Electro-hydraulic helicopter system having individual blade control

An apparatus for use in providing fluid control signals from a first element to a moveable second element, comprising:

• a first member having an outer surface formed with a plurality of sets of grooves, each of said grooves receiving respective fluid control signals by means of corresponding channels formed in said first member interior;
• a second member displaceable along a first member longitudinal axis and adapted to receive, at an inner surface thereof, said first member outer surface, said second member inner surface having a plurality of sets of grooves communicating with corresponding interior second member channels, each second member groove in registration with a corresponding first member groove, said registered first and second member grooves continuously communicating said fluid control signals throughout said second member movement;
• and
• return grooves formed in said first and second members opposed surfaces spaced between said groove sets and communicating with associated return channels in said first and second members for providing fluid isolation between each of said groove sets.

A hydraulic actuator assembly, comprising:

• hydraulic valving means communicating with a source of hydraulic pressure and a hydraulic pressure return through respective ports in said valving means, said valving means for selectively providing hydraulic control signals;
• an interface apparatus including a first member having an outer surface formed with a plurality of sets of grooves each of said grooves receiving, from a respective internal channel, said hydraulic control signals, and a second member rotatable about a second member longitudinal axis and adapted to receive at an inner surface thereof said first member outer surface, said second member inner surface having a plurality of sets of grooves each of said grooves in registration with a corresponding first member groove and each providing said control signals to a corresponding second member channel, said registered first and second member grooves continuously communicating said hydraulic control signals throughout said second member movement;
• return grooves formed in said first and second members opposed surfaces spaced between said groove sets and communicating with associated return channels in said first and second members for providing fluid isolation between each of said groove sets;
• and
• an actuator means configured with said moving second member, for receiving said control signals from said interface apparatus and generating displacement in dependence thereon.

A hydraulic actuator assembly, comprising:

• hydraulic valving means, communicating with a source of hydraulic pressure and a hydraulic pressure return through respective ports in said valving means, said valving means for selectively providing hydraulic control signals;
• an interface apparatus including a first member having an outer surface formed with a plurality of grooves receiving, from a respective internal channel, said hydraulic control signals, and a second member is displaceable along a first member longitudinal axis and is adapted to receive at an inner surface thereof said first member outer surface, said second member inner surface having a plurality of grooves each in registration with a corresponding first member groove and each providing said control signals to a corresponding second member channel, said registered first and second member grooves continuously communicating said hydraulic control signals throughout said second member movement;
• and
• an actuator means configured with said moving second member, for receiving said control signals from said interface apparatus and generating displacements in dependence thereon.

A hydraulic actuator assembly, comprising:

• a first hydraulic valving means, communicating with a source of hydraulic pressure and a hydraulic pressure return through respective ports in said valving means, said valving means for selectively providing hydraulic control signals;
• an interface apparatus including a first member having an outer surface formed with a plurality of grooves receiving, from a respective internal channel, said hydraulic control signals, and a second member adapted to receive at an inner surface thereof said first member outer surface, said second member inner surface having a plurality of grooves each in registration with a corresponding first member groove and each providing said control signals to a corresponding second member channel, said registered first and second member grooves continuously communicating said hydraulic control signals throughout said second member movement;
• an actuator means configured with said moving second member, for receiving said control signals from said interface apparatus and generating displacements in dependence thereon;
• and
• a second valving means configured in parallel with said first valving means communicating with said source of fluid pressure and said fluid pressure return groove respective ports separate from said first valving means respective ports for selectively providing said fluid control signals, said assembly further comprising a selector valve means receiving said control signals from both said first and second valving means, said selector means for providing said control signals only from a selected one of said valving means in dependence on a control signal.

A hydraulic actuator assembly, comprising:

• hydraulic valving means, communicating with a source of hydraulic pressure and a hydraulic pressure return through respective ports in said valving means, said valving means for selectively providing hydraulic control signals;
• an interface apparatus including a first member having an outer surface formed with a plurality of grooves receiving, from a respective internal channel, said hydraulic control signals, and a second member adapted to receive at an inner surface thereof said first member outer surface, said second member inner surface having a plurality of grooves each in registration with a corresponding first member groove and each providing said control signals to a corresponding second member channel, said registered first and second member grooves continuously communicating said hydraulic control signals throughout said second member movement;
• an actuator means configured with moving second member, for receiving said control signals from said interface apparatus and generating displacements in dependence thereon;
• and
• a plurality of seals positioned between said first and second members spaced between each of said source and return grooves.

A system for providing hydraulic control signals from a fixed first member to an actuator on a rotating second member, said system comprising:

• a controller receiving a plurality of signals indicative or corresponding first and second member parameters and receiving command signals, said controller for generating electrical control signals in accordance with predetermined algorithms;
• an electro-hydraulic actuator assembly receiving said electrical control signals for providing corresponding hydraulic control signals between said first and second members, said assembly including
• a hydraulic valving means, communicating with a source of hydraulic pressure and a hydraulic pressure return through respective ports in said valving means, said valving means for selectively providing hydraulic control signals;
• an interface apparatus, said first member having an outer surface formed with a plurality of grooves, each receiving respective hydraulic control signals from a corresponding first member channel and the second member adapted to receive, at an inner surface thereof, said first member outer surface, said second member inner surface having a plurality of grooves each in registration with a correspond first member groove, said registered first and second member grooves continously communicating said hydraulic control signals throughout said second member movement for providing said control signals to the actuator through associated second member channels.