WO1994002357B1 - Variable diameter rotor drive system - Google Patents

Variable diameter rotor drive system

Info

Publication number
WO1994002357B1
WO1994002357B1 PCT/US1993/007031 US9307031W WO9402357B1 WO 1994002357 B1 WO1994002357 B1 WO 1994002357B1 US 9307031 W US9307031 W US 9307031W WO 9402357 B1 WO9402357 B1 WO 9402357B1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
shaft
central shaft
gear
hub
rotor drive
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1993/007031
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO1994002357A1 (en
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US07/920,861 external-priority patent/US5299912A/en
Application filed filed Critical
Priority to EP93919838A priority Critical patent/EP0651713B1/en
Priority to DE69328684T priority patent/DE69328684T2/en
Priority to AT93919838T priority patent/ATE192991T1/en
Publication of WO1994002357A1 publication Critical patent/WO1994002357A1/en
Publication of WO1994002357B1 publication Critical patent/WO1994002357B1/en

Links

Abstract

A drive system for varying the diameter of a variable diameter rotor has a gear assembly associated with a single coaxial shaft (13) lower end which includes a gear set for increasing the speed of rotation of the central shaft (13) relative to the rotor drive shaft (2) to change the diameter of the variable diameter blades. A pair of brakes are used, one (37) to slow the coaxial shaft relative to the drive shaft and another (25) to lock the rotor shaft (2) and coaxial shaft (13) together for corotation during constant diameter flight conditions. Utilizing a lower gear assembly reduces hub complexity and allows the variable diameter rotor drive system to be adapted to gimballed rotors which require shaft flexibility. Since only a single shaft extends through the rotor drive shaft, hub complexity is reduced.

Claims

FOR THE PURPOSES OF INFORMAΗON ONLYCodes used to identify States party to the PCT on the front pages of pamphlets publishing international applications under the PCT. 15AMENDED CLAIMS[received by the International Bureau on 18 January 1994 (18.01.94); original claims 1-10 replaced by amended claims 1-13 (5 pages)]
1. A gear drive system for a variable diameter rotor having a hub, one or more variable length blades extending from the hub, the hub incorporating means for extending and retracting the one or more blades, a rotor drive shaft at- tached to the hub for rotating the hub and the one or more blades, the drive system comprising: a single central shaft, extending coaxially within the rotor drive shaft and connected to the hub for extending and retracting the one or more blades; first brake means engagable with the central shaft for varying the speed of rotation of the central shaft rela¬ tive to the rotor drive shaft; gear means engaged with the central shaft for vary¬ ing the speed of rotation of the central shaft relative to the rotor drive shaft, the gear means located at a lower end of the central shaft, the gear means having a stub shaft coaxial with the central shaft, bevel gear means fixed to the stub shaft, pinion gear means engaged to the bevel gear means, the central shaft having a bevel gear engaged to the pinion gear means, second brake means associated with the stub shaft such that applying the second brake means on the stub shaft causes the pinion gear means to rotate the central shaft at a speed different from the rotor drive shaft.
2. The gear drive system of claim 1 wherein the hub incorporating means for extending and retracting the one or more blades has a bevel gear attached to an upper end of the 16
central shaft and one or more pinion gears disposed in the hub and engaged to the one or more blades.
3. The gear drive system of claim 1 wherein the first brake means associated with the central shaft operate such that engaging the first brake means causes the central shaft to rotate at a speed lower than the rotor drive shaft.
4. The gear drive system of claim 1 further comprising third brake means disposed between the rotor drive shaft and the central shaft such that engaging the third brake means causes the central shaft to rotate at the same speed as the rotor drive shaft.
5. A gear drive system for a variable diameter rotor having a hub, one or more variable length blades extending from the hub, the hub incorporating means for extending and retracting the one or more blades, a rotor drive shaft at¬ tached to the hub for rotating the hub and the one or more blades, the drive system comprising: a single central shaft, extending coaxially within the rotor drive shaft and connected to the hub for extending and retracting the one or more blades," first brake means engagable with the central shaft for varying the speed of rotation of the central shaft rela- tive to the rotor drive shaft; gear means engaged with the central shaft for vary¬ ing the speed of rotation of the central shaft relative to the rotor drive shaft, the gear means located at a lower end of 17
the central shaft, the gear means having a sleeve shaft having an upper gear engaged to the rotor drive shaft, a mating shaft having a lower gear engaged to the central shaft, and, second brake means disposed therebetween, such that when the second brake means is engaged, the sleeve and mating shafts lock together causing the central shaft to rotate at a speed dif¬ ferent from the rotor drive shaft.
6. The gear drive system of claim 5 wherein the hub incorporating means for extending and retracting the one or more blades has a bevel gear attached to an upper end of the central shaft and one or more pinion gears disposed in the hub and engaged to the one or more blades.
7. The gear drive system of claim 5 wherein the first brake means are engagable with the central shaft through the mating shaft, such that engaging the first brake means slows the mating shaft, causing the central shaft to rotate at a speed different from the rotor drive shaft.
8. The gear drive system of claim 5 wherein the first brake associated with the central shaft operate such that engaging the first brake means causes the central shaft to rotate at a speed lower than the rotor drive shaft.
9. The gear drive system of claim 5 further comprising third brake means disposed between the rotor drive shaft and the central shaft such that engaging the third brake means 18
causes the central shaft to rotate at the same speed as the rotor drive shaft.
10. A gear drive system for a variable diameter rotor having a hub, one or more variable length blades extending from the hub, the hub incorporating means for extending and retracting the one or more blades, a rotor drive shaft at¬ tached to the hub for rotating the hub and the one or more blades, the drive system comprising: a single central shaft, extending coaxially within the rotor drive shaft and connected to the hub for extending and retracting the one or more blades; first brake means engagable with the central shaft for varying the speed of rotation of the central shaft rela- tive to the rotor drive shaft; gear means engaged with the central shaft for vary¬ ing the speed of rotation of the central shaft relative to the rotor drive shaft, the gear means located at a lower end of the central shaft, the gear means having an upper shaft having an upper gear engaged to the rotor drive shaft, a lower shaft coaxial with the upper shaft and having a lower gear engaged to the central shaft and second brake means disposed therebe¬ tween such that when the second brake means is engaged, the upper and lower shafts lock causing the central shaft to rotate at a speed different from the rotor drive shaft. 19
11. The gear drive system of claim 10 wherein the hub incorporating means for extending and retracting the one or more blades has a bevel gear attached to an upper end of the central shaft and one or more pinion gears disposed in the hub and engaged to the one or more blades.
12. The gear drive system of claim 10 wherein the first brake means associated with the central shaft operate such that engaging the first brake means causes the central shaft to rotate at a speed lower than the rotor drive shaft.
13. The gear drive system of claim 10 further compris- ing third brake means disposed between the rotor drive shaft and the central shaft such that engaging the third brake means causes the central shaft to rotate at the same speed as the rotor drive shaft.
PCT/US1993/007031 1992-07-28 1993-07-27 Variable diameter rotor drive system WO1994002357A1 (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP93919838A EP0651713B1 (en) 1992-07-28 1993-07-27 Variable diameter rotor drive system
DE69328684T DE69328684T2 (en) 1992-07-28 1993-07-27 DRIVE SYSTEM OF A VARIABLE DIAMETER
AT93919838T ATE192991T1 (en) 1992-07-28 1993-07-27 DRIVE SYSTEM OF A VARIABLE DIAMETER ROTOR

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US07/920,861 US5299912A (en) 1992-07-28 1992-07-28 Drive system for changing the diameter of a variable diameter rotor
US07/920,861 1992-07-28

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1994002357A1 WO1994002357A1 (en) 1994-02-03
WO1994002357B1 true WO1994002357B1 (en) 1994-03-17

Family

ID=25444528

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US1993/007031 WO1994002357A1 (en) 1992-07-28 1993-07-27 Variable diameter rotor drive system

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US5299912A (en)
EP (1) EP0651713B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE192991T1 (en)
DE (1) DE69328684T2 (en)
WO (1) WO1994002357A1 (en)

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US5642982A (en) * 1995-12-11 1997-07-01 Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Retraction/extension mechanism for variable diameter rotors
US5807202A (en) * 1996-09-04 1998-09-15 Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Differential speed transmission
US6308632B1 (en) * 1998-11-23 2001-10-30 James E. Shaffer Deployable folded propeller assembly for aerial projectiles
US6030177A (en) * 1998-12-18 2000-02-29 Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Drive system for a variable diameter tilt rotor
US6019578A (en) * 1998-12-18 2000-02-01 Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Variable diameter rotor blade actuation system
US6454532B1 (en) 2001-01-23 2002-09-24 Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Harmonic drive system for the retraction/extension of variable diameter rotor systems
US6726439B2 (en) 2001-08-22 2004-04-27 Clipper Windpower Technology, Inc. Retractable rotor blades for power generating wind and ocean current turbines and means for operating below set rotor torque limits
US6923622B1 (en) 2002-03-07 2005-08-02 Clipper Windpower Technology, Inc. Mechanism for extendable rotor blades for power generating wind and ocean current turbines and means for counter-balancing the extendable rotor blade
US6655915B2 (en) * 2002-05-01 2003-12-02 Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Drive system for the retraction/extension of variable diameter rotor systems
US7317260B2 (en) * 2004-05-11 2008-01-08 Clipper Windpower Technology, Inc. Wind flow estimation and tracking using tower dynamics
US9068818B2 (en) * 2010-02-24 2015-06-30 Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Drive mechanisms for variable diameter rotor systems

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