Patent ID: 6260793
Filing Date: 2001-07-17
Classification: B64C

Abstract:
A convertible aircraft with tilting rotors which is capable of operating in aeroplane mode and in helicopter mode, and comprising at least one fuselage, a fixed wing system comprising at least two wings extending laterally on either side of said fuselage and, in helicopter mode, a rotating wing system comprising at least two rotors, each having a substantially vertical shaft erected above a respective fixed wing and mounted so that said shaft can pivot on said fixed wing about a pivot axis arranged transversely to the fuselage, said shaft pivoting towards the front of said fixed wing in order to switch from helicopter mode to aeroplane mode, in which the rotors act as propellers, the shaft of each rotor being driven in rotation about itself by a front reduction gear unit of one respectively of two transmissions, each also having a rear reduction gear unit linked to the corresponding front reduction gear unit as well as one respectively of two engines, each supported respectively on one of the two fixed wings, and to an inter-connecting shaft linking the two transmissions so that the two rotors can be driven in rotation by either of the two engines in the event that the other engine fails, the shaft of each rotor, the corresponding transmission and the corresponding engine being housed in one respectively of two articulated pods, each comprising a front part which pivots about the pivot axis on a stationary rear part fixed to one respectively of the two fixed wings and in which the corresponding engine and at least a part of the rear reduction gear unit of the corresponding transmission are housed, the front reduction gear unit of said transmission and shaft of the corresponding rotor being housed in a pivoting front part of the pod and being mounted so as to pivot with said front part relative to said rear part and said corresponding wing, wherein said pivoting front part of the pod has a bottom fairing in aeroplane mode, which is extended towards the rear and towards the interior of the stationary rear part of the pod by means of a curved cowl, the concave aspect of which is turned towards the pivot axis and at least partially and axisymmetrically curved about said pivot axis, so that when said pivoting front part of the pod is pivoted into helicopter mode, the curved cowl will substantially provide aerodynamic continuity between said bottom fairing, arranged towards the front of the pivoting front part of the pod in helicopter mode and the front of a bottom fairing of said stationary rear part of the pod, wherein a swivel-mounted flap is mounted by a front edge so as to pivot about a pivot pin substantially parallel with said pivot axis on a rear portion of a top fairing of the pivoting front part of the pod in aeroplane mode so that said swivel-mounted flap will provide substantial aerodynamic continuity on the pod between said rear portion of the top fairing of said pivoting front part and a front edge of a top fairing of said stationary rear part of the pod in aeroplane mode, whereas when converting from aeroplane mode to helicopter mode, said swivel-mounted flap is displaced, at least at its rear edge, on said top fairing of said stationary rear part of the pod, against which top fairing said swivel-mounted flap is applied in helicopter mode.