Nacelle structure of electric aircraft

Abstract

The invention provides a nacelle structure of an electric aircraft, and the nacelle structure comprises an upper skin and a lower skin which are riveted with frames, beams and reinforcements in the nacelle structure; the tilting rotor wing connecting joint is connected with the tilting mechanism connecting frame, the tilting rotor wing motor and the tilting mechanism; the tilting mechanism connecting frame is used for fixing a tilting rotor wing connecting joint and is riveted on the upper skin and the lower skin; the controller mounting assembly is formed by connecting a controller front bulkhead, a controller rear bulkhead, a controller left short beam and a controller right short beam and is used for mounting a controller; the nacelle wing connecting frame is used for being connected with a wing, and the wing connecting frame comprises a front wing connecting frame and a rear wing connecting frame; and the speed reducer connecting frame is riveted with the upper skin and the lower skin, is positioned at the tail part of the nacelle structure and is connected with the speed reducer, and eight bolt connecting holes are designed on the speed reducer connecting frame.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of aircraft, and relates to a nacelle structure of an electric aircraft. Background Art

[0002] An electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) is a new type of aircraft, different from traditional aircraft. First, to reduce air pollution and noise pollution, its power system provides the power for flight by directly converting electrical energy into mechanical energy. Generally, the battery carried by the aircraft provides electrical energy for the power motor, driving the propeller installed on the motor rotor shaft to rotate together, so as to generate thrust and lift by the propeller; in order to enable the aircraft to have the convenience of vertical take-off like a helicopter and the ability of high-speed flight of a fixed-wing aircraft, and to achieve conversion between the two modes, using a tilting mechanism is one method.

[0003] Referring to the previous nacelle structures, they are often complex in design. Generally, metal beams with longitudinal load-bearing and stiffeners are designed inside to fix and carry the control mechanism, tilting rotor, and reducer. The transfer of bending moment load mainly relies on the metal longitudinal beams. As a result, a large amount of metal structures are used, with a large weight and complex assembly, and the effect is not ideal. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention: to provide a nacelle structure of an electric aircraft, which designs 6 frame structures, and reasonably arranges the control mechanism, tilting rotor, and reducer. The frames are connected and force is transmitted by the skin, so that the traditional longitudinal load-bearing metal beam can be cancelled. Through the application of a large amount of composite materials, while meeting the requirements of strength and stiffness, a large amount of weight is saved. The tilting mechanism and reducer can be disassembled from this structure, which is convenient for daily maintenance.

[0005] The present invention provides a nacelle structure of an electric aircraft, including: six frames, beams, upper and lower skins;

[0006] The upper and lower skins are connected to the six frames and beams by riveting to form the nacelle structure cylinder; the six frames are, from front to back, the tilting mechanism connection frame, the controller front partition frame, the controller rear partition frame, the front wing connection frame, the rear wing connection frame, and the reducer connection frame;

[0007] An oval hole is provided on the tilting mechanism connection frame; the tilting mechanism is arranged in the nacelle structure cylinder through the oval hole. A tilting rotor connection joint is installed on the tilting mechanism connection frame, the tilting rotor motor is rotatably connected to the tilting rotor connection joint, and a tilting rotor is provided on the tilting rotor motor; the tilting mechanism is connected to the tilting rotor motor for driving the tilting rotor motor to rotate;

[0008] A wire passing hole is also provided on the tilting mechanism connection frame and the controller front partition frame;

[0009] There is also a controller right short beam and a controller left short beam connected between the controller front bulkhead and the controller rear bulkhead, forming a controller mounting assembly for mounting the controller. The cables of the controller pass through the wire passing holes and are connected to the tilting mechanism and the tilting rotor motor;

[0010] The front wing connection frame and the rear wing connection frame are used to connect with the wings of the electric aircraft;

[0011] The reducer connection frame is used to mount the reducer;

[0012] The upper skin and the lower skin are composite laminates;

[0013] The tilting mechanism connection frame is an overall stiffened shell structure, and the peripheral flange is riveted to the upper skin and the lower skin.

[0014] Optionally, controller ventilation holes are provided on both the upper skin and the lower skin;

[0015] A wire passing hole is provided at the position where the upper skin is connected to the wing.

[0016] Optionally, the tilting rotor connection joint is composed of two triangular connection heads with the same structure;

[0017] Bolt holes are provided on both sides of the elliptical hole in the middle of the tilting mechanism connection frame for connecting the tilting rotor connection joint;

[0018] A rotating axial hole is provided at the top angle of the triangular connection head for the rotational connection of the tilting rotor motor. The bottom contour is trapezoidal and matches the outer shape of the tilting mechanism connection frame; Diagonal ribs are provided on the triangular connection head, connecting the top angle and the bottom surface, and the width of the bottom of the diagonal rib is greater than the width of the top;

[0019] Two bolt holes are provided on each side of the diagonal rib.

[0020] Optionally, each triangular connection head and the tilting rotor motor are connected by single and double ears.

[0021] Optionally, the controller left short beam and the controller right short beam are riveted above the controller front bulkhead and the controller rear bulkhead, and are also riveted to the upper and lower skins;

[0022] The controller is mounted on the controller left short beam.

[0023] Optionally, single ear joints are provided at the top of both sides of the front wing connection frame and the rear wing connection frame, and are connected to the double ear joints of the wing.

[0024] Optionally, 8 bolt holes adapted to the reducer are designed in a circle on the reducer connection frame.

[0025] Optionally, a limiting boss is designed at the bolt hole inside the reducer connection frame to limit the rotation of the connecting bolt.

[0026] Advantages of the present invention:

[0027] The present invention provides a nacelle structure for an electric aircraft. The nacelle is integrally long tubular and consists of upper and lower composite skins, a tilt-rotor connection joint, a wing connection frame, and a reducer connection frame. The present invention provides a nacelle structure with a simple structure, clear force transmission, using composite materials as the main load-bearing members, and using metal parts for key connections, which provides power for the electric aircraft. The design of the present invention greatly reduces the weight compared with the previous designs while meeting the requirements of strength and stiffness. Description of the drawings

[0028] Figure 1 It is an axonometric view of the nacelle appearance provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 2 It is an internal structure diagram of the embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 3 It is a structure diagram of the tilt mechanism connection frame and the tilt-rotor joint of the present application;

[0031] Figure 4 It is a connection schematic diagram of the tilt mechanism components of the present application;

[0032] Figure 5 It is a structure diagram of the reducer connection frame of the present application;

[0033] Figure 6 It is an installation schematic diagram of the wing position of the present application;

[0034] Among them, 1 - tilt mechanism fairing; 2 - lower skin; 3 - upper skin; 4 - wing-body fusion trailing edge fairing; 5 - reducer fairing; 6 - rear rotor; 7 - fairing; 8 - front rotor; 9 - tilt-rotor connection joint; 10 - tilt mechanism connection frame;

[0035] 11.1 - controller front bulkhead; 11.2 - controller right short beam; 11.3 - controller left short beam; 11.4 - controller rear bulkhead; 12 - front wing connection frame; 13 - rear wing connection frame; 14 - reducer connection frame; 15 - self-made bolt; 16 - tilt-rotor motor; 17 - tilt mechanism; 18 - wing. Specific embodiments

[0036] Please refer to Figure 1-6, the key of the present invention is to provide a nacelle with a composite skin as the main load-bearing structure. The upper and lower skins are both composite laminated structures, which greatly reduce the weight compared to the nacelle with a metal frame beam as the main load-bearing structure. Moreover, the composite skin structure is easier to shape and process than the metal skin. The composite skin is divided into upper and lower skin blocks, which is more conducive to processing and assembling the internal structure.

[0037] The tilting mechanism connection frame is a key component for the connection of the electric tilt-rotor. It is an overall stiffened panel structure. The cables of the controller pass through the wire holes and oval holes on the frame, and the electric tilting mechanism is arranged inside the nacelle cylinder through the oval hole;

[0038] The front bulkhead of the controller and the rear bulkhead of the controller are the supports of the controller installation assembly. There are large oval holes designed in the middle for passing the controller cables, and stiffeners are arranged on both sides of the oval holes due to the connection with the left and right short beams of the controller;

[0039] The main functions of the front wing connection frame and the rear wing connection frame are to connect with the joints on the wing. Single-ear joints are arranged on the upper left and right sides of the frame; cables from the wing can pass through the middle area;

[0040] The main function of the reducer connection frame is to connect with the reducer through the bolt holes on the web. The web has a relatively thick thickness, and there are stiffeners on both sides of the bolt holes. There are two cable holes on the web for passing the cables from the inside of the nacelle to the reducer.

[0041] The tilting mechanism fairing 1 is installed on the tilting mechanism connection frame; the wing-body fusion trailing edge fairing 4 is installed at the middle positions of the upper skin 3 and the lower skin 2; the fairing 7 is installed at the controller positions of the upper and lower skins; the reducer fairing 5 is installed on the reducer connection frame.

[0042] The present application provides a nacelle structure of an electric aircraft, including:

[0043] Upper and lower skins, which are connected to the frames and beams in the nacelle by riveting to form the nacelle structure cylinder;

[0044] The tilting mechanism connection frame is riveted to the upper and lower skins, and a tilt-rotor connection joint is installed thereon. The tilting mechanism connection frame is designed with an oval hole and a wire hole.

[0045] The tilt-rotor connection joint is connected to the tilting mechanism connection frame and is used for installing the tilt-rotor motor. The tilt-rotor connection joint includes left and right parts; a front rotor 8 is arranged on the tilt-rotor motor.

[0046] The controller installation assembly is used for installing the controller, and the controller installation assembly is riveted to the upper and lower skins;

[0047] The nacelle wing connection frame is used to connect with the wing;

[0048] The reducer connection frame is located at the tail position of the nacelle structure and is used to install the reducer.

[0049] Preferably, the upper and lower skins include:

[0050] The upper skin, which is a load-bearing member on the upper part of the nacelle cylinder body, and has wire passing holes and radiator ventilation holes designed on it;

[0051] The lower skin, which is a load-bearing member on the lower part of the nacelle cylinder body, and the lower skin is riveted to the upper skin to form the nacelle cylinder body structure, and has radiator ventilation holes designed on it.

[0052] Preferably, the tilt-rotor connection joint includes:

[0053] The first triangular connection head is connected to the first double-ear joint of the tilt-rotor motor, and is designed as a shell plus diagonal rib structure itself;

[0054] The second triangular connection head is connected to the second double-ear joint of the tilt-rotor motor, and is designed as a shell plus diagonal rib structure itself.

[0055] Preferably, the tilt mechanism connection frame:

[0056] Is connected to the tilt-rotor connection joint, and the flange is riveted to the upper and lower skins. An oval hole for passing the tilt mechanism is designed on the tilt mechanism connection frame;

[0057] Preferably, the controller mounting assembly includes:

[0058] The controller front bulkhead 11.1, which has a central oval hole;

[0059] The controller front bulkhead is riveted to the controller left short beam and the controller right short beam, and the flange is riveted to the upper and lower skins;

[0060] The controller rear bulkhead 11.4, which has a central oval hole;

[0061] The controller rear bulkhead is riveted to the controller left short beam and the controller right short beam, and the flange is riveted to the upper and lower skins;

[0062] The controller left short beam 11.3, one end of which is riveted to the controller front bulkhead, the other end is riveted to the controller rear bulkhead, and is respectively riveted to the upper and lower skins up and down. There are connection holes and plate nuts for installing the controller on the controller left short beam;

[0063] The controller right short beam 11.2, one end of which is riveted to the controller front bulkhead, the other end is riveted to the controller rear bulkhead, and is respectively riveted to the upper and lower skins up and down;

[0064] Preferably, the nacelle wing connection frame includes:

[0065] A front wing connection frame, which is riveted to the upper and lower skins, and single-ear joints are designed on the left and right sides and connected to the double-ear joints at the front of the wing;

[0066] A rear wing connection frame, which is riveted to the upper and lower skins, and single-ear joints are designed on the left and right sides and connected to the double-ear joints at the rear of the wing;

[0067] Preferably, the reducer connection frame:

[0068] It is installed at the tail end of the nacelle structure and is riveted to the upper and lower skins by riveting. Eight bolt holes are designed to connect with the reducer, and limiting bosses are designed at the bolt holes to limit the rotation of the connecting bolts.

[0069] Preferably, the reducer connecting bolt:

[0070] Eight reducer connecting bolts, and special boss planes are designed on the bolt heads and used in cooperation with the boss planes at the bolt holes of the reducer.

[0071] The tilting mechanism connection frame designed by the present invention is provided with oval holes, which can facilitate the removal of the tilting mechanism and meet the needs of daily maintenance.

[0072] The tilting rotor connection joint designed by the present invention is a split design, which is easy to process and can be disassembled and maintained on the connection frame.

[0073] The controller mounting assembly designed by the present invention can mount the controller in the nacelle structure without having to be mounted elsewhere on the fuselage, which reduces the wire length, can save weight, and heat dissipation holes are designed on the upper and lower skins of the nacelle to facilitate heat dissipation of the radiator.

[0074] The reducer connection frame designed by the present invention is riveted to the upper and lower skins, and eight bolt holes are designed. A self-made bolt is used to fix the reducer on the reducer connection frame. A special boss surface is designed on the bolt head of the self-made bolt, and a boss surface is designed at the hole of the reducer connection frame and used in cooperation with the boss surface of the self-made bolt to limit the rotation of the bolt.

[0075] Four of the present invention are arranged on an aircraft, symmetrically left and right.

[0076] Please refer to Figure 1 、 Figure 2 , the tilting rotor is installed at the front of the nacelle, the tilting rotor motor can rotate around the tilting rotor connection joint 9, the rear reducer connection frame 14 is connected to the rear rotor 6, the front wing connection frame 12 is connected to the double-ear joint at the front of the wing, and the rear wing connection frame 13 is connected to the double-ear joint at the rear of the wing.

[0077] Please refer to Figure 3 、Figure 4 The tilt-rotor connecting joint 9 is installed on the tilt mechanism connecting frame 10. The tilt-rotor connecting joints are respectively installed on the tilt mechanism connecting frame 10 by bolts, which is convenient for disassembly and maintenance. Six fairing mounting lugs are designed on the tilt mechanism connecting frame 10, which is convenient for fairing disassembly. The tilt-rotor motor 16 rotates around the tilt-rotor connecting joint 9. One end of the tilt mechanism 17 is connected to the tilt-rotor motor, and the other end is connected to the tilt-rotor connecting joint 9. Moreover, the tilt mechanism 17 can be taken out through the tilt mechanism connecting frame 10.

[0078] Please refer to Figure 5 , the reducer is installed on the reducer connecting frame 14 through a self-made bolt 15. The reducer connecting frame 14 and the self-made bolt 15 are designed with convex surfaces that restrict the rotation of the bolt.

[0079] Please refer to Figure 6 , which is the installation position of the nacelle structure on the wing 18 of the electric aircraft.

[0080] The present invention can transfer the loads transmitted by the rotors in the helicopter mode, transition state, and fixed-wing mode of the aircraft, can provide an installation interface for the electric propulsion system, transfer the lift and thrust to the wing, provide an installation interface for the tilt-rotor at the front, provide an installation interface for the coaxial rotor system at the rear, and is connected to the wing in the middle.

[0081] The key to the present invention is to make the nacelle structure simple. Using a composite skin as the main load-bearing structure and connecting key parts with metal parts makes the weight smaller. The connection methods of the front and rear frames and the connection methods of the motor and the reducer are convenient for disassembly, making it easy to maintain.

Claims

1. A nacelle structure of an electric aircraft, characterized in that, Comprising: Six frames, beams, upper and lower skins; The upper and lower skins are connected to the six frames and beams by riveting to form the nacelle structure cylinder; the six frames are, from front to back, the tilt mechanism connection frame, the controller front bulkhead, the controller rear bulkhead, the front wing connection frame, the rear wing connection frame, and the reducer connection frame; An oval hole is provided on the tilt mechanism connection frame; the tilt mechanism is arranged in the nacelle structure cylinder through the oval hole, a tilt rotor connection joint is installed on the tilt mechanism connection frame, the tilt rotor motor is rotatably connected to the tilt rotor connection joint, and a tilt rotor is provided on the tilt rotor motor; the tilt mechanism is connected to the tilt rotor motor for driving the tilt rotor motor to rotate; Through holes are also provided on the tilt mechanism connection frame and the controller front bulkhead; A controller right short beam and a controller left short beam are also connected between the controller front bulkhead and the controller rear bulkhead to form a controller installation assembly for installing the controller, and the cables of the controller pass through the through holes and are connected to the tilt mechanism and the tilt rotor motor; The front wing connection frame and the rear wing connection frame are used for connecting to the wings of the electric aircraft; The reducer connection frame is used for installing the reducer; The upper skin and the lower skin are composite laminates; The tilt mechanism connection frame is an overall stiffened shell structure, and the peripheral flange is riveted to the upper skin and the lower skin.

2. The nacelle structure of the electric aircraft according to claim 1, wherein Controller ventilation holes are provided on both the upper skin and the lower skin; Through holes are provided at the position where the upper skin is connected to the wing.

3. The nacelle structure of the electric aircraft according to claim 1, wherein The tilt rotor connection joint is two triangular connection heads with the same structure; Bolt holes are provided on both sides of the oval hole in the middle of the tilt mechanism connection frame for connecting the tilt rotor connection joint; A rotary axial hole is provided at the apex angle of the triangular connection head for the rotatable connection of the tilt rotor motor, the bottom contour is trapezoidal, and matches the outer shape of the tilt mechanism connection frame; diagonal ribs are provided on the triangular connection head to connect the apex angle and the bottom surface, and the width of the bottom of the diagonal rib is greater than the width of the top; Two bolt holes are provided on each side of the diagonal rib.

4. The nacelle structure of the electric aircraft according to claim 3, characterized in that, Each triangular connection head and the tilt rotor motor are connected by single and double ears.

5. The nacelle structure of the electric aircraft according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller left short beam and the controller right short beam are riveted above the controller front bulkhead and the controller rear bulkhead and are also riveted to the upper and lower skins; The controller is installed on the controller left short beam.

6. The nacelle structure of the electric aircraft according to claim 1, characterized in that, Single ear joints are provided at the top of both sides of the front wing connection frame and the rear wing connection frame and are connected to the double ear joints of the wing.

7. The nacelle structure of the electric aircraft according to claim 1, characterized in that, 8 bolt holes adapted to the reducer are designed circumferentially on the reducer connection frame.

8. The nacelle structure of the electric aircraft according to claim 7, characterized in that, Limit bosses are designed at the bolt holes inside the reducer connection frame for restricting the rotation of the connection bolts.

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