Rotor State Sensor Optical Intermediary System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current helicopter rotor systems lack effective sensors in the rotating frame due to harsh environments, high costs, and challenges in data transmission, limiting their ability to provide accurate rotor state information for control and management systems.
Innovation Solution
A rotor state sensor system with sensors on the hub arm and reflector plates on the blade, emitting and receiving emissions to determine relative orientations and conditions, connected to a computing device that adjusts pitch angles and transmits signals to a flight computer for improved rotor control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensors are installed in the rotating rotor frame, then rotor state information can be obtained for improved control and management, but the harsh environment, high costs, and data transmission challenges prevent effective implementation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an optical intermediary system consisting of sensors on the hub arm and reflector plates on the blades to measure rotor state without requiring direct electronic sensors on the rotating blades. The optical field serves as a mediator that can penetrate the harsh rotating environment and transmit information back to the non-rotating frame, resolving the contradiction between obtaining rotor state data and withstanding harsh environmental conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical/electronic sensors that would directly contact the harsh rotating environment with an optical measurement system. The sensors remain in the protected non-rotating hub area while using optical fields to measure blade position and orientation, substituting a mechanical sensing approach with an optical field-based approach that avoids the harmful effects of the rotating environment
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are added to the rotor system, then rotor state measurement capability is improved, but the system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a multi-functional optical system where the same sensors on the hub arm serve multiple measurement purposes by detecting reflections from different reflector plates positioned on various blades. This universal measurement approach achieves comprehensive rotor state monitoring (multiple blade positions and orientations) without requiring individual sensors for each measurement point, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple measurement functions into a single integrated optical system. The sensors on the hub arm simultaneously measure the positions and orientations of multiple blades by detecting reflected optical fields from reflector plates, merging what would otherwise require separate sensor systems into one unified measurement apparatus, thus improving measurement precision without proportionally increasing complexity
3Loss of information
If sensor data transmission from rotating frame to non-rotating frame is implemented, then real-time rotor information is available, but transmission challenges and redundancy requirements increase system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the optical field as an intermediary that naturally bridges the rotating and non-rotating frames without requiring complex data transmission mechanisms. The optical measurements are taken in the non-rotating reference frame from the start, eliminating the need for rotating data transmission interfaces and reducing transmission complexity while ensuring complete information availability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances rotor control and management by accurately measuring blade motion, reducing loads, and monitoring blade health, while minimizing the impact of harsh environments and data transmission challenges.
Implementation Method 1
sensors disposed on the hub arm to define a first plane, which emit emissions and receive reflected emissions... reflector plates disposed on the blade which define a second plane at locations where the emissions from the sensors are incident on the reflector plates and from which the reflected emissions are reflected towards the sensors
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~5
AI summary
A rotor state sensor system (25) is provided for use with a rotor (120; 121) including a hub (14), a hub arm (30) and a blade (16) coupled to the hub (14) by the hub arm (30). The sensor system (25) includes sensors (40) disposed on the hub arm (30) to define a first plane (P 1), which emit emissions and receive reflected emissions, and which generate a signal (S1, S2) according to the received reflected emissions; reflector plates (41) disposed on the blade (16) which define a second plane (P2) at locations where the emissions from the sensors (40) are incident on the reflector plates (41) and from which the reflected emissions are reflected towards the sensors (40); and a computing device (20) which receives the signal from the sensors (40), determines relative orientations of the first and second planes (P1, P2) according to the received signal (S1, S2) and determines a condition of the rotor (120) based on the determined relative orientations.