Oscillating air jets for implementing blade variable twist, enhancing engine and blade efficiency, and reducing drag, vibration, download and ir signature

A rotor blade control system for dynamically reducing a vibration level of a rotor hub of an aircraft, the rotor hub being adapted to hold at least one rotor blade, the rotor blade having an outer surface, an interior volume, a root, and a tip, the rotor blade control system comprising:

• at least one aperture disposed on the rotor blade near the root, the at least one aperture connecting the outer surface to the interior volume;
• at least one diaphragm disposed within the interior volume, the at least one diaphragm being adapted to oscillate between a first position and a second position, wherein movement of the at least one diaphragm from the first position to the second position pushes air through the at least one aperture and out of the interior volume, and wherein movement of the at least one diaphragm from the second position to the first position draws air through the at least one aperture and into the interior volume;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the at least one diaphragm, the controller being adapted to change an oscillation parameter of the diaphragm, based on a rotational position of the at least one rotor blade.

A rotor blade control system for dynamically reducing a vibration level of a rotor hub of an aircraft, the rotor hub being adapted to hold at least one rotor blade, the rotor blade having an upper surface, a lower surface, an interior volume, a root, and a tip, the rotor blade control system comprising:

• a plurality of upper apertures disposed along a length of the upper surface, the plurality of upper apertures connecting the upper surface to the interior volume;
• a plurality of lower apertures disposed along a length of the lower surface, the plurality of lower apertures connecting the lower surface to the interior volume;
• at least one upper diaphragm adapted to direct air through the plurality of upper apertures;
• at least one lower diaphragm adapted to direct air through the plurality of lower apertures;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the at least one upper diaphragm and the at least one lower diaphragm, the controller being adapted to activate the at least one upper diaphragm and the at least one lower diaphragm in a manner to generate an alternating mean torsional moment and to reduce rotor hub vibration;
• wherein the controller is adapted to change an oscillation parameter of at least one of the plurality of upper apertures, based on a rotational position of the at least one rotor blade;
• and
• wherein the controller is adapted to change an oscillation parameter of at least one of the plurality of lower apertures, based on a rotational position of the at least one rotor blade.

An active control device for increasing an efficiency of a jet-exhaust driven rotor blade of an aircraft, the active control device comprising:

• a rotor blade having a first end, a second end, and a rotational axis centered between the first end and the second end, the first end having a first outer surface and a first interior volume, and the second end having a second outer surface and a second interior volume;
• a first tip-exhaust port disposed at the first end of the rotor blade;
• at least one first aperture disposed in close proximity to the first tip-exhaust port, the at least one first aperture connecting the first outer surface to interior volume;
• at least one first diaphragm disposed in the interior volume, the at least one first diaphragm being movable between a first position and a second position, wherein movement of the at least one first diaphragm from the first position to the second position pushes air through the at least one first aperture and out of the interior volume, and wherein movement of the at least one first diaphragm from the second position to the first position draws air through the at least one first aperture and into the interior volume;
• a second tip-exhaust port disposed at the second end of the rotor blade;
• at least one second aperture disposed in close proximity to the second tip-exhaust port, the at least one second aperture connecting the second outer surface to interior volume;
• at least one second diaphragm disposed in the interior volume, the at least one second diaphragm being movable between a first position and a second position, wherein movement of the at least one second diaphragm from the first position to the second position pushes air through the at least one second aperture and out of the interior volume, and wherein movement of the at least one second diaphragm from the second position to the first position draws air through the at least one second aperture and into the interior volume.

An active control device for vectoring engine exhaust of an aircraft to reduce exhaust-related momentum drag of an aerodynamic structure of the aircraft, the aerodynamic structure having an outer aerodynamic surface and an interior volume, the active control device comprising:

• at least one aperture disposed on the aerodynamic surface in close proximity to an engine exhaust of the aircraft, the at least one aperture connecting the outer aerodynamic surface to the interior volume;
• a diaphragm disposed in the interior volume, the diaphragm having a center point and an outer periphery, the outer periphery being adapted to be coupled to the outer aerodynamic surface;
• a wall coupled to the diaphragm;
• and
• a wire wound around the wall;
• whereby the diaphragm is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein movement of the diaphragm from the first position to the second position pushes air through the at least one aperture and out of the interior volume, and wherein movement of the diaphragm from the second position to the first position draws air through the at least one aperture and into the interior volume;
• and
• whereby the center point of the diaphragm moves along a diaphragm axis of the diaphragm as the diaphragm moves between the first position and the second position, the diaphragm axis intersecting exhaust from the engine exhaust of the aircraft and the movement of the diaphragm vectoring the exhaust.

An active control device for mixing engine exhaust of an aircraft to reduce an infrared signature of the aircraft, the aircraft having an outer aerodynamic surface and an interior volume, the active control device comprising:

• at least one aperture disposed on the aerodynamic surface in close proximity to an engine exhaust, the at least one aperture connecting the outer aerodynamic surface to the interior volume;
• a diaphragm disposed in the interior volume, the diaphragm having a center point and an outer periphery, the outer periphery being adapted to be coupled to the outer aerodynamic surface;
• a wall coupled to the diaphragm;
• and
• a wire wound around the wall;
• whereby the diaphragm is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein movement of the diaphragm from the first position to the second position pushes air through the at least one aperture and out of the interior volume, and wherein movement of the diaphragm from the second position to the first position draws air through the at least one aperture and into the interior volume;
• and
• whereby the center point of the diaphragm moves along a diaphragm axis of the diaphragm as the diaphragm moves between the first position and the second position, the diaphragm axis intersecting exhaust from the engine exhaust of the aircraft and the movement of the diaphragm efficiently mixing the exhaust with ambient air to reduce the infrared signature of the aircraft.

An active control device for reducing drag associated with a control surface and for operating a control surface in an absence of a trailing edge flap, the control surface having an upper outer surface, a lower outer surface, and an interior volume, the active control device comprising:

• a plurality of upper apertures disposed on the upper outer surface, the plurality of upper apertures connecting the upper outer surface to the interior volume;
• a plurality of lower apertures disposed on the lower outer surface, the plurality of lower apertures connecting the lower outer surface to the interior volume;
• at least one upper diaphragm adapted to direct air through the plurality of upper apertures;
• at least one lower diaphragm adapted to direct air through the plurality of lower apertures;
• a controller operatively coupled to the at least one upper diaphragm and the at least one lower diaphragm, the controller being adapted to operate the control surface in the absence of a trailing edge flap by activating and deactivating the at least one upper diaphragm and the at least one lower diaphragm.

An active control device for improving an air flow characteristic in a vicinity of an engine inlet of an a aircraft, the aircraft having an outer aerodynamic surface and an interior volume, the active control device comprising:

• at least one aperture disposed on the aerodynamic surface in close proximity to the engine inlet, the at least one aperture connecting the outer aerodynamic surface to the interior volume;
• a diaphragm disposed in the interior volume, the diaphragm having a center point and an outer periphery, the outer periphery being adapted to be coupled to the outer aerodynamic surface;
• whereby the diaphragm is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein movement of the diaphragm from the first position to the second position pushes air through the at least one aperture and out of the interior volume, and wherein movement of the diaphragm from the second position to the first position draws air through the at least one aperture and into the interior volume;
• and
• whereby the center point of the diaphragm moves along a diaphragm axis of the diaphragm as the diaphragm moves between the first position and the second position, the diaphragm axis intersecting a path of air flow into the engine inlet and the movement of the diaphragm attenuating a flow non-uniformity of air entering the engine inlet relative to a flow non-uniformity of air entering the engine inlet in an absence of the diaphragm.