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US 7,546,975 B2Granted
Tandem rotor wing rotational position control system
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorSteven D. Richardson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotational position-adjusting system (6) for a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (4). The system (6) includes multiple detectors (60) that generate rotor signals. The rotor signals are indicative of the position of each rotor (8) of the aircraft (4). The rotors (8) provide lift to the aircraft (4). A controller (24) is coupled to the detectors (60) and adjusts the rotational speed of one or more of the rotors (8) in response to the rotor signals.
Claims23
A rotor rotational position-adjusting system for a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft comprising:
- a first detector that generates rotor signals when a blade of a first rotor of the aircraft passes through a first rotational position;
- a second detector that generates rotor signals when a blade of a second rotor of the aircraft passes through a second rotational position;
- and
- a controller coupled to said first and second detectors to receive said rotor signals, wherein said controller is programmed to determine the relative rotational position of said first and second rotors as a function of said rotor signals, compare said relative rotational position of said first and second rotors with a specified angular tolerance, and adjust a rotational speed of said first rotor in relation to said second rotor in response to said comparison showing that said relative rotational position of said first and second rotors is outside said specified angular tolerance.
1 more element
A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft comprising:
- an aircraft fuselage;
- first and second hubs mechanically coupled to said fuselage;
- first and second drive systems for respectively driving said first and second hubs to rotate;
- first and second rotors mechanically coupled to said first and second hubs respectively;
- first and second emitters mounted to said fuselage or mounted to a blade of said first rotor and a blade of said second rotor respectively;
- a first detector that generates rotor signals in response to emissive energy from said first emitter when said blade of said first rotor passes through a first rotational position;
- a second detector that generates rotor signals in response to emissive energy from said second emitter when said blade of said second rotor passes through a second rotational position;
- and
- a controller coupled to said first and second detectors to receive said rotor signals, wherein said controller is programmed to determine the relative rotational position of said first and second rotors as a function of said rotor signals, compare said relative rotational position of said first and second rotors with a specified angular tolerance, and adjust a rotational speed of said first rotor in relation to said second rotor in response to said comparison showing that said relative rotational position of said first and second rotors is outside said specified angular tolerance and does not adjust a rotational speed of said first rotor in response to said comparison showing that said relative rotational position of said first and second rotors is within said specified angular tolerance.
6 more elements
A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft comprising:
- an aircraft fuselage;
- first and second hubs mechanically coupled to said fuselage;
- first and second drive systems for respectively driving said first and second hubs to rotate;
- first and second rotors mechanically coupled to said first and second hubs respectively;
- a first detector that generates rotor signals when a blade of said first rotor passes through a first rotational position;
- a second detector that generates rotor signals when a blade of said second rotor passes through a second rotational position;
- and
- a controller coupled to said first and second detectors to receive said rotor signals, wherein said controller is programmed to determine the relative rotational position of said first and second rotors as a function of said rotor signals, compare said relative rotational position of said first and second rotors with a specified angular tolerance, and a rotational speed of said first rotor in relation to said second rotor in response to said comparison showing that said relative rotational position of said first and second rotors is outside said specified angular tolerance.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.