429 results about "Thrust vectoring" patented technology

To provide an aircraft propulsion system which can secure the optimum thrust and thrust vector for flight conditions, as well as the optimum sectional area for the engine, and which is highly compatible with the environment. An electrical generator is coupled to a turbofan engine, the electrical generator is driven by output power of the turbofan engine to output electric power, and an electromagnetic driving fan is driven by the electric power. On the other hand, after bringing each of coils in the electromagnetic driving fan to a superconductive state, liquid hydrogen is introduced to a heat exchanger, collects the energy of exhaust as heat, is then vaporized, and thereafter supplied to a combustor and to a fuel cell. Further, the electromagnetic driving fan is changed in its rotational phase by a rotating mechanism portion, is made movable in a width direction of a wing and a wing chord direction by a slide mechanism portion, and can be stored inside or outside the wing by a storage mechanism portion.

A control system configured to control a deceleration process of an air vehicle which comprises at least one tiltable propulsion unit, each of the at least one tiltable propulsion units is tiltable to provide a thrust whose direction is variable at least between a general vertical thrust vector direction and a general longitudinal thrust vector direction with respect to the air vehicle.

A method and apparatus provide for automatically controlling the flight of a tiltrotor aircraft while the aircraft is in flight that is at least partially rotor-borne. The method and apparatus provide for automatically tilting nacelles in response to a longitudinal-velocity control signal so as to produce a longitudinal thrust-vector component for controlling longitudinal velocity of the aircraft. Simultaneously, cyclic swashplate controls are automatically actuated so as to maintain the fuselage in a desired pitch attitude. The method and apparatus also provide for automatically actuating the cyclic swashplate controls for each rotor in response to a lateral-velocity control signal so as to produce a lateral thrust-vector component for controlling lateral velocity of the aircraft. Simultaneously, collective swashplate controls for each rotor are automatically actuated so as to maintain the fuselage in a desired roll attitude. The method and apparatus provide for yaw control through differential longitudinal thrust produced by tilting the nacelles.

A control system configured to control an acceleration of an air vehicle which comprises a tiltable propulsion unit that is tiltable to provide a thrust whose direction is variable at least between a general vertical thrust vector direction and a general longitudinal thrust vector direction with respect to the air vehicle, the control system comprising: (a) an input interface for receiving information indicative of a monitored airspeed of the air vehicle; and (b) a control unit, configured to issue controlling commands to a controller of the tiltable propulsion unit for controlling the acceleration of the air vehicle.

A vehicle includes a wing and a control surface pivotably coupled to the wing and configured to pivot about a range of motion. A propulsor is coupled to the control surface and configured to rotate between a first position associated with a hover flight mode and a second position associated with a forward flight mode. The propulsor is aerodynamically actuated between the first position and the second position due to aerodynamics about the wing. The propulsor may rotate from an initial flight mode, such as a takeoff mode, to a second flight mode, such as a forward flight mode.

A jet engine nozzle having a pair of pivoting extension arms and a pair of pivoting shells connected to a jet pipe is provided. The first extension arm is pivotally connected to the jet pipe at a first location, while the second extension arm is pivotally connected to the jet pipe at a second location. Each shell is pivotally connected at both the first and second locations. An axis of rotation associated with the first location is coaxial to an axis of rotation associated with the second location. Independent actuation means are provided to rotate the extension arms and the shells, thereby enabling adjustment of the thrust-vector angle or the exhaust area of the nozzle.

The universal vehicle system is designed with a lifting body which is composed of a plurality of interconnected modules which are configured to form an aerodynamically viable contour of the lifting body which including a front central module, a rear module, and thrust vectoring modules displaceably connected to the front central module and operatively coupled to respective propulsive mechanisms. The thrust vectoring modules are controlled for dynamical displacement relative to the lifting body (in tilting and / or translating fashion) to direct and actuate the propulsive mechanism(s) as needed for safe and stable operation in various modes of operation and transitioning therebetween in air, water and terrain environments.

Thrust vectoring enhances aircraft and spacecraft maneuverability. The propulsion systems of aircraft, using gas turbine engines, and spacecraft, using solid or liquid rockets, generate compressed gases that are directed through a nozzle to generate forward thrust. This patent describes opening ports to release gases from aircraft and spacecraft in a direction other than the direction of forward propulsion. By altering the direction of gas flows leaving the craft pitch, roll, yaw and attitude control is obtained. To control gas flow from ports a variable throat thrust vectoring nozzle is described. Independent operation of ports, rotational nozzles, laterally moving flaps and rotational vanes assists the thrust vectoring of gases leaving aircraft or spacecraft ports. The ability to direct gases enhances maneuverability during vertical takeoff and landing, forward flight and space flight.

A method of producing a pulsatile jet flow from a substantially constant flow primary jet in a way that is mechanically efficient, easy to implement, and allows direct control over pulse duration and pulsing frequency is disclosed herein. The invention includes at least two components: (a) a constant flow fluid jet produced by any normal method (e.g., propeller) that can be directionally vectored fluidically, mechanically, or electromagnetically and (b) a nozzle with multiple outlets (orifices) through which the vectored jet may be directed. By alternately vectoring the jet through different outlets, a transient (pulsatile) flow at an outlet is obtained even with a substantially constant primary jet flow. Additionally, the nozzle outlets may be oriented in different directions to provide thrust vectoring, making the invention useful for maneuvering, directional control, etc.

An apparatus and method to control the attitude, heading course, altitude and position of a lighter-than-air airship. In one aspect, a hybrid airship including a lighter-than-air gas filled envelope, a thrust vectored front propulsion system, a back rotary wing system and a onboard control system. In one aspect, at least one system to modify the on board mass, a system to control the internal pressure, at least a power battery pack and a radio link communications for unmanned piloting. Said hybrid airship has improved maneuverability, safely flights and is capable to fly as Lighter-than-air airship and Heavy-than-air aircraft.

The craft is for hovering flight, vertical takeoff and landing, and horizontal forward flight. It has a tail-sitting fuselage and a ducted fan mounted to the fuselage aft to provide propulsion in both (a) hovering and vertical flight and (b) horizontal forward flight. At each side is a floating wing, supported from the fuselage for passive rotation (or an actuator-controlled optimized emulation of such rotation) about a spanwise axis, to give lift in forward flight. The fuselage attitude varies between vertical in hovering and vertical flight, and generally horizontal in forward flight. Preferably the fuselage is not articulated; there is just one fan, the sole source of propulsion, rotating about only an axis parallel to the fuselage; and thrust-vectoring control vanes operate aft of the fan. Preferably at each side a small, nonrotating wing segment is fixed to the fuselage, and the floating wing defines-along its trailing portions-a corner notch or slot near the fuselage; forward portions of the fixed wing segment are within this notch. Preferably the spanwise axis is along a surface of the floating wing, and a long hinge supports that wing from the fixed wing segment, within the notch. During vertical and transitional flight characteristically the leading edge of the floating wing is down relative to the fuselage axis.

This invention describes vertical take off and landing (VTOL) propulsion systems that develop a forward flow of air through the air intake ducts during vertical takeoff and landing. This forward air flow in the air intake ducts is developed by a internal duct system, reversing the rotation of the fan, or altering the blade pitch of a variable pitch fan. This invention describes thrust vectoring systems for controlling aircraft direction, attitude, pitch, roll, yaw and rotation during VTOL and forward flight. Rotational nozzles are described to function in a independent but coordinated manner to control the aircraft during VTOL and forward flight. A thrust vectoring variable throat converging diverging exhaust duct nozzle is described. A movable radar absorbing or reflecting grid may be located in the air intake duct. The radar grid is movable to increase aircraft speed and engine efficiency when the aircraft is not operating in a radar threat situation. The described VTOL propulsion systems and thrust vectoring methods are applied to a aircraft with a internal combustion engine.

An improved VTOL aircraft or flying car mechanism that utilizes counter-rotating blades (18) spinning inside a duct (14) causing varying speeds and volumes of atmosphere to pass across an exposed plurality of wing shaped lift generating airfoils, referred to as sucked flaps (36), at an opening in that duct (70). The volumes of atmosphere will then pass through to a lift amplifying, turbulence reducing, radial, spiral airflow generator (68) and then into thrust vector airfoils (26), which will then pass through the duct (70) again as it forms a circular path (72) back to the sucked flaps (36), where it is then re-circulated. The air pressure flowing over the top of the airfoils is reduced relative to the air pressure below the airfoils causing relatively large amounts of lift to be generated to overcome the force of gravity. Because the entire wing surface area necessary to lift the flying car or aircraft can now fit within the confines of the length, width, and height of a standard freeway-capable motor VTOL aircraft or flying car, there is no need for foldable wings, foldable control surfaces, exposed rotors, exterior wind blasts or other problems associated with prior art helicopters, flying cars, or other VTOL aircraft.

The invention relates to a measuring device and a method for detecting thrust vector of a tiny rocket motor used in vacuum. The device for detecting the thrust vector mainly comprises a pressure probe, a movable platform, a rotating table and a data acquisition system. The method comprises the following steps: fixing the pressure probe to the movable platform first, and then adjusting the position of the pressure probe simultaneously, so as to make an axis of the pressure probe parallel to an axis of the tiny rocket motor. When the movable platform moves at constant speed along the direction perpendicular to the axis of the tiny rocket motor, a sensor positioned in the pressure probe senses local dynamic pressure signals in jet current generated by the tiny rocket motor in real time, and the acquisition system acquires and transmits the signals to a data processing and displaying system. Through analyzing symmetry of the dynamic pressure relative to the axis of the tiny rocket motor, the method studies deflection conditions of actual thrust vector and design objective.

An aircraft for unmanned aviation is described. The aircraft includes an airframe, a pair of fins attached to a rear portion of the airframe, a pair of dihedral braces attached to a bottom portion of the airframe, a first thrust-vectoring (“T / V”) module and a second T / V module, and an electronics module. The electronics module provides commands to the two T / V modules. The two T / V modules are configured to provide lateral and longitudinal control to the aircraft by directly controlling a thrust vector for each of the pitch, the roll, and the yaw of the aircraft. The use of directly articulated electrical motors as T / V modules enables the aircraft to execute tight-radius turns over a wide range of airspeeds.

An aircraft for unmanned aviation is described. The aircraft includes an airframe, a pair of fins attached to a rear portion of the airframe, a pair of dihedral braces attached to a bottom portion of the airframe, a first thrust-vectoring (“T / V”) module and a second T / V module, and an electronics module. The electronics module provides commands to the two T / V modules. The two T / V modules are configured to provide lateral and longitudinal control to the aircraft by directly controlling a thrust vector for each of the pitch, the roll, and the yaw of the aircraft. The use of directly articulated electrical motors as T / V modules enables the aircraft to execute tight-radius turns over a wide range of airspeeds.

This apparatus is a new VTOL roadable aircraft having fore and aft sections joined by a seating midsection; with compact inlets built into its fuselage, also pairs of flight stabilizing surfaces and tail fins; the fuselage structure being a Lifting Body that provides aerodynamic lift during both forward flight and vertical descent; provided with intake chambers containing propelling surfaces rotating on longitudinal axis in opposite senses, and external pairs of swiveled nozzles producing thrust vectoring; these nozzles using conventional devices and having spins directed by original controls of corresponding identical movement directions; with standard automobile equipment integrated with the vehicle compact design and dimensions, making it compatible for road transport and enabling direct transitions to flight mode; and safe landing systems for emergencies are provided with half the technology being off the shelf devices as those in use by NASA and the US Airforce.

The multi-rotor type unmanned aerial vehicle includes: a main body including the battery module and the control module; a plurality of frames connected to a side surface of the main body and extending therefrom; a first motor connected to a distal end of each of the frames; and a drive unit connected to the first motor, wherein the drive unit includes a rotary frame and a stationary frame each having a circular shape and connected to each other in the form of a gyroscope, a second motor supported at the center of the rotatable frame, and a propeller connected to the second motor, and a vector of thrust generated by rotation of the propeller is variable according to rotation of the first and second motors.

A rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform comprises a central frame with a control center that is configured to control motors mounted to the vehicle platform. A first arm is connected to the central frame and extends outward. A first motor is mounted to the first arm. The first motor is in communication with the control center. Further, a first tilt actuator is configured to tilt the first motor within a first plane.

The invention provides a propulsion system based on “thuniform” movement of a foil member to achieve desired directional movement of a vehicle such as an unmanned submarine type of vessel. A pair of foil members are mounted to the vehicle body for reciprocating oscillating movement towards and away from each other, creating forward movement due to the compression of a fluid medium between the foil members and the expulsion of the compressed fluid rearwardly of the foil members. Each foil member is mounted to a pivot shaft for limited rotational movement with respect to the vehicle body. Damping means are connected between each pivot shaft and its associated foil member so that during operation of the propulsion system damping torque will offset hydrodynamic loads imposed on the foil members by the fluid medium. The damping means will in turn control the pitch angle of the foil members during operation, meaning that a thrust is generated for rigid foil members when moving at zero forward speed. The propulsion system of the invention exhibits increased efficiency and thrust in comparison to other such propulsion systems. The foil members are mounted to the vehicle body in such a manner that the thrust vector thereof can be directed through a full 360 degrees relative to the vehicle, thereby achieving superb maneuverability when the vehicle is provided with sets of the thrusters suitable located thereon.

Aircraft having thrust vectoring for switchably providing upper surface blowing. The aircraft generally includes a wing and an engine. The engine can be rotatably supported to supporting structure to allow the engine to be controllably rotated relative to the wing, and / or the engine can include a thrust vectoring nozzle. The engine's thrust vectoring capabilities allow the exhaust flow to be controllably vectored to switch on or off upper surface blowing depending on the aircraft's phase of operation. During a first phase, the exhaust flow can be vectored to flow across the upper wing surface to provide upper surface blowing to augment lift. During a second phase, the exhaust flow can be discharged generally downstream or rearwardly. The engine is positioned relative to the wing such that the exhaust flow does not provide upper surface blowing during the second phase.

A control system configured to control a deceleration process of an air vehicle which comprises at least one tiltable propulsion unit, each of the at least one tiltable propulsion units is tiltable to provide a thrust whose direction is variable at least between a general vertical thrust vector direction and a general longitudinal thrust vector direction with respect to the air vehicle.

The invention belongs to a thrust vector control servo system for a manned space carrier rocket or missile which has a demand for high reliability to provide thrust for an engine or a steering engine on the rocket or the missile, and particularly relates to a novel multi-redundancy electromechanical hydrostatic servo mechanism. The novel multi-redundancy electromechanical hydrostatic servo mechanism has the advantages that since a servo motor is directly used for driving a bidirectional rotating constant plunger pump, the defect that a valve-controlled electro-hydraulic servo system is apt to be blocked is overcome and the requirement of high reliability is satisfied; since a controller, a motor driver, a servo electric pump and a displacement sensor adopt multi-redundancy configuration, under the situation of at most two-redundancy faults, the system can still work normally and the feasibility of high reliability is guaranteed from structural design; since peak power is provided for a load through the maximum overload of an alternating-current permanent magnet motor and the alternating-current permanent magnet motor is designed according to load average power, compared with an alternating-current permanent magnet motor which is designed according to load maximum power, the size is small, the weight is light and the requirements on long-term use, light weight and small size are better satisfied.

A thrust vector control system for a flight vehicle comprises a fixed nozzle defining a first thrust vector direction and at least one exhaust deflector moveable to a location downstream of said fixed nozzle to provide a second thrust vector direction. Movement of the at least one exhaust deflector may allow for simultaneous control of both thrust vector direction and nozzle throat area. Translational motion of each exhaust deflector may be independently controlled. A flight vehicle incorporating a thrust vector control apparatus, and a method for thrust vector control are also disclosed.

The vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aerial vehicle includes a pair of selectively rotatable ducted fans and a selectively rotatable thrust vectoring nozzle providing vertical takeoff and landing for an unmanned aerial vehicle or a similar type of aircraft. A pair of fixed forward-swept wings are mounted on a rear portion of a fuselage, and a pair of canards are mounted on a top end of a forward portion of the fuselage. The pair of ducted fans are respectively mounted on free ends of the pair of canards, and are selectively rotatable about an axis parallel to a pitch axis of the fuselage. An engine is mounted in the rear portion of the fuselage, and a thrust vectoring nozzle is mounted on the rear portion of the fuselage for directing thrust exhaust from the engine. The thrust vectoring nozzle is selectively rotatable about an axis parallel to the pitch axis.

The invention provides an attitude control method applied to a centroid transverse moving spacecraft. According to the method, quaternions are adopted to describe rotation of an engine spray pipe relative to a spacecraft body, and an expectation attitude of the spacecraft, meeting guidance requirements, is determined based on the guidance direction and the rotating quaternions; simulation eulerian angles describing attitude deviation of the spacecraft are brought in, and a variable structure attitude control law is built based on an attitude motion model of the simulation eulerian angles; and the spacecraft attitude is controlled to be in the expectation attitude, so orbital transfer thrust direction guidance can be guaranteed. The attitude control method solves the control law design problem that attitude control is carried out for the spacecraft with a centroid moving transversely through adoption of thrust vectors and an attitude control engine, the adopted attitude description avoids singularity owned by eulerian angle attitude description inherently, and three components of the attitude description have obvious physical significance; and the attitude control law based on the attitude description is simple in form and good in control effect.

Dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators are used to manipulate exhaust flow within and behind a jet engine nozzle. The dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators may be used to direct cooling airflow near the surface of the nozzle to reduce heating of the nozzle, create thrust vectoring, and reduce noise associated with the exhaust flow exiting the nozzle.

The invention discloses a rotary thrust vectoring nozzle for a short-distance vertical take-off and landing engine. By the adoption of the rotary thrust vectoring nozzle for the short-distance vertical take-off and landing engine, mode conversion between a cruising state and a short-distance vertical take-off and landing state, according to the cruising state, a spray pipe is located at a horizontal position, and according to the short-distance vertical take-off and landing state, the spray pipe is in a vertical position or deviates downwards by other angles can be completed accurately and efficiently. Profile design and structural design are conducted on the rotary spray pipe based on the vector requirements of the engine used by a vertical take-off and landing aircraft, parts can be replaced, the structure is simple, and machining is convenient. A gear transmission scheme that three spray pipe sections are driven respectively is adopted, and the nonlinear variation tendency between the deflection angle of the first spray pipe section and the deflection angle of the second spray pipe section can be achieved easily; a bearing type transitional connection structure is adopted, abrasion between two cylinder sections which move relatively can be reduced, and thus the spray pipe can operate more quickly and more efficiently.