Air rescue device and method for use on helicopter, and rotorcraft

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of aircraft rescue, and in particular to an air rescue device and method for use on a helicopter, and a rotorcraft. The air rescue device comprises at least four electrically-driven ducted fans and motors, an orientation-adjusting gimbal, an upper relay hook, a lower relay hook, and anti-twist lassos; the orientation-adjusting gimbal comprises a fixed rotating shaft and a movable shaft sleeved on the fixed rotating shaft; the electrically-driven ducted fans and motors are symmetrically arranged on the left side and the right side of the orientation-adjusting gimbal; the upper relay hook and the lower relay hook are fixedly connected to the upper side and the lower side of the orientation-adjusting gimbal, respectively; and the anti-twist lassos are arranged on the left side and the right side of the fixed rotating shaft of the orientation-adjusting gimbal.

Description

An aerial rescue device, rescue method, and rotorcraft used on a helicopter Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of aircraft rescue technology, and particularly relates to an air rescue device, rescue method and rotorcraft used on helicopters. Background Technology

[0002] Helicopter hoisting rescue is one of the most effective methods of helicopter rescue, used for both personnel transport and evacuation at the rescue site. An important rescue method within hoisting rescue is winch rescue. Winch rescue is the primary method for helicopters to conduct rescue operations in complex terrain or on water where landing is not feasible. It involves the helicopter hovering in the air, using an onboard winch and steel cables to lower the rescuer to the distressed personnel, and then lifting both the rescuer and the distressed personnel back into the helicopter for emergency transfer and treatment.

[0003] Nevertheless, existing winch rescue methods are still limited by certain environmental factors, and helicopter winch rescues cannot be carried out in environments including but not limited to the following:

[0004] (1) When there is a lot of smoke above or near the rescue site, if the helicopter engine ingests the smoke, it may lead to increased engine life cycle costs, performance degradation and decline, as well as overheating or even stall, and the helicopter will be unable to hover above the target rescue site to carry out the rescue.

[0005] (2) When the rescue location is located on a steep cliff or in the middle of a tall building, if the vertical distance between the target rescue location and the top of the cliff or tall building is greater than the length of the helicopter winch cable, or even if the top is tilted outward relative to the rescue location and obscures the area above the target rescue location, the helicopter cannot hover above the target rescue location to carry out the rescue.

[0006] In addition, the strong downwash from helicopters can also negatively impact rescue operations. For example, even when rescuing people in the middle of a low cliff, the downwash could blow them off the cliff. The rotating airflow can also cause people suspended in the air to spin around, requiring rescuers to constantly determine their location and potentially endangering the safety of both rescuers and those being rescued.

[0007] Summary of the Invention

[0008] To address the shortcomings of existing winch rescue methods, this invention proposes an aerial rescue device and corresponding rescue method for use on helicopters. This device allows suspended objects such as supplies, rescue personnel, or people awaiting rescue to gain a certain degree of spatial mobility, thus eliminating the need for the helicopter to hover above the target rescue location and avoiding limitations imposed by environmental factors such as dense smoke and obstructions. Simultaneously, it allows the suspended objects to be moved outside the rotor downwash airflow, reducing the difficulty and risk of the rescue.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention employs the following technical solution.

[0010] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an air rescue device for use on a helicopter, the device comprising at least four electrically driven ducted fans and motors 1, an orientation adjustment gimbal 2, an upper relay hook 3, a lower relay hook, and an anti-torsion lasso 4;

[0011] The orientation adjustment gimbal consists of a fixed rotating shaft and a movable shaft sleeved on the fixed rotating shaft;

[0012] Electric drive ducted fans and motors are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the fixed rotating shaft of the tilt-and-shoot unit.

[0013] An upper relay hook and a lower relay hook are fixedly connected to the upper and lower sides of the movable axis of the orientation adjustment gimbal, respectively.

[0014] Anti-torsion slings 4 are installed on the left and right sides of the fixed rotating shaft of the orientation adjustment gimbal and between the electric drive ducted fan and the motor.

[0015] Furthermore, the helicopter is equipped with a winch 6;

[0016] The upper relay hook is used to connect the orientation adjustment platform to the sling 4 of the winch 6, and the lower relay hook is used to suspend personnel or materials.

[0017] The anti-torsion sling is connected to the personnel or materials being hoisted, so that the personnel and materials are facing the same direction and the gimbal is relatively fixed.

[0018] Electrically driven ducted fans are used to generate thrust, enabling suspended personnel or materials to move spatially and change horizontal orientation.

[0019] The orientation adjustment gimbal is used to fix the angle between the thrust of the electric ducted fan and the horizontal plane.

[0020] Furthermore, the angle between the thrust of the electrically driven ducted fan and the horizontal plane is set to a fixed angle as needed, so that the thrust direction remains unchanged during the use of the rescue device.

[0021] Furthermore, there are at least four electrically driven ducted fans and motors, and the operation method of the electrically driven ducted fans is as follows:

[0022] By varying the differential speed of the upper and lower ducted fans or by twisting them toward the pitch direction of the gimbal, the angle between the thrust direction of the ducted fan and the horizontal plane is maintained at a set value during the movement.

[0023] The orientation of the ducted fans is controlled by differential changes in the left and right ducted fans;

[0024] The thrust of the duct is changed by varying the average rotational speed of the ducted fan, and the forward, backward, and flight altitude are changed in conjunction with the change in the length of the winch's sling 4.

[0025] Furthermore, the device also includes an anti-touch safety grille disposed at the fan air inlet.

[0026] Furthermore, the device also includes: a motion controller;

[0027] The mobile controller is located in the cockpit or carried by the hoisting personnel and is used to realize the spatial displacement of the orientation adjustment gimbal, emergency power failure, and emergency cut-off functions.

[0028] Furthermore, the device also includes: a clamp and a cable; one end of the cable is connected to the machine's power supply;

[0029] The cable is used to power the ducted fan and motor, as well as the orientation adjustment pan-tilt unit;

[0030] The clamp is used to fasten the sling 4 of the winch 6 to the cable 5.

[0031] Furthermore, the clamps are distributed on the cable at preset intervals. When the sling extends, a clamp will lock the sling and the cable. When the sling shortens, the clamp and the cable will retract simultaneously.

[0032] Furthermore, a locking point is set at every preset distance on the sling, and all clamps are placed in the clamp bracket. When the sling elongates, the clamp bracket is adjusted to place a clamp at the locking point of the sling as the sling elongates.

[0033] Secondly, the present invention also provides an air rescue method used on a helicopter, the method being implemented using the aforementioned rescue device, the method comprising:

[0034] Step 1: The pilot manipulates or uses the autopilot system to hover the helicopter in an area diagonally above the target rescue location, maintaining altitude and position;

[0035] Step 2: Connect and secure the winch's sling to the upper relay hook of the orientation adjustment platform;

[0036] Step 3: Then, use the anti-torsion lasso to fix the orientation adjustment gimbal and the suspended personnel relatively in place;

[0037] Step 4: The winch operator lowers the suspended personnel and the orientation adjustment platform to a certain height;

[0038] Step 5: The hoisting personnel or winch operator moves the orientation adjustment gimbal to the designated rescue position using the mobile controller.

[0039] Furthermore, in step 1, maintaining height and position specifically means:

[0040] The helicopter reduces its flight speed to a range where the winch can be used. The pilot manipulates or uses the autopilot system to circle around the rescue target location with the winch side of the helicopter facing the center.

[0041] Thirdly, the present invention also provides a rotorcraft equipped with the aforementioned rescue device.

[0042] This invention proposes an aerial rescue device, rescue method, and rotorcraft for use on helicopters. It allows rescue personnel or supplies to move within a certain range near the helicopter, enabling the helicopter to conduct rescues without hovering above the rescue location, thus expanding the application range of helicopter winch rescues. Furthermore, when the rescue location is horizontally outside the influence range of the rotor downwash, the difficulty of the rescue is reduced. This invention also proposes a cable-assisted load-bearing mode, which simplifies the operation of the flight components and, in principle, avoids the possibility of interference between the rotor and the winch cable, improving operational safety. Attached Figure Description

[0043] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure and scenario of a helicopter air rescue device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a helicopter air rescue device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] 1-Electric drive ducted fan and motor, 2-Orientation adjustment gimbal, 3-Upper relay hook, 4-Anti-torsion sling, 5-Cable, 6-Windlock, 7-Clamping bracket;

[0046] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the operation of the flight component before and after changing its movement and altitude according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the operation of changing the orientation of the flight component according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the operation of the flight component to maintain the pitch direction of the ducted fan according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the estimation of the movable range of the flight component provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between helicopter vacuum speed and total power according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 8 shows the embodiments of the present invention.

[0052] Figure 9 shows the embodiments of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0053] The technical solution of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0054] This invention provides an air rescue device and method for use on a helicopter, comprising the following main components (see Figures 1 and 2):

[0055] (1) External autonomous moving flight components.

[0056] It includes paired (e.g., 2, 4, 6, 8, etc.) electrically driven ducted fans and motors on both sides (anti-touch safety grilles can be added to the fan air inlets as needed), orientation adjustment gimbal, flight control system, upper / lower relay hooks, frame, anti-torsion lasso, and motion controller.

[0057] Ducted fans generate thrust to enable the spatial movement and horizontal orientation of suspended personnel or materials.

[0058] The orientation adjustment gimbal is used to fix the pitch direction of the ducted fan thrust relative to the horizontal plane. It can be set to a fixed angle as needed to keep the thrust direction unchanged during the use of the rescue device for easy operation.

[0059] The flight control system includes GPS, temperature and pressure sensors, and a computing unit. The GPS and pressure sensors are used to determine the position, altitude, and temperature of the current suspended object. The computing unit is used to calculate the required motor speed changes and / or cable extension / retraction based on the pilot's maneuvers, flight control laws, and selected modes and functions.

[0060] The upper relay hook is used to connect the flight components (consisting of an electrically driven ducted fan and motor, and an orientation adjustment gimbal) to the winch's sling, while the lower relay hook is used to suspend personnel or materials.

[0061] In addition to providing structural support for flight components, the frame also houses electronic equipment.

[0062] Anti-torsion slings are distributed on both sides of the main component and can be connected to the hoisted personnel or materials, so that the hoisted personnel and materials are relatively fixed to the flying component.

[0063] The motion controller is used to realize functions such as spatial displacement of flight components, emergency power failure, and emergency disconnection.

[0064] (2) Cables and fixed parts on the machine.

[0065] This includes power cables for flight components, cable sling clamps, synchronous winding coils and motors for power cables for flight components, internal power cables, equipment mounting brackets, clamp brackets, winch operator controllers, and equipment data transmission cables.

[0066] Flight component power cables are used to power flight components during slinging operations. They consist of an abrasion-resistant insulating sheath and an adhesive layer, which can be made of a material with adhesive properties or have a special texture to create adhesion.

[0067] Cable sling clamps are evenly distributed along the power cable at regular intervals. As the sling extends, a clamp sequentially engages the sling at intervals. When the sling shortens, the clamps and cable are retracted in the reverse order of extension. This ensures the secure attachment of the winch sling and the power cable for the flight components, preventing unwanted entanglement and interference.

[0068] Synchronous winding coils and motors are used to extend and retract the power cables of flight components. They are not load-bearing components, and their extension and retraction lengths are equal to or slightly greater than the extension and retraction lengths of the slings to avoid excessive tensile stress on the power cables.

[0069] Internal power cables are used to supply power to flight components and internal equipment.

[0070] The equipment mounting bracket is used to secure components, including the synchronous winding coil and winch operator controller, to the helicopter.

[0071] The clamp bracket is fixed to the helicopter. Its horizontal arm can rotate around the vertical axis of the bracket, and the horizontal bracket can extend and retract to a certain extent. The end clamp can rotate around the axis of the horizontal arm. When the air rescue device is needed, the clamp bracket can be rotated to the required position and then extended to the winch sling. The clamp on the clamp is then locked onto the sling. Each time the sling extends, the clamp moves with the sling at the locking point, and the power cable also extends. After the sling has extended to a fixed length, the next clamp moves to the clamp and locks onto the sling, and so on. When the sling retracts, the synchronous winding coil and motor synchronously retract the power cable, generating a small pulling force. Each time the clamp locked onto the sling moves to the clamp position, it will release the sling due to the pulling force and continue to retract to the winding coil.

[0072] In addition to having the same functions as the aforementioned mobile controller, such as controlling the spatial displacement of the flight components, emergency power failure, and emergency disconnection, the winch operator controller also has a display panel for monitoring power, flight component altitude, temperature, and other functions.

[0073] This equipment can carry rescue personnel or supplies for rescue operations, depending on the specific needs, and can utilize different flight methods. Taking the carrying of rescue personnel as an example, the rescue process is as follows:

[0074] Step 1:

[0075] The pilot manipulates or uses the autopilot system to hover the helicopter in an area diagonally above the target rescue location, maintaining altitude and position.

[0076] Step 2:

[0077] Connect and secure the electric winch hook to the rescue personnel's sling and the upper relay hook of the flight component.

[0078] Step 3:

[0079] Then, the flying components are secured to the rescue personnel using anti-torsion lasso.

[0080] Step 4:

[0081] The winch operator lowers the suspended rescue personnel and flying components to a certain height via the winch control box. The longer the lowering length, the further away the flying components carrying rescue personnel (or supplies) can be from the influence area of ​​the rotor downwash in the horizontal direction, and the larger the horizontal range that they can move.

[0082] Step 5:

[0083] Rescuers move the flying component to the designated rescue position using a mobile controller or a winch operator's controller. Rescuers can then work while maintaining connection to the winch hook and flying component, or detach from them to conduct rescue operations. If detachment is chosen, the thrust of the flying component must be gradually reduced to a suitable range before detachment to avoid excessive displacement or collision caused by sudden force changes.

[0084] Step 6:

[0085] During the rescue, rescuers can use slings to secure the rescued person to the flying equipment and winch hook, and then the flying equipment or helicopter can pull it away from the rescue site. The personnel and equipment can then be retrieved by the winch.

[0086] This rescue device enables a new helicopter rescue method, as illustrated in Figure 8.

[0087] Since this rescue device is powered, it consumes a certain amount of power. If the helicopter is kept hovering during the rescue, the helicopter's loiter and operation time will be slightly shorter than that of a helicopter without using this rescue device. Therefore, a new helicopter rescue method has been invented. When it is necessary to operate on a target location in an open area without cover, the helicopter's loiter and operation time can be extended when using this rescue device, and may even be longer than the hovering and operation time without using this rescue device.

[0088] Within the range of hovering to sustained flight speed, the total power of a helicopter decreases as flight speed increases (see Figure 7 for a schematic diagram of the relationship between helicopter power requirements and flight speed), until it reaches sustained flight speed, at which point the power requirement is minimal. Since the power requirement is proportional to the fuel consumption rate, the helicopter's loiter time also increases proportionally with the increase of flight speed.

[0089] Currently, when helicopters operate on fixed targets on the ground or at sea, the lower end of the winch cannot move on its own and maintain its spatial position and orientation because there is no rescue device similar to the present invention. It can only hover above the target location to carry out the operation. The hovering time of this rescue method is shorter than the hovering time when flying forward at a certain speed. Therefore, the available time for hovering operations is also relatively short.

[0090] After installing this rescue device on a helicopter, a new rescue method targeting specific locations can be developed, which can be simply referred to as the "speed-controlled turning flight rescue method." For target locations located in open areas without cover, such as a point on a plain or at sea, the power and fuel consumption required for flight can be reduced and the loiter time increased by turning around the target location at a fixed speed. Taking maritime search and rescue as an example, the general implementation steps are as follows:

[0091] Step 1:

[0092] Based on the rescue mission information, the helicopter searches for and reaches the vicinity of the target location at a certain flight speed and altitude.

[0093] Step 2:

[0094] After the rescue target is located, the helicopter reduces its flight speed to a range where the winch can be used. The pilot then manipulates or uses the autopilot system to fly around the target location with the winch side of the helicopter facing the center.

[0095] Step 3:

[0096] Connect and secure the electric winch hook to the rescue personnel's sling and the upper relay hook of the flight component.

[0097] Step 4:

[0098] The flight components are secured to the rescue personnel using anti-torsion lasso.

[0099] Step 5:

[0100] The winch operator lowers the suspended rescue personnel and flying components to a certain height via the winch control box. The longer the lowering length, the further away the flying components carrying rescue personnel (or supplies) can be from the influence area of ​​the rotor downwash in the horizontal direction, and the larger the horizontal range that they can move.

[0101] Step 6:

[0102] Rescuers move the flying component to the designated rescue location using a mobile controller or a winch operator controller. The flight control system keeps the flying component stable in the target position. Rescuers can then carry out operations while maintaining connection with the winch hook and the flying component, or they can conduct rescue activities detached from the hook and the flying component, as needed.

[0103] If you choose to disconnect the hook and the flying component, you need to gradually reduce the thrust of the flying component to a suitable range before disconnection to avoid excessive displacement and collision of the flying component due to sudden changes in force.

[0104] If the choice is made to remain connected to the winch hook and the flying component, it is recommended that rescuers first release themselves from the anti-torsion sling to prevent their orientation from changing in real time as the helicopter turns and the flying component's orientation changes, thus affecting the rescue. It is also recommended that rescuers land on the ground, in water, or grab onto a fixed object to unload the flying component, thus minimizing its impact on the rescuers.

[0105] Step 7:

[0106] During the rescue, rescuers can use slings to secure the rescued person to the flying equipment and winch hook, and then the flying equipment or helicopter can pull it away from the rescue site. The personnel and equipment can then be retrieved by the winch.

[0107] As can be seen from the diagram showing the relationship between helicopter power requirements and flight speed, within the speed range below the long-haul speed, the faster the helicopter's flight speed, the longer its loiter time. When the reduction in flight power requirements caused by the helicopter turning at a certain speed is greater than the power consumed by this rescue device, the loiter time and operation time of the helicopter using this device will be longer than the hovering and operation time of the helicopter without this device.

[0108] It can also be seen that the amount by which the helicopter’s power requirement decreases with the increase of flight speed is proportional to the power required for hovering. If the maximum design flight weight of the helicopter is greater, the absolute amount by which the helicopter’s power requirement decreases with the increase of flight speed will be greater. However, the weight of this rescue device is relatively fixed, which means that the greater the maximum design flight weight of the helicopter, the smaller the impact of the rescue device’s power requirement at the same flight speed, and the longer the hovering and operation time.

[0109] An example of a usage scenario and rescue method for this rescue device is shown in Figure 9.

[0110] When rescuing people in high-rise buildings, if there are many trapped individuals located in the middle of the building, unable to reach the ground, and the rooftop lacks the necessary rescue area or conditions, and the building height exceeds the maximum height of available fire ladders, a new rescue method based on ground-based air cushions, ziplines, hoisting equipment, helicopters, and this rescue equipment can be employed. The main steps are as follows:

[0111] Step 1:

[0112] Ground personnel lay out an air cushion buffer device at a certain distance from the target high-rise building. This site must be lower than the height of the trapped personnel. It can be the ground or the roof of another low-rise building that meets the conditions for laying the air cushion. The angle between the line connecting the location of the air cushion buffer device and the location of the trapped personnel and the horizontal plane should be suitable for zip-lining descent.

[0113] Secure one end of a zipline to the air cushion buffer device, ensuring the zipline is long enough to connect to the location of the trapped personnel. Evacuate personnel below the line connecting the air cushion buffer device and the trapped personnel's location, and prohibit anyone from approaching to prevent injury from falling objects.

[0114] Step 2:

[0115] The helicopter flies to the vicinity of the air cushion and obtains the unsecured end of the zipline. There are several ways a helicopter can obtain the unsecured end of the zipline, such as below a winch cable, where ground personnel attach the unsecured end to the winch hook. After the winch cable is raised, the rescue personnel inside the helicopter obtain the unsecured end. If possible, the helicopter can also hover or land directly on nearby open ground, where ground personnel deliver the unsecured end of the zipline directly to the rescue personnel inside the helicopter.

[0116] After the helicopter obtained the unsecured end of the zipline, it took off and flew to the airspace near the location of the trapped personnel diagonally above.

[0117] Step 3:

[0118] After the helicopter hovered in the airspace diagonally above the location of the trapped personnel, it connected and secured the hook of the electric winch to the rescue personnel's harness and the upper relay hook of the flight component.

[0119] Step 4:

[0120] The flight components are secured to the rescue personnel using anti-torsion lasso.

[0121] Step 5:

[0122] The lower relay hook of the flight component carries necessary rescue equipment, such as the unsecured end of the zipline and lifting gear.

[0123] Step 6:

[0124] The winch operator lowers the suspended rescue personnel and flying components to a certain height via the winch control box. The longer the lowering length, the further away the flying components carrying rescue personnel (or supplies) can be from the influence area of ​​the rotor downwash in the horizontal direction, and the larger the horizontal range that they can move.

[0125] Step 7:

[0126] Rescuers move the flying component to the designated rescue position using a mobile controller or a winch operator's controller. The flight control system keeps the flying component stable in the target position. Rescuers can then work while still connected to the winch hook and the flying component, or they can detach the hook and flying component to conduct rescue operations. If detachment is chosen, the thrust of the flying component must be gradually reduced to a suitable range before detachment to avoid excessive displacement and collision caused by sudden changes in force.

[0127] The main task of rescuers is to secure the unsecured end of the zipline to the location of the trapped person. This can be done in various ways, including driving stakes into the building or wrapping the zipline around a sturdy and fixed object such as a pillar of the building.

[0128] Step 8:

[0129] After the zipline is secured, rescuers will instruct the trapped individuals to put on the hoisting gear and connect it to the zipline. The trapped individuals will then use the hoisting gear to slide along the zipline to the air cushion. Ground personnel will then help the trapped individuals remove the hoisting gear and leave the air cushion as quickly as possible. At the same time, the hoisting gear will be dismantled and moved out of the air cushion location to prevent subsequent personnel from being injured by collisions.

[0130] During the rescue, rescuers are also responsible for directing the trapped people, establishing order, and communicating with the rescue command system to prevent injuries or fatalities caused by panic and scrambling among the trapped people, as well as handling unexpected situations.

[0131] During the rescue operation, if the number of lifting devices at the location of the stranded personnel is insufficient, the helicopter can return via its flight components to resupply, then return to the stranded personnel to replenish the number of lifting devices until all stranded personnel are evacuated or the helicopter's lifting device reserves are exhausted. If the helicopter's lifting device reserves are exhausted, the helicopter can return to the vicinity of the air cushion to obtain more lifting devices, then return to the airspace diagonally above the original location of the stranded personnel to continue replenishing the number of lifting devices via its flight components. This cycle continues until all stranded personnel are evacuated.

[0132] Step 9:

[0133] Once all trapped personnel have been evacuated, rescuers should release the slings securing the trapped personnel. Then, connect the unsecured end of the released slings, rescue equipment, etc., to the lower relay hook of the flying component. Rescuers should connect the slings to the hook of the electric winch, secure them to the flying component via the anti-torsion sling, and move the flying component to a safe area outside the building via the movement controller or the winch operator's controller. The flying component or helicopter can then pull it away from the rescue location and retrieve it via the winch.

[0134] Step 10:

[0135] The helicopter flies to the vicinity of the air cushion and drops the unsecured end of the sling onto the ground. This step is to prevent the sling from breaking in a subsequent disaster, injuring or damaging people and property below. In case of emergency, the sling can also be left secured in step 9 and retrieved after the disaster. Before retrieval, ensure there are no pedestrians or valuables below the sling.

[0136] In addition, the technical solution of this application can change the control strategy of the flight components as needed, namely cable cooperative load-bearing mode and conventional multi-rotor flight mode.

[0137] In conventional multirotor flight mode, under normal conditions, lift is primarily provided by ducted fans. Pitch angle is changed for longitudinal movement by the differential speed of the front and rear fans, roll angle is changed for lateral movement by the differential speed of the left and right fans, torque is generated by the differential speed in different rotation directions to change the heading, and ascent and descent are achieved by changing the duct thrust through average speed variations. The advantage of this flight mode is its simple and mature flight control, allowing for relatively large-scale movement even with relatively small payloads. However, its disadvantage lies in the fact that, after connection to the hook, the sling is not an active thrust-generating device; it represents a difficult-to-control external disturbance for the flight components. The force on the sling cannot be too large; otherwise, if the force on the sling is too great, changes in flight status will simultaneously cause changes in the sling's extension and relative direction, resulting in a greater impact of force on the attitude and position of the flight components, making manipulation and control more difficult. For example, if it flies at a large pitch angle, the differential speed of the fan in different rotation directions will have little impact on the actual heading, which will require a significant change in the control habits for adjusting the heading. Therefore, the weight that can be carried in this flight mode is relatively small, and even if it carries a large weight, its flight control range will be greatly reduced.

[0138] In cable-assisted load-bearing mode, the ducted fan orientation can be set to a fixed value (e.g., the fan orientation is parallel to the horizontal direction). The ducted fan maintains this set value throughout the movement by varying the differential speed of the upper and lower ducted fans or by torturing the gimbal in the pitch direction. This control is automatic, performed by the flight control system without human intervention, as shown in Figure 5. The orientation of the ducted fan can be controlled by varying the differential speed of the left and right fans, as shown in Figure 4. The flight altitude can also be changed by altering the duct thrust through average speed variations, combined with changes in the length of the winch sling for forward and backward movement, as shown in Figure 3. This flight mode simplifies human operation and allows for a wider range of applicable suspended weights.

[0139] If necessary, a gimbal that rotates along the vertical axis can be added to the flight component to change the relative orientation of the personnel or materials being hoisted to the direction of the flight component's fan, so as to maintain the orientation of the personnel being hoisted in the air under crosswind conditions.

[0140] Under calm wind conditions, the forces acting on the flight components mainly include the thrust of the ducted fan, the weight of the flight components and the personnel or goods being hoisted, and the tension of the winch cables. During flight, the orientation of the ducted fan and the orientation of gravity remain fixed, and the range of motion of the flight components can be estimated by the relationship between these three forces. For example, assuming the ducted fan thrust is horizontal, the maximum usable thrust of the ducted fan is T, and the weight of the hoisted object is G, the range of motion of the flight components is shown in Figure 6.

[0141] In theory, the height of the flight components in cable-coordinated load-bearing mode cannot exceed the height of the rotor's rotation plane, thus avoiding interference between the winch cable and the helicopter rotor. In the flight control system design, a limit can also be set on the height difference between the helicopter and the flight components to further prevent interference.

[0142] This invention proposes a solution for an aviation rescue device on a helicopter platform. The flight component of the device is thrusted by a ducted fan, and the helicopter supplies power to the device. After the flight component of the device is connected to the rescue winch sling and rescue personnel or materials, it is operated by rescue personnel or winch operators, allowing the personnel or materials hoisted by the rescue winch to move within a limited space.

[0143] This invention also proposes a new control strategy for the flight components to move in the air, namely a cable-coordinated load-bearing mode, which makes the control more convenient.

[0144] The present invention also provides, by way of example, a method and steps for using the device for air rescue.

[0145] This invention proposes a solution for an aviation rescue device that can be used on a helicopter platform, enabling rescue personnel or supplies to move in the air within a certain range near the helicopter. This allows the helicopter to conduct rescues without hovering above the rescue location, expanding the application range of helicopter winch rescues. Furthermore, when the rescue location is horizontally away from the influence range of the rotor downwash airflow, the difficulty of the rescue can be reduced.

[0146] The cable-assisted load-bearing mode proposed in this invention simplifies the operation of flight components and, in principle, avoids the possibility of interference between the rotor and the winch cable, thus improving safety.

Claims

1. An aerial rescue device for use on a helicopter, characterized in that The device includes at least four electrically driven ducted fans and motors (1), an orientation adjustment gimbal (2), an upper relay hook (3), a lower relay hook, and a reverse twisting sling (4); The orientation adjustment gimbal consists of a fixed rotating shaft and a movable shaft sleeved on the fixed rotating shaft; Electric drive ducted fans and motors are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the fixed rotating shaft of the tilt-and-shoot unit. An upper relay hook and a lower relay hook are fixedly connected to the upper and lower sides of the movable axis of the orientation adjustment gimbal, respectively. Anti-torsion slings (4) are installed on the left and right sides of the fixed rotating shaft of the tilting platform and between the electric drive ducted fan and the motor.

2. An aerial rescue device for use on a helicopter as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that, The helicopter is equipped with a winch (6); The upper relay hook is used to connect the orientation adjustment platform to the sling (4) of the winch (6), and the lower relay hook is used to suspend personnel or materials; The anti-torsion sling is connected to the personnel or materials being hoisted, so that the personnel and materials are facing the same direction and the gimbal is relatively fixed. Electrically driven ducted fans are used to generate thrust, enabling suspended personnel or materials to move spatially and change horizontal orientation. The orientation adjustment gimbal is used to fix the angle between the thrust of the electric ducted fan and the horizontal plane.

3. An air rescue device used on a helicopter according to claim 2, characterized in that, The angle between the thrust of the electrically driven ducted fan and the horizontal plane is set to a fixed angle as needed, so that the thrust direction remains unchanged during the use of the rescue device.

4. An air rescue device used on a helicopter according to claim 3, characterized in that, The electric-driven ducted fan and motor are at least four in number, and the electric-driven ducted fan is operated as follows: By varying the differential speed of the upper and lower duct fans or by twisting them in the direction of the gimbal tilt adjustment, the duct... The angle between the direction of the fan's thrust and the horizontal plane remains at the set value during the movement; The orientation of the ducted fans is controlled by differential changes in the left and right ducted fans; The thrust of the duct is changed by varying the average rotational speed of the ducted fan, and the forward, backward and flight altitude changes are achieved by coordinating the changes in the length of the winch's sling (4).

5. An air rescue device used on a helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device also includes a safety grille for protection against contact, which is installed at the fan air inlet.

6. An air rescue device used on a helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device further includes: a motion controller; The mobile controller is located in the cockpit or carried by the hoisting personnel and is used to realize the spatial displacement of the orientation adjustment gimbal, emergency power failure, and emergency cut-off functions.

7. An air rescue device used on a helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device also includes: a clamp and a cable; one end of the cable is connected to the machine's power supply. The cable is used to power the ducted fan and motor, as well as the orientation adjustment pan-tilt unit; The clamp is used to fasten the sling (4) of the winch (6) together with the cable (5).

8. An air rescue device for use on a helicopter according to claim 7, characterized in that, The clamps are distributed on the cable at preset intervals. When the sling extends, a clamp will lock the sling and the cable. When the sling shortens, the clamp and the cable will retract simultaneously.

9. An air rescue device used on a helicopter according to claim 8, characterized in that, The sling has a locking point at a preset distance. All clamps are placed in the clamp bracket. When the sling is extended, the clamp bracket is adjusted to place a clamp at the locking point of the sling as the sling is extended.

10. An air rescue method used on a helicopter, characterized in that, The method is implemented using the rescue device as described in any one of claims 1-9, and the method includes: Step 1: The pilot manipulates or uses the autopilot system to hover the helicopter in an area diagonally above the target rescue location, maintaining altitude and position; Step 2: Connect and secure the winch's sling to the upper relay hook of the orientation adjustment platform; Step 3: Then, use the anti-torsion lasso to fix the orientation adjustment gimbal and the suspended personnel relatively in place; Step 4: The winch operator lowers the suspended personnel and the orientation adjustment platform to a certain height; Step 5: The hoisting personnel or winch operator moves the orientation adjustment gimbal to the designated rescue position using the mobile controller.

11. An air rescue method for use on a helicopter according to claim 10, characterized in that, In step 1, maintaining height and position specifically means: The helicopter reduces its flight speed to a range where the winch can be used. The pilot manipulates or uses the autopilot system to circle around the rescue target location with the winch side of the helicopter facing the center.

12. A rotorcraft, characterized in that, The rotorcraft is equipped with a rescue device as described in any one of claims 1-8.

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