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US 8,128,034 B2Granted
Rotorcraft with opposing roll mast moments, and related methods
OwnerAbe Kareminventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In rotorcraft having rotors on multiple masts, a controller causes opposing roll mast moments to be applied to the different rotors. In preferred embodiments, the opposing roll moment is the result of increasing the lift on the advancing blade and reducing the lift on the retreating blade on the second rotor. This can be accomplished in any suitable manner, such as by applying differential cyclic roll control to the two rotors by tilting the two Swashplates of the two rotors or by using Individual Blade Control (IBC).
Claims12
A rotorcraft, comprising:
- first and second hingeless rotors on first and second masts;
- and a controller that:
- determines desired roll mast moments out of the rotor plane of rotation as a function of the rotorcraft's forward speed during edgewise flight and
- commands a first roll mast moment on a first rotors out of the rotor plane of rotation using cyclic rotor pitch control;
- and
- commands a second roll mast moment out of the rotor plane of rotation on a second rotor using cyclic rotor pitch control, such that the second mast moment opposes the first mast moment in direction and magnitude.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.