System and Process of Vector Propulsion with Independent Control of Three Translation and Three Rotation Axis

• US 20100301168A1
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Severino Raposo
• Original Assignee: Severino Raposo
• Inventors: Raposo, Severino
• Granted Patent: US 8,128,033 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/171.2
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 23/00 Toy boats; Floating toys; Other aquatic toy devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/00 Toy aircraft; Other flying toys toys with parachutes A63H33/20
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/08 Propulsion schnorkels B63G8/36; nuclear propulsion B63H21/18; submerged exhausting apparatus F01N13/12
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/16 by direct use of propellers or jets
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/20 Rotorcraft characterised by having shrouded rotors, e.g. flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/82 characterised by the provision of an auxiliary rotor or fluid-jet device for counter-balancing lifting rotor torque or changing direction of rotorcraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0033 the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/20 Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/26 Ducted or shrouded rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/297 Tilting rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/18 Thrust vectoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0858 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft

Abstract

The present invention relates to a propulsion system of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft or vehicle moving in any fluid or vacuum and more particularly to a vector control system of the vehicle propulsion thrust allowing an independent displacement with six degrees of freedom, three degrees of translation in relation to its centre of mass and three degrees of rotation in relation to its centre of mass. The aircraft displacement ability using the propulsion system of the present invention depends on two main thrusters or propellers and which can be tilted around pitch is (I) by means of tilting mechanisms and, used to perform a forward or backward movement, can be tilted around roll axis (X) by means of tilting mechanisms and, used to perform lateral movements to the right or to the left and to perform upward or downward movements (Z), the main thrusters being further used to perform rotations around the vehicle yaw axis (Z) and around the roll is (X). The locomotion function also uses one or two auxiliary thrusters or propellers and mainly used to control the rotation around the pitch axis, these thrusters or propellers and being fixed at or near the longitudinal is of the vehicle, with there thrust perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the roll and pitch axis of the vehicle.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A propulsion system connected to a vehicle, said vehicle able to move inside a fluid or vacuum with three independent translation axis movements and three independent rotation axis movements, comprising at least two main thrusters, connected to the vehicle by attachment means comprising tilting mechanisms and joining means, said tilting mechanisms being able of tilting the main thrusters around two axis, pitch and roll, independently from each other, wherein the geometric center of the arrangement of said tilting mechanisms is located at or in close vicinity of the mass center of the vehicle, and in that the system comprises at least one auxiliary thruster connected to the vehicle by joining means, wherein the at least one auxiliary thruster and the tilting mechanisms of the main thrusters define a geometrical figure shaped, approximately, as an equilateral triangle or as a diamond, said triangle or diamond lying on the horizontal plan, defined by the longitudinal (roll) and lateral (pitch) axes of the vehicle, the at least one auxiliary thruster and the tilting mechanisms of the said main thrusters being disposed at the apexes of said geometrical figure in such a way that the geometrical center of said figure is disposed on the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, wherein the at least one auxiliary thruster is fixed with thrust perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the roll and pitch axes of the vehicle, the vehicle also being provided with control means configured to control the thrusters and their corresponding tilting mechanisms.

19. The propulsion system according to claim 18, further comprising two main thrusters, each placed laterally from the roll axis of the vehicle and symmetrically and perpendicular to the roll axis of the vehicle, and having one auxiliary thruster fixed and not tiltable, placed on or at close vicinity of an end of the vehicle roll axis, with thrust perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the roll and pitch axes of the vehicle.

20. The propulsion system according to claim 18, further comprising two main thrusters, each placed laterally from the roll axis of the vehicle and symmetrically and perpendicular to the roll axis of the vehicle, and having two auxiliary thrusters, fixed and not tiltable, placed at or in close vicinity of front and rear ends of the roll axis of the vehicle, with thrust perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the roll and pitch axes of the vehicle.

21. The propulsion system according to claim 18, further comprising two main thrusters, each placed laterally from the roll axis of the vehicle and symmetrically and perpendicular to the roll axis of the vehicle, and having both auxiliary thrusters, fixed and not tiltable, placed at or in close vicinity of front and rear ends of the vehicle, with thrust perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the roll and pitch axes of the vehicle.

22. The propulsion system according to claim 18, further comprising two main thrusters, wherein one of the main thrusters is placed at or in close vicinity of the front end of the vehicle roll axes and the other of said main thrusters is placed at or in close vicinity of the front end of the vehicle roll axis and the other of said main thrusters is placed at or in close vicinity of the rear end of the roll axis of the vehicle, the system further comprising two auxiliary thrusters, each placed laterally from the roll axis of the vehicle, and symmetrically and perpendicularly to the roll axis of the vehicle, the geometric center of said fixed thrusters arrangement being located at or in close vicinity of the mass center of the vehicle, with thrust perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the roll and pitch axes of the vehicle.

23. The propulsion system according to claim 18, wherein the thrusters are selected from the following group:

propellers, jets, fans, rockets, magnet thrusters, electric thrusters, turbines or any other propulsion system.

24. A propulsion process for a propulsion system of a vehicle, the system able to move the vehicle along three independent translation axes and around three independent rotation axes, wherein the propulsion system is connected to the vehicle and the vehicle is able to move inside a fluid or vacuum with three independent translation axes movements and three independent rotation axes movements, the system comprising at least two main thrusters, connected to the vehicle by attachment means comprising tilting mechanisms and joining means, said tilting mechanisms being able of tilting the main thrusters around two axes, pitch and roll, independently from each other, wherein the geometric center of the arrangement of said tilting mechanisms is located at or in close vicinity of the mass center of the vehicle, and in that the system comprises at least one auxiliary thruster connected to the said vehicle by joining means, wherein the at least one auxiliary thruster and the tilting mechanisms of the said main thrusters define a geometrical figure shaped, approximately, as an equilateral triangle or as a diamond, said triangle or diamond lying on the horizontal plan, defined by the longitudinal (roll) and lateral (pitch) axes of the vehicle, the at least one auxiliary thruster and the tilting mechanisms of the main thrusters being disposed at the apexes of said geometrical figure in such a way that the geometrical center of said figure is disposed on the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, wherein the at least one auxiliary thruster is fixed with thrust perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the roll and pitch axes of the vehicle, the vehicle also being provided with control means configured to control the thrusters and their corresponding tilting mechanisms, the process comprising:

translational movements over the horizontal plan are achieved by tilting all the main thrusters, around their tilt axes, which are perpendicular to the intended translational movement, and also by changing the global thrust of the thrusters in such a way as to maintain the vehicle altitude;

translational movement along the vertical axis is accomplished by having all the main thrusters in the vertical tilt position, by increasing the thrust of all the thrusters so that their combined thrust is greater than the weight of the vehicle for it to ascend, and by reducing the thrust to less than the vehicle weight for the vehicle to descend;

rotation around the vertical axis is accomplished by tilting the main thrusters around the same axis connecting these tilting mechanisms, at an equal angle in modulus but with opposite signal of a main thruster in relation to its opposed main thruster, and also by changing the thrusters overall thrust to maintain altitude;

rotation around the axis defined by the attachment means of the tilting mechanisms of two main thrusters is accomplished by varying the thrust in the auxiliary thruster(s), the main thrusters tilting in the opposite sense to that of the rotation of the vehicle and also by changing the thrust of the thrusters in order to maintain altitude;

rotation around the axis orthogonal to the previous axis and the vertical axis is accomplished by a different thrust in the main thrusters and by tilting the same in the sense opposite to the vehicle rotation and also by changing the thrust of the thrusters in order to maintain altitude; and

wherein, when using propellers as thrusters, these being placed opposed to each other, the propellers turning in opposite directions in order to compensate the torque over the vehicle.

25. The propulsion process according to claim 24, wherein the system further comprises two main thrusters, each placed laterally from the roll axis of the vehicle and symmetrically and perpendicular to the roll axis of the vehicle, and having one auxiliary thruster fixed and not tiltable, placed on or at close vicinity of an end of the vehicle roll axis, with thrust perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the roll and pitch axes of the vehicle, wherein the process further comprises:

independent forward or backward motion is accomplished by tilting the main thruster around the pitch axis at the same angle (a), by increasing the thrust with equal value in both thrusters, in such a way that the vector sum of the vertical thrust equals the weight of the vehicle thus maintaining the altitude of the aircraft;

independent lateral motion is accomplished by tilting the main thrusters at the same angle(b1), around the roll axis, and by increasing the thrust in such a way that the vector sum of the vertical thrusts equals the weight of the vehicle in order to maintain altitude;

independent diagonal motion is accomplished by combining tilting of the main thrusters at the same angle (bp, around the roll and pitch axes, again with the increase of the thrust in such a way that the vector sum of the vertical thrust equals the weight of the vehicle thus maintaining altitude;

independent upward or downward motion is accomplished by assuming a vertical position of the main thrusters and by equally increasing the vertical thrust producing forces on the vertical axis (yaw) that can be greater or lesser than the weight of the vehicle;

independent rotation around the yaw (vertical) axis is accomplished by tilting the main thrusters around the pitch axis (this axis being the same connecting the tilting mechanisms of the main thrusters), at angles (c, d) that are equal in modulus but with opposite signal, and also by increasing the thrust thus maintaining altitude;

independent rotation around the pitch axis of the vehicle is accomplished by using the auxiliary thruster thus creating a propulsive force by generating thrust on the auxiliary thruster, this propulsive force being able to be directed upward or downward, and when using propellers as thrusters, the upward or downward force is produced by two counter-rotated propellers, or by a single propeller rotating in two possible directions, or by propeller pitch change maintaining the rotation direction, wherein, in order for the vehicle to stay in the same spatial translational position of the mass center, the main thrusters are tilted around the pitch axis at angles (g) and (e) in opposite direction to the vehicle rotation, these angles being the same if the auxiliary thruster does not generate any torque and different if they do, and the main thrusters change their thrust to maintain the altitude; and

independent rotation around the roll axis of the vehicle is accomplished by using different impulsive forces of the main thrusters, wherein in order for the vehicle to maintain the same spatial translational position of the mass center, the main thrusters are tilted around the roll axis in the opposite direction of the vehicle rotation, at equal angles (k, j) if there is no resulting torque from the main thrusters, and if there is resulting torque, then the main thrusters are also tilted around the pitch axis with angles (q, o), in order to compensate the elevation of the axis connecting the auxiliary thrusters, and changing the main thrusters thrust thus maintaining altitude.

26. The propulsion process according to claim 24, wherein the system further comprises two main thrusters each placed laterally from the roll axis of the vehicle and symmetrically and perpendicularly to the roll axis of the vehicle, wherein two auxiliary thrusters fixed and not tiltable, placed at or in close vicinity of front and rear ends of the roll axis of the vehicle, with thrust perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the roll and pitch axes of the vehicle, wherein the process further comprises:

independent motion forward or backward is accomplished by tilting the main thrusters around the pitch axis at the same angle (a), by increasing the thrust with equal value in both thrusters, in such a way that the vector sum of the vertical thrust equals the weight, thus maintaining the altitude;

independent lateral motion is accomplished by tilting the main thrusters at the same angle (1)1), around the roll axis, and by increasing the thrust in such a way that the vector sum of the thrust equals the weight of the vehicle thus maintaining altitude;

independent diagonal motion is accomplished by combining tilting of the main thrusters around the roll and pitch axis, again with the increase of thrust in such a way that the vector sum of the vertical thrust equals the weight of the vehicle thus maintaining altitude;

independent upward or downward motion is accomplished by assuming vertical position of the main thrusters and by increasing equally the vertical thrust producing forces on the vertical axis (yaw) that can be greater or lesser than the weight of the vehicle;

independent rotation around the yaw (vertical) axis is accomplished by tilting the main thrusters around the pitch axis (this axis being the same connecting the tilting mechanisms of the main thrusters), at angles (c, d) that are equal in modulus but with opposite signal, and also by increasing the thrust thus maintaining altitude;

independent rotation around the pitch axis of the vehicle is accomplished using auxiliary thrusters with different thrusts, in such a way that for maintaining the same spatial translational position of the mass center of the vehicle, the main thrusters are tilted around the pitch axis in the opposite direction to that of the vehicle tilt, at angles (g) and (e), these angles being equal if the auxiliary thrusters do not generate any torque and different if they do, and the main thrusters changing their thrust thus maintaining the altitude; and

independent rotation around the roll axis of the vehicle is accomplished using different impulsive forces of the main thrusters, wherein, in order to maintain the same spatial translational position of the mass center of the vehicle, the main thrusters are tilted around the roll axis in the opposite direction of the vehicle rotation, at angles (k, j) that are equal if there is no resulting torque from the main thrusters, and if there is resulting torque, then the main thrusters are also tilted around the pitch axis at angles (q, o), it being necessary to change the main thrusters thrust thus maintaining altitude in order to compensate the elevation in the axis connecting the auxiliary thrusters.

27. The propulsion process according to claim 24, wherein the system further comprises two main thrusters each placed laterally from the roll axis of the vehicle and symmetrically and perpendicular to the roll axis of the vehicle, wherein both auxiliary thrusters, fixed and not tiltable, are placed at or in close vicinity of front and rear ends of the vehicle, with thrust perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the roll and pitch axes of the vehicle, the process further comprising:

independent forward or backward motion is accomplished by tilting the main thrusters around pitch axis at the same angle (a), by increasing the thrust with equal value in both thrusters, in such a way that the vector sum of all thruster equals the weight of the vehicle thus maintaining altitude;

independent lateral motion is accomplished by tilting the main thrusters at the same angle (b1) around the roll axis, and by increasing the thrust in such a way the vector sum of the vertical thrust equals the weight of the vehicle thus maintaining altitude;

independent diagonal motion is accomplished by combining tilting of the main thrusters around the roll and pitch axis, again with the increase of thrust in such a way that the vector sum of the vertical thrusts equals the weight of the vehicle thus maintaining altitude;

independent upward or downward motion is accomplished by assuming vertical position of the main thrusters and by increasing equally the vertical thrust producing forces on the vertical axis (yaw) that can be greater or lesser than the weight of the vehicle;

independent rotation around the yaw (vertical) axis is accomplished by tilting the main thrusters around the pitch axis (this axis being the same connecting the tilting mechanisms of the main thrusters), at angles (c, d) that are equal in modulus but with opposite signal, and also by increasing the thrust thus maintaining altitude;

independent rotation around the pitch axis of the vehicle is accomplished by using one auxiliary thrusters with thrust in the upward direction, perpendicular to the vehicle roll axis, or downward thrust in another auxiliary thruster, or vice versa, in such a way that for maintaining the same spatial translational position of the mass center of the vehicle, the main thrusters are tilted around the pitch axis in the opposite direction to the vehicle tilt, at angles (g) and (e), these angles being equal if the auxiliary thrusters do not generate any torque and different if they do, and changing the main thrusters thrust thus maintaining altitude; and

independent rotation around the roll axis of the vehicle is accomplished using different impulsive forces of the main thrusters, wherein in order for the vehicle to maintain the same spatial translational position of the mass center, the main thrusters are tilted around the roll axis in the opposite direction of the vehicle rotation, at equal angles (k, j) if there is no resulting torque from the main thrusters, and if there is a resulting torque, then the main thrusters are also tilted around the pitch axis with angles (q, o), in order to compensate the elevation of the axis connecting the auxiliary thrusters, and changing the main thrusters thrust thus maintaining altitude.

28. The propulsion process according to claim 24, for a system further comprising two main thrusters wherein one of said main thrusters is placed at or in close vicinity of the front end of the vehicle roll axes and the other of said main thrusters is placed at or in close vicinity of the rear end of the roll axis of the vehicle, and further comprising two auxiliary thrusters are each placed laterally from the roll axis of the vehicle, and symmetrically and perpendicularly to the roll axis of the vehicle, the geometric center of said fixed thrusters arrangement being located at or in close vicinity of the mass center of the vehicle, with thrust perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the roll and pitch axes of the vehicle, the process further comprising:

independent motion forward or backward is accomplished by tilting the main thrusters around the pitch axis at an equal angle (a), and by increasing the thrust using equal value in both thrusters, in such a way that the vector sum of the main thrusters is the same as the weight of the vehicle, thus maintaining the altitude of the aircraft;

independent lateral motion is accomplished by tilting the main thrusters or propellers equally at an angle (b1) around the roll axis, and simultaneously increasing the thrust, in such a way that the vector sum of the vertical thrust equals the weight of the vehicle thus maintaining altitude;

independent diagonal motion is accomplished by combining tilting of the main thrusters around the roll and pitch axes, again with the increase of thrust in such a way that the vector sum of the vertical thrust equals the weight of the vehicle thus maintaining altitude;

independent upward or downward motion is accomplished by assuming vertical position of the main thrusters and by increasing equally the vertical thrust producing forces on the vertical axis (yaw) that can be greater or lesser than the weight of the vehicle;

independent rotation around the yaw (vertical) axis is accomplished by tilting of the main thrusters around the roll axis, at equal angles in modulus, but with opposite signal, and also by increasing the thrust thus maintaining altitude;

independent rotation around the pitch axis of the vehicle is accomplished by using the main thrusters with different thrusts, in such a way that for maintaining the same spatial translational position of the mass center of the vehicle, the main thrusters are tilted in the opposite direction to that of the vehicle tilt, at angles (g) and (e), these angles being equal if the main thrusters do not generate any torque and different if they do, and changing the main thrusters thrust thus maintaining altitude; and

independent rotation around the roll axis of the vehicle is accomplished using different impulsive forces of the auxiliary thrusters, in such a way that for the vehicle to maintain the same spatial translational position of the mass center, the main thrusters are tilted, around the roll axis, in the opposite direction of the vehicle rotation, at equal angles (q,o) that are equal if there is no resulting torque from the main thrusters, and if there is resulting torque, then the main thrusters are also tilted around the pitch axis, being necessary to change the auxiliary thrusters thrust for stabilizing the altitude in order to compensate the elevation of the axis that connects the auxiliary thrusters.

29. The propulsion process according to claim 24, wherein the electrical control of the actuators is done by at least one controller in a majority decision process that receives information about:

parameters of position of the roll axis, position of the yaw axis, position of the pitch axis, velocity in X (forward), in Y (sideways) and Z (up) and respective accelerations, pitch and roll tilt of the thrusters and their RPM or propeller pitch, and respective thrusts and torque, the air speed, temperature, pressure, altitude, the forces internal resultant and torques acting on the vehicle;

user commands, and

constantly calculating the actual mass center Cg, the control algorithm being any one allowing the control in three independent translational axis (X, Y, and Z) and three independent rotational axis (rotation around X, Y, and Z), minimizing the external disturbances.

30. A propulsion process according to claim 28, wherein the direct electrical control of the actuators, in the event of absence of failure of the at least one controller is made in manual mode by using eight independent switches commuting the position of the controller output to manual output, the power of any thruster being altered by changing RPM (rotations per minute) or propeller pitch or thrust, the outputs for the control of the vehicle being the following:

left main thruster power, right main thruster power, front auxiliary thruster power, rear auxiliary thruster power and, also, roll tilt of left main thruster and the pitch tilt of the left main thruster, roll tilt of the right main thruster and the pitch tilt of the right main thruster;

in which the power of the right main thruster will be equal to the measured signal of the command of power subtracted to the measured signal of the command of roll rotation of the vehicle;

the power of the left main thruster will be equal to the measured power command signal added to the measured rotation command signal of the vehicle around the roll axis;

the power of the front auxiliary thruster will be the measured power command signal plus the measured pitch rotation command signal of the vehicle around pitch axis;

the power of the rear auxiliary thruster will be equal to the measured power command signal subtracted to the measured pitch rotation command signal;

the signal of roll of left main thruster is given by the sum of the frontal translation signal with the yaw rotation signal;

the signal of right main thruster pitch tilt is given by the measured frontal translation signal subtracted to the measured yaw rotation signal of the vehicle; and

the roll rotation signal of the left and right main thrusters are equal and are given by the measured lateral translation signal, wherein any one of these commands can be affected by a multiplicative factor that can be different for each one in order to improve the accuracy of the control of the vehicle in the MANUAL mode.

31. The use of a propulsion system and propulsion process according to claim 24, in an aircraft with tandem wings placed at the front and the back of the airplane wherein the front wing is lower than rear wing (or the opposite) in such a way as to minimize the wings influence on the propulsive airflow from the main thrusters in takeoff or in horizontal cruise, said main thrusters being able to tilt ninety degrees or more around the pitch axis in order to allow the aircraft to be a convertible, capable of flying like an aircraft in cruise flight, and as an “

helicopter”

in takeoff and landing, the wings overall lift force being located at or in close vicinity of the Cg, the aircraft in this configuration having a vertical stabilizer and a directional rudder that can be used in coordination with the normal vector control, the aircraft being able to also have all the normal airplane controls.

32. The use of a propulsion system and propulsion process according to claim 24, in an aircraft with wings placed similarly to conventional airplanes, near Cg, wherein the aircraft can be used like a convertible, in which case the control is done by the vector main and auxiliary thrusters and by the directional rudder, and it can also have all the control surfaces of a conventional airplane.

33. The use of a propulsion system and propulsion process according to claim 24 in a vehicle moving inside a fluid or vacuum.

34. The use of a propulsion system and propulsion process according to claim 24, in a toy, an UAV, a submarine vehicle, a ROV or a spacecraft.