Rotor assembly for a rotorcraft
First Claim
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1. A rotor assembly for a rotorcraft, the rotor assembly comprising a plurality of rotor blades rotatable about a hub and a driver, the driver being operable to drive each of the plurality of rotor blades at a different radial distance from the hub;
- wherein the rotor assembly is arranged such that tangential speed of each of the plurality of rotor blades at each radial distance is equal, and the rotor assembly is operable to vary angular speed of the plurality of rotor blades about the hub, relative to one another.
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Abstract
A rotor assembly (5) for a rotorcraft, such as a helicopter, includes rotors (7) rotatable about a hub (17). The assembly (5) is operable to vary the angular speed of the rotors (7) about the hub (17), relative to one another. The assembly (5) may include a drive operable to drive each of the rotors (7) at a different radial distance from the hub.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A rotor assembly for a rotorcraft, the rotor assembly comprising a plurality of rotor blades rotatable about a hub and a driver, the driver being operable to drive each of the plurality of rotor blades at a different radial distance from the hub;
wherein the rotor assembly is arranged such that tangential speed of each of the plurality of rotor blades at each radial distance is equal, and the rotor assembly is operable to vary angular speed of the plurality of rotor blades about the hub, relative to one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of moving the centre of lift of a rotorcraft, the method comprising the steps of driving a plurality of rotor blades at different radial distances from a hub, wherein a tangential speed of each of the plurality of rotor blades at each radial distance is equal, and wherein an angular speed of each of the plurality of rotor blades about the hub, relative to one another, is varied.
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16. A rotor assembly for a rotorcraft, the assembly comprising a plurality of rotor blades moveable along a track around the circumference of a fixed hub such that the plurality of rotor blades are rotatable around the hub, the rotor assembly comprising a driver that is operable to drive the plurality of rotor blades at different radial distances from the hub such that a tangential speed of each of the plurality of rotor blades at each radial distance is equal so as to vary the angular speed of each of the plurality of rotor blades relative to one another, as each of the plurality of rotor blades pass around a circumference of the fixed hub.
Specification