main drive, output is transferred from the main drive to the flywheel mass battery;
- a second, variable transmission connecting the flywheel mass battery to the lift-generating rotor of the helicopter such that a predetermined output is transferred to the lift-generating rotor through adjustment of a transmission ratio of the variable transmission;
- and
- a main transmission between the main drive and the lift-generating rotor,
- wherein the main transmission comprises a first input with which the main drive is coupled,
- wherein the main transmission has a second input with which the flywheel mass battery is coupled via the variable transmission.
A method for operating an auxiliary drive system of a helicopter, the method comprising the steps:
- determining whether a main drive of the helicopter is providing a desired output;
- when the main drive is not providing the desired output, connecting of a flywheel mass battery to a lift-generating rotor of the helicopter via a variable transmission, the flywheel mass battery having been charged mechanically by the main drive during normal operation;
- controlling of a transmission ratio of the variable transmission such that a desired output is transferred to the lift-generating rotor;
- and
- separating operation of the lift-generating rotor via the main drive from operation of the lift-generating rotor via the flywheel mass battery by a first input and a second input of a main transmission, wherein the first input is coupled with the main drive and the second input is coupled via the variable transmission with the flywheel mass battery.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.