ROTARY WING VEHICLE

• US 20110226892A1
• Filed: 08/10/2009
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: University of Manchester
• Original Assignee: University of Manchester
• Inventors: Crowther, William, Geoghegan, Philip, Lanzon, Alexander, Pilmoor, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US13/057,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20110226892A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/17.23
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 15/02 the jets being propulsion jets
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/16 with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/21 Rotary wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to a vehicle comprising a plurality of inclined rotors that are operable to provide at least one of thrust and torque vectoring according to a desired thrust and/or torque vectors.

Claims

1. A rotary wing vehicle comprising

a plurality of rotors for rotation within respective rotation planes wherein at least two of the rotation planes are inclined relative to one another,

a body bearing the plurality of rotors in a fixed relationship to the body;

the vehicle comprising a control system for controlling the rotors;

wherein the plurality of rotors have one or more than one motor for rotating the rotors to produce respective rotor thrust vectors wherein the control system controls the plurality of rotors to produce an arbitrary selectable or desired net thrust vector; and

the plurality of rotors have one or more than one motor for rotating the rotors to produce respective rotor thrust vectors wherein the control system controls the plurality of rotors to produce an arbitrary selectable or desired torque vector.

32. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the plurality of rotors comprises a plurality of pairs of rotors wherein the rotation planes of the rotors in each pair of rotors are coplanar.

33. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the plurality of rotors have respective axes of rotation and the points of intersection of the axes of rotation with respective planes are coplanar.

34. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the plurality of rotors have respective axes of rotation and at least two of the points of intersection of the axes of rotation with respective rotation planes are non-coplanar.

35. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the plurality of rotors have one or more than one motor for rotating the rotors to produce respective rotor thrust vectors wherein the control system controls the plurality of rotors to produce an arbitrary selectable or desired net thrust vector relative a first frame of reference fixed relative to the vehicle while maintaining a fixed vehicle attitude of the first frame of reference relative to a second frame of reference.

36. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the control system controls the plurality of rotors to produce an arbitrary selectable or desired net thrust vector by varying the respective pitches of the blades of the rotors.

37. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the control system controls the plurality of rotors to produce an arbitrary selectable or desired net thrust vector by varying the respective angular velocities of the rotors.

38. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the control system controls the plurality of rotors to produce an arbitrary selectable or desired net thrust vector by varying the respective spin directions of the rotors.

39. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the plurality of rotors have one or more than one motor for rotating the rotors to produce respective rotor thrust vectors wherein the control system controls the plurality of rotors to produce the arbitrary selectable or desired torque vector relative a first frame of reference fixed relative to the vehicle while maintaining a fixed vehicle attitude for the first frame of reference relative to a second frame of reference.

40. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the control system controls the plurality of rotors to produce an arbitrary selectable or desired torque vector by varying the respective pitches of the blades of the rotors.

41. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the control system controls the plurality of rotors to produce an arbitrary selectable or desired torque vector by varying the respective angular velocities of the rotors.

42. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the control system controls the plurality of rotors to produce an arbitrary selectable or desired torque vector by varying the respective spin directions of the rotors.

43. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the rotor planes are orthogonal or non-orthogonal.

44. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the plurality of rotors comprises at least six rotors, in which the six rotors are operable in pairs wherein the rotors planes of the rotors in each pair are coplanar rotation planes and wherein the coplanar rotation planes of the three pairs of rotors are orthogonal.

45. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a frame adapted to support locomotion on a surface and wherein the control system is arranged to operate the plurality of rotors to provide such locomotion.

46. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the control system is adapted to operate said rotors to produce a thrust vector capable of at least acting against gravity in use.

47. A control system for a rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 1.

2-31. -31. (canceled)