System and method of measuring and monitoring torque in a rotorcraft drive system
US8909453B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 20, 2012 |
| Grant date | Dec 9, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 20, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01M13/02
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method of optimizing an operation of a rotorcraft includes measuring actual usage of the tail rotor drive shaft during operation of the rotorcraft, the actual usage including at least a torque measurement. The method further includes a step of adjusting a life of the tail rotor drive shaft based upon the measuring of the actual usage. Another method of the present disclosure includes determining a main rotor mast torque by measuring a tail rotor drive shaft torque and deriving a main rotor mast torque by considering the measured tail rotor drive shaft torque and a total torque output of an engine. A system of the present disclosure is configured for determining the main rotor mast torque in part by measuring the tail rotor torque.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.