HYDRAULIC CYCLIC BLADE SPEED CONTROL APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20120282090A1
• Filed: 05/12/2011
• Published: 11/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bauchot, Frederic, Clement, Jean-Yves, Truntschka, Carole
• Granted Patent: US 8,932,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/57 automatic or condition responsive, e.g. responsive to rotor speed, torque or thrust
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/635 specially for controlling lag-lead movements of blades
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/64 using fluid pressure, e.g. having fluid power amplification

Abstract

A hydraulic blade speed control apparatus and method. The apparatus includes a rotor assembly comprising a shaft; a first blade assembly pivotably attached to the shaft at a first initial position; a second blade assembly pivotably attached to the shaft assembly at a second initial position opposite to the first initial position; and a hydraulic movement mechanism. An initial angle of 180 degrees exists between the first blade assembly with said respect to the second blade assembly. The rotor assembly is configured to rotate the first blade assembly and the second blade assembly in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction. The hydraulic movement mechanism is configured to pivotably move the first blade assembly in different angular positions with respect to the rotor assembly and the second blade assembly.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a rotor assembly comprising a shaft;

a first blade assembly pivotably attached to said shaft at a first initial position;

a second blade assembly pivotably attached to said shaft assembly at a second initial position opposite to said first initial position, wherein an initial angle of 180 degrees exists between said first blade assembly with said respect to said second blade assembly, wherein said rotor assembly is configured to rotate said first blade assembly and said second blade assembly in a first direction and a second direction opposite to said first direction; and

a hydraulic movement mechanism configured to pivotably move said first blade assembly in different angular positions with respect to said rotor assembly and said second blade assembly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said hydraulic movement mechanism is configured to pivotably move said second blade assembly in different angular positions with respect to said rotor assembly and said first blade assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said hydraulic movement mechanism comprises a first hydraulic cylinder mechanically attached to said rotor assembly and a second hydraulic cylinder mechanically attached to said rotor assembly, wherein said first hydraulic cylinder comprises a first piston pivotably attached to said first blade assembly, wherein said second hydraulic cylinder comprises a second piston pivotably attached to said second blade assembly, wherein said first hydraulic cylinder is configured to slidably move said first piston resulting in said first blade assembly being moved to said different angular positions with respect to said rotor assembly and said second blade assembly, and wherein said second hydraulic cylinder is configured to slidably move said second piston resulting in said second blade assembly being moved to said different angular positions with respect to said rotor assembly and said first blade assembly.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a first elongated member mechanically attaching said first hydraulic cylinder to said rotor assembly; and

a second elongated member mechanically attaching said second hydraulic cylinder to said rotor assembly.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said first hydraulic cylinder comprises a direct mechanical connection to said rotor assembly, and wherein said second hydraulic cylinder comprises a direct mechanical connection to said rotor assembly.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said hydraulic movement mechanism further comprises a third hydraulic cylinder mechanically attached to said rotor assembly, wherein said third hydraulic cylinder comprises a third piston pivotably attached to a rotating swash plate comprised by said rotor assembly, wherein said third hydraulic cylinder is hydraulically attached between said first hydraulic cylinder and said second hydraulic cylinder such that hydraulic fluid flows proportionally between said first hydraulic cylinder, said second hydraulic cylinder, and said third hydraulic cylinder, wherein said rotating swash plate is configured to rotate and slidably move said third piston thereby controlling a flow of said hydraulic fluid between said first hydraulic cylinder, said second hydraulic cylinder, and said third hydraulic cylinder, and wherein said flow of said hydraulic fluid between said first hydraulic cylinder, said second hydraulic cylinder, and said third hydraulic cylinder controls said first blade assembly being moved to said different angular positions with respect to said rotor assembly and said second blade assembly and said second blade assembly being moved to said different angular positions with respect to said rotor assembly and said first blade assembly.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a third blade assembly pivotably attached to said shaft assembly at a third initial position, wherein said rotor assembly is configured to rotate said third blade assembly in said first direction and said second direction, wherein said hydraulic movement mechanism further comprises a third hydraulic cylinder and a fourth hydraulic cylinder mechanically attached to said rotor assembly, wherein said third hydraulic cylinder comprises a third piston pivotably attached to said third blade assembly, wherein said fourth hydraulic cylinder comprises a fourth piston pivotably attached to a rotating swash plate comprised by said rotor assembly, wherein said fourth hydraulic cylinder is hydraulically attached between said first hydraulic cylinder, said second hydraulic cylinder, and said third hydraulic cylinder such that hydraulic fluid flows between said first hydraulic cylinder, said second hydraulic cylinder, said third hydraulic cylinder, and said fourth hydraulic cylinder, wherein said rotating swash plate is configured to rotate and slidably move said fourth piston thereby controlling a flow of said hydraulic fluid between said first hydraulic cylinder, said second hydraulic cylinder, said third hydraulic cylinder, and said fourth hydraulic cylinder, and wherein said flow of said hydraulic fluid between said first hydraulic cylinder, said second hydraulic cylinder, said third hydraulic cylinder, and said fourth hydraulic cylinder controls said first blade assembly being moved;

to said different angular positions with respect to said rotor assembly said second blade assembly, and said third blade assembly;

said second blade assembly being moved to said different angular positions with respect to said rotor assembly, said first blade assembly, and said third blade assembly; and

said third blade assembly being moved to different angular positions with respect to said rotor assembly, said first blade assembly, and said second blade assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a fourth blade assembly pivotably attached to said shaft assembly at a fourth initial position opposite to said third initial position, wherein an initial angle of 180 degrees exists between said third blade assembly with said respect to said fourth blade assembly, wherein said rotor assembly is configured to rotate said fourth blade assembly in said first direction and said second direction, wherein said hydraulic movement mechanism further comprises a fifth hydraulic cylinder mechanically attached to said rotor assembly, wherein said fifth hydraulic cylinder comprises a fifth piston pivotably attached to said fourth blade assembly, wherein said fourth hydraulic cylinder is hydraulically attached between said first hydraulic cylinder, said second hydraulic cylinder, said third hydraulic cylinder, and said fifth hydraulic cylinder such that said hydraulic fluid flows between said first hydraulic cylinder, said second hydraulic cylinder, said third hydraulic cylinder, said fourth hydraulic cylinder, and said fifth hydraulic cylinder, wherein said fourth piston additionally controls a flow of said hydraulic fluid between said first hydraulic cylinder, said second hydraulic cylinder, said third hydraulic cylinder, said fourth hydraulic cylinder, and said fifth hydraulic cylinder, and wherein said flow of said hydraulic fluid additionally controls said fifth blade assembly being moved to different angular positions with respect to said rotor assembly said first blade assembly, said second blade assembly, and said third blade assembly.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is comprised by an aircraft.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said aircraft is a helicopter.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a control system configured to generate a control signal configured to enable said hydraulic movement mechanism to pivotably move said first blade assembly in said different angular positions with respect to said rotor assembly.

12. A method comprising:

providing an apparatus comprising a rotor assembly comprising a shaft, a first blade assembly pivotably attached to said shaft at a first initial position, a second blade assembly pivotably attached to said shaft assembly at a second initial position opposite to said first initial position, and a hydraulic movement mechanism, wherein an initial angle of 180 degrees exists between said first blade assembly with said respect to said second blade assembly;

first rotating, by said rotor assembly, said first blade and said second blade in a first direction; and

pivotably moving, by said hydraulic movement mechanism, said first blade assembly in different angular positions with respect to said rotor assembly and said second blade assembly.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

pivotably moving, by said hydraulic movement mechanism, said second blade assembly in different angular positions with respect to said rotor assembly and said first blade assembly.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said hydraulic movement mechanism comprises a first hydraulic cylinder mechanically attached to said rotor assembly and a second hydraulic cylinder mechanically attached to said rotor assembly, wherein said first hydraulic cylinder comprises a first piston pivotably attached to said first blade assembly, wherein said second hydraulic cylinder comprises a second piston pivotably attached to said second blade assembly, and wherein said method further comprises:

slidably moving, by said first hydraulic cylinder, said first piston resulting in said pivotably moving said first blade assembly; and

slidably moving, by said second hydraulic cylinder, said second piston resulting in said pivotably moving said second blade assembly.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said hydraulic movement mechanism further comprises a third hydraulic cylinder mechanically attached to said rotor assembly, wherein said third hydraulic cylinder comprises a third piston pivotably attached to a swash plate comprised by said rotor assembly, wherein said third hydraulic cylinder is hydraulically attached between said first hydraulic cylinder and said second hydraulic cylinder such that hydraulic fluid flows proportionally between said first hydraulic cylinder, said second hydraulic cylinder, and said third hydraulic cylinder, and wherein said method further comprises:

rotating, said swash plate; and

slidably moving, by said swash plate during said rotating swash plate, said third piston thereby controlling a flow of said hydraulic fluid between said first hydraulic cylinder, said second hydraulic cylinder, and said third hydraulic cylinder, wherein said flow of said hydraulic fluid between said first hydraulic cylinder, said second hydraulic cylinder, and said third hydraulic cylinder controls said slidably moving said first piston and said slidably moving said second piston.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said apparatus further comprises a third blade assembly pivotably attached to said shaft assembly at a third initial position, wherein said hydraulic movement mechanism further comprises a third hydraulic cylinder and a fourth hydraulic cylinder mechanically attached to said rotor assembly, wherein said third hydraulic cylinder comprises a third piston pivotably attached to said third blade assembly, wherein said fourth hydraulic cylinder comprises a fourth piston pivotably attached to a swash plate comprised by said rotor assembly, wherein said fourth hydraulic cylinder is hydraulically attached between said first hydraulic cylinder, said second hydraulic cylinder, and said third hydraulic cylinder such that hydraulic fluid flows between said first hydraulic cylinder, said second hydraulic cylinder, said third hydraulic cylinder, and said fourth hydraulic cylinder, wherein said first rotating comprises rotating said third blade in said first direction, and wherein said method further comprises:

rotating, said swash plate;

slidably moving, by said swash plate during said rotating swash plate, said fourth piston thereby controlling a flow of said hydraulic fluid between said first hydraulic cylinder, said second hydraulic cylinder, said third hydraulic cylinder, and said fourth hydraulic cylinder; and

slidably moving, by said flow of said hydraulic fluid, said third piston resulting in pivotably moving said third blade assembly at different angular positions with respect to said rotor assembly, said first blade assembly, and said second blade assembly.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said apparatus further comprises, a fourth blade assembly pivotably attached to said shaft assembly at a fourth initial position opposite to said third initial position, wherein an initial angle of 180 degrees exists between said third blade assembly with said respect to said fourth blade assembly, wherein said hydraulic movement mechanism further comprises a fifth hydraulic cylinder mechanically attached to said rotor assembly, wherein said fifth hydraulic cylinder comprises a fifth piston pivotably attached to said fourth blade assembly, wherein said fourth hydraulic cylinder is additionally hydraulically attached between said first hydraulic cylinder, said second hydraulic cylinder, said third hydraulic cylinder, and said fifth hydraulic cylinder such that said hydraulic fluid flows between said first hydraulic cylinder, said second hydraulic cylinder, said third hydraulic cylinder, said fourth hydraulic cylinder, and said fifth hydraulic cylinder, wherein said first rotating comprises rotating said fourth blade in said first direction, wherein said slidably moving said fourth piston additionally controls a flow of said hydraulic fluid between said first hydraulic cylinder, said second hydraulic cylinder, said third hydraulic cylinder, said fourth hydraulic cylinder, and said fifth hydraulic cylinder, and wherein said method further comprises:

slidably moving, by said flow of said hydraulic fluid, said fifth piston resulting in pivotably moving said fifth blade assembly at different angular positions with respect to said rotor assembly, said first blade assembly, said second blade assembly, and said third blade assembly.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein said apparatus is comprised by a helicopter.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in said computing system, wherein the code in combination with the computing system is capable of performing said first rotating and said pivotably moving.

20. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code comprising an algorithm that when executed by a computer processor of a computing system implements a method for controlling an apparatus comprising a rotor assembly comprising a shaft, a first blade assembly pivotably attached to said shaft at a first initial position, a second blade assembly pivotably attached to said shaft assembly at a second initial position opposite to said first initial position, and a hydraulic movement mechanism, wherein an initial angle of 180 degrees exists between said first blade assembly with said respect to said second blade assembly, said method comprising:

first rotating, by said rotor assembly, said first blade and said second blade in a first direction; and

pivotably moving, by said hydraulic movement mechanism, said first blade assembly in different angular positions with respect to said rotor assembly and said second blade assembly.