Patents Assigned to Eurocopter
  • Publication number: 20130119185
    Abstract: The rotors of a helicopter are directly connected with electric high-torque motors, and are powered by the latter. Energy generation and rotor drive are separate from each other. The high-torque motor of the main rotor is pivoted to the cabin canopy, so that it can be tilted together with the main rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicants: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH, EADS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: EADS Deutschland GmbH, Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
  • 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
  • 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: 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: 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
  • Publication number: 20130114995
    Abstract: A ball-joint mechanism between a connecting rod (1) and at least one journal (3, 3?). A lateral protection part (12, 12?) interposed between the connecting rod (1) and the journal (3, 3?) is arranged as a one-piece ring comprising a wear member (14, 14?) and a fastener member (15, 15?) that are secured to each other. The fastener member (15, 15?) is made of hard material and is interposed with axial clamping between the journal (3, 3?) and a shoulder (20, 20?) of an assembly pin (7) between the connecting rod (1) and the journal (3, 3?) via opposite end faces thereof with a space being arranged between them to receive the wear member (14, 14?). The invention is applicable to a flight control mechanism for a rotorcraft that serves to vary the pitch of the blades of a rotary wing forming part of a rotor of the rotorcraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: EUROCOPTER
    Inventor: EUROCOPTER
  • Patent number: 8434718
    Abstract: A reusable bumper (10) for a rotorcraft (1) suitable for protecting a rear end (3) of said rotorcraft (1). The bumper (10) comprises a resilient outer shell (20) forming a first chamber (11) having a resilient inner shell (30) placed therein and forming a second chamber (12), said outer shell (20) having at least one main orifice (21), said inner shell (30) being provided with management means (50) for managing the pressure that exists inside said second chamber (12) and suitable for enabling said pressure to increase up to a predetermined threshold in order to inform the pilot that the bumper (10) has made contact with the ground (S), and then to enable said pressure to drop in order to absorb energy resulting from said contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventors: Joseph Mairou, Pierre Prud'Homme-Lacroix
  • Publication number: 20130106177
    Abstract: A device (50) for feeding electricity to equipment (3) of a vehicle (1), the device including a harness (5), a socket (6) electrically connected to said harness (5), and a plug (9) electrically connected to said equipment (3) and co-operating with said socket (6) to provide the electrical connection between said harness (5) and said equipment (3). The device (50) provides for said harness (5) to run in the thickness of a floor (2) of the vehicle (1), said socket (6) being embedded in the thickness of said floor (2) so that the top surface of said floor (2) does not present any projecting portion. The device (50) includes a movable protection cap (7) for opening and closing said socket (6), together with opening means (40) driven by mounting said equipment (3) on said floor (2), thereby causing said movable protection cap (7) to open.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: EUROCOPTER
    Inventor: EUROCOPTER
  • Publication number: 20130105624
    Abstract: The present invention relates to landing gear (5) having at least one undercarriage (10) comprising a landing gear leg (11) carrying at least one wheel (12). The undercarriage (10) includes a retraction actuator (20) having an electric motor (23), blocking means (30) for blocking the actuator in the retraction position and for enabling the retraction actuator to be positioned in the “landing gear extended” position by gravity, first monitoring means (35) for monitoring the operation of the retraction actuator (20), first control means (65) for controlling the refraction actuator (20), and second control means (75) for controlling the blocking means (30).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: EUROCOPTER
    Inventor: Eurocopter
  • Publication number: 20130105625
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an aircraft (1) provided with at least one rotary element (10) provided with blades (11) liable to come into contact with a liquid surface (100) on ditching, said aircraft including a buoyancy system. The aircraft includes a fairing (15) surrounding at least part of said rotary element (10), the fairing (15) including an inflatable emergency float (20) of the buoyancy system for preventing said blades (11) from coming into contact with the liquid surface when in an inflated position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: EUROCOPTER
    Inventor: EUROCOPTER
  • Publication number: 20130105749
    Abstract: The present invention relates to control means (20) for controlling a lifter device (10), the control means having a grip (25) comprising a body (30) extending longitudinally in a first direction (D1) in elevation from a first end (31) to a second end (32), said control means (20) including at least one control member (40) for controlling said lifter device (10). The body (30) includes a groove (33) extending longitudinally in a second direction (D2) in elevation, said groove (33) having a back wall (34) and an open section (35) that is open to the outside (EXT) of the grip (25) so that a suspension member (15) can be reversibly inserted in said groove (33) through said open section (35), the suspension member (15) being held in said groove (33) by the hand of an operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: EUROCOPTER
    Inventor: EUROCOPTER
  • Patent number: 8430357
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a tail skid (10) for a rotorcraft (1), the tail skid comprising a contact blade (11) extending from a contact first end (11?) towards a second end (11?), said contact first end (11?) being provided with a top face (12) suitable for facing a structure (7) of the rotorcraft (1) and a bottom face (13) suitable for facing towards the ground (2) when said tail skid (10) is fastened to a rotorcraft (1) standing on the ground (2), said bottom face (13) having a first area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventor: Pierre Prud'Homme-Lacroix
  • Publication number: 20130102431
    Abstract: A planetary gear (1, 20, 30, 40) for variable transmission, particularly a planetary gear for variable transmission towards a tail rotor of a helicopter. At least one gear set (s1, s2, s3, s4) of a sun gear (w4, w6, 21) comprises a ring gear (w1, w7), planetary wheels (2, 22, 32) and a planet carrier (w2, w3, w8). At least one clutch (k, K1, K2) and at least one freewheel (Fl, FL1, FL2) are provided for at least two different speeds of the planet carrier (w2, w3, w8) as output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventor: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
  • Publication number: 20130092789
    Abstract: The rotors of a helicopter are powered by electric motors. The electrical energy required for this purpose is produced by a motor-generator unit, which comprises one or more internal combustion engines. The motor-generator unit can be secured under the cabin floor. This yields a hybrid helicopter that can set the rotational frequency of the rotors within a large interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicants: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH, EADS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: EADS Deutschland GmbH, Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
  • Publication number: 20130093632
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an antenna (7) for an aircraft (1), the antenna being fitted with a coaxial cable provided with a coaxial connector (25) comprising a core (26) and shielding (27), the coaxial cable (24) being suitable for being connected to a source (40) for co-operating with the antenna (7). The antenna comprises a cable-cutter device (10) having a frame (12) carrying two sharp edges (11), said antenna (7) including an impedance-matching system (35) connecting said frame (12) to said core (26), said frame being a radiating member of the antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: EUROCOPTER
    Inventor: Eurocopter
  • Publication number: 20130087660
    Abstract: A device for assisting the piloting of a rotorcraft, the rotorcraft having a flight control (10) for controlling a rotor (20, 21) via at least one linkage (35. An additional force is generated by at least one piloting assistance means (100) mechanically linked to the linkage (35. The additional force is a function of the position of the flight control (10) and of an instantaneous force as measured on the linkage (35).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: EUROCOPTER
    Inventor: Eurocopter
  • Publication number: 20130082135
    Abstract: An aircraft (1) having a fuselage (2), a power plant (10), a rotary wing (15) having at least one main rotor (16), and a fixed wing (20) comprising two half-wings (21, 22) extending on either side of the fuselage (2). The aircraft (1) also has at least two propulsive propellers (30) on either side of the fuselage (2). Each is positioned on respective ones of the half-wings (21, 22), and an anti-torque and yaw-control tail rotor (35). A transmission system (40) connects the power plant (10) to each main rotor (16) and the tail rotor (35). The transmission system (40) connects the power plant (10) to each propeller (30) via a respective differential mechanism (50) that is controllable on request so that each propeller (30) can be driven in cruising flight and need not be driven in rotation by the power plant (10) on the ground or while hovering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: EUROCOPTER
    Inventor: EUROCOPTER
  • Patent number: 8408643
    Abstract: A seat for a powered aircraft, the seat comprising a bucket (2) that is supported in hyperstatic manner on a stand. Leg members (7, 8) carry the bucket (2) via bolts (10). A first hinged mechanism for geometrically compensating deformation of the floor associates a ball-joint mounting of the bolts (10) on the leg members (7, 8) with an axial deformation arrangement of the bolts (10) between opposing axial bearing surfaces where they press against a strength member (9) of the bucket (2) and against the leg members (7, 8). A second energy-absorber mechanism associates fuses (22) with deformable support members (23) for the bucket (2), which members engage the bolts (10) and the leg members (7, 8) via slides (25) arranged to adjust the initial height position of the bucket (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventor: Olivier Honnorat
  • Patent number: 8412388
    Abstract: An assisted piloting method for an aircraft having at least two engines (2, 3) includes monitoring a set of parameters (Ng, T4, Tq) of the engines. A first limit indicator (10) displays information relating to a value of a limiting parameter of the engines. The limiting parameter is the parameter (Ng, T4, Tq) of the engines that is the closest to its limit. An assisted piloting mode is activated during which each parameter (Ng, T4, Tq) is maintained below a predetermined threshold whenever the first limit indicator is not in a position to display the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventors: Daniel Chaniot, Olivier Voinchet, Francois-Xavier Gaulmin