Dual Collective Rotor Head With Independent Servo Redundancy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional rotor heads suffer from servo failures such as lock-in-place and hard-over failures, which are classified as catastrophic or hazardous, necessitating improved fault-tolerant flight control systems.

Innovation Solution

The dual collective rotor head design incorporates a dedicated collective control servo that operates independently of the servo arrangement, allowing for redundant control mechanisms, including a hollow mast and a platform-displaceable servo arrangement, to mitigate servo failures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional servo arrangement is used for collective control, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates due to catastrophic servo failures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservo failure mitigationVSAvoiddual collective control system

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The collective control function is segmented into two independent pathways: the primary servo arrangement and the dedicated collective control servo. This segmentation allows the system to isolate failures to one pathway while the other continues to provide control, thereby improving reliability without requiring a complete redesign of the control architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The dedicated collective control servo provides localized redundancy specifically for collective control operations, while the primary servo arrangement maintains its original design for cyclic control. This targeted approach adds reliability where most needed without unnecessarily complicating the entire control system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If a dedicated collective control servo is added, then the reliability improves through redundancy, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefault toleranceVSAvoidadditional servo mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The dedicated collective control servo is designed to work in conjunction with the existing servo arrangement, creating a multi-functional system where both components contribute to collective control. The Flight Control System can dynamically allocate control authority between the two mechanisms, optimizing performance and reliability while managing complexity through coordinated operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If the servo arrangement is made stationary on a platform, then the reliability improves, but the ease of manufacture deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservo arrangement stabilityVSAvoidplatform mounting structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The servo arrangement is nested on a platform that is integrated into the rotor head structure, with the dedicated collective control servo positioned within the hollow mast. This nested configuration provides stable mounting for both mechanisms while utilizing existing structural spaces, thereby improving reliability without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS12515789B2Dual collective rotor heads

Publication Date: 2026.01.06 EFIX AVIATION LTD

AI summary

A dual collective rotor head including a swashplate mechanism for cyclic control and collective control of its rotor blades, a servo arrangement for actuating the swashplate mechanism and an additional dedicated collective control servo for collective control of its rotor blades independent of the servo arrangement.