Redundant Servo Rotor Pitch Control for VTOL Safety

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current VTOL aircraft face limitations such as speed and range constraints, noise, airframe vibration, and safety concerns due to exposed rotor blades, along with inefficiencies in lifting capacity and horizontal flight, which hinder their practicality for point-to-point transportation and mass movement of people and goods.

Innovation Solution

A mechanically simple rotor pitch control system utilizing multiple servos with redundant control systems, allowing for collective pitch control of rotor blades, enabling continued functionality even with one or two actuator failures, thus improving safety and reducing costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple redundant actuators are used for pitch control, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepitch control reliabilityVSAvoidcontrol system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system is segmented into multiple independent actuators (at least two) that can operate independently to control the pitch angle. Each actuator can function autonomously, and the system can tolerate failures in individual actuators while maintaining overall control capability through the remaining functional actuators.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates redundant actuators as a preventive measure against actuator failures. By having more actuators than the minimum required for control, the system cushions against potential failures and ensures continuous operational capability even when some actuators become inoperative.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Reliability

If redundant control systems are implemented, then safety is improved, but weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflight safetyVSAvoidcontrol system weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The redundant control system is segmented into multiple independent actuators rather than duplicating the entire control system. This segmentation allows for weight-efficient redundancy by using separate, simpler actuators that can independently perform the pitch control function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Redundancy is applied locally at the actuator level rather than system-wide. Each actuator is designed to independently provide the necessary pitch control capability, allowing the redundancy to be concentrated in the critical actuation components rather than distributed throughout the entire control system, thereby minimizing overall weight increase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10597151B2Failure tolerant rotor blade pitch angle controlling device

Publication Date: 2020.03.24 AVERY JOHN L

AI summary

A mechanically simple rotor system is a novel mechanism that collectively drives the pitch of the rotor blades by combining the input from three separate servos. Each servo can be controlled by redundant control systems. This configuration reduces total error caused by any one system and allows the continuation of rotor pitch control in the event of one or more servo or system failures.