Patents Assigned to Eurocopter
  • Patent number: 8328134
    Abstract: A connection element for power transmission between a flap actuator and a flap mounted swivelably on a wing of an aircraft includes a first section joined to the flap actuator and a second section joined to the flap. The first and second sections are formed by a strap made of a fiber composite material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Alois Wagner
  • Patent number: 8328138
    Abstract: A supporting strut for supporting an intermediate deck (2) that is arranged in an aircraft fuselage (1), includes a hollow cylindrical rod body (3) that includes a fiber reinforced material, with the two ends of the rod body (3) being designed as attachment sections for detachable attachment to the aircraft fuselage (1) or to the intermediate deck (2), wherein the rod body (3) includes at least one first reinforcement layer (10a) made from a carbon fiber fabric with an identical number of warp- and weft threads in 45° alignment or 90° alignment, as well as at least one second reinforcement layer (10b, 10c) made from a carbon fiber fabric including a higher number of warp threads than weft threads in 0° alignment, as well as a final layer including glass fiber, which together with artificial resin form a compact fiber reinforced material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Anton Bergmann, Marinus Sedlmeier
  • Patent number: 8308882
    Abstract: A three-dimensional hollow fiber component includes a first sheet having first; second, third, fourth and fifth consecutive adjacent sheet sections, the first and fifth sections being end sections, the sheet shaped so as to surround a first chamber such that the first and fifth sections overlap to form a top wall of the first chamber and are stitched to each other by at least one seam and a second sheet having first, second, third, fourth and fifth adjacent consecutive sheet section, the first and fifth sections being end sections, the sheet sections shaped so as to surround a second chamber such that the first and fifth sections overlap to form a top wall of the second chamber and are stitched to each other by at least one seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Christian Weimer
  • Patent number: 8297928
    Abstract: A blade (10) extending longitudinally from a root (11) of the blade (10) to a free end (12) of the blade (10), the blade (10) having a resonator (13) incorporated therein to reduce the drag movements (F1, F2) of the blade (10), the resonator (13) being provided with a solid and movable heavy element (30) and with resilient retaining element (20) secured to the heavy element (30) and to the blade (10). Furthermore, the resonator (13) includes guide element (40) in which the heavy element (30) is capable of oscillating (F1?, F2?) longitudinally, the guide element (40) being arranged in a longitudinal direction (D1) of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventors: Thomas Manfredotti, Paul Cranga, Julien Guitton
  • Patent number: 8295997
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pilot assistance method for giving assistance in piloting a rotary wing aircraft, the method consisting in using a scale with collective pitch graduations that is movable on a display screen to indicate the position of the collective pitch, in determining the desynchronization pitch, in using a maximum limit value and a minimum limit value for the speed of rotation of the rotor, in transforming the maximum limit value and the minimum limit value in real time and as a function of physical flight parameters respectively into a bottom limit position and a top limit position for the collective pitch, and when a determined difference appears between the real value and the reference value Nr0 for the speed of rotation of the rotor, in displaying at least one item of corrective information about the adjustment of the collective pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventors: Karine De Bono, Michel Godard
  • Patent number: 8292978
    Abstract: A radial air intake device for an engine or a power unit that includes a ring-shaped filter for covering the radial air intake. The ring-shaped filter includes a first fixed part and a second mobile part which is movable with respect to the first fixed part through actuator elements, from a filtering position in which the whole radial air intake is covered by the ring-shaped filter, to a bypass position in which the second mobile part uncovers at least partly the radial air intake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Kornelius Krahl
  • Patent number: 8282035
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a mechanical device (1) suitable for combining first and second pitch control orders for controlling the blade pitch of at least one rotary assembly, the device comprising a carrier structure (10) suitable for being fastened to a support (5) by at least one main fastener pin (13) about which said carrier structure (10) is capable of performing a pivoting movement. In addition, the device includes at least one connection lever (20, 30) per rotary assembly, and at least one secondary fastener pin (25, 35) per connection lever (20, 30), said secondary fastener pin (25, 35) being secured firstly to said carrier structure (10) and being fastened secondly by rotary means (26, 36) to the connection lever (20, 30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventors: Bernard Gemmati, Romuald Biest, Guillaume Franchini
  • Patent number: 8283796
    Abstract: A hybrid engine installation (200) includes drive element (204) suitable for driving a mechanical element (BTP, BTA) in rotation. In addition, the hybrid engine installation is remarkable in that it includes at least one gas turbine (253, 254) and at least one electric motor (201) mechanically linked to the drive element (204) to drive it in rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventor: Bernard Certain
  • Patent number: 8282085
    Abstract: An absorbent covering (1) has high damping power, secured on a structure (2) and includes a dissipater mesh made up of a plurality of dissipating elements (3) and of nodes (4) each having its bottom end (4?) secured on the structure (2). In remarkable manner, the bottom ends (4?) of the nodes (4) project from the dissipating elements (3) so as to leave an empty space (5) between the dissipating elements (3) and the structure (2), the absorbent covering (1) including main absorbent elements (6) arranged in the empty space (5), each of the main absorbent elements (6) being secured firstly to a bottom face (3?) of a dissipating element (3) and secondly to the structure (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventor: Thomas Manfredotti
  • Patent number: 8240617
    Abstract: The present invention relates to haptic feedback for operating at least one manual flight control device (21) for controlling the cyclic pitch of the blades (5) of a rotary wing (4) of a hybrid helicopter (1) via power assistance (27). Said operations of said control device (21) are defined according to a predetermined damping force relationship (A) that is a function of an instantaneous load factor of the hybrid helicopter (1) in such a manner that the instantaneous load factor is maintained between its minimum and maximum limit values in proportion to a position of a thrust control member (20) between its minimum and maximum thrust values (23, 22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventors: Romuald Biest, Bernard Gemmati, Julien Pruss
  • Patent number: 8240722
    Abstract: The invention relates to a stop armature of an armature system of an aircraft door with a fuselage stop armature (10) and a door stop armature (12, 79), with a stop screw (30; 40; 60) in one of the two stop armatures (10, 12 or 79), which can be pressurized by the other stop armature (10) in the longitudinal direction of the screw (30; 40; 60; 80) on a locating face (34; 52; 70; 88). It is further developed by virtue of the fact that the screw (30; 40; 60; 80) encompasses a screw head (32; 42; 69) with a ball (36; 50; 68; 85) held therein that can rotate around its midpoint (M) as the fulcrum. The invention also relates to a stop screw for a stop armature and the use of a ball thrust screw as the stop screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Dieling, Volker Müncheberg, Dirk Trott
  • Patent number: 8240601
    Abstract: A coaxial rotary coupling (11) includes a hollow inner tube (4) and a hollow outer tube (7), with inner and outer splines (12 and 13) in mutual engagement. The coupling (11) further includes: approach elements for longitudinally approaching the inner and outer tubes (4, 7) together with elements presenting a wedge arrangement for causing the inner and outer tubes (4, 7) to turn (23) relative to each other in opposite directions so as to limit tangential assembly slack; a soleplate (16) of the driven tube (7); and a flange (17); the driving tubes (4) having complementary splines (12, 13, 18) together with dogs including force-transformation ramps (31) that are distributed peripherally within the coupling (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventors: Etienne Rampal, Elio Zoppitelli
  • Patent number: 8226364
    Abstract: Described is a blade (10) extending longitudinally from a root (11) of the blade (10) to a free end (12) of the blade (10), the blade (10) being provided with an incorporated resonator (20) for reducing the drag movements (F1, F2) of the blade (10), the resonator (20) being provided with a closed tank (30) that is partially filled with a liquid (50). Furthermore, the resonator (20) includes a central tube (40) immersed inside the tank (30), the tank (30) and the central tube (40) being arranged in a longitudinal direction (Y) of the blade (10), the central tube (40) having first and second ends (41, 42) that communicate with the tank (30) so that the liquid (50) can move from the tank (30) into the central tube (40), and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventors: Thomas Manfredotti, Paul Cranga, Julien Guitton
  • Patent number: 8226037
    Abstract: An aircraft door assembly of an aircraft, having a fuselage with a door opening and a door frame, encompassing an aircraft door fittable in the door frame. The door includes a door structure having an outer skin and is liftable from a locked closed position into a unlocked closed position, pivotable into an open position located outside the door frame and outside the fuselage, pivotable from the open position back into the unlocked closed position, and lowerable into the locked closed position such that in the locked closed position, a door gap is present between the door frame and a door edge. The gap defines a space for lifting and lowering the door. The door also includes, on its outer side and on a door edge region, a door gap covering element that extends over the door gap onto the outer side of the aircraft fuselage and covers the door gap, when the door is in the locked closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Steffen Obst
  • Patent number: 8224503
    Abstract: A method of inspecting the integrity of an avionics system (1) installed in an aircraft, by inspecting the integrity in terms of electrical installation and data acquisition and transmission, wherein the method includes: using an Ethernet network (4) connecting the avionics system (1) to an inspection computer (3); using the computer (3) to generate first inspection signals transmitted to the component and/or to acquire second inspection signals coming from the component; using data read and write elements of a controller of the avionics system (1) to generate reference data relating to the component and transmitted to the inspection computer (3) via the Ethernet network (4); and displaying the reference data and the inspection signals and where appropriate recording the reference data and the inspection signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventors: Philippe Piolet, Serge Germanetti, Erwan Guillanton
  • Patent number: 8215908
    Abstract: An aerodynamic profile includes a main profile body defining a profile depth direction and being shear-flexible in the profile depth direction, a tension-stiff and compression-stiff upper covering skin, a tension-stiff and compression-stiff lower covering skin, wherein the upper and lower covering skins envelope the main profile body, a bearingless and hingeless rear profile deformation region disposed at a rear edge region, and at least one actuator disposed in the main profile body. The at least one actuator is configured to initiate a flexural motion of the main profile body resulting in a curvature of the upper and lower covering skins and to deform the rear profile deformation region and so as to yield a flap deflection directed opposite to a direction of the flexural motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Andree Altmikus, Rupert Pfaller, Bernhard Enenkl
  • Patent number: 8209137
    Abstract: A method and a device for contactless determination of forces and/or moments acting on a hollow cylindrical body (12), in which via a light source (20; 38; 40), light radiation is produced within the hollow cylindrical body (12); measurement signals are recorded by an optoelectronic sensor (22; 34); the measurement signals recorded by the optoelectronic sensor (22; 34) are supplied to the signal processing unit (26); the signal processing unit (26) detects and outputs changes of the measurement signals relative to an initial state determined beforehand by calibration, corresponding to the initial undeformed state of the hollow cylindrical body (12); and when a mechanical deformation of the hollow cylindrical body (12) is present, according to a calibration function or a calculation rule, the signal processing unit (26) outputs an output signal that describes the forces and/or moments that are causing the mechanical deformation of the hollow cylindrical body (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Doleschel, Wolfang Wagner, Georg Wurzel
  • Patent number: 8205535
    Abstract: A fiber cable for helicopter rescue winches includes a plurality of load-bearing synthetic-fiber strands braided with one another, at least one electrically conductive insert, and a wear indicator providing a visual check of a state of the fiber cable, where the load-bearing synthetic-fiber strands are encased in a radial direction by a friction-reducing stable fiber layer, an inner cable jacket, and outer cable jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Florian Kempf, Juergen Fischer
  • Patent number: 8196865
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a foldable step unit (10) for a rotorcraft, the step unit being provided with a bottom step (16) and a stationary support (11) that is secured to the structure of the rotorcraft (2). The step unit (10) comprises a left side beam (14) and a right beam (15) hinged on said stationary support (11), said bottom step (16) being arranged on a left free end (14?) and a right free end (15?) respectively of the left and right side beams (14, 15) via a pivot pin (16?), drive means (18) for said step unit (10) and connected via at least one control means (21, 22) to at least one side beam (14, 15) enable said step unit (10) to be retracted into and extended from a housing (2) formed in the rotorcraft (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventor: Eric André Martin
  • Patent number: 8196937
    Abstract: A transport wheel device for a helicopter having a runner defining an axial direction. The transport wheel includes a holding frame, a wheel axle, a slide, a wheel and a lifting device. The holding frame is detachably securable to the runner. The wheel axle is attached the holding frame by the slide. The slide is continuously adjustable axially with respect to the holding frame and securable in an axial position. A wheel is disposed on the wheel axle. The lifting device is coupled to the holding frame and the wheel axle. The lifting device is configured to vertically move the transport wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Hermann Sahlstorfer