Rotorcraft
AssigneeEfix Aviation Ltd
InventorEfraim Kastiel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Rotorcraft including a fuselage and at least three rotor system arms each having a rotor system. Each rotor system includes a mast having at least two rotor blades and an electric rotor motor. At least one rotor system arm includes a support mechanism for pivotally supporting a floating mast about at least one pivot axis whereby the floating mast is tillable relative to a fiducial tilt position. The floating mast has a controllable cyclic rotor blade pitch. A mast tilt measurement mechanism provides a mast tilt feedback signal regarding a measured tilt position of a floating mast relative to its fiducial tilt position. A flight control system continuously controls the at least three electric rotor motors and the floating masts cyclic rotor blade pitch in response to a desired input maneuver and its mast tilt feedback signal.
Claims25
A rotorcraft comprising:
- (a) a fuselage;
- (b) at least three rotor system arms mounted on said fuselage, each said rotor system arm having a rotor system displaced from said fuselage;
- each said rotor system including a mast having at least two rotor blades and an electric rotor motor coupled to said mast for driving said mast whereupon said at least two rotor blades act as a rotating rotor disc,
- wherein at least one of said masts is a floating mast, pivotally supported by a support mechanism of the respective rotor system about at least one pivot axis whereby said floating mast is tiltable relative to a fiducial tilt position,
- said floating mast having a controllable cyclic rotor blade pitch;
- (c) a mast tilt measurement mechanism for providing a mast tilt feedback signal regarding a measured tilt position of said floating mast relative to said fiducial tilt position;
- (d) at least one forward propulsion unit mounted on said fuselage for providing forward propulsion to the rotorcraft;
- and
- (e) a flight control system configured to continuously control said at least three electric rotor motors, said at least one forward propulsion unit, and said cyclic rotor blade pitch of said floating mast in response to a desired input maneuver and said mast tilt feedback signal wherein said continuous control of said cyclic rotor blade pitch includes:
- i) at an initial tilt position of said floating mast, actuating cyclic rotor blade pitch adjustments to maintain said floating mast at said initial tilt position,
- ii) actuating said cyclic rotor blade pitch adjustment for tilting said floating mast from said initial tilt position to a desired tilt position, and
- iii) upon arrival at said desired tilt position, neutralizing said cyclic rotor blade pitch adjustment for tilting said floating mast and reverting to actuating cyclic rotor blade pitch adjustments to maintain said floating mast at said desired tilt position.
A rotorcraft comprising:
- (a) a fuselage;
- (b) at least three rotor system arms mounted on said fuselage, each said rotor system arm having a rotor system displaced from said fuselage;
- each said rotor system including a mast having at least two rotor blades and an electric rotor motor coupled to said mast for driving said mast whereupon said at least two rotor blades act as a rotating rotor disc,
- wherein at least one of said masts is a floating mast, pivotally supported by a dual axis support mechanism of the respective rotor system about dual pivot axes whereby said floating mast is tiltable relative to a fiducial tilt position,
- said floating mast having a controllable cyclic rotor blade pitch;
- (c) a mast tilt measurement mechanism for providing a mast tilt feedback signal regarding a measured tilt position of said floating mast relative to said fiducial tilt position;
- and
- (d) a flight control system configured to continuously control said at least three electric rotor motors and said cyclic rotor blade pitch of said floating mast in response to a desired input maneuver and said mast tilt feedback signal wherein said continuous control of said cyclic rotor blade pitch includes:
- i) at an initial tilt position of said floating mast, actuating cyclic rotor blade pitch adjustments to maintain said floating mast at said initial tilt position,
- ii) actuating said cyclic rotor blade pitch adjustment for tilting said floating mast from said initial tilt position to a desired tilt position, and
- iii) upon arrival at said desired tilt position, neutralizing said cyclic rotor blade pitch adjustment for tilting said floating mast and reverting to actuating cyclic rotor blade pitch adjustments to maintain said floating mast at said desired tilt position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.