ROCKET OR BALLISTIC LAUNCH ROTARY WING VEHICLE

• US 20140299708A1
• Filed: 05/23/2012
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Bear Systems Research Limited (Cassima Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Blue Bear Systems Research Limited (Cassima Ltd.)
• Inventors: Green, John, Geoghegan, Philip, Snook, Michael Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 10,279,898 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/17.23
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/00 Rotorcraft; Rotors peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/08 with two or more rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/32 Rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/50 Blades foldable to facilitate stowage of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/58 Transmitting means, e.g. interrelated with initiating means or means acting on blades means acting on blades B64C27/72
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/59 mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/605 including swash plate, spider or cam mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/02 Aircraft characterised by the type or position of power plants fuselages specially adapted for mounting power plants B64C1/16; wings specially adapted for power plants B64C3/32
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/24 using steam or spring force jet aircraft B64D27/16
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/04 for launching aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/17 Helicopters flying platforms B64U10/13
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/50 Foldable or collapsible UAVs with frangible components B64U20/30
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/12 Variable or detachable wings, e.g. wings with adjustable sweep
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/16 movable along the UAV body
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/21 Rotary wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/29 Constructional aspects of rotors or rotor supports; Arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/32 : generated by fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 : Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a rocket or ballistic launch rotary wing air vehicle.

Claims

1. A rocket or ballistic launch rotary wing vehicle, the vehicle comprising

a launch propulsion system for launching the vehicle;

and

a rotary wing flight system for providing powered flight.

2. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotary wing flight system comprises a plurality of rotary wings adapted for deployment following a rocket or ballistic phase of flight.

3. A vehicle as claimed in either of claims 1 and 2, wherein the rotary wings are moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position via a transition phase.

4. A vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the cyclic and collective is variable in at least the stowed position and during the transition phase.

5. A vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one of the cyclic and collective is variable to influence vehicle attitude.

6. A vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein said at least one of the pitch, cyclic and collective is variable to transition the vehicle from a first angle of attack to a second angle of attack.

7. A vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first angle of attack is lower than the second angle of attack.

8. A vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the launch propulsion system comprises at least one of a ballistic system for launching the vehicle as a projectile and a rocket motor for launching the vehicle as a rocket.

9. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the rotary wing flight system for providing powered flight comprises at least a first set of rotors.

10. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the rotary wing flight system for providing powered flight further comprises at least a second set of rotors.

11. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least the first set of rotors is cephalically disposed.

12. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in either of claims 10 and 11, wherein at least the second set of rotors is cephalically disposed.

13. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in any of claims 10 to 11, wherein both the first and second set of rotors are cephalically disposed.

14. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first set of rotors is cephalically disposed and the second pair of rotors is caudally disposed.

15. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in either of claims 9 and 10, wherein the first set of rotors is centrally disposed.

16. A rotary wing vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein both the first and second sets of rotors are centrally disposed.

17. A vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the rotary wing flight system comprises at least a first pitch control mechanism, at least a first motor and at least a first rotor hub for bearing first rotors arranged such that the motor and pitch control mechanism are disposed on opposite sides of the rotor hub.

18. A housing-vehicle assembly, comprising a vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim stored within an elongate housing.

19. A housing-vehicle assembly as claimed in claim 18, wherein the rotors are in the stowed position having a predetermined pitch angle.

20. A housing-vehicle assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein the pitch angle is between 5°

and 15° and

, preferably, 8°

.

21. A housing-vehicle assembly as claimed in any of claims 18 to 20, wherein the housing has a substantially square cross section.

25. A vehicle as claimed in any of claims 1 to 21 comprising a pitch control mechanism as claimed in any of claims 22 to 24.

27. A launch process as claimed in claim 26 for launching a rotary wing vehicle as claimed in any of claims 1 to 21 or claim 26, wherein the first attitude has a lower angle of attack as compared to the second attitude.

45. A vehicle as claimed in any of claims 1 to 21 or claim 25 comprising a swashplate as claimed in any of claims 29 to 44.

46. A vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the launch propulsion is a solid fuel rocket propulsion system.

47. A vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the rotary wing flight system is electrically powered.

48. A vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a payload portion.

49. A vehicle as claimed in claim 48, wherein the payload portion is disposed caudally relative to at least one rotor system and, preferably, all rotor systems.

50. A vehicle as claimed either of claims 48 and 49, wherein the payload portion is disposed between rotor systems of the rotary wing flight system.

22. A pitch mechanism for controlling the pitch of a rotor of a rotary wing vehicle, the pitch mechanism comprising a flap hinge having a flap hinge axis of rotation;

and a pitch control arm having a pitch control arm axes of rotation;

the pitch control arm axis of rotation being, relative to a rotor axis of rotation, radially outwardly disposed of the flap hinge axis of rotation.

23. A pitch mechanism for controlling the pitch of a rotor of a rotary wing vehicle, the pitch mechanism comprising a flap hinge having a flap hinge axis of rotation;

and a pitch control arm having a pitch control arm axes of rotation;

the pitch control arm is adapted for rotation about the flap hinge axis of rotation.

24. A pitch mechanism for controlling the pitch of a rotor of a rotary wing vehicle, the pitch mechanism comprising

a rotor head, for rotation about a central axis, comprising a flap angle hinge adapted to pivot about a flap angle axis of rotation within a respective flap angle hinge plane of rotation and a pitch control arm mounted radially outwardly of the flap angle hinge;

the pitch control arm being adapted to rotate about a pitch control axis within a pitch control arm axis plane of rotation;

wherein the pitch control arm axis plane of rotation is substantially orthogonal to the flap angle hinge plane of rotation.

26. A launch process for launching a rotary wing vehicle having a longitudinal axis;

the vehicle being arranged with a plurality of rotors in a stowed, pre-launch, position substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis;

the process comprising

launching the vehicle at a predetermined launch angle;

commencing powered rotation of the plurality of rotors after said launching; and

varying the pitch of the rotary wings to transition the vehicle from a first attitude to a second attitude to achieve powered flight.

28. A launch process as claimed in either of claims 26 and 27 wherein the step of commencing powered rotation is instigated a predetermined period of time, T₂−

T₁, after launch at time T₁.

29. A resiliently deformable swashplate.

30. A resiliently deformable swashplate as claimed in claim 29, wherein the resiliently deformable swashplate is substantially planar.

31. A resiliently deformable swashplate as claimed in either of claims 29 and 30, comprising a plurality of substantially coplanar axes of rotation.

32. A resiliently deformable swashplate as claimed in claim 31, wherein the plurality of substantially coplanar axes of rotation comprises at least first and second axes of rotation.

33. A resiliently deformable swashplate as claimed in claim 32, wherein at least first and second axes of rotation are orthogonal.

34. A resiliently deformable swashplate as claimed in any of claims 29 to 33, comprising at least three substantially concentric members arranged such that the two inner most members are rotatably coupled and the two outer most members are rotatably coupled.

35. A resiliently deformable swashplate as claimed in claim 34, wherein at least one of (a) the two inner most rotatable coupled members are coupled by at least a first pair of resiliently deformable linkages and (b) the two outer most rotatably coupled members are coupled by at least a second pair of resiliently deformable linkages.

36. A swashplate assembly comprising a resiliently deformable swashplate as claimed in any of claims 29 to 35, and further comprising at least one carriage;

the resiliently deformable swashplate and carriage being rotatable relative to one another about at least one common axis.

37. A swashplate assembly as claimed in claim 36, wherein the at least one carriage comprises a first pair, of trucks adapted to rotate relative to the resiliently deformable swashplate on at least one track thereof.

38. A swashplate assembly as claimed in any of claims 37 to 38, wherein the resiliently deformable swashplate bears a plurality of connections for coupling to a plurality of pitch control rods for receiving a pitch control input.

39. A swashplate assembly as claimed in any of claims 36 to 37, wherein at least one carriage bears at least one pitch control linkage for producing a pitch control output.

40. A swashplate or swashplate assembly as claimed in any of claims 29 to 39, wherein the resiliently deformable swashplate is adapted to be in a substantially fixed relationship with an air-frame of a respective vehicle.

41. A swashplate or swashplate assembly as claimed in any of claims 29 to 40, wherein the at least one carriage is adapted to be in a substantially fixed relationship with an air-frame of a respective vehicle.

42. A swashplate assembly comprising

a non-rotating swashplate having a plurality of anchors for receiving a plurality of pitch control inputs via pitch control linkages, and

a rotating swashplate, rotatable about a central axis, having a plurality of anchors for producing a plurality of pitch control outputs via pitch control rods coupled to pitch control arms of a plurality of rotors;

wherein the pitch control linkages are radially inwardly disposed relative to the plurality of pitch control rods.

44. A swashplate assembly as claimed in either of claims 42 and 43 mounted on a central spine having an axis and wherein the pitch control linkages are adapted to be coupled to respective elongate members adapted to be received and moved in a reciprocating manner within corresponding recesses of the central spine.

43. A swashplate assembly comprising

a rotating swashplate, rotatable about a central axis, having a plurality of anchors for producing a plurality of pitch control outputs via pitch control rods for coupling to pitch control arms of a plurality of rotors;

and

a non-rotating swashplate having a plurality of anchors for receiving a plurality of pitch control inputs via pitch control linkages;

the non-rotating swashplate being adapted to define, in response to the pitch control linkages, a plane of rotation of the rotating swashplate;

wherein the pitch control linkages and the plurality of pitch control rods are disposed on the same side of the plane of rotation of the rotating swashplate.

51. A vehicle substantially as described herein with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

52. A swashplate assembly substantially as described herein with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

53. A pitch mechanism substantially as described herein with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.