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US 11,840,329 B1Granted
Contra-rotating electric helicopter
AssigneeSiFly Aviation, Inc.
InventorBrian L Hinman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A contra-rotating electric helicopter utilizes an electric motor having a base and an output shaft and a power source. The helicopter couples the base to a first rotor, thus allowing both the base and the power source to rotate within the frame of reference of the first rotor, while a contra-rotating and coplanar second rotor is coupled to the output shaft of the electric motor.
Claims18
An electrically powered vertical-lift aircraft, comprising:
- a power source;
- a first electric motor having a base and an output shaft configured to rotate relative to the base, the first electric motor coupled to the power source;
- a first lifting rotor having:
- (i) a first axis of rotation, (ii) a first rotating frame of reference, and (iii) a first set of rotor blades, the first rotor coupled to the base of the first electric motor;
- a second lifting rotor having a second axis of rotation and a second set of rotor blades, the second axis of rotation being coaxial with the first axis of rotation, the second rotor coupled to the output shaft of the electric motor;
- and
- a second electric motor in the first rotating frame of reference, and an associated cyclic control computer, configured to cause cyclic pitch adjustment of the first set of rotor blades.
4 more elements
An electrically powered vertical-lift aircraft, comprising:
- a power source;
- a plurality of electric motors coupled to the power source, each motor having a base and an output shaft;
- a transmission, coupled to the output shafts of the plurality of electric motors, configured to combine power from the output shafts into a shared output shaft;
- a first lifting rotor, having:
- (i) a first set of rotor blades, (ii) a first rotating frame of reference, and (iii) a first axis of rotation, coupled to the bases of the plurality of electric motors;
- and
- a second lifting rotor, having a second set of rotor blades and a second axis of rotation being coaxial with the first axis of rotation, the second lifting rotor being coupled to the shared output shaft;
- and
- a first cyclic control electric motor in the first rotating frame of reference, and an associated cyclic control computer, configured to cause cyclic pitch adjustment of the first set of rotor blades.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.