MODEL HELICOPTER

• US 20100003886A1
• Filed: 07/02/2009
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asian Express Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Asian Express Holdings Limited
• Inventors: Matloff, Darren, Cheng, Bob
• Granted Patent: US 8,702,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/12 Helicopters A63H27/04 takes precedence; Flying tops

Abstract

A toy helicopter with four electric motors having a main body, at least one battery, and front and rear coaxial rotor assemblies. The front coaxial rotor assembly is made up of front upper and lower rotors and a front stabilizing bar operatively connected to the front upper rotor. The rear coaxial rotor assembly is made up of rear lower and upper rotors and a rear stabilizing bar operatively connected to the rear upper rotor. The helicopter includes a means for concentrically rotating the front lower and upper rotors in opposite directions and a means for concentrically rotating the rear lower and upper rotors in opposite directions. The means for concentrically rotating the front lower and upper rotors in opposite directions includes first and second front electric motors, and the means for concentrically rotating the rear lower and upper rotors in opposite directions includes first and second rear electric motors.

Claims

1. A toy helicopter capable of flight, comprising:

a main body having front and rear ends;

at least one battery located in said main body;

a front coaxial rotor assembly, said front coaxial rotor assembly comprising;

a front lower rotor, said front lower rotor comprising at least two rotor blades,

a front upper rotor, said front upper rotor comprising at least two rotor blades, and

a front stabilizing bar operatively connected to said front upper rotor;

a rear coaxial rotor assembly, said rear coaxial rotor assembly comprising;

a rear lower rotor, said rear lower rotor comprising at least two rotor blade;

a rear upper rotor, said rear lower rotor comprising at least two rotor blades; and

rear stabilizing bar operatively connected to said rear upper rotor;

a motor for concentrically rotating said front lower and upper rotors in opposite directions such that said front lower rotor and said front upper rotor are counter-rotated with respect to each other; and

a motor for concentrically rotating said rear lower and rear upper rotors in opposite directions such that said rear lower rotor and said rear upper rotor are counter-rotated with respect to each other,

2. The toy helicopter model helicopter of claim 1, wherein said front upper rotor comprises two rotor blades, wherein said front stabilizing bar and said front upper rotor each define a longitudinal axis, wherein the axes of said front stabilizing bar and said front upper rotor define a first acute angle alpha, wherein the first acute angle alpha is between 30 degrees and 80 degrees.

3. The toy helicopter model helicopter of claim 1, wherein said front upper rotor comprises two rotor blades, wherein said front stabilizing bar and said front upper rotor each define a longitudinal axis, wherein the axes of said front stabilizing bar and said front upper rotor define a first acute angle alpha, wherein the first acute angle alpha is between 30 degrees and 50 degrees.

4. The toy helicopter model helicopter of claim 1, wherein said front upper rotor comprises two rotor blades, wherein said front stabilizing bar and said front upper rotor each define a longitudinal axis, wherein the axes of said front stabilizing bar and said front upper rotor define a first acute angle alpha, wherein the first acute angle alpha is between 30 degrees and 45 degrees.

5. The toy helicopter model helicopter of claim 1, wherein said front upper rotor comprises two rotor blades, wherein said front stabilizing bar and said front upper rotor each define a longitudinal axis, wherein the axes of said front stabilizing bar and said front upper rotor define a first acute angle alpha, wherein the first acute angle alpha is between 38 degrees and 42 degrees.

6. The toy helicopter model helicopter of claim 1, wherein said front upper rotor comprises two rotor blades, wherein said front stabilizing bar and said front upper rotor each define a longitudinal axis, wherein the axes of said front stabilizing bar and said front upper rotor define a first acute angle alpha, wherein the first acute angle alpha is 41 degrees.

7. The toy helicopter model helicopter of claim 1, wherein said rear upper rotor comprises two rotor blades, wherein said rear stabilizing bar and said rear upper rotor each define a longitudinal axis, wherein the axes of said rear stabilizing bar and said rear upper rotor define a second acute angle beta, wherein the second acute angle beta is between 30 degrees and 80 degrees.

8. The toy helicopter model helicopter of claim 1, wherein said rear upper rotor comprises two rotor blades;

wherein said rear stabilizing bar and said rear upper rotor each define a longitudinal axis, wherein the axes of said rear stabilizing bar and said rear upper rotor define a second acute angle beta, wherein the second acute angle beta is between 30 degrees and 50 degrees.

9. The toy helicopter model helicopter of claim 1, wherein said rear upper rotor comprises two rotor blades, wherein said rear stabilizing bar and said rear upper rotor each define a longitudinal axis, wherein the axes of said rear stabilizing bar and said rear upper rotor define a second acute angle beta, wherein the second acute angle beta is between 30 degrees and 45 degrees.

10. The toy helicopter model helicopter of claim 1, wherein said rear upper rotor comprises two rotor blades, wherein said rear stabilizing bar and said rear upper rotor each define a longitudinal axis, wherein the axes of said rear stabilizing bar and said rear upper rotor define a second acute angle beta, wherein the second acute angle beta is between 38 degrees and 42 degrees.

11. The toy helicopter model helicopter of claim 1, wherein said rear upper rotor comprises two rotor blades, wherein said rear stabilizing bar and said rear upper rotor each define a longitudinal axis, wherein the axes of said rear stabilizing bar and said rear upper rotor define a second acute angle beta, wherein the second acute angle beta is 41 degrees.

12. The toy helicopter model helicopter of claim 1, wherein the main body comprises a plastic outer shell.

13. The toy helicopter model helicopter of claim 1, further comprising lights arranged beneath the plastic outer shell, such that the glow of the lights is visible to a user.

14. A toy helicopter capable of flight, comprising:

a main body having front and rear ends;

at least one battery located in said main body;

a front coaxial rotor assembly, said front coaxial rotor assembly comprising;

a front lower rotor, said front lower rotor comprising at least two rotor blades,

a front upper rotor, said front upper rotor comprising at least two rotor blades, and

a front stabilizing bar operatively connected to said front upper rotor;

a rear coaxial rotor assembly, said rear coaxial rotor assembly comprising;

a rear lower rotor, said rear lower rotor comprising at least two rotor blade;

a rear upper rotor, said rear lower rotor comprising at least two rotor blades; and

rear stabilizing bar operatively connected to said rear upper rotor;

an onboard controller controlling four motors that are coupled to the front lower rotor, the front upper rotor, the rear lower rotor and the rear upper rotor;

the onboard controller varying the speed of each of the four motors to direct the flight of the toy helicopter;

a means for concentrically rotating said front lower and upper rotors in opposite directions such that said front lower rotor and said front upper rotor are counter-rotated with respect to each other; and

a means for concentrically rotating said rear lower and rear upper rotors in opposite directions such that said rear lower rotor and said rear upper rotor are counter-rotated with respect to each other,

wherein said means for concentrically rotating said front lower and upper rotors in opposite directions comprises first and second front electric motors, and

wherein said means for concentrically rotating said rear lower and upper rotors in opposite directions comprises first and second rear electric motors.

15. The toy helicopter model helicopter of claim 14, wherein the main body comprises a plastic outer shell.

16. The toy helicopter model helicopter of claim 14, further comprising lights arranged beneath the plastic outer shell, such that the glow of the lights is visible to a user.

17. The toy helicopter model helicopter of claim 14, wherein the onboard controller is controlled by input from a two channel wireless controller.

18. The toy helicopter model helicopter of claim 17, wherein movements inside an equilibrium zone on one channel of the two channel wireless controller results in a forward or backwards movement of the model helicopter, and movements outside the equilibrium zone results in a change in altitude of the model helicopter.

19. A method for controlling flight, comprising:

varying the speed of each of four motors to direct the flight of the toy helicopter in coplanar directions;

wherein two of the four motors are coupled to concentrically rotating front lower and upper rotors in opposite directions such that said front lower rotor and said front upper rotor are counter-rotated with respect to each other; and

wherein the remaining two of the four motors are coupled to concentrically rotating rear lower and rear upper rotors in opposite directions such that said rear lower rotor and said rear upper rotor are counter-rotated with respect to each other.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising directing the flight of the toy helicopter without using motors to tilt the rotors in the direction of desired flight.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the coplanar directions are right, left, forwards and backwards, and any combination thereof.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the variation of speed of each of the four motors to direct the flight of the toy helicopter does not change the altitude of the toy helicopter.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the speed of each of the four motors is controlled by an onboard controller that is controlled by input from a two channel wireless controller.