A tilting mechanism and aircraft

Abstract

This utility model discloses a tilting mechanism and an aircraft, comprising a first mounting base fixedly connected to the aircraft body; a tilting assembly mounted on the first mounting base for tilting the aircraft to have level flight and vertical takeoff states; a fairing including a first fairing; and a follow-up assembly that moves with the tilting assembly during the tilting switch between level flight and vertical takeoff states, such that the first fairing surrounds the upper outer region of the tilting assembly when the tilting assembly tilts to the level flight state, and is positioned above the aircraft arm when the tilting assembly tilts to the vertical takeoff state. This utility model maintains a smooth aerodynamic shape and reduces drag during level flight; and effectively avoids the tilting caused by the propeller drive motor during vertical takeoff.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of aircraft technology, and in particular relates to a tilting mechanism and an aircraft. Background Technology

[0002] EVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft combine the efficient cruise capability of fixed-wing aircraft with the vertical take-off and landing capability of helicopters, thus avoiding the need for runways and overcoming the shortcomings of slow speed and short range of rotorcraft. Therefore, EVTOL aircraft have broad application prospects. Among them, the tiltrotor configuration is more favored due to its significant advantages in range, cruise speed, and payload ratio. The tilt mechanism is the key part of the tiltrotor configuration EVTOL aircraft. By tilting the rotor (mainly including the motor and propeller) and changing its angle, the direction of thrust is changed, allowing the aircraft to switch between vertical take-off and landing and horizontal flight.

[0003] To maintain a smooth aerodynamic shape and reduce drag during level flight, a fairing is typically placed around the outer periphery of the tilt mechanism. Existing patent CN221938454U discloses a tilting device and an aircraft. This tilting device incorporates a first fairing with a linkage structure to switch the fairing's position between level flight and takeoff / vertical flight. However, the outer periphery of the overall fairing structure formed by the first fairing and other fairings has gaps, resulting in an insufficiently smooth aerodynamic shape for the tilt mechanism. Furthermore, the linkage structure has three connection points at its end, directly connecting to the first fairing. During the shifting of the first fairing's position, the forces applied at these three connection points act directly on the first fairing, easily causing multi-point tension and potentially leading to deformation and failure, thus reducing its service life.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a new tilting mechanism and aircraft to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. Utility Model Content

[0005] The main purpose of this invention is to provide a tilting mechanism that can maintain a smooth aerodynamic shape and reduce drag during level flight; effectively avoid the propeller drive motor from tilting during takeoff and landing; and has a long service life.

[0006] This utility model achieves the above objective through the following technical solution: a tilting mechanism, comprising: The first mounting base is fixedly connected to the main body of the aircraft; A tilting assembly, mounted on the first mounting base, is used to tilt the aircraft to have a level flight state and a vertical takeoff state. Fairing, including the first fairing; The follow-up component moves along with the tilt component during the tilt switching between level flight and vertical takeoff states, so that the first fairing surrounds the upper outer region of the tilt component when the tilt component tilts to the level flight state, and is located above the aircraft arm when the tilt component tilts to the vertical takeoff state.

[0007] Furthermore, a pair of rocker arm supports are provided on the side of the first mounting base away from the main body of the aircraft; the follower assembly includes a pair of rocker arms, a fairing support, and a second hinge seat; the second hinge seat is fixedly mounted on the tilting assembly; the rocker arm is L-shaped, with a short arm and a long arm, one end of the short arm is rotatably mounted on the rocker arm support, and one end of the long arm extends outward; one end of the fairing support is rotatably connected to the long arm end of the rocker arm and the other end is rotatably mounted on the second hinge seat; the first fairing is fixedly mounted on the fairing support.

[0008] Furthermore, a pair of first hinge seats are provided on the side of the first mounting seat away from the main body of the aircraft; the tilting assembly includes a second mounting seat rotatably mounted on the first hinge seat, a motor fixed on the second mounting seat and driving the propeller assembly to rotate, and a protective wind shield fixed on the second mounting seat and enclosing the motor; the second hinge seat is mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the protective wind shield.

[0009] Furthermore, the first mounting base is provided with a drive component for driving the tilting assembly to rotate.

[0010] Furthermore, multiple connecting rods are provided between the pair of rocker arms to connect the pair of rocker arms together.

[0011] Furthermore, an upper limit buffer block is provided on the lower surface of the fairing bracket at the position of the long arm of the rocker arm to limit the minimum included angle between the fairing bracket and the rocker arm; a lower limit buffer block is provided on the first mounting base to act on the short arm section of the rocker arm.

[0012] Furthermore, the fairing also includes a second fairing and a third fairing; when the tilting assembly tilts to a level flight state, the first fairing, the second fairing, and the third fairing are combined to form a smooth cylindrical structure that completely encloses the tilting assembly; the first fairing constitutes part of the upper enclosure of the cylindrical structure.

[0013] Furthermore, the second fairing is fixed on the first mounting base and extends axially along the outer periphery of the first mounting base to form a closed cylindrical structure, and has a first notch in the upper part; the third fairing is fixed on the protective wind shield and extends axially along the outer periphery of the protective wind shield to form a closed cylindrical structure, and has a second notch in the upper part; when the tilting assembly tilts to the level flight state, the first fairing fills the first notch and the second notch.

[0014] Furthermore, the first fairing is provided with a plurality of first vent holes; the second fairing and the third fairing are provided with a plurality of second vent holes on their lower outer peripheral surfaces.

[0015] Another objective of this invention is to provide an aircraft comprising an aircraft body, a tilting mechanism as described above, and a propeller assembly; the tilting mechanism is disposed on the aircraft body.

[0016] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this tilting mechanism and aircraft are: it maintains a smooth aerodynamic shape and reduces drag during level flight; it effectively avoids tilting caused by the propeller-driven motor during takeoff and landing, and has a long service life. Specifically: (1) Optimization of structural synergy and spatial adaptability: The tilting mechanism in this scheme achieves functional complementarity and efficient space utilization of each component through the structural design of the first mounting base, tilting component, follower component and fairing. The first mounting base serves as the core support foundation and simultaneously bears the installation requirements of the tilting component and follower component. The first hinge seat and rocker arm bracket on its surface provide precise positioning for the rotation of the tilting component and the movement of the follower component, respectively, avoiding the spatial redundancy problem caused by the scattered installation of multiple components. At the same time, the follower component adopts the linkage structure of L-shaped rocker arm, fairing bracket and second hinge seat, which transforms the angle change of the tilting component into the synchronous position adjustment of the first fairing. This not only meets the functional requirements of the tilting component in switching between level flight and vertical takeoff, but also ensures the positional accuracy of the first fairing in both states through the rotational adaptation of the rocker arm and fairing bracket. In level flight, it surrounds the second and third fairings, and in vertical takeoff, it moves to the top of the arm. This completely solves the problem that the traditional fairing fixed structure is prone to interference with the propeller component and motor, and improves the overall spatial adaptability and flexibility of the mechanism.

[0017] (2) Significantly improved aerodynamic performance and operating drag: The split design of the fairing (first to third fairings) and the linkage mechanism of the follow-up components create a dynamically adaptable aerodynamic protection structure. In level flight, the first fairing precisely fills the first gap of the second fairing and the second gap of the third fairing, and the three together form a smooth closed cylindrical structure, completely enclosing the tilting components (including motors and protective wind shields), effectively eliminating aerodynamic vortices and wind resistance generated by exposed parts of the mechanism, and reducing energy loss during the level flight phase of the aircraft; in vertical take-off and landing, the first fairing moves above the arm with the follow-up components, avoiding airflow disturbance to the propeller components and ensuring lift stability during vertical take-off and landing. In addition, the setting of the first and second vents can realize airflow exchange between the inside of the fairing and the outside, on the one hand balancing the air pressure inside the fairing and preventing structural deformation caused by temperature difference or airflow impact, and on the other hand assisting in motor heat dissipation, avoiding the impact of high temperature environment on motor operating efficiency, further optimizing the synergistic effect of mechanism aerodynamic performance and heat dissipation.

[0018] (3) Dual guarantee of structural strength and operational stability: The pair of rocker arms in the follower assembly are connected by multiple connecting rods, and the connecting rods are specifically arranged in the long arm section and corner position of the rocker arm, which greatly improves the deformation resistance and structural integrity of the follower assembly during tilting, and avoids swaying or jamming caused by uneven force on a single rocker arm. At the same time, the bidirectional limiting design of the upper limit buffer block and the lower limit buffer block not only accurately limits the rotation range of the rocker arm and the fairing support, preventing hard collisions caused by excessive rotation, but also absorbs the vibration energy generated by external disturbances in the two extreme states of level flight and vertical takeoff, reducing the operating noise of the mechanism and the wear of components, and extending the service life. In addition, the follower assembly serves as the installation base of the first fairing and directly bears the force when the tilting assembly tilts, avoiding the direct transmission of force to the first fairing, effectively avoiding the aerodynamic performance degradation caused by the deformation of the fairing under force, and ensuring its long-term rectification effect.

[0019] (4) Enhanced Functional Integration and Aircraft Adaptability: This tilt mechanism highly integrates tilt drive, follow-up adjustment, aerodynamic protection, and limit buffer functions, eliminating the need for additional independent drive or protection components. This simplifies the structural complexity of the aircraft arm end and reduces overall weight. For aircraft such as eVTOL that require frequent switching between vertical takeoff and landing and horizontal flight modes, this mechanism can be directly installed at the end of the arm. The drive component drives the tilt assembly to adjust the propeller assembly angle, quickly adapting to different flight scenario requirements. Furthermore, the structural design is compatible with existing aircraft main body mounting interfaces, eliminating the need for large-scale modifications to the aircraft main body, thus possessing strong versatility and adaptability. At the same time, the protective shroud for the motor and the fairing for the tilt assembly provide comprehensive protection, effectively preventing external dust, rainwater, and other impurities from corroding the core components and improving the aircraft's operational reliability in complex environments. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the tilting mechanism in its vertical state in an embodiment of this utility model; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the tilting mechanism in a level flight state in an embodiment of this utility model; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the tilting mechanism after the fairing has been removed in the vertical position according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 for Figure 3 Enlarged schematic diagram of the layout structure at point A in the middle; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the tilting mechanism in a vertical state in an embodiment of this utility model at another angle; Figure 6 for Figure 5 A magnified schematic diagram of the layout structure at point B in the middle; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the tilting mechanism in a level flight state in an embodiment of this utility model; Figure 8 for Figure 5 Enlarged schematic diagram of the layout at point C; The numbers in the diagram represent: 100 - Tilting mechanism; 10-First mounting base, 11-First hinge base, 12-Rocker arm bracket; 20-Tilting assembly, 21-Second mounting base, 22-Motor, 23-Protective wind shield; 30-Follow-up assembly, 31-Rocker arm, 32-Fairing bracket, 33-Second hinge seat, 34-Connecting rod, 35-Upper limit buffer block, 36-Lower limit buffer block; 40-Fairing, 41-First fairing, 411-First vent, 42-Second fairing, 421-Second vent, 43-Third fairing; 50-Propeller assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Example 1: Please refer to Figures 1-8This embodiment describes a tilting mechanism 100, which includes a first mounting base 10, a tilting assembly 20, a follower assembly 30, and a fairing 40. The first mounting base 10 is mounted on the end of the aircraft arm and is used to support and fix the tilting assembly 20, providing a mounting base for the tilting assembly 20. The tilting assembly 20 is disposed on the side of the first mounting base 10 away from the aircraft arm and is rotatably connected to the first mounting base 10. Its end is connected to a propeller assembly 50, which tilts under the drive of the tilting assembly 20, enabling the aircraft to switch between vertical takeoff and landing and horizontal flight. The fairing 40 includes a first fairing 41, a second fairing 42, and a third fairing 43. The first fairing 41 is fixed to the follower assembly 30. The follower component 30 moves with the tilt component 20 during the tilt switching between level flight and vertical takeoff states, so that the first fairing 41 surrounds the upper outer area of ​​the tilt component 20 when the tilt component 20 tilts to the level flight state, and together with the second fairing 42 and the third fairing 43, completely encloses the tilt component 20; and when the tilt component 20 tilts to the vertical takeoff state, it is located above the aircraft arm.

[0022] By setting up the follower component 30, on the one hand, the first fairing 41 surrounds the upper part of the tilting component 20 in the level flight state of the aircraft, and together with the second fairing 42 and the third fairing 43, completely encloses the tilting component 20, so that the tilting fairing 40 has a smooth outer peripheral surface in the level flight state, reducing drag; on the other hand, the first fairing 41 can move to the top of the aircraft arm in the vertical take-off and landing state of the aircraft, without interfering with other components (such as propeller assembly 50, motor, etc.).

[0023] The first mounting base 10 includes a first surface and a second surface (not shown in the figure) facing each other. The first surface is mounted on the end of the aircraft arm, and the tilting assembly 20 and the follower assembly 30 are both mounted on the second surface. A pair of first hinge seats 11 are provided on the second surface, and the tilting assembly 20 is rotatably mounted on the pair of first hinge seats 11.

[0024] The tilting assembly 20 includes a second mounting base 21 rotatably mounted on the first hinge seat 11, a motor 22 fixed on the second mounting base 21, and a protective wind shield 23 fixed on the second mounting base 21 and enclosing the motor 22. The propeller assembly 50 is mounted on the rotating end of the motor 22 and is driven to rotate by the motor 22. The first mounting base 10 is provided with a drive component (not shown in the figure) for driving the tilting assembly 20 to rotate.

[0025] A pair of rocker arm brackets 12 are provided on the second surface of the first mounting base 10.

[0026] The follow-up assembly 30 includes a pair of rocker arms 31, a fairing support 32, and a second hinge seat 33. The second hinge seat 33 is fixedly mounted on the tilting assembly 20, specifically on the outer peripheral surface of the protective shroud 23. The rocker arms 31 are L-shaped, with a short arm and a long arm. One end of the short arm is rotatably mounted on the rocker arm support 12, and one end of the long arm extends outward. One end of the fairing support 32 is rotatably connected to the long arm end of the rocker arm 31, and the other end is rotatably mounted on the second hinge seat 33. The first fairing 41 is fixedly mounted on the fairing support 32. When the tilting assembly 20 (specifically the protective shroud 23) changes angle, one end of the fairing support 32 follows the second hinge seat 33, while the other end of the fairing support 32 rotates the rocker arms 31 around the support axis of the rocker arm support 12, thereby changing the position of the first fairing 41.

[0027] To improve the structural strength and stability of the follower assembly 30, a plurality of connecting rods 34 are provided between the pair of rocker arms 31 to connect the pair of rocker arms 31 together. The connecting rods 34 are preferably connected in the long arm section of the rocker arm 31 and at the corner position of the rocker arm 31 to improve the stability of the follower assembly 30 during tilting.

[0028] To limit and buffer the rotation range of the rocker arm 31 and prevent excessive rotation angles or hard collisions, this embodiment also includes several buffer limit blocks. Specifically, an upper limit buffer block 35 is provided on the lower surface of the fairing support 32 corresponding to the long arm position of the rocker arm 31, limiting the minimum angle that the fairing support 32 and the rocker arm 31 can compress when compressed; a lower limit buffer block 36 is provided on the second surface of the first mounting base 10, acting on the short arm section of the rocker arm 31. A pair of upper limit buffer blocks 35 and a pair of lower limit buffer blocks 36 are provided, corresponding to a pair of rocker arms 31. When the tilt assembly 20 is driven to level flight, the lower limit buffer block 36 activates, preventing the short arm of the rocker arm 31 from continuing to rotate; when the tilt assembly 20 is driven to vertical takeoff and landing, the upper limit buffer block 35 activates, preventing the long arm section of the fairing support 32 and the rocker arm 31 from further compressing their angle, thereby preventing the rocker arm 31 and the fairing support 32 from continuing to rotate. The upper limit buffer block 35 can reduce the vibration impact of external disturbances on the rocker arm 31 in the vertices state, and at the same time provide cushioning for the rocker arm 31 when tilting to the vertices state. The lower limit buffer block 36 can reduce the vibration impact of external disturbances on the rocker arm 31 in the level flight state, and at the same time provide cushioning for the rocker arm 31 when tilting to the level flight state.

[0029] The follower component 30 designed in this embodiment serves as the follower structure of the tilting component 20 and also as the mounting support base for the first fairing 41. The force generated when the tilting component 20 tilts directly acts on the follower component 30, avoiding the pushing and pulling force on the first fairing 41, effectively avoiding the risk of deformation of the first fairing 41, and ensuring the rectification efficiency and service life of the first fairing 41.

[0030] In this embodiment, the fairing 40 is designed as three separate structures: a first fairing 41, a second fairing 42, and a third fairing 43.

[0031] The second fairing 42 is fixed to the first mounting base 10, specifically mounted on the second surface. The second fairing 42 extends axially along the outer periphery of the first mounting base 10 to form a closed cylindrical structure, and has a first notch in the upper part to provide clearance for the movement of the follower component 30. The "axial direction" refers to the normal direction of the second surface, which is also the axial direction of the cylindrical structure.

[0032] The third fairing 43 is fixed to the protective shield 23. The third fairing 43 extends axially along the outer periphery of the protective shield 23 to form a closed cylindrical structure, and has a second notch (not shown in the figure) in the upper part to provide clearance for the movement of the follow-up component 30. When the tilting component 20 tilts to the level flight state, the first fairing 41, the second fairing 42, and the third fairing 43 are gathered together to form a smooth cylindrical structure, which together completely encloses the tilting component 20, and the first fairing 41 fills the first notch and the second notch.

[0033] The first fairing 41 has several first vents 411; the second fairing 42 and the third fairing 43 have several second vents 421 on their lower outer peripheral surfaces. The arrangement of the first vents 411 and second vents 421 serves two purposes. First, it achieves pressure equalization. During acceleration, deceleration, and altitude gain / loss, the pressure in unpressurized areas changes significantly. The multi-row vent structure balances the pressure inside and outside the fairing, preventing structural damage or impact on flight stability due to pressure differences. Furthermore, it generates less drag on the aircraft compared to traditional simple ventilation holes. Second, the multi-row vent structure aids in heat dissipation. During flight, internal motors and other equipment generate significant heat. The multi-row vents allow cool outside air to enter the fairing, creating convection currents with the hot internal air, carrying away heat, ensuring stable equipment operation, and extending the lifespan of motors and other components. Additionally, the multi-row vent structure reduces noise by altering the airflow path, reducing noise generated by friction between air and the fairing, as well as vibrations from internal components, thus optimizing the flight environment.

[0034] This embodiment is an aircraft, which includes an aircraft body (not shown in the figure), a tilting mechanism 100 disposed on the aircraft body, and a propeller assembly 50. The aircraft may be configured as, but is not limited to, an eVTOL aircraft.

[0035] For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the inventive concept of this utility model, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A tilting mechanism, characterized by, It includes: The first mounting base is fixedly connected to the main body of the aircraft; A tilting assembly, mounted on the first mounting base, is used to tilt the aircraft to have a level flight state and a vertical takeoff state. Fairing, including the first fairing; The follow-up component moves along with the tilt component during the tilt switching between level flight and vertical takeoff states, so that the first fairing surrounds the upper outer region of the tilt component when the tilt component tilts to the level flight state, and is located above the aircraft arm when the tilt component tilts to the vertical takeoff state.

2. The tilting mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A pair of rocker arm supports are provided on the side of the first mounting base away from the main body of the aircraft; the follower assembly includes a pair of rocker arms, a fairing support, and a second hinge seat; the second hinge seat is fixedly mounted on the tilting assembly; the rocker arm is L-shaped, with a short arm and a long arm, one end of the short arm is rotatably mounted on the rocker arm support, and one end of the long arm extends outward; one end of the fairing support is rotatably connected to the long arm end of the rocker arm and the other end is rotatably mounted on the second hinge seat; the first fairing is fixedly mounted on the fairing support.

3. The tilting mechanism as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The first mounting base has a pair of first hinged seats on the side opposite to the main body of the aircraft; the tilting assembly includes a second mounting base rotatably mounted on the first hinged seats, a motor fixed on the second mounting base and driving the propeller assembly to rotate, and a protective wind shield fixed on the second mounting base and enclosing the motor; the second hinged seats are mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the protective wind shield.

4. The tilting mechanism as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The first mounting base is provided with a drive component that drives the tilting assembly to rotate.

5. The tilting mechanism as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Multiple connecting rods are provided between the pair of rocker arms to connect the pair of rocker arms together.

6. The tilting mechanism as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The lower surface of the fairing bracket is provided with an upper limit buffer block at the long arm position of the rocker arm to limit the minimum included angle between the fairing bracket and the rocker arm; the first mounting base is provided with a lower limit buffer block acting on the short arm section of the rocker arm.

7. The tilting mechanism as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The fairing also includes a second fairing and a third fairing; when the tilting assembly tilts to a level flight state, the first fairing, the second fairing, and the third fairing are combined to form a smooth cylindrical structure that completely encloses the tilting assembly; the first fairing constitutes part of the upper enclosure of the cylindrical structure.

8. The tilting mechanism as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The second fairing is fixed on the first mounting base and extends axially along the outer periphery of the first mounting base to form a closed cylindrical structure, and has a first notch in the upper part; the third fairing is fixed on the protective wind shield and extends axially along the outer periphery of the protective wind shield to form a closed cylindrical structure, and has a second notch in the upper part; when the tilting assembly tilts to the level flight state, the first fairing fills the first notch and the second notch.

9. The tilting mechanism as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The first fairing is provided with a plurality of first vent holes; the second fairing and the third fairing are provided with a plurality of second vent holes on their lower outer peripheral surfaces.

10. An aircraft, characterized in that, It includes an aircraft body, a tilting mechanism as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, and a propeller assembly; the tilting mechanism is disposed on the aircraft body.

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