Transmitting power and data together in a rotorcraft using a slip ring assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11417995-B2
Application number	US-201815991347-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2018
Priority date	May 29, 2018
Publication date	Aug 16, 2022
Grant date	Aug 16, 2022

Abstract

A computer-implemented method and system for transmitting power and data together in a rotorcraft using a slip ring assembly is disclosed. According to one example, a computer-implemented method includes providing a slip ring assembly comprising a stationary element coupled to an airframe of a rotorcraft and a rotatable element rotatable relative to the stationary element and coupled to a rotor assembly of the rotorcraft. Power is transmitted from a power source associated with the airframe to an electronic device associated with the rotor assembly, the slip ring assembly being configured to complete an electrical circuit between the power source and the electronic device to provide power from the power source to the electronic device. Data is transmitted from a first data transceiver associated with the airframe to a second data transceiver associated with the rotor assembly via the electrical circuit completed by the slip ring assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotorcraft comprising:
an airframe, the airframe comprising a power source and a first data transceiver;
a rotor assembly rotatable about an axis with respect to the airframe, the rotor assembly comprising an electronic device and a second data transceiver; and
a slip ring assembly comprising a stationary element coupled to the airframe and a rotatable element rotatable relative to the stationary element and coupled to the rotor assembly, the slip ring assembly being configured to complete an electrical circuit between the power source and the electronic device to provide power from the power source to the electronic device,
wherein the first data transceiver is configured to encode data and transmit the encoded data to the second data transceiver via the electrical circuit completed by the slip ring assembly, and
wherein the second data transceiver is configured to receive the encoded data via the electrical circuit completed by the slip ring assembly and decode the data,
wherein the second data transceiver is configured to encode second data and transmit the second encoded data to the first data transceiver via the electrical circuit completed by the slip ring assembly, and wherein the first data transceiver is configured to receive the second encoded data via the electrical circuit completed by the slip ring assembly and decode the second encoded data.

2. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the stationary element comprises a plurality of brushes, the plurality of brushes being in electrical contact with the rotatable element to complete the electrical circuit.

3. The rotorcraft of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of brushes comprise composite carbon fiber and silver brushes.

4. The rotorcraft of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of brushes generate noise in the electrical circuit, and wherein the first data transceiver and the second data transceiver are configured to filter the noise generated by the plurality of brushes.

5. The rotorcraft of claim 4 , wherein the noise generated by the plurality of brushes is less than an amount of noise that can be filtered by the first data transceiver and the second data transceiver.

6. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable element comprises a plurality of brushes, the plurality of brushes being in electrical contact with the stationary element to complete the electrical circuit.

7. The rotorcraft of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of brushes comprise composite carbon fiber and silver brushes.

8. The rotorcraft of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of brushes generate noise in the electrical circuit, wherein the first data transceiver and the second data transceiver are configured to filter the noise generated by the plurality of brushes, and wherein the noise generated by the plurality of brushes is less than an amount of noise that can be filtered by the first data transceiver and the second data transceiver.

9. A method comprising:
providing a slip ring assembly comprising a stationary element coupled to an airframe of a rotorcraft and a rotatable element rotatable relative to the stationary element and coupled to a rotor assembly of the rotorcraft, the rotor assembly rotatable about an axis with respect to the airframe;
transmitting power from a power source associated with the airframe to an electronic device associated with the rotor assembly, the slip ring assembly being configured to complete an electrical circuit between the power source and the electronic device to provide power from the power source to the electronic device; and
transmitting data from a first data transceiver associated with the airframe to a second data transceiver associated with the rotor assembly,
wherein the first data transceiver is configured to encode data and transmit the encoded data to the second data transceiver via the electrical circuit completed by the slip ring assembly, and
wherein the second data transceiver is configured to receive the encoded data via the electrical circuit completed by the slip ring assembly and decode the data,
wherein the stationary element comprises a plurality of brushes, the plurality of brushes being in electrical contact with the rotatable element to complete the electrical circuit, and
wherein the plurality of brushes generate noise in the electrical circuit, and wherein the first data transceiver and the second data transceiver are configured to filter the noise generated by the plurality of brushes.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of brushes comprise composite carbon fiber and silver brushes.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the noise generated by the plurality of brushes is less than an amount of noise that can be filtered by the first data transceiver and the second data transceiver.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the rotatable element comprises a plurality of brushes, the plurality of brushes being in electrical contact with the stationary element to complete the electrical circuit over which both power and data are serviced, wherein the plurality of brushes comprise composite carbon fiber and silver brushes, wherein the plurality of brushes generate noise in the electrical circuit, wherein the first data transceiver and the second data transceiver are configured to filter the noise generated by the plurality of brushes, and wherein the noise generated by the plurality of brushes is less than an amount of noise that can be filtered by the first data transceiver and the second data transceiver.

13. A rotorcraft comprising:
an airframe, the airframe comprising a power source and a first data transceiver;
a rotor assembly rotatable about an axis with respect to the airframe, the rotor assembly comprising an electronic device and a second data transceiver; and
a slip ring assembly comprising a stationary element coupled to the airframe and a rotatable element rotatable relative to the stationary element and coupled to the rotor assembly, the slip ring assembly being configured to complete an electrical circuit between the power source and the electronic device to provide power from the power source to the electronic device,
wherein the first data transceiver is configured to encode data and transmit the encoded data to the second data transceiver via the electrical circuit completed by the slip ring assembly, and
wherein the second data transceiver is configured to receive the encoded data via the electrical circuit completed by the slip ring assembly and decode the data,
wherein the rotatable element comprises a plurality of brushes, the plurality of brushes being in electrical contact with the stationary element to complete the electrical circuit.

14. The rotorcraft of claim 13 , wherein the second data transceiver is configured to encode second data and transmit the second encoded data to the first data transceiver via the electrical circuit completed by the slip ring assembly, and wherein the first data transceiver is configured to receive the second encoded data via the electrical circuit completed by the slip ring assembly and decode the second encoded data.

15. The rotorcraft of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of brushes generate noise in the electrical circuit, and wherein the first data transceiver and the second data transceiver are configured to filter the noise generated by the plurality of brushes.

16. The rotorcraft of claim 15 , wherein the noise generated by the plurality of brushes is less than an amount of noise that can be filtered by the first data transceiver and the second data tran

Assignees

• Sikorsky Aircraft Corp

Inventors

• Kellner Aaron
• Welsh William A
• Sutton Christopher M

Classifications

• H02K13/003 Primary

  Structural associations of slip-rings · CPC title

• Y02T50/40

  Weight reduction · CPC title

• B64D47/02

  Arrangements or adaptations of signal or lighting devices · CPC title

• B64C27/04

  Helicopters · CPC title

• B64D41/00

  Power installations for auxiliary purposes · CPC title