ROTARYCRAFT POWER AND PROPULSION SYSTEM

• US 20080245924A1
• Filed: 01/18/2008
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David J. Arlton, Paul E. Arlton
• Original Assignee: David J. Arlton, Paul E. Arlton
• Inventors: Arlton, David J., Arlton, Paul E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,083,173 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/17.13
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/21 Rotary wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/24 Coaxial rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/30 Supply or distribution of electrical power
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/20 for releasing or capturing UAVs in flight by another aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/83 using parachutes, balloons or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence

Abstract

A rotary wing vehicle includes a body structure having an elongated tubular backbone or core and a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system having rotors. The rotor system is used to move the rotary wing vehicle in directional flight.

Claims

1. A rotary-wing vehicle comprising

an airframe forming a non-rotating structural spine having a longitudinal axis, a first end of the airframe, and an opposite second end of the airframe spaced-apart from the first end,

a first rotor module supported by the non-rotating structural spine, the first rotor module including a first rotor hub and a plurality of first rotor blades operably connected to the first rotor hub and arranged to extend in perpendicular relation to the longitudinal axis, and

a first rotor driver having a hollow core and operably connected to the first rotor hub of the first rotor module to drive the first rotor blades about the longitudinal axis, wherein the non-rotating structural spine passes through the hollow core of the first rotor driver and is positioned to cause the first rotor driver to lie between the first and second ends of the non-rotating structural spine.

2. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 1, further comprising at least one component part including one of a control module, power module, second rotor module, guidance system, communication system, body shell, servo actuator, sensor, motor speed controller and payload, and wherein the at least one component part is supported by the non-rotating structural spine.

3. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first rotor driver is a first electric motor having a hollow core and the non-rotating structural spine passes through the hollow core of the first electric motor.

4. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 3, wherein the first electric motor is one of an outrunner-style motor and a pan-style motor.

5. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 2, wherein the non-rotating structural spine supports the first rotor module on the spine in a position between a first side of the first rotor blades and the first end of the non-rotating structural spine, the non-rotating structural spine supports the at least one component part on the spine in a position between a second side of the first rotor blades and the second end of the non-rotating structural spine, and the non-rotating structural spine includes a conduit to carry signals between the first rotor module and the at least one component part.

6. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 3, wherein the at least one component part is a first power module comprising a first electric battery and the first electric battery provides electric power to the first electric motor.

7. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 2, wherein the at least one component part is a second rotor module supported by the non-rotating structural spine and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the first rotor module, the second rotor module has a second rotor hub and a plurality of second rotor blades operably connected to the second rotor hub and arranged to extend in perpendicular relation to the longitudinal axis, and the second rotor hub and second rotor blades rotate in a direction about the longitudinal axis that is in an opposite direction to a direction of rotation of the first rotor hub and first rotor blades about the longitudinal axis.

8. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 7, further comprising a second power module including a second electric battery supported by the non-rotating structural spine and located in spaced-apart relation to the second rotor module and located between the second side of the second rotor blades and the second end of the spine, and wherein the second electric battery is configured to include means for providing electric power to the second electric motor.

9. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a second rotor module supported by the non-rotating structural spine, and wherein the second rotor module includes a second rotor hub and a plurality of second rotor blades operably connected to the second rotor hub and arranged to extend in perpendicular relation to the longitudinal axis, a second rotor driver is formed to include a hollow core and is operably connected to the second rotor hub of the second rotor module to drive the second rotor blades about the longitudinal body axis, and the non-rotating structural spine passes through the hollow core of the second rotor driver and is positioned such that the second rotor driver lies between the first and second ends of the non-rotating structural spine.

10. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 9, wherein the second rotor driver is configured to drive the second rotor blades without use of a geared transmission.

11. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 9, further comprising a power module including a battery supported by the non-rotating structural spine and arranged to lie between the first rotor module and second rotor module and the battery is configured to supply power to the first rotor driver and second rotor driver.

12. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 1, wherein the non-rotating structural spine includes a hollow portion configured to form a conduit configured to convey at least one of power and signals to operate the rotor blades.

13. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 1, further comprising at least one component part including one of a control module, power source module, and pitch controller coupled to the airframe and located between the first set of rotor blades and the nose cone.

14. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 1, further comprising at least one component part including one of a control module, power source module, and pitch controller coupled to the airframe and located between the first rotor blades and the tail cone.

15. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 13, wherein the at least one component part includes the control module and the power module.

16. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 14, wherein the at least one component part includes the control module, the power module, and the pitch controller.

17. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first rotor driver is configured to drive the first rotor blades without use of a geared transmission.

18. A rotary-wing vehicle comprising

an airframe forming a non-rotating structural spine having a longitudinal axis, a first end of the airframe, and an opposite second end of the airframe spaced-apart from the first end,

a first rotor module operably coupled to the non-rotating structural spine, the first rotor module including a first rotor hub and a plurality of first rotor blades operably coupled to the first rotor hub and arranged to extend in perpendicular relation to the longitudinal axis,

a second rotor module operably coupled to the non-rotating structural spine and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the first rotor module, the second rotor module including a second rotor hub and a plurality of second rotor blades operably connected to the second rotor hub and extending in perpendicular relation to the longitudinal axis,

a first power module operably coupled to the non-rotating structural spine and arranged to lie between the first rotor module and the first end of the non-rotating structural spine, the first power module supplying power to the first rotor module, and

a second power module operably connected to the non-rotating structural spine and arranged to lie between the second rotor module and the second end of the non-rotating structural spine, the second power module supplying power to the second rotor module.

19. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 18, wherein the first power module and second power module cooperate and communicate during flight of the rotary wing vehicle to provide means for balancing a power draw from the two power modules so that power is depleted from both of the first and second power modules at the same time.

20. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 18, wherein the first power module and second power module communicate through power and signal conduits extant in the non-rotating structural spine.

21. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 18, further comprising at least one component part including one of a control module, power module, rotor module, guidance system, radio system, body shell, servo actuator, sensor, motor speed controller and payload, wherein the at least one component part is supported by the non-rotating structural spine.

22. A rotary-wing vehicle comprising

an airframe forming a non-rotating structural spine having a longitudinal axis, a first end of the airframe, and an opposite second end of the airframe spaced-apart from the first end,

a first rotor module supported by the non-rotating structural spine, the first rotor module including a first rotor hub and a plurality of first rotor blades operably connected to the first rotor hub and extending in perpendicular relation to the longitudinal axis, and

a first rotor driver operably connected to a hub of the first rotor module to drive the first rotor blades about the longitudinal axis, the first rotor driver comprising an electric motor including a hollow core, and the non-rotating structural spine passing through the hollow core and being positioned such that the first rotor driver lies between the first and second ends of the non-rotating structural spine, and wherein the electric motor abuts a printed circuit board and coils of the electric motor are connected to the printed circuit board.

23. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 22, further comprising a speed controller connected to the printed circuit board to interconnect the coils of the electric motor in winding configurations.

24. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 23, wherein the winding configurations are one of a Wye wind and a Delta wind.

25. A rotary-wing vehicle comprising

an airframe establishing a longitudinal axis,

a first set of rotor blades coupled to the airframe and configured to rotate in a first direction about the longitudinal axis, and

a second set of rotor blades coupled to the airframe to lie in spaced-apart relation to the first set of rotor blades to define a space therebetween and configured to rotate in a second, opposite direction about the longitudinal axis, and wherein a center of gravity of the airframe is located in the space provided between the first and second sets of rotor blades.

26. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 25, further comprising a first pitch controller configured to vary a pitch of the first set of rotor blades, wherein the first pitch controller is coupled to the airframe and arranged to lie in the space between the first and second sets of rotor blades.

27. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 26, further comprising a second pitch controller configured to vary a pitch of the second set of rotor blades, wherein the second pitch controller coupled to the airframe and arranged to lie in the space between the first and second sets of rotor blades.

28. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 26, wherein the first pitch controller is located in the space between the first set of rotor blades and the center of gravity.

29. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 27, wherein the second pitch controller is located in the space between the second set of rotor blades and the center of gravity.

30. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 26, wherein the center of gravity is located between the first and second pitch controllers.

31. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 25, further comprising a first power source module configured to provide power to the first set of rotor blades and wherein the first power source module is coupled to the airframe and the first set of rotor blades is located between the center of gravity and the first power source module.

32. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 31, further comprising a second power source module configured to provide power to the second set of rotor blades and wherein the second power source module is coupled to the airframe and the second set of rotor blades is located between the center of gravity and the second power source module.

33. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 25, further comprising a first payload module configured to provide at least one of means for delivering goods and means for gathering data during a flight of the vehicle, and wherein the first payload module is coupled to the airframe and the first set of rotor blades is located between the center of gravity and the first payload module.

34. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 33, further comprising a second payload module configured to provide at least one of means for delivering goods and means for gathering data during a flight of the vehicle and wherein the second payload is coupled to the airframe and the second set of rotor blades is located between the center of gravity and the second payload module.

35. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 25, further comprising a first electronics module configured to provide at least one of means for guidance and means for communications during a flight of the vehicle, and wherein the first electronics module is coupled to the airframe and the first set of rotor blades is located between the center of gravity and the first electronics module.

36. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 35, further comprising a second electronics module configured to provide at least one of means for guidance and means for communications during a flight of the vehicle, and wherein the second electronics module is coupled to the airframe and the second set of rotor blades is located between the center of gravity and the second electronics module.

37. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 25, further comprising a first power source module configured to provide means for providing power to rotate the first set of rotor blades about the longitudinal axis, and wherein the first power source module is coupled to the airframe and the first set of rotor blades is arranged to lie on the airframe between the first power source module and the center of gravity.

38. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 25, further comprising a first pitch controller to control the pitch of the rotor blades, and wherein the first pitch controller is coupled to the airframe and arranged to lie in the space between the first and second sets of rotor blades and also between the first set of rotor blades and the center of gravity.

39. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 37, further comprising a first payload module configured to provide at least one of means for delivering goods and means for gathering data during a flight of the vehicle, and wherein the first payload module is coupled to the airframe and arranged to lie between the first power source module and the first set of rotor blades.

40. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 37, further comprising a first electronics module configured to provide at least one of means for guidance and means for communications during a flight of the vehicle, and wherein the first electronics module is coupled to the airframe and arranged to lie between the first power source module and the first set of rotor blades.

41. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 25, further comprising first and second power source modules to provide means for providing power to rotate the first and second sets of rotor blades, respectively, first and second payload modules to provide at least one of means for delivering of goods and means for gathering of data during a flight of the vehicle, first and second electronics modules to provide at least one of means for guidance and means for communications during a flight of the vehicle, and first and second pitch controllers to provide pitch control for the first and second sets of rotor blades, respectively, all modules being coupled to the airframe, and wherein the first payload module, the first electronics module, and the first pitch controller are arranged to lie between the first power source module and the center of gravity, and the second power source module, the second electronics module and the second pitch controller are arranged to lie between the second payload module and the center of gravity.

42. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 25, further comprising first and second pitch controllers to provide pitch control for the first and second sets of rotor blades, respectively, wherein the first and second pitch controllers are coupled to the airframe and arranged to lie in the space between the first and second sets of rotor blades.

43. The rotary-wing vehicle of claim 25, further comprising first and second pitch controllers to control the pitch of the first and second sets of rotor blades, respectively, and wherein the first pitch controller is coupled to the airframe and arranged to lie between the first set of rotor blades and the center of gravity, and further wherein the second pitch controller is coupled to the airframe and arranged to lie between the second set of rotor blades and the center of gravity.

44. A rotary-wing vehicle comprising

an airframe establishing a first longitudinal axis, and

a set of rotor blades coupled to the airframe and configured to rotate about the first longitudinal axis, each rotor blade having a second longitudinal axis along a plane essentially perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis, and wherein a center of gravity of the airframe is located at an intersection of the first and second longitudinal axes.