Rotorcraft having coaxial counter-rotating rotors which produce both vertical and horizontal thrust and method of controlled flight in all six degrees of freedom
First Claim
1. A rotorcraft which provides controlled flight in all six degrees of freedom, comprising:
- a fuselage;
at least two rotor blade assemblies rotatably mounted to said fuselage about a vertically disposed central axis, each rotor blade assembly having a plurality of radially-extending airfoil shaped blades adapted to produce variable vertical and horizontal thrust components during operation;
a rotor drive system mounted to said fuselage and including a power device adapted for rotationally driving said rotor blade assemblies in opposite rotational directions;
a rotor blade control system operatively connected to said blades adapted to control said vertical and horizontal thrust components of said blades of said rotor blade assemblies including a controller adapted to monitor the rotational location of each blade relative to said fuselage and input signals indicative of required vertical and horizontal thrust components of each blade to blade control devices adapted to change said vertical and horizontal thrust components of said blades throughout each revolution of each blade about said fuselage; and
a flight control input device operable by a pilot of the rotorcraft adapted to input desired changes in direction, altitude, and attitude of the rotorcraft to said controller of what maneuvers are desired by the pilot, whereby said input signals from said controller to said rotor blade control system include adjustments to said vertical and horizontal thrust components of each blade to execute said desired maneuvers of the rotorcraft.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A rotorcraft and method for providing controlled flight which provides flight in all six degrees of freedom of pitch, roll, yaw, up/down, forward/rear, and left/right. The rotorcraft includes a fuselage with a pair of counter-rotating rotor blade assemblies each having a plurality of radially-extending airfoil shaped blades about a vertically disposed central axis. A rotor drive system mounted to the fuselage includes a motor or engine for rotationally driving the rotor blade assemblies. A rotor blade control system monitors the rotational location of each blade relative to the fuselage and allows a pilot to control respective vertical and horizontal thrust components of the blades corresponding to lift versus drag characteristics of the airfoils during rotation about the fuselage. This is done by changing the pitch angles of the blades and/or by utilizing respective flaps pivotally mounted to the blades to change the effective pitch angle of the blades.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A rotorcraft which provides controlled flight in all six degrees of freedom, comprising:
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a fuselage; at least two rotor blade assemblies rotatably mounted to said fuselage about a vertically disposed central axis, each rotor blade assembly having a plurality of radially-extending airfoil shaped blades adapted to produce variable vertical and horizontal thrust components during operation; a rotor drive system mounted to said fuselage and including a power device adapted for rotationally driving said rotor blade assemblies in opposite rotational directions; a rotor blade control system operatively connected to said blades adapted to control said vertical and horizontal thrust components of said blades of said rotor blade assemblies including a controller adapted to monitor the rotational location of each blade relative to said fuselage and input signals indicative of required vertical and horizontal thrust components of each blade to blade control devices adapted to change said vertical and horizontal thrust components of said blades throughout each revolution of each blade about said fuselage; and a flight control input device operable by a pilot of the rotorcraft adapted to input desired changes in direction, altitude, and attitude of the rotorcraft to said controller of what maneuvers are desired by the pilot, whereby said input signals from said controller to said rotor blade control system include adjustments to said vertical and horizontal thrust components of each blade to execute said desired maneuvers of the rotorcraft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A rotor system for rotorcraft which provides controlled flight in all six degrees of freedom, comprising:
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at least two rotor blade assemblies rotatably mountable to the rotorcraft about a vertically disposed central axis, each rotor blade assembly having a plurality of radially-extending airfoil shaped blades adapted to produce variable vertical and horizontal thrust components during operation; a rotor drive system mounted to the rotorcraft and including a power device adapted for rotationally driving said rotor blade assemblies in opposite rotational directions; a rotor blade control system operatively connected to said blades adapted to control said vertical and horizontal thrust components of said blades of said rotor blade assemblies including a controller adapted to monitor the rotational location of each blade relative to the rotorcraft and input signals indicative of required vertical and horizontal thrust components of each blade to blade control devices adapted to change said vertical and horizontal thrust components of said blades throughout each revolution of each blade about the rotorcraft; and a flight control input device operable by a pilot of the rotorcraft adapted to input desired changes in direction, altitude, and attitude of the rotorcraft to said controller of what maneuvers are desired by the pilot, whereby said input signals from said controller to said rotor blade control system include adjustments to said vertical and horizontal thrust components of each blade to execute said desired maneuvers of the rotorcraft. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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Specification