Belt drive arrangement for a drive train of a helicopter

Abstract

The invention relates to a belt drive assembly for a drive train of a helicopter, comprising a drive shaft that can be functionally connected to a crankshaft of a drive machine of the helicopter, wherein the drive shaft is functionally connected to a belt disk via a torsional vibration damper, wherein the belt disk can rotate via a bearing mechanism on a bearing shaft connected to the drive shaft for conjoint rotation therewith, wherein the belt disk can receive a belt that is functionally connected to a rotor system of the helicopter.

Claims

1. A belt drive assembly for a drive train of a helicopter, comprising: a drive shaft that can be functionally connected to a crankshaft of a drive machine of the helicopter, wherein the drive shaft is functionally connected to a belt disk via a torsional vibration damper, wherein the belt disk can rotate via a bearing mechanism on a bearing shaft connected to the drive shaft for conjoint rotation therewith, wherein the belt disk can receive a belt that is functionally connected to a rotor system of the helicopter, and further comprising an ancillary drive shaft that-is connected to the belt disk for conjoint rotation, wherein the ancillary drive shaft can be functionally connected to an ancillary unit of the helicopter.

2. The belt drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein the torsional vibration damper comprises a spring mechanism, wherein the spring mechanism couples at least one input element to at least one output element such that vibrations are dampened.

3. The belt drive assembly according to claim 2, wherein the at least one input element is located axially between the drive shaft and the bearing shaft, and connected to the drive shaft and the bearing shaft for conjoint rotation.

4. The belt drive assembly according to claim 2, wherein the at least one input element is an annular disk, and has numerous holes for axially inserting connecting means between the drive shaft and the bearing shaft.

5. The belt drive assembly according to claim 2, wherein the at least one output element is located on the front surface of the belt disk and is connected to the belt disk for conjoint rotation.

6. The belt drive assembly according to claim 2, further comprising a first and second output element form a housing of the torsional vibration damper, wherein the first output element forms a housing well, and the second output element forms a housing cover.

7. The belt drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bearing mechanism comprises a first and second tapered roller bearing.

8. The belt drive assembly according to claim 7, wherein the two tapered roller bearings form an O-assembly.

9. A use of a belt drive assembly according to claim 1 in a drive train of a helicopter.

10. A helicopter that has a belt drive assembly according to claim 1.

11. A belt drive assembly for a drive train of a helicopter, comprising: a drive shaft that can be functionally connected to a crankshaft of a drive machine of the helicopter, wherein the drive shaft is functionally connected to a belt disk via a torsional vibration damper, wherein the belt disk can rotate via a bearing mechanism on a bearing shaft connected to the drive shaft for conjoint rotation therewith, wherein the belt disk can receive a belt that is functionally connected to a rotor system of the helicopter, wherein the torsional vibration damper comprises a spring mechanism, wherein the spring mechanism couples at least one input element to at least one output element such that vibrations are dampened, and wherein the at least one input element is an annular disk, and has numerous holes for axially inserting connecting means between the drive shaft and the bearing shaft.

Description

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the belt drive arrangement according to the invention for a drive train of a helicopter shall be explained in greater detail below in reference to the drawings. Therein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a first embodiment of the belt drive arrangement according to the invention for a drive train of a helicopter;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of a second embodiment of the belt drive arrangement according to the invention for a drive train of a helicopter;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a helicopter that has a belt drive arrangement according to the invention, integrated in the drive train.

(5) According to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a respective belt drive arrangement 13 according to the invention for a drive train of a helicopter 14 has a drive shaft 1, which is functionally connected to a crankshaft 2 of a drive machine 15 of the helicopter 14. Furthermore—and not shown herein—the drive shaft 1 and the crankshaft 2 can be functionally connected to a starter gear of a drive device. The starter gear can be incorporated in the intersection between the drive shaft 1 and the crankshaft 2. The drive shaft 1 is functionally connected to a belt disk 4 via a torsional vibration damper 3. The torsional vibration damper 3 comprises a spring mechanism 8. The belt disk 4 can rotate via a bearing mechanism 5 on a bearing shaft 6 connected to the drive shaft 1 for conjoint rotation. The bearing mechanism 5 comprises a first and second tapered roller bearing 5a, 5b, wherein the two tapered roller bearings 5a, 5b form an O-assembly. Furthermore, the bearing mechanism 5 is sealed via first and second seals 19a, 19b, dedicated to the respective tapered roller bearings 5a, 5b, and secured axially by a bearing cover 20. A tensioning sleeve 21 is located between the two tapered roller bearings 5a, 5b.

(6) The bearing shaft 6 and the drive shaft 1 are hollow shafts located on a common drive axis 16, together with the crankshaft 2. The belt disk 4 is coaxial to the bearing shaft 6. The belt disk 4 also receives a belt that is functionally connected to a rotor system 18 of the helicopter 14. In the present case, the belt is not shown, although the belt track 17 on the belt disk 4 is shown, which corresponds to the belt. The belt track 17 has numerous V-shaped notches, which can receive at least one, preferably numerous, belts.

(7) Furthermore, the ancillary drive shaft 12 is connected to the belt disk 4 for conjoint rotation. The ancillary drive shaft 12 is intended to be functionally connected to an ancillary unit of the helicopter 14. By way of example, the ancillary unit can be a fan. The ancillary drive shaft 12 can rotate via a bearing element 22. The torque generated by the drive machine 15 is introduced via the torsional vibration damper 3 into both the belt disk 4 and the ancillary drive shaft 12.

(8) According to FIG. 1, the spring mechanism 8 of the torsional vibration damper 3 couples two input elements 7a, 7b to an output element 9 such that vibrations are dampened. The first input element 7a bears on the drive shaft 1 and is functionally connected to the spring mechanism 8. The second input element 7b bears on the bearing shaft 6, and is functionally connected to the spring mechanism 8. The respective input elements 7a, 7b form annular disks, and have numerous holes 10 for axially inserting connecting means 11 between the drive shaft 1 and the bearing shaft 6. In the present case, there are two connecting means 11 in the form of shear pins in the intersection surface. The connecting means 11 extend, at least in part, axially through the drive shaft 1 and the bearing shaft 6, as well as entirely through the respective holes 10 on the respective input elements 7a, 7b. The output element 9 is located on the front surface of the belt disk 4, and is connected to the belt disk 4 for conjoint rotation via screws. In the present case, the output element is in the form of an annular disk.

(9) According to FIG. 2, the spring mechanism 8 of the torsional vibration damper 3 couples an input element 7 to two output elements 9a, 9b such that vibrations are dampened. The input element 7 bears axially between the drive shaft 1 and the bearing shaft 6, and is functionally connected to the spring mechanism 8. The input element 7 is in the form of an annular disk, and has numerous holes for axially inserting connecting means 11 between the drive shaft 1 and the bearing shaft 6. In the present case, there are two connecting means 11 in the form of screw elements in the interaction surface. The connecting means 11 extend, at least in part, axially through the drive shaft 1 and the bearing shaft 6, and entirely through the respective holes 10 on the input element 7. The first and second output elements 9a, 9b form a housing for the torsional vibration damper 3, wherein the first output element 9a forms a housing well, and the second output element 9b forms a housing cover. The first output element 9a is located on the front surface of the belt disk 4, wherein the second output element 9b bears at least in part on the front surface of the first output element 9a, and wherein both output elements 9a, 9b are connected to the belt disk 4 for conjoint rotation via screws.

(10) A helicopter 14 with a belt drive arrangement 13 according to the invention is shown in FIG. 3. The belt drive arrangement 13 is functionally located in a drive train of the helicopter 14, wherein the drive train comprises a drive machine 15 at the input end, and a rotor system 18 at the output end, which has first and second rotors 18a, 18b.

REFERENCE SYMBOLS

(11) 1 drive shaft 2 crankshaft 3 torsional vibration damper 4 belt disk 5 bearing mechanism 5a first tapered roller bearing 5b second tapered roller bearing 6 bearing shaft 7 input element 7a first input element 7b second input element 8 spring mechanism 9 output element 9a first output element 9b second output element 10 hole 11 connecting means 12 ancillary drive shaft 13 belt drive arrangement 14 helicopter 15 drive machine 16 drive axis 17 belt track 18 rotor system 18a first rotor 18b second rotor 19a first seal 19b second seal 20 bearing cover 21 tensioning sleeve 22 bearing element