Systems and methods for causing a rotational force to be applied to a vehicle
AssigneeHorizon Hobby, LLC
InventorPaul Beard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An example vehicle includes a rotational force control system (RFCS) coupled to a vehicle chassis. The RFCS includes a frame and a first flywheel mechanically coupled to the frame. The first flywheel is configured to spin about a first axis of the first flywheel and tilt about a second axis of the first flywheel. The example vehicle further includes a second flywheel mechanically coupled to the frame. The second flywheel is configured to spin about a first axis of the second flywheel and tilt about a second axis of the second flywheel. The RFCS is configured to cause a rotational force to be applied about at least one axis of the vehicle by changing an angular momentum of the first or second flywheels.
Claims19
A method comprising:
- spinning a first flywheel about a first axis of the first flywheel, wherein the first flywheel is mechanically coupled to a vehicle via a first gimbal allowing the first flywheel to tilt about a second axis of the first flywheel, wherein the second axis of the first flywheel is perpendicular to the first axis of the first flywheel;
- controlling rotational speed of the first flywheel with a first electronic speed controller;
- spinning a second flywheel about a first axis of the second flywheel, wherein the second flywheel is mechanically coupled to the vehicle via a second gimbal allowing the second flywheel to tilt about a second axis of the second flywheel, wherein the second axis of the second flywheel is perpendicular to the first axis of the second flywheel;
- controlling rotational speed of the second flywheel with a second electronic speed controller;
- causing a rotational force to be applied about at least one axis of the vehicle by changing an angular momentum of the first and second flywheels.
A vehicle comprising:
- a rotational force control system (RFCS) coupled to a vehicle chassis, the RFCS comprising:
- a frame;
- a first flywheel mechanically coupled to the frame, wherein the first flywheel is configured to spin about a first axis of the first flywheel and tilt about a second axis of the first flywheel;
- a first electronic speed controller electrically coupled to the first flywheel to control a rotational speed of the first flywheel;
- a second flywheel mechanically coupled to the frame, wherein the second flywheel is configured to spin about a first axis of the second flywheel and tilt about a second axis of the second flywheel;
- a second electronic speed controller electrically coupled to the second flywheel to control a rotational speed of the second flywheel;
- and
- wherein the RFCS is configured to cause a rotational force to be applied about at least one axis of the vehicle by changing an angular momentum of the first or second flywheels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.