Patents Assigned to Eurocopter
  • Patent number: 8540184
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an aircraft (1) comprising an airframe (2) provided with a fuselage (10) and fixed wings (20), a rotary wing (30), at least two propellers (41, 42), and a power plant suitable for driving said rotary wing (30) and said propellers (41, 42) into rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventor: Bernard Gemmati
  • Patent number: 8527237
    Abstract: A method of detecting at least one suspended threadlike object by telemetry, the object lying in the detection field of a telemeter on board a vehicle. The method wherein in step iii), for each vertical plane taken into consideration, and for each set of at least four candidate points close to the vertical plane in question, using the least squares method to calculate the values of three parameters a, b, and c of a catenary having an equation of the form: y=a cos h[(x?b)/a]+c the catenary containing the projections on the vertical plane of the points in the set under consideration; and determining that at least one suspended threadlike object is present as a function of the value of the correlation coefficient associated with said least squares method for all of the sets of at least four candidate points close to the vertical plane under consideration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventors: Richard Pire, Marianne Gillet
  • Patent number: 8523686
    Abstract: A coupling means (10) extending along a longitudinal axis of symmetry (100) from a first plate (11) towards a second plate (12), which plates are connected together by a link member (20). Said link member (20) is provided with a first hub (21) secured to said first plate (11) and with a second hub (22) secured to said second plate (12), a first end section (21?) of the first hub (21) being connected to a second end section (22?) of the second hub (22) by link means (30), said link means (30) comprising a first web (31) connecting said first end section (21?) to a maximum section (33) of said link means (30), said link means (30) having a second web (32) connecting a second end section (22?) of said second hub (22) to said maximum section (33).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventor: Damien Goujet
  • Patent number: 8523104
    Abstract: A method of minimizing the consequences for the occupants of a rotary wing aircraft (1, 10) of an off-specification landing with forward and/or downward acceleration vectors. The aircraft (1, 10) extends along an anteroposterior longitudinal plane of symmetry (4) in elevation separating a first side (5) of said aircraft (1) from a second side (6) thereof. Said rotary wing (10) comprises at least one rotor (11) driven in rotation by a main gearbox (20) and being provided with a plurality of blades (12). Said main gearbox (20) being fastened to a structure (30) of said aircraft (1) by a plurality of fastener elements (40) comprising at least one first fastener element (51, 52) disposed on said first side (5) and at least one second fastener element (61, 62) disposed on said second side (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventors: Pierre Prud'Homme-Lacroix, Olivier Bistuer
  • Patent number: 8517685
    Abstract: A device (10) for reducing vibration of a main rotor (1) having a support (20) and a plurality of heavy elements (30) and of rollers (50). Each heavy element (30) includes two first openings (31) respectively at least partially in registration with two second openings (22) of the support (20. Each roller (50) passes through a first opening (31) and a second opening (22). The device (10) has link means (60) for connecting the support (20) to the hub (2). A drive shaft (70) and a drive means (80) rotate at a first speed of rotation (V1) greater than a second speed of rotation (V2) of the hub (2). The drive shaft (70) rotates about an axis of rotation (AX1) of the support (20). The link means (60) is connected to the support (20) by a link member (90) enabling the support (20) to rotate about the axis of rotation (AX1) relative to the link means (60).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventor: Thomas Manfredotti
  • Patent number: 8485472
    Abstract: A sealing (1) for a fairing (2) against transverse airflow between a wing (3) and a fuselage (4) of an aircraft. Inner and outer sides (7, 8) of the sealing (1) are provided with lips biased against the fairing (2) and the wing (3). At least two gaskets (5, 6) are positioned between respective ends of the sides (7, 8), thus sealing the fairing (2) and the wing (3) against longitudinal airflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Suchy, Anton Lewold
  • Patent number: 8475127
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a rotary wing aircraft with at least one main rotor, comprising a rotor head and rotor blades (12), arranged such that each rotor blade (12) is supported to be able to pivot or twist around the lengthwise axis of its blade on the rotor head and has at least one control flap (14) that can be deflected. According to the invention, the rotary wing aircraft is controlled solely by changing the respective blade pitch angle (X) by means of changing the flap control angle (Y) of the assigned control flaps (14) by the resulting blade pitch angle (X3) being set by applying the resulting flap angle (Y4) to the control flap (14), and the flap angle (Y4) being computed using an algorithm, the input quantities comprising the flap control angle (Y1) depending on the pilot primary control and the flap correction angle (Y2) depending on the secondary control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Jänker, Valentin Klöppel
  • Patent number: 8478479
    Abstract: A method and system for predictive maintenance of electronic equipment on board an aircraft (1). To produce a prognosis, the following are provided: a step (48) of modeling the equipment (3) with a model (53) for damage by an external aggression; a step (49) of simulating the damage up to failure; a learning step (64); a step (65) of classifying calculated and normalized values; and a fusion step (61) giving the real prognosis of the time to maintenance in units of time. The invention applies in particular to a rotary wing aircraft (1), e.g. a helicopter drone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventor: Samir Ghelam
  • Patent number: 8478457
    Abstract: A fatigue management system for determining the individual life of an aircraft, particularly the individual life of components of a helicopter, by means of an on board virtual load sensor and a method of operating a fatigue management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Bendisch, Falk Hoffmann, Antoine Rabourdin
  • Patent number: 8478477
    Abstract: A method of managing maintenance of an aircraft. The method includes defining a recommended maintenance program for the aircraft. Maintenance deadlines for the recommended maintenance program are determined by using primary data from a testing of at least one of pieces of equipment and elements of the aircraft. Utilization data for the aircraft is used and stored. A calculation device is used to implement at least one algorithm to recalculate the maintenance deadlines as a function of the actual utilization data. The recommended maintenance program is updated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventors: Pierre-Loic Maisonneuve, Mathieu Glade, Samir Ghelam, Patrick Lyonnet
  • Patent number: 8469667
    Abstract: A distributed mass device for reducing the vibration generated by a rotor, includes a support suitable for being constrained in rotation about an axis of rotation of the lift rotor. The distributed mass device further includes at least two main oscillating masses each provided with a through longitudinal recess, and each being connected to the support by respective deformable elements, the main oscillating masses being constrained to move solely in a horizontal plane by the deformable elements. The distributed mass device is provided with a secondary oscillating mass per main oscillating mass, each secondary oscillating mass being suspended inside the recess of the associated main oscillating mass by resilient elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventor: Vincent Girard
  • Patent number: 8469312
    Abstract: Maintenance steps on helicopters (10) comprising a casing (1), integrated into a lateral shell of a fuselage of a helicopter (11) for access from outside and a step (2) being pivotably mounted in the casing (1). The invention relates as well to methods for mounting and dismounting of such maintenance steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Gorlich, Gabriela Mihalascu, Klaus Koppel
  • Patent number: 8464980
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a power plant (10) having a single engine (13) together with both a main gearbox (MGB) suitable for driving the rotary wing (3) of a helicopter (1) and a tail gearbox (TGB) suitable for driving an anti-torque rotor (4) of a helicopter (1). The power plant (10) also includes a first electric motor (11) mechanically connected to said main gearbox (MGB) in order to be capable of driving said main gearbox (MGB), and a second electric motor (12) mechanically connected to said tail gearbox (TGB) in order to be capable of driving said tail gearbox (TGB).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventor: Bernard Certain
  • Patent number: 8452525
    Abstract: A weighing system for detecting total weight, including optional external loads, and monitoring of center of gravity of a helicopter (2), comprising a fuselage (1), a landing gear (4), mounted to the fuselage (1) by flanges (10-13) and weighing cells (41-44). The weighing cells (41-44) are integral with the flanges (10-13) between the fuselage (1) and the landing gear (4). Attachment means are provided at the landing gear (4) for external loads (39, 40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter, Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Johann Sendlinger, Markus Wahnfried
  • Patent number: 8443659
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fastener tool (101, 102) for fastening a transmission shaft (1), the tool being arranged at a free end (2, 3) of the transmission shaft (1), and also to a balancing bench (B) including the fastener tool (101, 102). The fastener tool is provided with centering elements (110, 110?) for centering the transmission shaft (1), which centering elements are deformable by centrifugal forces so as to come into contact with the transmission shaft as from a determined speed of rotation of the fastener tool (101, 102) about its axis of rotation (AX).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventors: Lucien Mistral, Philippe Hollier-Larousse
  • Patent number: 8442740
    Abstract: In order to regulate a power plant (105) having a gas generator (1) and a free turbine (3) to drive a rotary wing, a first speed of rotation (NTL) of the free turbine (3) is regulated on a first setpoint value (NTL*) equal either to a regulation term (NRc) or to a predetermined setpoint threshold (NTL*). The regulation term (NRc) is a function of a third speed of rotation (NR) of said rotary wing in accordance, where NRc=NR*(1?d), “d” representing a non-zero constant lying in the range 0 to 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventor: Régis Rossotto
  • Patent number: 8439297
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an air inlet (10) for a turbine engine (2) of an aircraft (1), the air inlet comprising an air delivery duct (20) defined by a side wall (21) and extended by a dynamic inlet duct (30), said dynamic inlet duct (30) extending along a dynamic axis (AX1) towards a front flow section (31), said dynamic inlet duct (30) being provided with a grid (40) for protection against ingesting foreign bodies. The grid (40) is suitable for moving in translation along said dynamic axis (AX1) relative to said front flow section (31), and said air inlet (10) includes at least one lateral inlet (50) arranged in said side wall (21) and cover means (41) for covering said lateral inlet (50) that are movable relative to said lateral inlet (50), said air inlet (10) including movement means (60) controlled by said movement in translation of the grid (40) to request movement of said cover means (41) relative to said lateral inlet (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventors: Marc Colaprisco, Victor Gerin-Roze
  • Patent number: 8439303
    Abstract: An undercarriage for a rotary wing aircraft, includes a tubular structure (7) with skids, the tubular structure (7) being designed to be mounted under or in a bottom portion (4) of the aircraft, the undercarriage being characterized in that the tubular structure (7) includes left and right longitudinal portions that are retractable, each of which portions is suitable for moving between a retracted position in a cruising flight configuration and a deployed configuration in a landing configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfram Koletzko
  • Patent number: 8442703
    Abstract: The present invention relates to estimating the attitude angles of an aircraft (1). The estimated attitude angles are generated by a device (9) that performs algorithmic integration on inertial measurements indicative of an angular velocity and of a linear acceleration. Horizontal components (34-39) of desired corrections are obtained by a linear combination of two horizontal components (32-33), with cross coefficients between said horizontal axes being continuous variable over time and dependent on the estimated rate of turn. As a result, the estimated attitude angles are stable, and the biases of the gyros continue to be estimated, including during stages during which the aircraft (1) is turning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventor: Jean Paul Petillon
  • Patent number: 8439304
    Abstract: An energy absorber system (10) provided with a shock absorber (11) extending from a first end (12) suitable for being connected to a rocker arm (5) of an undercarriage (3) housed in a wheel bay (4), towards a second end (13). In addition, the system includes a fitting (20) connected to said second end (13), and guide means (30) for guiding said fitting (20) in translation that is suitable for being fastened to a flank (4?) of said wheel well (4), said system (10) including deformable energy absorber means (40) fastened to said fitting (20) and suitable for being fastened to a structure (4?) of said bay (4) and also to fusible retention means (50) suitable for fastening said fitting (20) to said flank (4?), said fusible retention means (50) rupturing from a predetermined threshold in order to allow said fitting (20) to move under guidance from said guide means (30) so as to deform said energy absorber means (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventors: Joseph Mairou, Didier Bertin, Vincent Lassus, Jean Nicola