Integrated reaction wheel assembly arrays and multi-rotor chassis suitable for usage therein

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9612117-B2
Application number	US-201414328250-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2014
Priority date	Jul 10, 2014
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

An integrated Reaction Wheel Assembly Array (RWAA) includes a multi-rotor chassis having a plurality of bearing locating features. A plurality of rotor assemblies is mounted to the multi-rotor chassis. Each rotor assembly includes a rotor having a rotor shaft, a spin motor coupled to the rotor and configured to drive rotation of the rotor about a spin axis, and a first spin bearing assembly disposed around an end portion of the rotor shaft. The first spin bearing pilots to one of the bearing locating features to position or locate the spin axis of the rotor assembly in a predetermined fixed spatial relationship relative to the spin axes of the other rotor assemblies.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An integrated Reaction Wheel Assembly Array (RWAA), comprising:
a multi-rotor chassis comprising a plurality of bearing locating features and a plurality of rotor nests;
a plurality of rotor assemblies mounted to the multi-rotor chassis, each rotor assembly comprising:
a rotor having a rotor shaft;
a spin motor coupled to the rotor and configured to drive rotation of the rotor about a spin axis; and
a first spin bearing assembly disposed around an end portion of the rotor shaft, the first spin bearing assembly piloting to one of the bearing locating features to place the spin axis of the rotor assembly in a predetermined spatial relationship with the spin axes of the other rotor assemblies;

a plurality of rotor covers disposed over the plurality of rotor nests and enclosing the plurality of rotor assemblies;
a plurality of sealed rotor compartments containing the plurality of rotor assemblies and defined, at least in part, by the plurality of rotor covers and the plurality of rotor nests; and
a common evacuation port formed in the multi-rotor chassis and fluidly coupled to each of the plurality of sealed rotor compartments.

2. The integrated RWAA of claim 1 wherein each bearing locating feature is formed in a bottom central region of one of rotor nests.

3. The integrated RWAA of claim 1 wherein the multi-rotor chassis comprises a generally pyramidal structure having a plurality of angled faces in which the plurality of rotor nests are formed.

4. The integrated RWAA of claim 1 wherein the plurality of rotor assemblies each further comprise a second spin bearing assembly disposed around a second, opposing end of the rotor shaft; and wherein the plurality of rotor covers comprise a second plurality of bearing locating features to which the second spin bearing assemblies pilot.

5. The integrated RWAA of claim 1 further comprising control electronics housed within multi-rotor chassis and electrically coupled to the spin motors included within the plurality of rotor assemblies.

6. The integrated RWAA of claim 5 wherein the multi-rotor chassis further comprises a base structure having a cavity therein, and wherein the control electronics are housed within the cavity.

7. The integrated RWAA of claim 1 wherein the spin axes of the plurality of rotor assemblies are positioned in an orthogonal relationship when mounted to the multi-rotor chassis.

8. The integrated RWAA of claim 1 wherein the multi-rotor chassis comprises a monolithic chassis body in which the plurality of rotor assemblies are nested.

9. An integrated Reaction Wheel Assembly Array (RWAA), comprising:
a multi-rotor chassis, comprising:
a chassis body fabricated from a first material and in which a plurality of rotor nests is formed; and
bearing sleeves installed in bottom central regions of the plurality of rotor nests formed in the chassis body, the bearing sleeves fabricated from a second material different than the first material;

rotor covers coupled to the chassis body and enclosing the rotor nests; and
a plurality of rotor assemblies received in the rotor nests and each including a first spin bearing matingly received by one of the bearing sleeves.

10. The integrated RWAA of claim 9 wherein the plurality of rotor assemblies each further comprise a second spin bearing assembly mounted to an interior portion of one of the rotor covers.

11. The integrated RWAA of claim 9 wherein the bearing sleeves each comprise:
a sleeve body; and
a circumferential flange extending at least partially around an outer perimeter of the sleeve body, the circumferential flange affixed to the chassis body of the multi-rotor chassis.

12. The integrated RWAA of claim 9 wherein the chassis body further comprises central apertures provided in bottom central portions of the plurality of rotor nests, the bearing sleeves at least partially received within the central apertures.

13. The integrated RWAA of claim 9 wherein the bearing sleeves comprise sleeve bodies in which cylindrical cavities are provided, the cylindrical cavities receiving the first spin bearings and dimensioned to permit axial sliding movement of the first spin bearings during operation of the integrated RWAA.

14. The integrated RWAA of claim 9 further comprising bearing retainer structures integrally formed with interior portions of the rotor covers;
wherein the plurality of rotor assemblies each further comprise a second spin bearing matingly received by one of the bearing retainer structures.

15. A multi-rotor chassis for usage in conjunction with a plurality of rotor assemblies, the plurality of rotor assemblies comprising rotors supported by spin bearing assemblies and rotatable about spin axes, the multi-rotor chassis comprising:
a chassis body including a plurality of rotor nests configured to matingly receive the plurality of rotor assemblies;
bearing locating features coupled to the chassis body, the bearing locating features engaging the spin bearing assemblies to position the spin axes in a predetermined spatial relationship when the plurality of rotor assemblies is mounted to the chassis body; and
a common evacuation port formed in the chassis body and fluidly coupled to each of the plurality of rotor nests.

16. The multi-rotor chassis of claim 15 further comprising a plurality of bearing sleeves coupled to the chassis body and defining the bearing locating features.

17. The multi-rotor chassis of claim 15 wherein the bearing locating features are located in bottom central regions of the plurality of rotor nests.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Marshall Terence
• Buchele Paul
• Dileonardo Pietro
• Johnson Theodis

Classifications

• G01C19/16 Primary

  Suspensions; Bearings · CPC title

• B64G1/283 Primary

  using reaction wheels · CPC title