Differential throttling control enhancement
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorDaniel Ralph Nowlan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for enhancing movement of a multi-engine flight vehicle about either of pitch or yaw axes. The engines are oriented relative the centerline of the flight vehicle and a portion of the engines have a positive tangential cant and the remaining engines have a negative tangential cant. The attitude of the flight vehicle about the pitch, yaw and roll axes is controlled by differentially throttling the multi-engine flight vehicle.
Claims28
A system for providing enhanced control of a flight vehicle about either the pitch or yaw axes during flight, comprising:
- a first plurality of engines of the flight vehicle having a positive tangential cant such that a thrust line from each of the first plurality of engines is misaligned with a centerline of the flight vehicle in a tangential direction with respect to a circumference of the flight vehicle;
- and
- a second plurality of engines of the flight vehicle having a negative tangential cant such that a thrust line from each of the second plurality of engines is misaligned with the centerline of the flight vehicle in a tangential direction with respect to a circumference of the flight vehicle and opposite to the first plurality of engines, wherein the first and second plurality of engines are spaced equidistant from one another and from the centerline of the flight vehicle, each of the first plurality of engines alternately positioned relative to each of the second plurality of engines, and the first and second plurality of engines configured for differential throttling to control attitude of the flight vehicle about pitch, yaw and roll axes wherein the positive and negative tangential cants of the first and second plurality of engines enhance movement of the flight vehicle about one of the pitch and yaw axes.
A method for enhancing one of pitch and yaw control of a flight vehicle during flight, the method comprising:
- determining a preferred maneuver axis of the flight vehicle;
- in response to determining a preferred maneuver axis, configuring a first and second plurality of engines of the flight vehicle by:
- alternately positioning the first and second plurality of engines of the flight vehicle relative to one another;
- tangentially canting the first plurality of engines of the flight vehicle to have a positive tangential cant relative a circumference of the flight vehicle such that thrust lines of the first plurality of engines are not parallel to a centerline of the flight vehicle;
- and
- tangentially canting the second plurality of engines of the flight vehicle to have a negative tangential cant relative a circumference of the flight vehicle and opposite to the first plurality of engines such that thrust lines of the second plurality of engines are not parallel to the centerline of the flight vehicle;
- and
- differentially throttling the first and second plurality of engines to control attitude of the flight vehicle about pitch, yaw and roll axes.
A system for providing enhanced control of a flight vehicle about one of pitch and yaw axes during flight, comprising:
- a first plurality of engines of the flight vehicle having a positive tangential cant relative a circumference of the flight vehicle such that thrust lines from the first plurality of engines are not parallel to a centerline of the flight vehicle;
- and
- a second plurality of engines of the flight vehicle having a negative tangential cant relative a circumference of the flight vehicle and opposite to the first plurality of engines such that thrust lines from the second plurality of engines are not parallel to the centerline of the flight vehicle, wherein the first and second plurality of engines are alternately positioned relative to one another,
- wherein the flight vehicle has a center of mass substantially corresponding with the centerline of the flight vehicle,
- wherein the tangential canting of the first and second plurality of engines generates a moment partially defined by directional cosines relative the centerline of the flight vehicle and an engine centerline of each of the first and second plurality of engines, and
- wherein the first and second plurality of engines are differentially throttled to control attitude of the flight vehicle about pitch, yaw and roll axes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.