System for tilting a propeller for an aircraft

Abstract

A tilt system for a propeller of an aerial vehicle can include a propeller disposed in front of an open portion of a housing and configured to be selectively tilted relative to the housing, a linkage assembly disposed in an interior space of the housing with a first end portion connected to the housing and a second end portion connected to the propeller and configured to tilt the propeller upward or downward as it extends out of or retracts into the housing, and an actuator coupled to the linkage assembly and configured to provide power to the linkage assembly for extension or retraction.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a tilting system for a propeller of an aircraft, in which the propeller is capable of not only tilting operation around a single axis but also moving forward / backward while tilting, thereby suppressing reduction of lift thrust caused by a wing or a boom and maintaining rigidity by using a single actuator as in a conventional system. BACKGROUND

[0002] An aircraft performs lift and cruise during flight. Therefore, a lift propeller and a cruise propeller are generally provided for lift motion and cruise motion, respectively.

[0003] However, the lift propeller is not used during cruise, and the presence of the lift propeller is quite disadvantageous in terms of aerodynamic performance.

[0004] Therefore, a tilting propeller has been widely developed so that a single propeller can be tilted upward or downward according to an environment in which it is used, thereby satisfying both purposes.

[0005] However, the conventional tilting propeller has a problem in that since it can only be tilted at a fixed position, a wing or a boom in which the propeller is installed is located directly below the propeller when tilted upward, and the wing or boom below reduces the thrust during lift.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need for a technology capable of implementing a propeller that not only performs simple tilting by a single actuator but also slides forward when tilted upward to prevent reduction of thrust during lift.

[0007] The information disclosed in the background of the present application is only for the purpose of enhancing the understanding of the general background of the present application, and can not be regarded as a recognition that the information forms the prior art known to those skilled in the art or any form of suggestion. SUMMARY

[0008] The various aspects of the present application are intended to provide a tilting system for a propeller of an aircraft, in which the propeller is capable of not only tilting operation around a single axis but also moving forward / backward while tilting, suppressing reduction of lift thrust caused by a wing or a boom, and maintaining rigidity by using a single actuator as in a conventional system.

[0009] A tilt system for a propeller of an aircraft according to aspects of the present disclosure includes a housing having an interior space and an open portion at an end portion of the housing, a propeller disposed in front of the open portion of the housing and configured to be selectively tilted with respect to the housing, a linkage assembly disposed in the interior space of the housing, a first end portion of the linkage assembly connected to the housing, and a second end portion of the linkage assembly connected to the propeller, and the linkage assembly configured to tilt the propeller upward or downward as the linkage assembly is extended out of or retracted into the housing, and an actuator coupled to the linkage assembly and configured to provide power to the linkage assembly for extension or retraction. The linkage assembly can include an upper linkage and a lower linkage, and can be configured such that a length of the lower linkage is greater than a length of the upper linkage, and the lower linkage can include a plurality of portions connected with respect to a hinge. A forward movement of the upper linkage can be limited at a maximum forward movement point by a stopper of the housing, and the actuator can be connected to the lower linkage.

[0010] The housing can be a boom or a wing of the aircraft.

[0011] The propeller can lift the aircraft when tilted upward, and can cruise the aircraft when tilted downward.

[0012] The propeller can close the open portion of the housing when tilted downward.

[0013] The propeller can open the open portion of the housing when tilted upward, and is arranged to extend out of the housing in a direction perpendicular to the housing.

[0014] The linkage assembly can be received inside the housing when the propeller is tilted downward, and can be partially exposed outside through the open portion when the propeller is tilted upward.

[0015] The actuator can move the upper linkage and the lower linkage forward or backward, the upper linkage and the lower linkage can move forward together when the propeller is tilted upward, the lower linkage can continue to move forward after the upper linkage is fully moved forward, and the plurality of portions of the lower linkage can be bent with respect to the hinge to lift the propeller, thereby tilting the propeller upward.

[0016] The actuator can move the upper linkage and the lower linkage forward or backward, the propeller can be tilted downward, the lower linkage can move backward, and as the upper linkage and the lower linkage move backward, the plurality of bent portions can be linearly arranged as the propeller is tilted downward.

[0017] The lower linkage can be provided with a cylinder, and the plurality of portions of the lower linkage can move backward into the cylinder or move forward outside of the cylinder.

[0018] The propeller can close the open portion of the housing when tilted downward and can rotate upward while moving forward from the open portion of the housing when tilted upward.

[0019] The tilting system of the propeller for an aircraft according to various exemplary embodiments of the present application has an advantage in that the propeller is capable of not only tilting operation about a single axis but also forward / backward movement while tilting, suppressing reduction of lift thrust caused by a wing or a boom, and maintaining rigidity by using a single actuator as in a conventional system.

[0020] The method and apparatus of the present application have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or that will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of the application, and the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein in connection with the description of certain principles of the application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tilting system of a propeller for an aircraft according to various exemplary embodiments of the present application;

[0022] Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 4 is a view exemplarily showing a process of tilting a propeller upward by a tilting system of a propeller for an aircraft according to exemplary embodiments of the present application; and

[0023] Figure 5 and Figure 6 is a view exemplarily showing operation of a tilting system of a propeller for an aircraft according to exemplary embodiments of the present application.

[0024] It is to be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale, as the presentation of various features of the application in a slightly simplified manner is intended to illustrate the basic principles of the application. Particular design features of the application as disclosed herein, including for example, particular dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes, will be determined in part by the specific intended application and use environment.

[0025] In the drawings, like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Reference will now be made in detail to the various embodiments of the application, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the application(s) will be described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the application(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the application(s) is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments that can be included within the spirit and scope of the application(s), as defined by the appended claims.

[0027] It will be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale, present a somewhat simplified representation of various features of the application, for the sake of clarity. Particular design features of the application as disclosed herein (including, for example, particular dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes) will be determined in part by the specific intended application and use environment.

[0028] In the drawings, like numerals of reference designate the same or equivalent parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

[0029] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tilting system for a propeller of an aircraft according to various exemplary embodiments of the application. Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 4 are views that exemplarily illustrate a process of tilting a propeller upward by a tilting system for a propeller of an aircraft according to exemplary embodiments of the application. Figure 5 and Figure 6 are views that exemplarily illustrate an operation of a tilting system for a propeller of an aircraft according to exemplary embodiments of the application.

[0030] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tilting system for a propeller of an aircraft according to various exemplary embodiments of the application, and the tilting system for a propeller of an aircraft according to various exemplary embodiments of the application includes: a housing 100 having an internal space and having an open portion at an end portion thereof; a propeller 300 disposed in the open portion O of the housing 100 and configured to be tilted with respect to the housing 100; a link assembly 500 disposed in the internal space of the housing 100, one end portion of which is connected to the housing 100 and an opposite end portion of which is connected to the propeller 300, and configured to tilt the propeller 300 upward or downward when the link assembly 500 is extended or retracted; and an actuator 700 configured to provide power for extension or retraction to the link assembly 500.

[0031] According to various exemplary embodiments of the present application, when the propeller 300 is tilted downward and upward, by not only rotating the propeller 300 but also further moving the propeller 300 forward, thrust loss of the wing or the boom located at the lower side can be minimized.

[0032] To achieve this, the boom or the wing in which the propeller 300 is provided is defined as a housing 100. An internal space is formed in the housing 100, and an opening portion O is formed at an end portion of the housing 100. The propeller 300 is provided in the opening portion O of the housing 100, and can be tilted with respect to the housing 100.

[0033] In detail, the tilting operation of the propeller 300 is achieved by a link assembly 500. The link assembly 500 is provided in the internal space of the housing 100, one end portion of the link assembly 500 is connected to the housing 100, and the opposite end portion of the link assembly 500 is connected to the propeller 300, and when the link assembly 500 is extended or retracted, the link assembly 500 tilts the tilted propeller 300 upward or downward.

[0034] The actuator 700 provides power for extension or retraction to the link assembly 500.

[0035] That is, the housing 100 can be a boom or a wing of an aircraft. The propeller 300 can lift the aircraft A when tilted upward, and can make the aircraft A cruise when tilted downward. Accordingly, the propeller 300 is tilted upward to face the upper side as Figure 4 indicated at the point in time when the aircraft A needs to be lifted, and is tilted downward to face the front side as Figure 2 indicated when the aircraft A needs to be cruised.

[0036] The propeller 300 can close the opening portion O of the housing 100 when tilted downward. Accordingly, when the aircraft A cruises in a state as Figure 6 , by closing the inside of the housing 100, thrust loss for cruising can be reduced, and aerodynamic performance of the aircraft A can be improved.

[0037] Meanwhile, the propeller 300 can open the opening portion of the housing 100 when tilted upward, and can be disposed perpendicular to the direction in which the housing 100 is extended. Accordingly, as Figure 4 and Figure 6 indicated, the propeller 300 can face the upper side, and the aircraft A can take off or land vertically. In this case, it is inevitable to open the opening portion O of the housing 100, but even so, there is no big problem because forward thrust is not required.

[0038] Meanwhile, the link assembly 500 is received inside the housing 100 when the propeller 300 is tilted downward, and can be partially exposed outside through the open portion O when the propeller 300 is tilted upward.

[0039] In detail, the link assembly 500 can include an upper link 540 and a lower link 520, and can be configured such that the length of the lower link 520 is greater than the length of the upper link 540, and the lower link 520 can include a plurality of portions connected with respect to a hinge 522.

[0040] Here, the actuator 700 can move the upper link 540 and the lower link 520 forward or backward, the upper link 540 and the lower link 520 can be moved forward together when the propeller 300 is tilted upward, the lower link 520 can continue to move forward after the upper link 540 is completely moved forward, and the plurality of portions of the lower link 520 can be bent with respect to the hinge 522 to lift the propeller 300, thereby tilting the propeller 300 upward.

[0041] In addition, the actuator 700 can move the upper link 540 and the lower link 520 forward or backward, the propeller 300 can be tilted downward, the lower link 520 can be moved backward, and as the upper link 540 and the lower link 520 are moved backward when the propeller 300 is tilted downward, the plurality of bent portions can be linearly arranged.

[0042] In detail, the forward movement of the upper link 540 can be limited at a maximum forward movement point by a stopper 542 of the housing 100, and the actuator 700 can be connected to the lower link 520. In addition, the lower link 520 can be provided with a cylinder, and the plurality of portions of the lower link 520 can be moved backward into the cylinder, or can be moved forward to the outside of the cylinder.

[0043] Meanwhile, the propeller 300 can close the open portion O of the housing 100 when tilted downward, and can be rotated upward while moving forward from the open portion O of the housing 100 when tilted upward.

[0044] Figure 2 is a view exemplarily showing that the propeller 300 is tilted downward and arranged in a cruising state, and Figure 4 is a view exemplarily showing that the propeller 300 is tilted upward and is in a lifting state, and Figure 3 is a view exemplarily showing an intermediate process. Accordingly, the propeller 300 is operated in the order of Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 when tilted upward, and is changed in the order of Figure 4 , Figure 3 and Figure 2 when tilted downward.

[0045] In detail, the link assembly 500 includes two links. One of the two links is an upper link 540 disposed at the upper side, and the other of the two links is a lower link 520 disposed at the lower side thereof. Here, the length of the lower link 520 is set to be slightly longer because it is required to change 90 degrees upward during the tilting operation.

[0046] In the exemplary embodiment of the present application, the front end portion of the lower link 520 is pivotally connected to the propeller 300 via a hinge 524, and the front end portion of the upper link 540 is pivotally connected to the propeller 300 via a hinge 544, and the rear end portion of the upper link 540 is slidably connected to the housing 100.

[0047] In the exemplary embodiment of the present application, the plurality of portions can include at least two links connected to the actuator 700 and the propeller via the hinge 522, wherein one of the at least two links is a link 526 connected to the propeller 300 via the hinge 524 and a link 528 pivotally connected to the link 526 via the hinge 522 and slidably engaged to the actuator 700.

[0048] Further, for the upward tilting operation, the lower link 520 includes a plurality of portions separated with respect to the hinge 522.

[0049] First, in the state of Figure 2 , the cylinder-type actuator 700 is operated. The actuator 700 is an electric motor driving type or a hydraulic type, and moves the lower link 520 forward and backward inside thereof. The lower link 520 is linearly moved when moved forward by the actuator, and thus the upper link 540 is also moved forward.

[0050] Further, the upper link 540 is stopped by a stopper 542 of the housing 100 at the maximum forward moving distance, and cannot be moved forward any more, as shown in Figure 3 . Through this process, the propeller 300 reaches a position spaced forward from the open portion O of the housing 100, and is tilted upward at the corresponding point, and thus minimizes the loss of thrust caused by the boom or the wing during the lifting.

[0051] When the actuator 700 continues to operate, the forward movement of the upper link 540 is limited, and thus the portion of the lower link 520 is hinged and bent, and thus performs the upward tilting operation by viewing the upper side through the propeller 300, as shown in Figure 4 .

[0052] In the present manner, because the propeller 300 is tilted after moving forward, the loss of thrust is reduced, and since the forward movement and rotation of the aircraft are achieved by one actuator 700, the weight and manufacturing cost of the aircraft are reduced.

[0053] Furthermore, because the upper link 540 and the lower link 520 support the propeller 300, the supporting force of the propeller 300 is increased, which enables stable flight when the propeller 300 is lifted.

[0054] Figure 5 This illustrates the cruise state of aircraft A corresponding to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention when the propeller 300 is tilted downwards. Figure 6 This shows the state in which aircraft A is lifted when propeller 300 tilts upward.

[0055] According to the tilting system for aircraft propellers of the present invention, the propeller is not only capable of tilting around a single axis, but also capable of moving forward / backward while tilting, suppressing the reduction in lift thrust caused by the wings or boom, and maintaining stiffness by using a single actuator as in conventional systems.

[0056] For ease of interpretation and precise definition in the appended claims, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “inner,” “outer,” “facing upward,” “facing downward,” “upward,” “downward,” “front,” “back,” “behind,” “inner side,” “outer side,” “inward,” “outer,” “internal,” “external,” “inner,” “outer,” “forward,” and “backward” are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of these features shown in the figures. It will be further understood that the term “connection” or its derivatives refer to direct and indirect connections.

[0057] For purposes of illustration and description, the foregoing description of specific exemplary embodiments of the invention has been presented. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and it will be apparent that many modifications and variations can be made in accordance with the foregoing teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described to explain certain principles of the invention and its practical application, enabling others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the invention and their various substitutions and modifications. The scope of the invention is intended to be defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A tilting system for an aircraft propeller, the tilting system comprising: A housing having an internal space and an opening at an end portion of the housing; A propeller disposed in front of the opening portion of the housing and configured to be selectively tilted relative to the housing; A linkage assembly, wherein a first end portion of the linkage assembly is coupled to the housing, and a second end portion of the linkage assembly is coupled to the propeller, and the linkage assembly is configured to tilt the propeller upward or downward when the linkage assembly extends from or retracts into the housing; and An actuator coupled to the linkage assembly and configured to provide power to the linkage assembly for extension or retraction; The linkage assembly includes an upper linkage and a lower linkage, the lower linkage being longer than the upper linkage, and the lower linkage including at least a portion of a hinge connected to the actuator; and The forward movement of the upper link is limited at the maximum forward movement point by a stop arranged in the housing, and the actuator is coupled to the lower link.

2. The tilting system according to claim 1, wherein, The shell is the boom or wing of the aircraft.

3. The tilting system according to claim 1, wherein, The propeller lifts the aircraft when tilting upwards and enables the aircraft to cruise when tilting downwards.

4. The tilting system according to claim 1, wherein, The propeller closes the opening portion of the housing when tilted downwards.

5. The tilting system according to claim 1, wherein, The propeller opens the opening portion of the housing when it tilts upward relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

6. The tilting system according to claim 5, wherein, The propeller opens the opening portion of the housing when tilted upwards and is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

7. The tilting system according to claim 1, wherein, When the propeller tilts downward, the linkage assembly is received inside the housing, and when the propeller tilts upward, the linkage assembly is partially exposed to the outside through the opening.

8. The tilting system according to claim 1, in, The first end portion of the upper connecting rod is pivotally connected to the propeller, and the second end portion of the upper connecting rod is slidably coupled to the housing through the opening portion of the housing. Wherein, at least a portion of the lower connecting rod includes a first connecting rod and a second connecting rod, a first end portion of the first connecting rod being pivotally connected to the propeller, and The first end of the second link is pivotally connected to the second end portion of the first link, and the second end portion of the second link is slidably engaged with the actuator through the opening portion of the housing.

9. The tilting system according to claim 1, wherein, The actuator causes the upper link and the lower link to move in a first predetermined direction along the longitudinal direction of the housing. The upper link and the lower link move forward together to tilt the propeller upward. After the upper link has moved forward completely, the lower link continues to move forward, and at least a portion of the lower link moves relative to the hinge to lift the propeller, thereby tilting the propeller upward.

10. The tilting system according to claim 1, wherein, The actuator causes the upper and lower connecting rods to move in a second predetermined direction along the longitudinal direction of the housing, the propeller tilts downward, the lower connecting rod moves backward into the housing, and the at least portion is linearly arranged when the upper and lower connecting rods move backward to tilt the propeller downward.

11. The tilting system according to claim 1, wherein, The lower connecting rod is provided with a cylinder, and at least a portion of the lower connecting rod moves rearward into the cylinder or forward to the outside of the cylinder.

12. The tilting system according to claim 1, in, The propeller closes the opening portion of the housing when tilted downwards, and The propeller rotates upward while moving forward from the opening portion of the housing when tilted upward.

Images