Method and system for directing an object using gyroscopes

• US 6,729,580 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2001
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Shultz, Douglas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, TIEN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US09/828,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20020145077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• Field of Search: 244/79, 244/62, 244/165, 244/164, 74/52.2, 74/53.4
• US Class Current: 244/79
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 17/06 by gyroscopic apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 19/00 Aircraft control not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/286 using control momentum gyroscopes (CMGs)

Abstract

A system for directing an object is disclosed. The system includes a first gyroscope with a first rotating rotor and a second gyroscope with a second rotating rotor. Each gyroscope has a motor that rotates a first gimbal coupled to the rotor and a brake that decreases the rotation of a second gimbal coupled to the first gimbal. The first gyroscope and the second gyroscope generate a torque.

Claims

1. A system for directing an object, the system comprising:

a first gyroscope comprising a first rotor operable to rotate;

a second gyroscope substantially rigidly coupled to the first gyroscope and comprising a second rotor operable to rotate, each gyroscope comprising a motor operable to rotate a first gimbal, the first gimbal of the first gyroscope coupled to the first rotor, the first gimbal of the second gyroscope coupled to the second rotor;

a plurality of brakes, each brake operable to substantially simultaneously decrease the rotation of a second gimbal of each gyroscope, the second gimbal coupled to the first gimbal; and

a processor coupled to the first gyroscope and the second gyroscope, the processor operable to;

determine a first position of the first gimbal, the first position describing an angle between a first plane of the first gimbal and a zero degree plane approximately orthogonal to a second plane of the second gimbal, the angle of the first position being in a range of zero degrees and minus ninety degrees;

direct each brake to decrease the rotation of the second gimbal in response to the first position;

determine a second position of the first gimbal, the angle of the second position being in a range of zero degrees and plus ninety degrees; and

release each brake to increase the rotation of the second gimbal in response to the second position;

the first gyroscope and the second gyroscope operable to generate a torque to direct an object.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first gimbal comprises an inner gimbal; and

the second gimbal comprises an outer gimbal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each gyroscope comprises a sensor operable to determine the position of the first gimbal.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the torque is substantially centered about an axis approximately equidistant from the first gyroscope and the second gyroscope.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each gyroscope comprises a third gimbal coupled to the second gimbal, the third gimbal operable to rotate.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the torque is operable to direct an aircraft.

7. A method for directing an object, the method comprising:

rotating a first rotor of a first gyroscope;

rotating a second rotor of a second gyroscope substantially rigidly coupled to the first gyroscope;

rotating a first gimbal of each gyroscope;

determining a first position of the first gimbal of each gyroscope, the first position describing an angle between a first plane of the first gimbal and a zero degree plane approximately orthogonal to a second plane of a second gimbal, the angle of the first position being in a range of zero degrees and minus ninety degrees;

decreasing substantially simultaneously the rotation of a second gimbal of each gyroscope in response to a command from a processor and in response to the first position, the second gimbal coupled to the first gimbal;

generating a torque from the rotation of the first rotor and the second rotor; and

directing an object using the torque.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining a position of the first gimbal; and

decreasing the rotation of the second gimbal in response to the position.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining a position of the first gimbal; and

increasing the rotation of the second gimbal in response to the position.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the first gimbal comprises an inner gimbal; and

the second gimbal comprises an outer gimbal.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the torque is substantially centered about an axis approximately equidistant from the first gyroscope and the second gyroscope.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising rotating a third gimbal coupled to the second gimbal.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising directing an aircraft using the generating torque.

14. A system for directing an object, the system comprising:

a first pair of gyroscopes operable to generate a first torque;

a second pair of gyroscopes operable to generate a second torque, each gyroscope comprising;

a rotor operable to rotate;

a motor operable to rotate a first gimbal coupled to the rotor; and

a brake, the brakes of each pair of gyroscopes operable to substantially simultaneously decrease the rotation of a pair of second gimbals of the pair of gyroscopes, each second gimbal coupled to the first gimbal; and

a processor coupled to the first pair of gyroscopes and the second pair of gyroscopes, the processor operable to;

determine a state of the first pair of gyroscopes and the second pair of gyroscopes, the state comprising a member selected from a group consisting of a torque mode, a decrease of torque mode, and a reset mode;

adjust the first pair of gyroscopes and the second pair of gyroscopes in response to the state by;

initiating the torque mode at the second pair of gyroscopes if the state of first pair of gyroscopes comprises the decrease of torque mode; and

initiating the reset mode at the second pair of gyroscopes if the state of the first pair of gyroscopes comprises the torque mode, the reset mode preventing the second pair of gyroscopes from generating the second torque; and

,

direct continuously an object using the first torque and the second torque.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein each pair of gyroscopes comprises a first gyroscope and a second gyroscope coupled to the first gyroscope.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first torque is substantially centered about an axis approximately equidistant from the first gyroscope and the second gyroscope of the first pair.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the first gimbal comprises an inner gimbal; and

the second gimbal comprises an outer gimbal.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein each gyroscope comprises a sensor operable to determine the position of the first gimbal.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is operable to:

determine a position of the first gimbal; and

direct the brake to decrease the rotation of the second gimbal in response to the position.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is operable to:

determine a position of the first gimbal; and

release the brake to increase the rotation of the second gimbal in response to the position.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein each gyroscope comprises a third gimbal coupled to the second gimbal, the third gimbal operable to rotate.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein each gyroscope comprises:

a rotor operable to rotate;

a first motor operable to rotate a first gimbal coupled to the rotor; and

a second motor operable to decrease the rotation of a second gimbal coupled to the first gimbal.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the object comprises an aircraft.

24. A method for directing an object, the method comprising:

generating a first torque using a first pair of gyroscopes;

generating a second torque using a second pair of gyroscopes, each gyroscope comprising;

a rotor operable to rotate;

a motor operable to rotate a first gimbal coupled to the rotor; and

a brake, each brake of each pair of gyroscopes operable to substantially simultaneously decrease the rotation of a pair of second gimbals of the pair of gyroscopes, each second gimbal coupled to the first gimbal;

determining a state of the first pair of gyroscopes and the second pair of gyroscopes, the state comprising a member selected from a group consisting of a torque mode, a decrease of torque mode, and a reset mode;

adjusting the first pair of gyroscopes and the second pair of gyroscopes in response to the state by

initiating the torque mode at the second pair of gyroscopes if the state of first pair of gyroscopes comprises the decrease of torque mode; and

initiating the reset mode at the second pair of gyroscopes if the state of the first pair of gyroscopes comprises the torque mode, the reset mode preventing the second pair of gyroscopes from generating the second torque; and

directing continuously an object using the first torque and the second torque.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein each pair of gyroscopes comprises a first gyroscope and a second gyroscope coupled to the first gyroscope.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first torque is substantially centered about an axis approximately equidistant from the first gyroscope and the second gyroscope of the first pair.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein each gyroscope comprises:

a rotor operable to rotate;

a motor operable to rotate a first gimbal coupled to the rotor; and

a brake operable to decrease the rotation of a second gimbal coupled to the first gimbal.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein:

the first gimbal comprises an inner gimbal; and

the second gimbal comprises an outer gimbal.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

determining a position of the first gimbal; and

decreasing the rotation of the second gimbal in response to the position.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

determining a position of the first gimbal; and

increasing the rotation of the second gimbal in response to the position.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein each gyroscope comprises a third gimbal coupled to the second gimbal, the third gimbal operable to rotate.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein each gyroscope comprises:

a rotor operable to rotate;

a first motor operable to rotate a first gimbal coupled to the rotor; and

a second motor operable to decrease the rotation of a second gimbal coupled to the first gimbal.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein the object comprises an aircraft.