US 12,234,009 B2
Rotary wing aircraft with at least two rotors and a propulsion unit
Jerome Geneix, Miramas le Vieux (FR); and Mikolaj Luszczynski, Lodz (PL)
Assigned to AIRBUS HELICOPTERS, Marignane (FR); and AIRBUS HELICOPTERS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH, Donauworth (DE)
Filed by AIRBUS HELICOPTERS, Marignane (FR); and AIRBUS HELICOPTERS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH, Donauworth (DE)
Filed on Nov. 17, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/989,077.
Claims priority of application No. 21315280 (EP), filed on Dec. 16, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0192279 A1, Jun. 22, 2023
Int. Cl. B64C 27/30 (2006.01); B64C 27/12 (2006.01); B64C 27/26 (2006.01); B64C 29/00 (2006.01); B64D 35/024 (2024.01); H01M 10/46 (2006.01); H02K 7/14 (2006.01)
CPC B64C 27/26 (2013.01) [B64C 27/12 (2013.01); B64C 27/30 (2013.01); B64C 29/0025 (2013.01); B64D 35/024 (2024.01); H01M 10/46 (2013.01); H02K 7/14 (2013.01); B60L 2200/10 (2013.01); H01M 2220/20 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A rotary wing aircraft that extends along a roll axis between a nose region and an aft region, comprising:
at least one first single-blade rotor and at least one second single-blade rotor which are spaced apart from each other along the roll axis;
at least one first electric machine and at least one second electric machine which are at least configured to drive in motor mode the at least one first single-blade rotor and the at least one second single-blade rotor for generating lift in hover condition of the rotary wing aircraft;
at least one propulsion device that is at least configured to generate forward thrust in forward flight condition of the rotary wing aircraft;
a fixed-wing arrangement that is at least configured to provide lift in the forward flight condition of the rotary wing aircraft; and
a flight control system that is configured to control, in a transition phase from the hover condition to the forward flight condition:
the at least one propulsion device for generating forward thrust, and
the at least one first electric machine and the at least one second electric machine to operate in a closed loop configuration with the at least one first single-blade rotor and the at least one second single-blade rotor for braking the at least one first single-blade rotor and the at least one second single-blade rotor down to a rotation speed close to zero,
wherein the at least one first electric machine is controlled for operation in the motor mode, wherein the at least one second electric machine is controlled for operation in generator mode, and wherein the at least one first electric machine in the motor mode is controlled for being driven with the generated electrical energy from the at least one second electric machine operating in the generator mode.