De-rotation system for a shaft fairing
AssigneeSikorsky Aircraft Corporation
InventorJohn C. Cox
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fairing system for a rotary wing aircraft is provided including a shaft fairing mounted for rotation about a first axis of rotation. A de-rotation system contained with the shaft fairing includes a toroidal continuously variable transmission configured to control the rotation of the shaft fairing about the first axis of rotation. A position control system includes at least one position sensor and a controller. The at least one position sensor is configured to monitor a position of the shaft fairing relative to the first axis of rotation. The controller is operably coupled to the at least one position sensor and the de-rotation system. The controller is configured to adjust a gear ratio of the toroidal continuously variable transmission in response to a sensed position of the shaft fairing.
Claims19
A fairing system for a rotary wing aircraft comprising:
- a shaft fairing mounted for rotation about a first axis of rotation;
- a de-rotation system contained within the shaft fairing, the de-rotation system including a toroidal continuously variable transmission (CVT) configured to control the rotation of the shaft fairing about the first axis of rotation;
- and
- a position control system including at least one position sensor configured to monitor a position of the shaft fairing relative to the first axis of rotation and a controller operably coupled to the at least one position sensor and to the de-rotation system, the controller being configured to adjust a gear ratio of the toroidal CVT in response to a sensed position of the shaft fairing.
A rotary wing aircraft comprising:
- a lower rotor system including a lower shaft connected to a lower rotor hub;
- an upper rotor system include an upper shaft connected to an upper hub, the lower shaft being configured to rotate about a first axis of rotation in a first direction and the upper shaft being configured to rotate about the first axis of rotation in a second direction;
- a shaft fairing mounted between the lower rotor hub and the upper rotor hub for rotation about the first axis of rotation;
- a de-rotation system contained within the shaft fairing, the de-rotation system including a toroidal continuously variable transmission (CVT) configured to control the rotation of the shaft fairing about the first axis of rotation;
- and
- a position control system including at least one position sensor configured to monitor a position of the shaft fairing relative to the first axis of rotation and a controller operably coupled to the at least one position sensor and to the de-rotation system, the controller being configured to adjust a gear ratio of the toroidal CVT in response to a sensed position of the shaft fairing.
A method of controlling rotation of a shaft fairing about a first axis of rotation comprising:
- monitoring a position of the shaft fairing;
- comparing the position of the shaft fairing to a desired position;
- adjusting a gear ratio of a de-rotation system including a toroidal continuously variable transmission if the position of the shaft fairing is different from the desired position;
- rotating the shaft fairing towards the desired position using the de-rotation system having the adjusted gear ratio;
- and
- adjusting the gear ratio of the de-rotation system to be in a balanced position once the shaft fairing reaches the desired position to stop the rotation of the shaft fairing at the desired position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.