Cyclic blade speed control

• US 9,771,153 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2014
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bauchot, Frederic, Clement, Jean-Yves, Truntschka, Carole
• Primary Examiner(s): SEABE, JUSTIN D
• Application Number:
  US14/307,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20150197336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/35 having elastomeric joints
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/473 Constructional features
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/48 Root attachment to rotor head
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/57 automatic or condition responsive, e.g. responsive to rotor speed, torque or thrust
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/605 including swash plate, spider or cam mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/72 Means acting on blades
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/30 Wing lift efficiency

Abstract

A blade speed control apparatus and method. The apparatus includes a rotor assembly a first blade assembly movably attached to the rotor assembly at a first initial position, a second blade assembly movably attached to the rotor assembly at a second initial position, and a movement mechanism configured to move the rotor assembly in a first lateral direction along a y-axis such that a first angle exists between the first blade assembly with said respect to the second blade assembly. The movement mechanism is configured to move a portion of the rotor assembly in a first lateral direction along a y-axis such that a first angle exists between the first blade assembly with said respect to the second blade assembly. The first angle does not comprise an angle of 180 degrees.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first blade assembly movably attached to a rotor assembly at a first initial position, wherein said first blade assembly comprises a first slide channel, wherein said rotor assembly comprises a rotation crown, a stationary plate, and a center shaft, and wherein said rotation crown comprises a plurality of pivot mechanism bearings;

a second blade assembly movably attached to said rotor assembly at a second initial position opposite to said first initial position, wherein said second blade assembly comprises a second slide channel, wherein an initial angle of 180 degrees exists between said first blade assembly with said respect to said second blade assembly, wherein said rotor assembly is configured to rotate said first blade assembly and said second blade assembly in a first direction and a second direction opposite to said first direction;

a movement mechanism configured to move a portion of said rotor assembly in a first lateral direction along an axis such that a first angle exists between said first blade assembly with said respect to said second blade assembly, wherein said first angle does not comprise an angle of 180 degrees, wherein said first blade assembly is pivotally and slidably attached, via said first slide channel, to said rotation crown at a first pivot mechanism bearing of said plurality of pivot mechanism bearings on said rotation crown, wherein said second blade assembly is pivotally and slidably attached, via said second slide channel, to said rotation crown at a second pivot mechanism bearing of said plurality of pivot mechanism bearings on said rotation crown, wherein said rotation crown is configured to rotate said first blade assembly and said second blade assembly in said first direction and said second direction, and wherein said first blade assembly and said second blade assembly are pivotally attached to said center shaft at a same location on said center shaft, wherein said stationary plate comprises a slide channel running along said axis, wherein said movement mechanism is further configured to automatically and slidably move said center shaft within said slide channel in said first lateral direction along said axis, and wherein a control system is configured to generate a control signal configured to enable said movement mechanism to move said rotor assembly in said first lateral direction along said axis; and

an aircraft attached to said movement mechanism.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said movement mechanism is configured to move said portion of said rotor assembly in a second lateral direction along said axis such that a second angle exists between said first blade assembly with said respect to said second blade assembly, and wherein said second angle does not comprise an angle of 180 degrees, and wherein said first lateral direction is opposite to said second lateral direction.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first blade assembly comprises a first elongated blade mechanically attached to a first flexible coupler, wherein said first flexible coupler mechanically attaches said first elongated blade to said rotor assembly, wherein said first flexible coupler is configured to allow said first elongated blade to move in different positions with respect to said rotor assembly and said second blade assembly, wherein said second blade assembly comprises a second elongated blade mechanically attached to a second flexible coupler, wherein said second flexible coupler mechanically attaches said second elongated blade to said rotor assembly, wherein said second flexible coupler is configured to allow said second elongated blade to move in different positions with respect to said rotor assembly and said first blade assembly, wherein said first flexible coupler comprises a flexible coupler selected from the group consisting of a spring loaded coupler and an elastic based coupler, and wherein said second flexible coupler comprises a flexible coupler selected from the group consisting of a spring loaded coupler and an elastic based coupler.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said movement mechanism comprises an apparatus selected from the group consisting of a hydraulic apparatus configured to hydraulically move said rotor assembly in said first lateral direction along said y-axis and a stepper motor configured to move said rotor assembly in said first lateral direction along said y-axis.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a third blade assembly movably attached to said rotor assembly at a third initial position; and

a fourth blade assembly movably attached to said rotor assembly at a fourth initial position opposite to said third initial position, wherein an initial angle of 180 degrees exists between said third blade assembly with said respect to said fourth blade assembly, wherein said rotor assembly is configured to rotate said third blade assembly and said fourth blade assembly in said first direction and said second direction, wherein said movement mechanism is configured to move said portion of said rotor assembly in said first lateral direction along said axis such that a second angle exists between said third blade assembly with said respect to said fourth blade assembly, and wherein said second angle does not comprise an angle of 180 degrees.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is comprised by a helicopter.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a notification system configured to notify an individual that said movement mechanism is moving said rotor assembly in said first lateral direction along said axis.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first blade assembly comprises a first length, and wherein said second blade assembly comprises a second length differing from said first length.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a first blade assembly pivotally attached to said center shaft of a rotor assembly at a first initial position, wherein said rotor assembly comprises said center shaft, a rotation crown, and a stationary plate, and wherein said rotor assembly is configured to rotate said first blade and said second blade in a first direction and a second direction opposite to said first direction; and

a movement mechanism configured to move a portion of said rotor assembly in a first lateral direction along a y-axis such that a first angle exists between said first blade assembly and said shaft, wherein said movement mechanism is configured to move said portion of said rotor assembly in a second lateral direction along said y-axis such that a second angle exists between said first blade assembly and said shaft, and wherein said first angle differs from said second angle, wherein said first lateral direction is opposite to said second lateral direction, wherein said stationary plate comprises a plurality of openings running along said axis, and wherein said movement mechanism is further configured to automatically and sequentially move said center shaft into each opening of said plurality of openings in said first lateral direction along said axis, and wherein a control system is configured to generate a control signal configured to enable said movement mechanism to automatically and sequentially move said rotor assembly in said first lateral direction along said axis; and

an aircraft attached to said movement mechanism.

10. A method comprising:

providing an apparatus comprising a rotor assembly, a first blade assembly, comprising a first slide channel, movably attached to said rotor assembly at a first initial position, a second blade assembly, comprising a second slide channel, movably attached to said rotor assembly at a second initial position opposite to said first initial position, a control system, and a movement mechanism attached to an aircraft, wherein an initial angle of 180 degrees exists between said first blade assembly with said respect to said second blade assembly, wherein said rotor assembly comprises a rotation crown, a stationary plate, and a center shaft, wherein said rotation crown comprises a plurality of pivot mechanism bearings, wherein said first blade assembly is pivotally and slidably attached, via said first slide channel, to said rotation crown at a first pivot mechanism bearing of said plurality of pivot mechanism bearings on said rotation crown, wherein said second blade assembly is pivotally and slidably, via said second slide channel, to said rotation crown at a second pivot mechanism bearing of said plurality of pivot mechanism bearings on said rotation crown, and wherein said stationary plate comprises a slide channel running along said axis, and wherein said first blade assembly and said second blade assembly is rotated by said rotor assembly in a first direction;

automatically and slidably moving, by said movement mechanism, said center shaft within said slide channel and in a first lateral direction along an axis such that;

said first blade assembly pivotally and slidably moves via said first slide channel with respect to said first pivot mechanism bearing;

said second blade assembly pivotally and slidably moves via said second slide channel with respect to said second pivot mechanism bearing; and

a first angle exists between said first blade assembly with said respect to said second blade assembly, and wherein said first angle does not comprise an angle of 180 degrees;

generating, by said control system, a control signal;

enabling, by said control signal, said movement mechanism to move said rotor assembly in said first lateral direction along said axis; and

enabling, by said first blade assembly and said second blade assembly being rotated by said rotor assembly, movement of said aircraft.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

moving, by said movement mechanism, said portion of said rotor assembly in a second lateral direction along said axis such that a second angle exists between said first blade assembly with said respect to said second blade assembly, wherein said second angle does not comprise an angle of 180 degrees, and wherein said first lateral direction is opposite to said second lateral direction.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said first blade assembly comprises a first elongated blade mechanically attached to a first flexible coupler, wherein said first flexible coupler mechanically attaches said first elongated blade to said rotor assembly, wherein said second blade assembly comprises a second elongated blade mechanically attached to a second flexible coupler, wherein said second flexible coupler mechanically attaches said second elongated blade to said rotor assembly, and wherein said method further comprises:

during said rotating and said moving, first moving by said first flexible coupler, said first elongated blade in different positions with respect to said rotor assembly and said second blade assembly; and

during said rotating and said moving, second moving by said second flexible coupler, said second elongated blade in different positions with respect to said rotor assembly and said first blade assembly.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said movement mechanism comprises a hydraulic apparatus, and wherein said moving further comprises hydraulically moving by said hydraulic apparatus, said rotor assembly in said first lateral direction along said axis.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said apparatus further comprises a third blade assembly movably attached to said rotor assembly at a third initial position and a fourth blade assembly movably attached to said rotor assembly at a fourth initial position opposite to said third initial position, wherein an initial angle of 180 degrees exists between said third blade assembly with said respect to said fourth blade assembly, wherein said rotating further comprises rotating said third blade and said fourth blade in said first direction, wherein said moving further results in a second angle existing between said third blade with said respect to said fourth blade, and wherein said second angle does not comprise an angle of 180 degrees.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said apparatus further comprises a notification system, and wherein said method further comprises:

notifying, by said notification system, an individual that said movement mechanism is moving said rotor assembly in said first lateral direction along said axis.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in said computing system, wherein the code in combination with the computing system is capable of performing said rotating and said moving.