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US 10,703,471 B2Granted
Anti-torque control using matrix of fixed blade pitch motor modules
AssigneeBell Helicopter Textron Inc.
InventorsCarlos Fenny, Thomas Dewey Parsons, Erik John Oltheten
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention includes an a plurality of first variable speed motors arranged in a first matrix pattern and mounted on a tail boom of the helicopter; one or more fixed pitch blades attached to each of the plurality of first variable speed motors; and wherein a speed of one or more of the plurality of first variable speed motors is varied to provide an anti-torque thrust.
Claims50
An anti-torque module for a helicopter comprising:
- three or more first variable speed motors arranged in a first matrix pattern and mounted on a tail boom of the helicopter;
- one or more fixed pitch blades attached to each of the three or more first variable speed motors;
- and
- wherein a speed and a direction of each of the three or more first variable speed motors is independently varied to provide an anti-torque thrust.
1 more element
An anti-torque system for a helicopter comprising:
- at least three first variable speed motors arranged in a first matrix pattern mounted on a tail boom of the helicopter;
- one or more fixed pitch blades attached to each of the at least three first variable speed motors, wherein a speed and direction of the variable speed motors and their respective fixed pitch blades is varied to provide directional thrust;
- and
- a logic in a flight control computer for controlling at least one of:
- the speed, the direction, or both the speed and direction, of the three or more of the first variable speed motors to reduce or eliminate torque from a main rotor.
2 more elements
A method of operating a helicopter, the method comprising:
- providing an anti-torque matrix comprising three or more first fixed blade pitch variable-speed motors on a tail boom of the helicopter;
- and
- operating one or more of the first fixed blade pitch variable-speed motors at one or more speeds and a direction to provide at least one of anti-torque thrust or torque thrust, during helicopter operations.
A helicopter comprising:
- an anti-torque module comprising:
- three or more first variable speed motors arranged in a first matrix pattern and mounted on a tail boom of the helicopter;
- one or more fixed pitch blades attached to each of the three or more first variable speed motors;
- and
- wherein a speed and a direction of each of the three or more of the first variable speed motors is independently varied to provide an anti-torque thrust.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.