Rotary wing aircraft having a non-rotating structural backbone and a rotor blade pitch controller

• US 7,789,341 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2005
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David J. Arlton, Paul E. Arlton
• Original Assignee: David J. Arlton, Paul E. Arlton
• Inventors: Arlton, David J., Arlton, Paul E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mansen; Michael R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Michener; Joshua J
• Application Number:
  US11/105,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20060011777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,972 Days
• Field of Search: 244/17.23, 244/17.25, 244/190, 244/17.11, 244/17.19, 244/17.21, 244/55, 244/67, 244/69, 244/12.3, 244/13, 244/6, 244/7.A, 244/7.B, 244/137.3, 244/14, 244/63, 244/3.28, 244/3.29, 89/18.08, 446/36, 446/37, 416/124, 416/125, 416/127, 416/129, 416/130
• US Class Current: 244/17.23
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/10 arranged coaxially
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/22 Compound rotorcraft, i.e. aircraft using in flight the features of both aeroplane and rotorcraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/17 Helicopters flying platforms B64U10/13
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/40 Modular UAVs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/50 Foldable or collapsible UAVs with frangible components B64U20/30
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• 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 50/11 using internal combustion piston engines
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/32 generated by fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/20 for releasing or capturing UAVs in flight by another aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/60 by wearable objects, e.g. garments or helmets
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/84 : Waterborne vehicles

Abstract

A rotary wing vehicle includes a body structure having an elongated tubular backbone or core, and a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system having rotors with each rotor having a separate motor to drive the rotors about a common rotor axis of rotation. The rotor system is used to move the rotary wing vehicle in directional flight.

Claims

1. A rotary wing aircraft comprising:

a non-rotating structural backbone,

a first rotor system coupled to the non-rotating structural backbone, the first rotor system including first rotor blades supported by a first rotor shaft for rotation about an axis of rotation, a first blade pitch controller coupled to the backbone, and a first motor fixed to the non-rotating structural backbone,

a second rotor system coupled to the non-rotating structural backbone, the second rotor system including second rotor blades supported by a second rotor shaft for rotation about the axis of rotation, a second blade pitch controller coupled to the non-rotating structural backbone, and a second motor fixed to the non-rotating structural backbone, and wherein the first rotor shaft and second rotor shaft are positioned to lie in axially spaced apart relation to one another along the axis of rotation;

wherein at least one of the first and second blade pitch controllers includes cyclic movement control of the rotor blades; and

wherein the first rotor blades are positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to the second rotor blades and the first and second motors are positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to locate the first and second rotor blades therebetween.

2. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 1, further comprising a first module and a second module, wherein the first rotor system is positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to the second rotor system and the first module and the second module are positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to locate the first and second rotor systems therebetween.

3. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 1, wherein the first pitch controller and the second pitch controller comprise swashplate means and servo means, and are positioned to lie adjacent to one another in spaced-apart relation between the first and second rotor blades.

4. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 1, further comprising a first module and a second module, wherein the first rotor system is positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to the second rotor system and the first module and the second module are positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to locate the first and second rotor systems therebetween.

5. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 1, further comprising a power module coupled to the non-rotating structural backbone, wherein the first rotor blades are supported for rotation about the axis of rotation in a first rotor plane of rotation, one of the first motor and second motor are positioned to lie on a first side of the first rotor plane of rotation, the power module is positioned to lie on a second side of the first rotor plane of rotation, and energy from the power module is conducted by way of electrical components to one of the first motor and second motor through the non-rotating structural backbone.

6. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 1, wherein the first rotor system is positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to the second rotor system and each motor is positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to its associated rotor blades to locate their associated pitch controllers therebetween.

7. A rotary wing aircraft comprising:

a non-rotating structural backbone,

a first rotor system coupled to the non-rotating structural backbone, the first rotor system including first rotor blades supported for rotation in a first rotor plane about an axis of rotation and a first motor,

a second rotor system coupled to the non-rotating structural backbone, the second rotor system including second rotor blades supported for rotation in a second rotor plane about the axis of rotation and a second motor, and wherein the first motor is positioned to lie on an inflow side of the second rotor system and the second motor is positioned to lie on an outflow side of the first rotor system,

wherein at least one of the first rotor blades and the second rotor blades are variable pitch rotor blades controlled by a blade pitch controller which includes cyclic movement control of the rotor blades;

wherein the blade pitch controller is comprised of a first blade pitch controller and a second blade pitch controller;

wherein the first rotor blades are controlled by the first blade pitch controller, the second rotor blades are controlled by the second pitch controller, the first motor and first pitch controller are positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to locate the first rotor plane therebetween, and the second motor and second blade pitch controller are positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to locate the second rotor plane therebetween; and

wherein the first pitch controller and second pitch controller comprise swashplate means and servo means connected to the first and second rotor systems and are positioned to lie axially between the first and second rotor systems planes.

8. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 7, wherein the first pitch controller and second pitch controller share a common set of servo actuators and linkages.

9. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 7, wherein at least one of the first and second blade pitch controllers and at least one of the first and second motors is coupled to the non-rotating structure backbone between the first and second rotor planes, and wherein electric signals are conducted by way of electrical components through the non-rotating structural backbone across one of the first and second rotor planes to either the first pitch controller, the second pitch controller, the first motor or the second motor.

10. The rotary wing aircraft of claim 7, wherein at least one of the first and second rotors is coupled to the non-rotating structural backbone, and energy from a power module is conducted through the non-rotating structural backbone.

11. A rotary wing aircraft comprising

an airframe,

a first rotor system on the airframe, the first rotor system including first rotor blades supported for rotation in a first rotor plane about an axis of rotation and a first motor,

a second rotor system on the airframe, the second rotor system including second rotor blades supported for rotation in a second rotor plane about the axis of rotation and a second motor, and wherein the first motor is positioned to lie on an inflow side of the second rotor system and the second motor is positioned to lie on an outflow side of the first rotor system,

wherein the first rotor system includes variable pitch rotor blades controlled by a first pitch controller, the second rotor system includes variable pitch rotor blades controlled by a second pitch controller, the first motor and first pitch controller are positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to locate the first rotor plane of rotation therebetween, and the second motor and second pitch controller are positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to locate the second rotor plane of rotation therebetween,

wherein the first pitch controller and second pitch controller comprise swashplate means and servo means connected to the first and second rotor systems and are positioned to lie axially between the first and second rotor planes, and

wherein the first pitch controller and second pitch controller share a common set of servo actuators and linkages.