Energy storage attitude control and reference system
US4723735A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 28, 1984 |
| Grant date | Feb 9, 1988 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 28, 2004 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E60/16
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An energy storage attitude control and reference system for a craft including at least two flywheels with their angular momenta balanced to produce zero net angular momentum and at least two motor/generator units each including one of the flywheels in its rotor structure. The system further includes one pair of bearings for supporting each of the flywheels, means for measuring the position of each flywheel relative to its bearings, means for resolving current to and from said motor/generator units, means for applying torques to each flywheel through its respective bearings for controlling attitude of the craft about two mutually perpendicular axes, and means for exerting torques to each flywheel through its respective motor/generator to provide attitude control of the craft about a third axis perpendicular to the first two and for controlling the energy storage level of the flywheels.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.