US 8,752,786 B2Granted

Low speed autogyro yaw control apparatus and method

AssigneeGroen Brothers Aviation, Inc.

InventorWalter Gerd Oskar Sonneborn

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Apparatus and methods for controlling yaw of a rotorcraft in the event of one or both of low airspeed and engine failure are disclosed. A yaw propulsion device, such as an air jet or a fan may be used. A pneumatic fan may be driven by compressed air released into a channel surrounding an outer portion of the fan. Power for the yaw propulsion device and other system may be provided by a hydraulic pump and/or generator engaging the rotor. Low speed yaw control may be provided by auxiliary rudders positioned within the stream tube of a prop. The auxiliary rudders may one or both of fold down and disengage from rudder controls when not in use. Apparatus for generating horizontal lift imbalance induced a tail boom positioned within the downwash of a rotor may also be used, including compressed air vents or lateral or trailing edge flaps.

Claims9

Dependent claims

An autogryro comprising:

an airframe defining a flight direction;
an engine mounted to the airframe;
a lift rotor rotatably mounted to the airframe, the lift rotor defining an axis of rotation and being selectively coupled to the engine;
a propulsion source selectively powered by the engine and oriented to generate thrust parallel to the flight direction;
and
a yaw flap positioned within a downwash of the lift rotor:
the yaw flap offset from the axis of rotation and mounted to the airframe to be pivotable about a flap axis and effective to redirect air from the downwash;
the yaw flap selectively pivotable to be effective to generate a corresponding yaw moment on the airframe about the axis of rotation;
a rudder pivotably mounted to the airframe to pivot about a rudder axis substantially perpendicular to the flight direction;
and
a control system configured to receive yaw control inputs from a pilot, the control system having a first mode in which the yaw control inputs are coupled to the yaw flap and a second mode in which yaw control inputs are not coupled to the yaw flap.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/545,904Filed 10 Jul 2012 · continuation
Priority: 9 Sep 2010
Published: US 2012/0168556 A113 Dec 2012
Granted: 17 Jun 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

B64C 27/027
Gyroplanes: control devices using other means than the rotor
B64C 27/025
Rotor or rotor head construction: rotor drives, in particular for taking off; Combination of autorotation rotors and driven rotors
B64C 27/18
Drive of rotors by means, e.g. propellers, mounted on rotor blades: the means being jet-reaction apparatus
B64C 27/26
Compound rotorcraft, i.e. aircraft using in flight the features of both aeroplane and rotorcraft: characterised by provision of fixed wings

Family

Application61/381,347Us provisional application · filed 9 Sep 2010
Application61/403,136Us provisional application · filed 9 Sep 2010
Application61/429,282Us provisional application · filed 3 Jan 2011
Application61/429,289Us provisional application · filed 3 Jan 2011
Application61/499,996Us provisional application · filed 22 Jun 2011
Application13/199,677Parent of this continuation · filed 7 Sep 2011
Application13/199,679Parent of this continuation · filed 7 Sep 2011
Application13/334,261Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Dec 2011
Application13/335,541Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Dec 2011
US 2012/0312915 A1Pre-grant publication · published 13 Dec 2012
US 2012/0168556 A1Published application
US 2012/0168568 A1Published application
US 8,668,162 B1Related patent
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US 8,752,786 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.