Detachable power transfer device for a rotary-wing aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10392103-B2
Application number	US-201615360116-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 23, 2016
Priority date	Dec 4, 2015
Publication date	Aug 27, 2019
Grant date	Aug 27, 2019

Abstract

A detachable power transfer device for a rotary-wing aircraft includes a docking station integrated into the rotary-wing aircraft. A power pod of the detachable power transfer device is constructed and arranged to detachably connect to the docking station for transferring power to the rotary-wing aircraft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A detachable power transfer device for a rotary-wing aircraft comprising:
a docking station including at least a mechanical power connector attached to the rotary-wing aircraft; and
a power pod constructed and arranged to detachably connect to the docking station for transferring power to the rotary-wing aircraft, the power pod being configured to convert electrical energy into mechanical power that is transferred to the rotary-wing aircraft through the mechanical power connector during at least one of take-off, landing, and hovering.

2. The detachable power transfer device set forth in claim 1 further comprising:
at least one umbilical cord configured to transfer power with respect to the power pod.

3. The detachable power transfer device set forth in claim 2 , wherein the power transferred from the power pod to the rotary-wing aircraft further includes electrical power.

4. The detachable power transfer device set forth in claim 1 , wherein the power pod includes an unmanned aerial vehicle.

5. The detachable power transfer device set forth in claim 3 , wherein the power pod includes an electrical plug configured to mate with the docking station.

6. The detachable power transfer device set forth in claim 3 , wherein the rotary-wing aircraft is a hybrid helicopter.

7. The detachable power transfer device set forth in claim 1 , wherein the power transferred comprises at least one of electrical, mechanical, and hydraulic power.

8. The detachable power transfer device set forth in claim 1 , wherein the power pod includes at least one electric battery.

9. The detachable power transfer device set forth in claim 3 , wherein the rotary-wing aircraft is an electric helicopter.

10. The detachable power transfer device set forth in claim 1 further comprising:
an electric controller configured to facilitate at least one of an engagement and a disengagement of the power pod in response to one or more of an aircraft state parameter, ambient conditions, and pilot command.

11. A method of operating a rotary-wing aircraft comprising:
connecting a power pod to a docking station including a mechanical power connector carried by the rotary-wing aircraft;
converting electrical power into mechanical power at the power pod;
transferring the mechanical power from the power pod to the rotary-wing aircraft during at least one of take-off, landing, and hovering; and
disengaging the power pod from the docking station after completion of at least one of the take-off, landing, and hovering.

12. The method set forth in claim 11 including:
transferring electrical power through an umbilical cord and to the power pod.

13. The method set forth in claim 11 including:
operating an unmanned aerial vehicle of the power pod after disengagement to land the power pod.

Assignees

• Sikorsky Aircraft Corp

Inventors

• Bourne Frederick L
• Waltner Peter James
• Gharibian Simon

Classifications

• B64U70/80

  Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets (rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20) · CPC title

• B64U2201/202

  using tethers for connecting to ground station · CPC title

• B64U10/13

  Flying platforms · CPC title

• B64C27/04 Primary

  Helicopters · CPC title

• B64C2027/8236

  including pusher propellers · CPC title