WO1994002357B1 - Variable diameter rotor drive system - Google Patents
Variable diameter rotor drive systemInfo
- 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
Links
- 230000023298 conjugation with cellular fusion Effects 0.000 claims 4
- 230000013011 mating Effects 0.000 claims 4
- 230000021037 unidirectional conjugation Effects 0.000 claims 4
- 229920000136 polysorbate Polymers 0.000 claims 1
- 230000001340 slower Effects 0.000 claims 1
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
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.
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) |
Families Citing this family (13)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5636969A (en) * | 1995-03-28 | 1997-06-10 | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation | Torque tube/spar assembly for variable diameter helicopter rotors |
US5655879A (en) * | 1995-03-28 | 1997-08-12 | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation | Mounting arrangement for variable diameter rotor blade assemblies |
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 |
Family Cites Families (17)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2163482A (en) * | 1936-01-01 | 1939-06-20 | Cameron Peter | Aircraft having rotative sustaining means |
US2171333A (en) * | 1937-07-31 | 1939-08-29 | Bell Telephone Labor Inc | Relay |
US2403899A (en) * | 1941-10-06 | 1946-07-16 | Ammen Francis Du Pont | Propeller pitch and diameter control |
US2457576A (en) * | 1944-07-20 | 1948-12-28 | John G Littrell | Airplane propeller and means for adjusting same |
US2749059A (en) * | 1952-10-22 | 1956-06-05 | Vertol Aircraft Corp | Aircraft with retractable variable radius rotary wing |
US2852207A (en) * | 1954-12-16 | 1958-09-16 | Drago K Jovanovich | Convertiplane |
US3297094A (en) * | 1965-10-20 | 1967-01-10 | Boeing Co | Aircraft propelling assembly |
US3501248A (en) * | 1967-05-17 | 1970-03-17 | Friedrich W Brocker | Variable diameter propellers |
CA1017729A (en) * | 1968-09-12 | 1977-09-20 | Evan A. Fradenburgh | Mechanism for synchronously varying diameter of a plurality of rotors and for limiting the diameters thereof |
US3768923A (en) * | 1969-09-18 | 1973-10-30 | United Aircraft Corp | Variable length blade |
US3713751A (en) * | 1970-10-29 | 1973-01-30 | United Aircraft Corp | Aerodynamic blade with high stiffness-to-weight ratio |
US3884594A (en) * | 1973-12-26 | 1975-05-20 | United Aircraft Corp | Variable length blade |
US4007997A (en) * | 1975-11-05 | 1977-02-15 | United Technologies Corporation | Rotor diameter indicator |
US4080097A (en) * | 1976-06-28 | 1978-03-21 | United Technologies Corporation | Locking control and overtravel safety stop system for variable length rotor blades |
US4074952A (en) * | 1976-06-28 | 1978-02-21 | United Technologies Corporation | Locking control and overtravel safety stop system for variable length rotor blades |
US4248572A (en) * | 1978-12-11 | 1981-02-03 | United Technologies Corporation | Helicopter blade |
US4655685A (en) * | 1985-12-16 | 1987-04-07 | United Technologies Corporation | Helicopter main rotor blade having a short span slot near the tip end |
-
1992
- 1992-07-28 US US07/920,861 patent/US5299912A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1993
- 1993-07-27 AT AT93919838T patent/ATE192991T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1993-07-27 WO PCT/US1993/007031 patent/WO1994002357A1/en active IP Right Grant
- 1993-07-27 EP EP93919838A patent/EP0651713B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1993-07-27 DE DE69328684T patent/DE69328684T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
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