Eurocopter

Aerospatiale Societe Nationale Industrielle

Eurocopter France

Michel Fernand Bost

Jean-Cyril Pierre Bauchet

Daniel Brunner

Alain Chasson

The heating device comprises electrically conducting longitudinal fibers extending substantially parallel to a leading edge of the aerofoil close to said leading edge, and means for electrically connecting the ends of the longitudinal conducting fibers to an electric power supply. The conducting fibers are grouped together in conducting rovings forming part of a hybrid fabric which furthermore includes a weft of electrically insulating fibers woven together and woven with the conducting rovings.

Device for heating an aerofoil

The shielding of the blade against lightning comprises a conducting component forming a leading edge glove and a cover for protecting the blade tip across its entire chord. Mechanical means, such as screws and rivets, with protruding shapes, fix the cover on the composite structure of the blade, in addition to some gluing, possibly conductive gluing, and are earthed by the cover, forming points where the lightning can enter or exit, protecting the surrounding composite structure of the blade against damage. At least the cover may have a suction face arm and a pressure face arm of different dimensions, at least in the direction of the span. When the blade is mounted on a member for linking to the hub, electrical continuity with this member and the hub is provided.

Blade with shielding for enhanced protection against lighting, for

An apparatus for shielding a blade against lightning includes a conducting component forming a leading edge glove and a conducting cover, for protecting the blade tip across its entire chord. Mechanical devices, such as screws and rivets with protruding shapes, in addition to some gluing, fix the cover on the composite structure of the blade, and are earthed by the cover, forming points where lightening can enter or exit, protecting the surrounding composite structure of the blade against damage. At least the cover may have a suction face arm and a pressure face arm of different dimensions at least in the direction of its span. When the blade is mounted on a member for linking to the hub, electrical continuity with this member and the hub is provided

Blade with shielding for enhanced protection against lightning, for

A fastening device including sleeves (2, 6) for absorbing forces, and a rotor blade (10) equipped with such a device for fastening to a hub (23). The device comprises an inner metallic sleeve (2) having a cylindrical central bore (4) and having a frusto-conical outer lateral face which is pressed coaxially and is affixed in the frusto-conical inner bore of an outer sleeve (6) provided with a slot (9) along one of its generatrices, and fitted into a recess delimited in the blade root (10) by a loop (12a) formed of bands (21) of rovings of the spar of the blade. The fitting of the two sleeves into one another involves a deformation by radial expansion of the outer sleeve (6), which adapts itself to the diameter of the recess provided in the composite materials of the blade root. The invention applies to helicopter rotor blades.

Fastening device including sleeves, and rotor blade equipped with such a

The invention provides a helicopter rotor blade made from a composite material whose multistrut resistant framework adjacent the leading edge is disposed so as to form two superimposed compartments.

Growing community of inventors

Joinville-le-Pont, France

Michel Fernand Bost