Rotary-wing vehicle system

• US 7,946,526 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2005
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avner Divon, Nachman Zimet
• Original Assignee: Avner Divon, Nachman Zimet
• Inventors: Zimet, Nachman
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins; Timothy D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sanderson; Joseph W
• Application Number:
  US11/263,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20060231677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,029 Days
• Field of Search: 244/17.11, 244/17.19, 244/17.21, 244/17.23, 244/110.D, 446/36, 446/37
• US Class Current: 244/17.19
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/12 Helicopters A63H27/04 takes precedence; Flying tops
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/10 arranged coaxially
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/17 Helicopters flying platforms B64U10/13
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/24 Coaxial rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 40/10 for adjusting control surfaces or rotors

Abstract

A rotary-wing apparatus that is aeronautically stable, easy to fly with a multidimensional control, small size, and safe to fly and low cost to produce. The rotary-wing apparatus includes a coaxial, counter rotating rotor drive providing lifting power with an inherent aeronautical stability; auxiliary propellers that face the direction of flight and are located on opposite sides of said coaxial rotary-wing apparatus and enable flying forwards, backwards and perform yawing. The rotary-wing coaxial helicopter toy is remotely controlled and safe to fly in doors and out doors, while performing exciting maneuvers even by untrained kids.

Claims

1. A coaxial rotary-wing apparatus comprising:

at least two sets of lifting blades connected to a main coaxial drive shaft;

primary drive means connected to said main coaxial drive shaft for driving the at least two sets of lifting blades at the same angular velocity, a first set of said lifting blades being driven by said primary drive means in a first direction of rotation, and a second set of said lifting blades being driven by said primary drive means in a second direction of rotation opposite to said first direction;

the at least two sets of lifting blades being located one above the other, wherein the center of gravity of the coaxial rotary-wing apparatus is positioned lower than the at least two sets of lifting blades;

a plurality of auxiliary drive means, comprising propeller drives for driving the coaxial rotary-wing apparatus in at least forwards and backwards directions while in flight; and

control means for controlling said primary and auxiliary drive means, said control means comprising differential left/right steering and forwards/backwards steering means for providing commands to each of said auxiliary drive means to control power and rotational direction of each of said auxiliary drive means for causing said rotary wing apparatus to move in forwards and backwards directions and to perform yawing motions while in normal and high speed forwards and backwards flight.

2. The coaxial rotary-wing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control means controls the velocity at which said primary drive means is able to drive said at least two sets of lifting blades.

3. The coaxial rotary-wing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said propeller drives comprise left and right propeller drives oppositely located on the left and rights sides of said coaxial rotary-wing apparatus respectively, and wherein said left and right propeller drives face the direction of flight of said rotary-wing apparatus, and wherein said left and right propeller drives are located above the center of gravity of said coaxial rotary-wing apparatus.

4. The coaxial rotary-wing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a bell-stabilizing means is connected to each of said at least two sets of lifting blades.

5. The coaxial rotary-wing apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the at least two sets of lifting blades is connected to a rigid rotor head, said rigid rotor head allowing only pitch movements of the at least two sets of lifting blades.

6. The coaxial rotary-wing apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said lifting blades has a lifting force center located forward of a pitch axis connecting said lifting blades to the main drive shaft.

7. The coaxial rotary-wing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said lifting blades are swept forward.

8. The coaxial rotary-wing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper set of said at least two sets lifting blades has a first set of blade characteristics that is different from a second set of blade characteristics belonging to the lower set of said at least two sets of lifting blades.

9. The coaxial rotary-wing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first set of blade characteristics differs from the second set of blade characteristics in at least one blade characteristic selected from the group of blade characteristics consisting of blade geometry or shape, blade twist, blade mass, blade material, blade speed, and combinations thereof.

10. The coaxial rotary-wing apparatus claim 1, including air brake means, wherein said air brake means is located below the center of gravity of said coaxial rotary-wing apparatus.

11. The coaxial rotary-wing apparatus of claim 10, wherein said air brake means is dynamically controllable for use in left/right steering of the coaxial rotary-wing apparatus.

12. The coaxial rotary-wing apparatus of claim 1, including a tail fin to provide improved directional stability.

13. The coaxial rotary-wing apparatus claim 1, including yaw trimming means connected to at least one set of said at least two sets of lifting blades, and wherein said yaw trimming means is adapted to collectively adjust the pitch of all lifting blades in said at least one set of lifting blades.

14. The coaxial rotary-wing apparatus claim 1, wherein said lifting blades are removably connected to a rotor head, said rotor head being connected to said main coaxial drive shaft.

15. The coaxial rotary-wing apparatus of claim 14, wherein said rotor head includes a spring mechanism to hold said lifting blades in place during flight.

16. The coaxial rotary-wing apparatus of claim 15, wherein said spring mechanism is adapted to allow said lifting blades to release and fold back when an external force exceeding a predetermined amount and counter to the direction of rotation of said lifting blades is applied to said lifting blades.

17. The coaxial rotary-wing apparatus of claim 14, wherein said rotor head is adapted to allow said lifting blades to release and fold back when an external force exceeding a predetermined amount and counter to the direction of rotation of said lifting blades is applied to said lifting blades.

18. The coaxial rotary-wing apparatus of claim 1, including a collision detection means for detecting when an external force exceeding a predetermined amount and counter to the direction of rotation of said lifting blades is applied to said lifting blades and for stopping rotation of said lifting blades in response thereto.

19. The coaxial rotary-wing apparatus of claim 1, including means for selectively adjusting the center of gravity of the coaxial rotary-wing apparatus forwards and backwards between a first position that is inline with said main coaxial drive shaft and a second position located in a forward direction from said main coaxial drive shaft, thereby causing the coaxial rotary-wing apparatus to move in said forward direction.

20. The coaxial rotary-wing toy of claim 1, wherein said control means is remotely controllable.

21. The coaxial rotary-wing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the commands provided by the steering means comprise commands that control the propeller drives for rotating a first of said auxiliary drive means in a direction opposite the other of said propeller drives to perform yawing motions.