Spring-Integrated Rotor Reduces Vibratory Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rotors in aircraft experience vibratory loads due to resonance during flight, leading to increased stress on motors and support structures, which can result in damage and reduced operational life, necessitating larger and heavier aircraft designs to withstand these loads.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a spring-integrated rotor system that includes a bracket and pivot body with torsional springs, allowing the pivot body to rotate about a second axis different from the rotor axis, thereby reducing vibratory loads and coupling flap and pitching motions to minimize deflections and damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If rotors are implemented to provide lift for aircraft, then lift generation is achieved, but vibratory loads and resonance occur during flight
Solution Approach 1:
A pivot body is introduced as an intermediary component between the motor and the propeller blades. This pivot body allows relative motion and acts as a mediator to decouple the motor from vibratory loads, enabling the motor to remain stationary while the propeller blades rotate and pivot independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a rigid fixed connection to a dynamic pivoting connection. The pivot body enables the propeller blades to dynamically adjust their position by pivoting about a second rotational axis that is perpendicular to the first rotational axis, allowing the system to adapt to varying flight conditions and reduce resonant vibrations.
2Strength
If larger and heavier aircraft designs are used to withstand vibratory loads, then structural strength is improved, but aircraft weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot body serves as a mechanical intermediary that protects the motor and support structures from vibratory loads. By introducing this intermediate pivoting mechanism, the system achieves load isolation without requiring heavier structural components, thus maintaining strength while avoiding weight increase.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the pivot body is allowed to rotate about a second axis different from the rotor axis, then vibratory loads are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor system is segmented into distinct functional components: the motor assembly, the pivot body, and the propeller blade assembly. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently - the motor provides rotational power, the pivot body enables motion decoupling, and the propeller blades generate thrust - thereby reducing overall system complexity despite the added pivoting capability.
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
This solution effectively reduces vibratory loads on the rotor and motor, extends the operational life of the rotor and aircraft, and allows for a lighter and smaller aircraft design by dampening oscillations and returning propeller blades to a central position.
Implementation Method 1
at least one spring device disposed between the bracket and the pivot body for urging the pivot body toward a central position when the bracket is rotating
Implementation Method 2
allowing the pivot body to rotate about a second axis different from the rotor axis, thereby reducing vibratory loads and coupling flap and pitching motions
Data Source
AI summary
Spring-integrated rotors are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes a bracket defining a first rotational axis and coupled to a motor for rotating the bracket about the first rotational axis, a pivot body defining a second rotational axis extending along a direction different than the first rotational axis, the pivot body coupled to the bracket for rotation about the second rotational axis, and at least one spring device positioned at the bracket, the at least one spring device urging the pivot body toward a central position when the bracket is rotating.