Counter-Torque Balancing Wheel for VTOL Aircraft Torque Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional propeller-type vertical take-off and land aircraft face challenges with torque removal and balancing, particularly due to the size and complexity increase caused by tail rotors, and the instability of torque removal propellers in varying air flows, leading to potential accidents and operational complexities.
Innovation Solution
A propeller-type vertical take-off and land aircraft employs a counter-torque and balancing wheel housed within the body, utilizing a gyro effect to remove torque and balance the aircraft, without the need for a tail rotor or additional rotors, with a metal wheel design that concentrates weight on the outer circumference to maximize inertial and rotation moments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a tail rotor is provided to remove torque, then the torque is removed, but the size and complexity of the aircraft increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the torque removal function and body balancing function into a single counter-torque and balancing wheel assembly. This merged design eliminates the need for separate tail rotor systems while achieving both torque counteraction and body stabilization, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The counter-torque and balancing wheel serves multiple functions simultaneously: it removes torque from the main rotor, balances the aircraft body, and provides gyroscopic stabilization. This multi-functional design replaces what would traditionally require multiple separate components, reducing complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If a torque removal propeller is provided on the bottom of the aircraft, then the torque is removed, but additional lift force is generated requiring balancing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the torque removal function from the aerodynamic domain (propeller in airflow) and relocates it to the mechanical domain (counter-rotating wheel housed within the body). This extraction eliminates the interaction with unstable ambient air flow and prevents unwanted lift force generation, simplifying operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The counter-torque and balancing wheel acts as a mechanical intermediary that transfers and counteracts torque through direct mechanical connection rather than through aerodynamic interaction. This intermediary mechanism provides stable torque removal without generating additional lift forces that would require balancing.
3Ease of operation
If the torque removal propeller is exposed to ambient air, then it can rotate freely, but the operation becomes unstable due to unstable air flow
Solution Approach 1:
The counter-torque and balancing wheel is nested within the aircraft body, housed in a dedicated compartment. This nesting protects the rotating wheel from unstable ambient air flow while allowing it to rotate freely through internal bearings, simultaneously maintaining ease of operation and improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a protected, inert environment for the counter-torque wheel by housing it within the aircraft body structure. This inert environment isolates the wheel from turbulent external air flows, ensuring stable and predictable operation while maintaining rotational freedom through internal mechanical support.
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 simplifies the aircraft configuration, reduces costs, and ensures reliable operation by eliminating additional lift forces and enhancing flying stability and balance, while being housed within the body to avoid interference with take-off and landing operations.
Implementation Method 1
the counter-torque and balancing wheel is configured to balance the body using a gyro effect
Implementation Method 2
a weight thereof is concentrated on an outer circumference
Implementation Method 3
a weight thereof is concentrated on an outer circumference
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a propeller-type vertical take-off and land aircraft with a torque removal and balancing function, the aircraft comprising: a body; a body support frame to support the body; at least one main rotor blade provided out of the body; a rotation rotor coupled centrally to the main rotor blade; a rotation drive axis operatively coupled to the rotation rotor; a main rotor motor operatively coupled to the rotation drive axis; and a counter-torque and balancing wheel disposed under the body support frame to be coupled to a torque-removal inverse motor to be configured to rotate in an opposite direction to a rotation of the main rotor blade, wherein the counter-torque and balancing wheel is housed in the body.