Swashplateless rotorcraft with fault tolerant linear electric actuator
US8235667B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 23, 2009 |
| Grant date | Aug 7, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 24, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02T50/30
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An electric linear actuator is disposed to pitch a blade of a hingeless, swashplateless rotor in rotary motion. This actuator can be equipped with an electric motor advantageously made fault tolerant by winding the motor for at least 4, 5, 6, 8, or even 12 phases. Rotational motion of the electric motor is preferably converted to a translatory linear actuator output motion using a planetary roller screw coupling the rotation of the motor with pitch of the blade. The output link of the actuator can be advantageously coupled to the planetary roller screw using an internal spherical joint providing an isolated load path through the actuator. It is contemplated that a preferred rotorcraft having an electric blade pitch actuator might also be equipped with a controller that could provide the vehicle with individual blade control, in which the pitch of any rotor blade can be controlled independently of the others.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.