Tethered model gyroglider
OwnerAlex P. Kattasinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tethered model gyroglider having a fuselage, a rotor support extending upwardly from the fuselage, and a unitary two-bladed rotor rotatably mounted onto the rotor support. A teetering mechanism permits the rotor to pivot about an axis proximate the center of the rotor. When the gyroglider is subjected to a relative wind generally from a forward direction, the forward moving blade of the rotor is raised and the rearward moving blade is lowered. This equalizes the aerodynamic forces about the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, thereby eliminating the tendency of the gyroglider to roll in the direction of the rearward moving blade.
Claims18
A tethered model gyroglider comprising:
- (a) a fuselage having a longitudinal axis with forward and rearward vectors;
- (b) rotor support means for supporting a rotor for rotation in a mean plane above said fuselage, said rotor support means extending upwardly from said fuselage;
- (c) a unitary two-bladed rotor rotatably mounted onto said rotor support means, said rotor rotating in said mean plane about a rotor axis;
- (d) teeter means for permitting said rotor to pivot about a teeter axis generally parallel to said mean plane and generally perpendicular to said rotor proximate a center of said rotor such that, when the gyroglider is subjected to a relative wind generally along said rearward vector, a forward-moving blade of said rotor is raised and a rearward-moving blade of said rotor is lowered, thereby equalizing the aerodynamic forces about said longitudinal axis;
- and
- (e) roll trim means for changing a lateral position of said rotor axis relative to said longitudinal axis of said fuselage, comprising:
- (i) a bushing having first and second apertures said second aperture defining a bearing;
- (ii) a mast extending upwardly from said fuselage and inserted into said first aperture;
- and
- (iii) a rotatable shaft for supporting said rotor inserted into said bearing of said second aperture;
- (iv) said bushing being pivotable about said mast to permit changing said lateral position of said rotor axis to trim the gyroglider about said longitudinal axis.
A tethered model gyroglider comprising:
- (a) a fuselage having a longitudinal axis;
- (b) rotor support means for supporting a rotor above said fuselage, said rotor support means extending upwardly from said fuselage;
- (c) a rotor rotatably mounted onto said rotor support means, said rotor rotating about a rotor axis;
- (d) roll trim means for changing a lateral position of said rotor axis relative to said longitudinal axis of said fuselage, comprising:
- (i) a bushing having an aperture defining a bearing;
- (ii) a mast extending upwardly from said fuselage and pivotally connected to said bushing;
- and
- (iii) a rotatable shaft for supporting said rotor inserted into said aperture;
- (iv) said bushing being pivotable about said mast to permit changing said lateral position of said rotor axis to trim the gyroglider about said longitudinal axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.