Vehicle attitude control using jet paddles and/or movable mass

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016194089-A1
Application number	US-201414322752-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 2, 2014
Priority date	Jul 2, 2014
Publication date	Jul 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Attitude and/or attitude rate of a vehicle may be controlled using jet paddles and/or movable masses. Thrust direction generally may also be controlled using jet paddles. The jet paddles may be moved into and/or sufficiently close to the exhaust flow, and out of the exhaust flow, to change the thrust direction. Movable masses may also be used in addition to, or in lieu of, jet paddles. Movement of the movable masses alters a center-of-mass of the vehicle, generating torque that changes vehicle attitude.

First claim

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of jet paddles configured to be moved into and/or sufficiently close to an exhaust flow, and configured to be moved away from the exhaust flow, to change a direction of thrust produced by the exhaust flow, wherein the plurality of jet paddles each rotate about an axis substantially orthogonal to an axis of symmetry of a nozzle from which the exhaust flow exits the apparatus, translate towards and away from the exhaust flow, or move by a combination of rotation and translation towards and away from the exhaust flow.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a linkage for each of the jet paddles configured to enable the respective jet paddle to move towards and away from the exhaust flow; and an actuator for each of the jet paddles operably connected to the respective linkage, jet paddle, or both, and configured to move the respective jet paddle towards and away from the exhaust flow.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of jet paddles is positioned aft of a nozzle.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a computing system configured to monitor a flight of the apparatus, the computing system configured to:
monitor a flight of the apparatus for whether to change attitude and/or attitude rate due to a planned change in attitude, a planned change in attitude rate, and/or due to unknown force perturbations, and
when change is desired, perform thrust vector control by moving one or more of the jet paddles into or sufficiently close to the exhaust flow so as to affect the desired change.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the computing system is configured to change pitch by moving at least one jet paddle to generate pitch torque.

6 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the computing system is configured to change yaw by moving at least one jet paddle to create a yaw force in a direction.

7 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the computing system is configured to control roll by moving two pairs of jet paddles that are opposite one another with the exhaust flow between them, the two pairs of jet paddles positioned and moved to generate positive and negative roll torques.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least two jet paddles are positioned on a same side of the apparatus.

9 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
monitoring, by a computing system, whether to execute thrust direction changes for a vehicle producing thrust with an exhaust flow due to a planned change thrust direction, and/or due to unknown and/or unplanned force perturbations; and altering the thrust direction of the vehicle, by the computing system, when a thrust direction change is desired by moving at least one jet paddle into and/or sufficiently close to an exhaust flow, and/or moving at least one jet paddle away from the exhaust flow, wherein the at least one jet paddle is moved by rotation about an axis substantially orthogonal within achievable tolerances to an axis of symmetry of a nozzle from which the exhaust flow exits the vehicle, by translation towards and away from the exhaust flow, or by a combination of rotation and translation towards and away from the exhaust flow.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:
changing pitch, by the computing system, by moving at least one of the paddles into or sufficiently close to the exhaust flow to create a force in one direction along a single axis.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:
changing yaw, by the computing system, by moving at least one jet paddle into or sufficiently close to the exhaust flow to create a yaw force in a direction.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:
changing roll, by the computing system, by moving at least two jet paddles that are opposite each other, with the exhaust flow between them, to cause the vehicle to roll.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein two or more of pitch, yaw, and roll are changed simultaneously.

14 - 34 . (canceled)

35 . An apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of jet paddles configured to be moved into and/or sufficiently close to an exhaust flow, and configured to be moved away from the exhaust flow, to change a direction of thrust produced by the exhaust flow, wherein the plurality of jet paddles each rotate about an axis substantially orthogonal within achievable tolerances to an axis of symmetry of a nozzle from which the exhaust flow exits the apparatus, translate towards and away from the exhaust flow, or move by a combination of rotation and translation towards and away from the exhaust flow; and one or more movable masses configured to sufficiently move a center-of-mass of the apparatus to at least in part facilitate flight control of the apparatus.

36 . The apparatus of claim 35 , further comprising:
a computing system configured to perform attitude and/or attitude rate control for the apparatus by moving one or more of the jet paddles, at least one of the one or more moving masses, or both.

37 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
monitoring, by a computing system, whether to change attitude and/or attitude rate due to a planned correction, and/or due to unknown and/or unplanned force perturbations; and altering the attitude and/or attitude rate of the vehicle, by the computing system, when a change is desired by moving at least one jet paddle, wherein the at least one jet paddle is moved via rotation about an axis substantially orthogonal within achievable tolerances to an axis of symmetry of a nozzle from which the exhaust flow exits a vehicle, via translation towards and away from an exhaust flow, or via a combination of rotation and translation towards and away from the exhaust flow.

38 . The computer-implemented method of claim 37 , wherein the altering of the attitude and/or attitude rate of the vehicle comprises altering a pitch of the vehicle, altering a yaw of the vehicle, altering a roll of the vehicle, or any combination thereof.

Assignees

• Aerospace Corp

Inventors

• Zondervan Kevin L
• Fuller Jerome K

Classifications

• B64G1/262

  having adjustable angles, e.g. gimbaled thrusters · CPC title

• B64G1/40

  Arrangements or adaptations of propulsion systems · CPC title

• B64D33/04 Primary

  of exhaust outlets or jet pipes · CPC title

• F02K9/97

  Rocket nozzles (thrust or thrust vector control F02K9/80) · CPC title

• B64C15/02 Primary

  the jets being propulsion jets · CPC title