Magnetorheological flight control clutch system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9541142-B2
Application number	US-201414482603-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2014
Priority date	Jan 31, 2014
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

In some embodiments, a redundant control system includes first and second control systems, having first and second clutches, and a shared clutch system. The shared clutch system may include a shared shaft configured to receive mechanical energy from a shared power source, a first shared clutch corresponding to the first clutch and configured to receive mechanical energy from the shared shaft, and a second shared clutch corresponding to the second clutch and configured to receive mechanical energy from the shared shaft. A first linkage provides mechanical communication between an output of the first clutch, an output of the first shared clutch, and a first output device in mechanical communication with the rotor system. A second linkage provides mechanical communication between an output of the second clutch, an output of the second shared clutch, and a second output device in mechanical communication with the rotor system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotorcraft, comprising:
a body;
a power train coupled to the body and comprising an engine and a drive shaft coupled to the engine;
a rotor system coupled to the power train, the rotor system comprising at least one rotor blade;
a pilot input device;
a first flight control system comprising a first power source and a first clutch configured to receive mechanical energy from the first power source, the first flight control system configured to receive an input from the pilot input device and transmit a mechanical output to the rotor system based on the received input;
a second flight control system comprising a second power source and a second clutch configured to receive mechanical energy from the second power source, the second flight control system configured to receive an input from the pilot input device and transmit a mechanical output to the rotor system based on the received input;
a shared clutch system comprising:
a shared shaft configured to receive mechanical energy from a shared power source;
a first shared clutch corresponding to the first clutch and configured to receive mechanical energy from the shared shaft; and
a second shared clutch corresponding to the second clutch and configured to receive mechanical energy from the shared shaft;

a first linkage providing mechanical communication between an output of the first clutch, an output of the first shared clutch, and a first output device in mechanical communication with the rotor system; and
a second linkage providing mechanical communication between an output of the second clutch, an output of the second shared clutch, and a second output device in mechanical communication with the rotor system.

2. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first linkage or the second linkage comprises a plurality of linkages.

3. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , further comprising a control system configured to:
identify a failure associated with the first clutch or the second clutch;
disengage the clutch associated with the failure; and
engage the shared clutch corresponding to the failed clutch.

4. The rotorcraft of claim 3 , wherein a failure associated with the first clutch comprises a failure of the first clutch or a failure of the first power source.

5. The rotorcraft of claim 3 , wherein disengaging the clutch associated with the failure and engaging the corresponding shared clutch causes the engaged shared clutch to provide mechanical outputs to the rotor system in place of the disengaged clutch.

6. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the first flight control system transmits a mechanical output to the rotor system based on the received input by varying an amount of mechanical energy transmitted from the first power source, through the first clutch, and to the rotor system.

7. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the first clutch is a controlled-slippage actuator comprising a driving member configured to receive mechanical energy from the first power source and a driven member configured to receive mechanical energy from the driving member, the first clutch operable to receive an input from the pilot input device and transmit a mechanical output to the rotor system based on the received input by changing the amount of mechanical energy transmitted from the driving member to the driven member.

8. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein:
the first clutch comprises:
a driving member configured to receive mechanical energy from the first power source;
a driven member;
a magnetorheological (MR) fluid disposed between the driving member and the driven member and configured to transmit a variable amount of mechanical energy from the driving member to the driven member;
an output member coupled between the driven member and the rotor system; and
a magnetic circuit configured to deliver a magnetic field towards the MR fluid, the magnetic circuit configured to vary the strength of the magnetic field in response to inputs received from the pilot input device; and

the second clutch comprises:
a driving member configured to receive mechanical energy from the first power source;
a driven member;
an MR fluid disposed between the driving member and the driven member and configured to transmit a variable amount of mechanical energy from the driving member to the driven member;
an output member coupled between the driven member and the rotor system; and

a magnetic circuit configured to deliver a magnetic field towards the MR fluid, the magnetic circuit configured to vary the strength of the magnetic field in response to inputs received from the pilot input device.

9. The rotorcraft of claim 8 , further comprising a control system configured to:
identify a failure associated with the first clutch or the second clutch;
disengage the clutch associated with the failure by changing the magnetic field delivered to the disengaged clutch such that the MR fluid transmits less mechanical energy from the driving member to the driven member of the disengaged clutch; and
engage the shared clutch corresponding to the failed clutch by changing the magnetic field delivered to the engaged shared clutch such that the MR fluid transmits more mechanical energy from the driving member to the driven member of the engaged shared clutch.

10. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third flight control system comprising a third power source and a third clutch configured to receive mechanical energy from the third power source, the third flight control system configured to receive an input from the pilot input device and transmit a mechanical output to the rotor system based on the received input;
a third shared clutch corresponding to the third clutch and configured to receive mechanical energy from the shared shaft; and
a third linkage providing mechanical communication between an output of the third clutch, an output of the third shared clutch, and a third output device in mechanical communication with the rotor system.

11. The rotorcraft of claim 10 , wherein the first output device transmits collective rotor commands and the second and third output devices transmit cyclic rotor commands.

12. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the first power source and the second power source are the same power source.

13. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the rotor system comprises a main rotor system comprising at least one main rotor blade.

14. The rotorcraft of claim 13 , wherein the first and second flight control systems are configured to transmit mechanical outputs to a swashplate of the main rotor system based on the received inputs.

15. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the first power source comprises an electric motor.

16. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the first power source comprises a rotorcraft gearbox in mechanical communication with the engine of the power train.

17. A redundant control system, comprising:
a first control system comprising a first power source and a first clutch configured to receive mechanical energy from the first power source, the first control system configured to receive an input from an input device and transmit a mechanical output based on the received input;
a second control system comprising a second power source and a second clutch configured to receive mechanical energy from the second power source, the second control system configured to receive an input from the input device and transmit a mechanical output based on the received input;
a shared clutch system comprising:
a shared shaft configured to receive mechanical energy from a s

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc

Inventors

• Spina Pasquale
• Fenny Carlos A
• Plante Jean-Sebastian
• Chouinard Patrick
• Bigué Jean-Philippe Lucking
• St-Amant Yves

Classifications

• F16D37/008 Primary

  the particles being carried by a fluid, to vary viscosity when subjected to electric change, i.e. electro-rheological or smart fluids (composition of such fluids C10M171/001) · CPC title

• Y10T74/18704

  Means to selectively lock or retard screw or nut · CPC title

• B64C27/605

  including swash plate, spider or cam mechanisms · CPC title

• F16H25/20

  Screw mechanisms (with automatic reversal F16H25/12) · CPC title

• F16D37/02

  the particles being magnetisable · CPC title