Method and apparatus for gyroscopic propulsion

• US 7,832,297 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chris B. Hewatt
• Original Assignee: Chris B. Hewatt
• Inventors: Hewatt, Chris B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Estremsky; Sherry L
• Assistant Examiner(s): YOUNG, EDWIN
• Application Number:
  US11/394,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20060230847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,691 Days
• Field of Search: 74/51.2, 74/53.7, 74/84.S
• US Class Current: 74/5.12
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/02 Rotary gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1207 Rotor spin and cage release type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1221 Multiple gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1225 with rotor drives

Abstract

A propulsion system includes an engine and a rotating member rotatably engaging the engine. The rotating member comprises a plurality of drive members positioned around the circumference of the rotating member. Each of the drive members has an unlocked state in which the drive members apply substantially no torque to the rotating member, and a locked state, in which the drive members apply substantially a torque to the rotating member. At a selected time, a first set of the drive members are in the unlocked state and a second set of the drive members are in the locked state to provide a propulsive force.

Claims

1. A propulsion system, comprising:

an engine; and

a rotating member rotatably engaging the engine and having a rotating member axis of rotation, wherein the rotating member comprises at least one drive member positioned around the circumference of the rotating member, the drive member has a drive member axis of rotation, the drive member includes a gyroscope having a gyroscopic axis of rotation, the drive member has an unlocked state in which the drive member rotates freely and applies substantially no torque to the rotating member and a locked state in which the drive member does not rotate freely and applies a torque to the rotating member, the drive member axis of rotation is substantially parallel to the rotating member axis of rotation, the gyroscopic axis of rotation is transverse to the rotating member axis of rotation, and a displacement force is controlled by controlling a rotation of the drive member about the drive member axis of rotation, whereby at a first time the drive member is in the unlocked state and at a second time the drive member is in the locked state to cause spatial displacement by the displacement force of a vehicle comprising the engine and rotating member.

2. The propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the at least one drive member is a plurality of drive members, wherein at the first time a first set of drive members is in the unlocked state and a second set of drive members is in the locked state, wherein the first set of drive members are positioned in a first angular zone, wherein the second set of drive members are positioned in a second angular zone, wherein the first angular zone subtends a first angle, wherein the second angular zone subtends a second angle, and wherein the first angle is greater than the second angle.

3. The propulsion system of claim 2, wherein the first angle is at least about 270 degrees and the second angle is less than 90 degrees, and wherein the plurality of drive members are substantially uniformly distributed around the circumference of the rotating member.

4. The propulsion system of claim 2, wherein each of the drive members comprise a brake assembly, a gyroscopic member, and a housing, the gyroscopic member including the gyroscope rotatably disposed in the housing and wherein, in the locked state, the brake assembly retards rotation of the drive member relative to the rotating member and, in the unlocked state, the brake assembly does not retard rotation of the drive member.

5. The propulsion system of claim 4, wherein the rotational axes of the gyroscopes in the first set of drive members are transverse to the rotational axes of the gyroscopes in the second set of drive members at a selected point in time.

6. The propulsion system of claim 4, wherein the rotating member has a first rotational speed, the drive member a second rotational speed, and the gyroscope in a selected drive member a third rotational speed, and wherein the first, second, and third rotational speeds are different from one another.

7. A vehicle containing the propulsion system of claim 1.

8. A propulsion method, comprising:

rotating a rotating member about a rotating member axis of rotation, the rotating member operatively engaging a plurality of drive members, each of the drive members having a drive member axis of rotation substantially parallel to the rotating member axis of rotation and comprising a gyroscope having a gyroscope axis of rotation, the gyroscope axis of rotation being transverse to the rotating member axis of rotation and drive member axes of rotation;

setting a first set of drive members to an unlocked state in which the drive members apply substantially no resistance to rotation of the rotating member; and

simultaneously setting a second set of drive members to a locked state in which the drive members resist rotation of the rotating member, wherein a displacement force is controlled by controlling a rotation of the drive members about the drive member axes of rotation.

9. The propulsion method of claim 8, wherein the first set of drive members are positioned at a first time in a first angular zone, wherein the second set of drive members are positioned in a second angular zone, wherein the first angular zone subtends a first angle, wherein the second angular zone subtends a second angle, and wherein the first angle is greater than the second angle.

10. The propulsion method of claim 9, wherein the first angle is at least about 270 degrees and the second angle is less than about 45 degrees.

11. The propulsion method of claim 9, wherein the direction of displacement of a vehicle comprising the rotating member and drive members is normal to radial line extending from the axis of rotation of the rotating member and a point on a periphery of the second angular zone.

12. The propulsion method of claim 9, further comprising at a second later time:

changing the position of the second angular zone to change a direction of displacement.

13. The propulsion method of claim 9, further comprising:

decelerating a vehicle by changing the position of the second angular zone so that the resulting direction of displacement is substantially opposite to the current direction of displacement.

14. The propulsion method of claim 8, wherein each of the drive members comprises a brake assembly, a gyroscopic member, and a housing, the gyroscopic member including the gyroscope rotatably disposed in the housing and wherein, in the locked state, the brake assembly retards rotation of the drive member relative to the rotating member and, in the unlocked state, the brake assembly does not retard rotation of the drive member.

15. The propulsion method of claim 14, wherein the rotational axes of the gyroscopes in the first set of drive members are transverse to the rotational axes of the gyroscopes in the second set of drive members at a selected point in time.

16. The propulsion method of claim 14, wherein the rotating member has a first rotational speed, the drive member a second rotational speed, and the gyroscope in a selected drive member a third rotational speed, and wherein the first, second, and third rotational speeds are different from one another.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

increasing a rotational speed of at least one of the gyroscopes and rotating member to increase a speed of travel.

18. A propulsion system comprising:

a rotating member, the rotating member rotating about a rotating member axis of rotation and operatively engaging a plurality of drive members, each of the drive members having a drive member axis of rotation substantially parallel to the rotating member axis of rotation and comprising a gyroscope having a gyroscope axis of rotation, the gyroscope axis of rotation being transverse to the rotating member axis of rotation and drive member axes of rotation;

means for setting a first set of drive members to an unlocked state in which the drive members apply substantially no resistance to rotation of the rotating member; and

means for simultaneously setting a second set of drive members to a locked state in which the drive members resist rotation of the rotating member, wherein a displacement force is controlled by controlling a rotation of the drive members about the drive member axes of rotation.

19. The propulsion system of claim 18, wherein the first set of drive members are positioned in a first angular zone, wherein the second set of drive members are positioned in a second angular zone, wherein the first angular zone subtends a first angle, wherein the second angular zone subtends a second angle, and wherein the first angle is greater than the second angle.

20. The propulsion system of claim 18, wherein each of the drive members comprise a brake assembly, a gyroscopic member, and a housing, the gyroscopic member including the gyroscope rotatably disposed in the housing and wherein, in the locked state, the brake assembly retards rotation of the drive member relative to the rotating member and, in the unlocked state, the brake assembly does not retard rotation of the drive member.

21. The propulsion system of claim 20, wherein the rotational axes of the gyroscopes in the first set of drive members are transverse to the rotational axes of the gyroscopes in the second set of drive members at a selected point in time.

22. The propulsion system of claim 20, wherein the rotating member has a first rotational speed, the drive member a second rotational speed, and the gyroscope in a selected drive member a third rotational speed, and wherein the first, second, and third rotational speeds are different from one another.

23. A propulsion method, comprising:

(a) rotating a rotating member that engages one or more drive members, the rotating member rotating about a rotating member axis of rotation, each of the one or more drive members having a respective drive member axis of rotation substantially parallel to the rotating member axis of rotation and comprising a respective gyroscope having a gyroscope axis of rotation, the gyroscope axis of rotation being transverse to the rotating member axis of rotation and drive member axes of rotation;

(b) at a first angular position, setting the drive member(s) to an unlocked state in which the drive members apply substantially no resistance to rotation of the rotating member; and

(c) at a second angular position, setting the drive member(s) to a locked state in which the drive member(s) resist rotation of the rotating member, wherein a displacement force is controlled by controlling a rotation of the drive members about the drive member axes of rotation.

24. The propulsion method of claim 23, wherein the rotating member is in a state of rotational imbalance.

25. The propulsion method of claim 23, wherein the one or more drive members comprises first and second sets of drive members, wherein the one or more drive members are positioned around the periphery of the rotating member and wherein the first set of drive members is set to the unlocked state while the second set of drive members is positioned to the locked state.

26. The propulsion method of claim 23, wherein each of the one or more drive members comprise a brake assembly, a gyroscopic member, and a housing, the gyroscopic member including the gyroscope rotatably disposed in the housing and wherein, in the locked state, the brake assembly retards rotation of the drive member relative to the rotating member and, in the unlocked state, the brake assembly does not retard rotation of the drive member.

27. The propulsion system of claim 23, wherein the rotating member has a first rotational speed, the drive member a second rotational speed, and the gyroscope in a selected drive member a third rotational speed, and wherein the first, second, and third rotational speeds are different from one another.