2922results about "Propellers" patented technology

A wind energy plant with a nacelle, a rotor, which features at least one rotor blade adjustable in its blade pitch angle, a central control device for controlling the wind energy plant and a control unit disposed in the rotor for controlling the blade pitch angle of the at least one rotor blade, wherein the central control device and the control unit in the rotor can exchange data with each other via a data link, which comprises at least one first sending and receiving device at the nacelle side and at least one second sending and receiving device at the rotor side, wherein a wireless network connection with a safety-oriented communication protocol is provided between the at least one first sending and receiving device and the at least one second sending and receiving device, and that one monitoring- and communication device at a time is associated to the first and / or the second sending and receiving device, which can monitor the function of the sending and receiving device and initiate a predetermined action in the case of an error.

An engine for aeromechanical instability abatement includes a sensor configured to capture data from rotating blades of the engine system, a airflow effector device, and an engine controller. The engine controller is configured to control the airflow effector device according to a nominal schedule, detect, based on a signal from the sensor indicating a vibration amplitude of the rotating blades within a frequency band, an incipient instability condition, in response to the incipient instability condition being present, determine a modified control parameter for at least one of the airflow effector device, and control the airflow effector device according to the modified control parameter, deviating from the nominal schedule.

A fluid transfer device for a turbomachine with longitudinal axis X, which includes a stator portion intended to be connected to a stator equipment of the turbomachine and a rotor portion engaged in the stator portion. The stator equipment including at least one conduit fluidly connected to at least one pipeline of the stator portion, the stator portion and the stator equipment including an attachment interface intended to releasably receive attachment members, the attachment interface and the attachment members being configured so as to make a sealed coincidence of the pipelines and conduit, and the transfer device comprising at least one passage allowing the access of an external tool upstream of the transfer device for accessing the attachment members and passing through the transfer device in either side.

A land to air vehicle with lower extendable wings and upper extendible wings, a body, a front hood fan, a rear fan and wheels. The wheels include wheel bases, exterior tires circumscribing the wheel bases, and a fan wheel assembly within each wheel base. The wheel assembly includes extendible fans, a rotor outer rim with teeth for holding a stator inner rim, a propeller shroud configured to house a variety of fan blades, at least one fan within the propeller shroud, a hinge fixedly attached to the outer rotor rim and the propeller shroud, a wheel motor platform and a wheel motor. The hinge is structured to allow the propeller shroud with fans to extend distally from the wheel base interior to navigate the land to air vehicle.

An aircraft may comprise ducted fans. The ducted fans may be an array of ducted fans. An array of ducted fans may be integrated in a wing of the aircraft. A ducted fan may be integrated in a horizontal tail of the aircraft. The wing may include a movable edge, such as a flap, to provide both exhaust area and flow turning control. The movable edge may be articulated by pivoting the movable edge. The movable edge may be extended and retracted.

The invention discloses a liquid cooling heat dissipation ducted fan which comprises a duct, a propeller, a motor, a supporting rib plate, a propeller hub shell and a liquid cooling mechanism. The propeller hub shell is fixed in the duct through the supporting rib plates; a motor and a liquid cooling mechanism are arranged in the propeller hub shell; a rotor output shaft of the motor is connected with a propeller and a fairing through a coupler. The fairing is arranged on the propeller in a sleeving mode, and an opening is formed in the fairing so that blades of the propeller can stretch out. The liquid cooling mechanism is at least partially formed in the propeller hub shell and the supporting rib plate, and the propeller hub shell and the supporting rib plate are of a sandwich structure to form a cooling liquid circulation channel of the liquid cooling mechanism. According to the liquid cooling heat dissipation ducted fan, the cooling liquid flow channels are arranged in the propeller hub shell and the supporting rib plates, the cooling liquid is cooled through the structure of the cooling liquid while the cooling liquid dissipates heat of the motor, the cooling liquid circulates in the propeller hub shell and the supporting rib plates, the motor is continuously cooled, and the heat dissipation efficiency is improved.

A turbomachine module includes a fan driven in rotation by a fan shaft and having a plurality of variable pitch vanes. The module further includes a pitch change system with a control means connected to the vanes via a connection mechanism, wherein the control means comprising a stationary body integral with the fan shaft and a movable body connected to the connection mechanism. The pitch change system includes an annular part which has a segment integral with the movable body, which is bell-shaped and which extends at least partly radially outwardly from the stationary body.An annular shroud is releasably attached to the annular part and has means for attaching the connection mechanism.

Module for mounting a turbomachine fan blade, including: a blade force take-up device, a blade support able to pivot about a radial axis and configured to be engaged axially inside the device, the support and the device being mutually configured to ensure a clamping of the support against the device and an axial retention of the support inside the device; the support and the device each including, on their respective surfaces in cooperation, an alternation of conical seats and recesses making it possible alternatively, on the one hand, when the recesses of one surface are in geometric correspondence with the seats of the other surface, to axially slide the support relative to the device, and on the other hand, when the seats of both surfaces are in geometric correspondence with each other, to prevent any axial sliding movement of the support relative to the device.

A blade pitch detection apparatus for an aircraft having a lower rotor hub assembly and an upper rotor hub assembly, the upper rotor hub assembly including a blade pitch adjustment linkage configured to maintain the rotor blades at a first blade pitch while a rotational velocity of the upper rotor hub assembly is below a threshold and to maintain the rotor blades at a second blade pitch while the rotational velocity is above a threshold. The pitch detection apparatus includes a magnet coupled to a component of the blade pitch adjustment linkage and a sensor coupled to a component of the lower rotor hub assembly and configured to generate a signal in the presence of the magnet. Processing circuitry in communication with the sensor can determine whether the plurality of rotor blades are at the first blade pitch or the second blade pitch based on the signals.

An aeronautical thruster of longitudinal axis includes a hub, an annular row of unducted upstream rotor blades, and an annular row of unducted downstream stator blades. The annular row of downstream stator blades includes at least one downstream stator blade of a first type, each of which is located about the longitudinal axis in a first angular sector about the longitudinal axis. Each downstream stator blade of the first type has a fixed pitch. The annular row of downstream blades further includes at least one downstream stator blade of a second type, each of which is located about the longitudinal axis outside said first angular sector, wherein each downstream stator blade of the second type has a variable pitch.

A tilt propeller for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft includes a linked low pitch stop (LLPS). The LLPS serves as a secondary pitch control system that is activated when a primary pitch control system fails. The LLPS may include a pitch rod coupled to a propeller blade yoke, and a mechanical coupling that correlates the tilt angle of the propeller with a pitch angle setting of the LLPS. The pitch rod may be separated by a gap from the mechanical coupling during normal operation. If the primary pitch control fails, the pitch rod is forced into contact with the mechanical coupling to close the gap and form a load-bearing path to control the pitch angle.

A rotor-blade assembly has a lock system to enable and disable a folding degree of freedom and a pitching degree of freedom of a rotor blade. A grip couples a blade to a hub, the blade being pivotable about a fold axis relative to the grip, the blade and grip being pivotable together about a pitch axis relative to the hub. A fold lock prevents folding of the blade in a fold-lock position and allows folding of the rotor blade in a pitch-lock position, and a pitch lock allows pitch movement of the rotor blade in a fold-lock position and prevents pitch movement of the rotor blade in the pitch-lock position. A rotary actuator carried by the grip has actuator arms coupled through linkage to the pitch lock and fold lock, and the actuator is configured for moving the pitch lock and fold lock between the fold-lock and pitch-lock positions.

The present disclosure is generally related to aircraft having one or more unducted fan propulsors at locations within specific regions relative to an airfoil, such as a wing or horizontal stabilizer. More specifically, the specific regions are located where there is a relatively higher pressure air flow beneath the wings or above a horizontal stabilizer. That higher pressure air flow can be utilized to provide increased thrust from the unducted fan propulsor.

Embodiments relate generally to systems and VTOL aerial vehicles. An example central server system comprises: at least one central server system processor; and central server system memory storing central server system program instructions accessible by the at least one central server system processor, and configured to cause the at least one central server system processor to: receive vehicle registration data associated with a manned VTOL aerial vehicle; and determine that the vehicle registration data is associated with a manned VTOL aerial vehicle that is authorized to communicate with the central server system. Some embodiments include VTOL aerial vehicles in communication or communicable with a central server system.

The present disclosure is generally related to aircraft having one or more unducted fan propulsors at locations within specific regions relative to an airfoil, such as a wing or horizontal stabilizer. More specifically, the specific regions are located where there is a relatively higher pressure air flow beneath the wings or above a horizontal stabilizer. That higher pressure air flow can be utilized to provide increased thrust from the unducted fan propulsor.

A rotor system for electrically powered rotorcraft is described, providing the benefits of fast thrust response, depending on rotor inertia. The rotor system includes a rotor hub and two or more rotor blades, and an electric motor driving the rotor hub. The rotor hub includes a mechanism which adapts the collective pitch of the rotor blades in response to the torque applied by the electric motor. When there is significant torque over a threshold, the rotor hub biases the blades to a higher collective pitch, which supports greater thrust, thus avoiding the lag in rotor thrust that would occur through RPM control.

The present disclosure is generally related to aircraft having one or more unducted fan propulsors at locations within specific regions relative to an airfoil, such as a wing or horizontal stabilizer. More specifically, the specific regions are located where there is a relatively higher pressure air flow beneath the wings or above a horizontal stabilizer. That higher pressure air flow can be utilized to provide increased thrust from the unducted fan propulsor.

An electric propulsion system for a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft having a heat exchanger to cool fluids used in an electrical engine, the electric propulsion system comprising at least one electrical engine mechanically connected directly or indirectly to a fuselage of the VTOL aircraft and electrically connected to an electrical power source. The electrical engine may comprise an electrical motor having a stator and a rotor; a gearbox assembly comprising a sun gear; at least one planetary gear; a ring gear; and a planetary carrier. The electric engine may include an inverter assembly comprising a thermal plate and an inverter assembly housing; an end bell assembly that is connected to the thermal plate of the inverter assembly; and a heat exchanger comprising an array of cooling fins and tubes.

Apparatus, systems, and methods are contemplated for electric powered vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Such are craft are engineered to carry safely carry at least 500 pounds (approx. 227 kg) using a few (e.g., 2-4) rotors, generally variable speed rigid (non-articulated) rotors. It is contemplated that one or more rotors generate a significant amount of lift (e.g., 70%) during rotorborne flight (e.g., vertical takeoff, hover, etc), and tilt to provide forward propulsion during wingborne flight. The rotors preferably employ individual blade control, and are battery powered. The vehicle preferably flies in an autopilot or pilotless mode and has a relatively small (e.g., less than 45′ diameter) footprint.

The helicopter rotor head structure comprises a propeller hub, a propeller clamp, a bearing and a variable pitch mechanism, the propeller hub is arranged at the top of a rotor main shaft, a connecting shaft is arranged in the propeller hub, the end of the connecting shaft extends out of the propeller hub, the end of the connecting shaft is sleeved with the bearing, and the end, away from blades, of the propeller clamp is sleeved with the bearing and rotationally connected with the connecting shaft; the bearings comprise an angular contact bearing, a thrust roller bearing and a deep groove ball bearing, and the angular contact bearing, the thrust roller bearing and the deep groove ball bearing are sequentially arranged in the length direction of the connecting shaft; and the variable-pitch mechanism is arranged on the rotor wing main shaft in a sleeving manner and is connected with the propeller clamp. The bearing has the technical effects that the angular contact bearing, the thrust roller bearing and the deep groove ball bearing are combined for use, so that the axial and radial bearing capacities of the whole bearing are obviously improved, the bearing is not easy to damage, and the whole service life is longer; and by arranging the variable pitch mechanism, the angle of the paddle can be flexibly adjusted, so that the lift force and the resistance generated by the rotor wing are adjusted.

Systems and methods for controlling a variable-pitch propeller of an aircraft are provided. A method for controlling the variable-pitch propeller includes using a feedback controller, operating the variable-pitch propeller at a current operating condition including a current rotational speed, determining a speed error between the current rotational speed of the variable-pitch propeller and a set point rotational speed for the variable-pitch propeller, determining a gain for the feedback controller based on a power coefficient and an advance ratio of the variable-pitch propeller. Using the feedback controller, a propeller pitch command is determined based on the speed error and using the gain. The pitch of the variable-pitch propeller is adjusted according to the propeller pitch command to reduce the speed error.

An aircraft, comprising a fuselage body, a power output apparatus, and a propeller assembly. The power output apparatus is arranged on the fuselage body; a driving mechanism of the power output apparatus comprises a first driving assembly and a second driving assembly; the first driving assembly comprises a first fixed member and a first movable member, and the first movable member is configured to be in transmission connection with the propeller assembly, so as to drive the propeller assembly to rotate; the first driving assembly is provided with an accommodating space; the second driving assembly is configured to drive blades of the propeller assembly to rotate so as to adjust a propeller pitch of the blades; the second driving assembly comprises a second fixed member and a second movable member, and the second movable member is configured to be in transmission connection with the blades; the second movable member comprises a pitch-variable pushing member capable of driving the blades to rotate, and the pitch-variable pushing member passes through the accommodating space to connect to the blades; and the accommodating space passes through the first driving assembly in the direction of a rotation axis of the propeller assembly, and the second fixed member and the propeller assembly close the accommodating space from two ends of the accommodating space, respectively. The present invention further relates to a power output apparatus and a tilting mechanism.

An electrically actuated propeller pitch control system includes a propeller hub assembly, a propeller assembly, and a crosshead drive system. The propeller hub assembly rotates about the central axis during operation of watercraft. The propeller assembly is configured to selectively rotate a propeller blade. The crosshead drive system includes an electric motor, a transmission, and a lead screw that rotates about the central axis.

Apparatus, systems, and methods are contemplated for electric powered vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Such are craft are engineered to carry safely carry at least 500 pounds (approx. 227 kg) using a few (e.g., 2-4) rotors, generally variable speed rigid (non-articulated) rotors. It is contemplated that one or more rotors generate a significant amount of lift (e.g., 70%) during rotorborne flight (e.g., vertical takeoff, hover, etc), and tilt to provide forward propulsion during wingborne flight. The rotors preferably employ individual blade control, and are battery powered. The vehicle preferably flies in an autopilot or pilotless mode and has a relatively small (e.g., less than 45′ diameter) footprint.

A convertible ducted fan engine and mounting system. The convertible ducted fan engine has a shroud encircling a mechanical fan. The convertible ducted fan engine includes a fluid-propulsion configuration in which the mechanical fan rotates freely with respect to the shroud to produce thrust through fluid flow, and a drive-wheel configuration in which the shroud rotates about the rotational axis.

A propeller controller (62) for a variable-pitch propeller (24) of an aircraft (12) is provided. The controller (62) is configured to determine a requested oil flow (WOREQ) for delivery to a hydraulic actuator (40) of the variable-pitch propeller (24) based on a speed error (E) between an actual rotational speed (NP) of the variable-pitch propeller (24) and a set point rotational speed (NPREF) for the variable-pitch propeller (24), determine a requested oil flow (WOREQ) for delivery to the hydraulic actuator (40) based on the speed error (E), determine a trimmed oil leakage rate (WOL) out of the hydraulic actuator (40) by multiplying an estimated oil leakage rate (LEST) out of the hydraulic actuator (40) by a leakage trim multiplier (KLEAK) based on the speed error (E), and combine the trimmed oil leakage rate (WOL) with the requested oil flow (WOREQ) to generate a commanded oil flow (WOCMD). The commanded oil flow (WOCMD) is delivered to the hydraulic actuator (40) to adjust the pitch of the variable-pitch propeller (24).

A system and a method for controlling a propulsor assembly of an electric aircraft. The system may include an electric motor, wherein the electric motor may include a rotor and a stator, a propulsor driven by the electric motor configured to propel an electric aircraft. The propulsor may include a propeller. The propeller may include a blade. The system may include a cyclic control assembly configured to deflect the blade. The cyclic control assembly may include an actuator and a push rod mechanically connected to the actuator and the propulsor. The system may include a flight controller. The flight controller may be configured to receive sensor datum from at least a sensor communicatively connected to the electric aircraft, generate a deflection command as a function of the sensor datum and actuate the cyclic control assembly as a function of the deflection command.

A fan section of an aeronautical propulsion system includes a fan rotor including seventeen blades to twenty blades and having a solidity strictly less than 1.0. The solidity is equal to a ratio between a chord at the blade tip and an inter-blade pitch at the blade tip. The fan section has a hub-tip ratio greater than or equal to 0.22 and less than or equal to 0.32, a pressure ratio greater than or equal to 1.05 and less than or equal to 1.5, and a peripheral speed at the blade tip greater than or equal to 260 m / s and less than or equal to 400 m / s. The pressure ratio and the peripheral speed are measured at cruising speed.

A rotorcraft with at least one main rotor and a fuselage, comprising: a tail boom connected to the fuselage, the tail boom extending from the fuselage toward a duct-type portion; a shroud provided at the duct-type portion and forming a transverse duct; at least one ducted tail rotor rotatably arranged in the transverse duct, wherein the at least one ducted tail rotor comprises a plurality of rotor blades mounted to a rotatable rotor hub; and a stator with a gearbox fairing mounted to the shroud for supporting the rotatable rotor hub in the transverse duct, wherein the stator comprises at least one rotatable stator blade connecting the gearbox fairing to the shroud.