Systems and methods for controlling rotation and twist of a tether

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9884692-B2
Application number	US-201414586909-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2014
Priority date	Jun 30, 2014
Publication date	Feb 6, 2018
Grant date	Feb 6, 2018

Abstract

A system may include a tether, a slip ring, a tether gimbal assembly, a drive mechanism, a control system. The tether may include a distal tether end coupled to an aerial vehicle, a proximate tether end, and at least one insulated electrical conductor coupled to the aerial vehicle. The slip ring may include a fixed portion and a rotatable portion, where the rotatable portion is coupled to the tether. The tether gimbal assembly may be rotatable about at least one axis and is coupled to the fixed portion of the slip ring. The drive mechanism may be coupled to the slip ring and configured to rotate the rotatable portion of the slip ring. And the control system may be configured to operate the drive mechanism to control twist in the tether.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a tether comprising:
a distal tether end coupled to an aerial vehicle;
a proximate tether end; and
at least one insulated electrical conductor coupled to the aerial vehicle, wherein the tether has an amount of twist between the distal tether end and the proximate tether end;

a slip ring comprising a fixed portion and a rotatable portion, wherein the rotatable portion is coupled to the tether;
a tether gimbal assembly, wherein the tether gimbal assembly is rotatable about at least a horizontal axis or an azimuth axis and is coupled to the fixed portion of the slip ring; and
a control system, wherein the control system operates a drive mechanism coupled to the rotatable portion of the slip ring at the proximate tether end to rotate the rotatable portion of the slip ring relative to the fixed portion of the slip ring to change the amount of twist in the tether.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system operates the drive mechanism in a lag mode.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system operates the drive mechanism in a lead mode.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system operates the drive mechanism by activating and deactivating the drive mechanism.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system operates the drive mechanism by causing the drive mechanism to rotate the rotatable portion of the slip ring at a constant rate.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system operates the drive mechanism by causing the drive mechanism to rotate the rotatable portion of the slip ring at a variable rate.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the variable rate is determined in reference to at least a rotational rate of the tether.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system determines the value of an operational or environmental parameter; and operates the drive mechanism to change the amount of twist in the tether based at least in part on the determined operational or environmental parameter.

Assignees

• X Dev Llc

Inventors

• Patten Elias Wolfgang
• Vander Lind Damon
• Gilroysmith Bryan Christopher
• Hachtmann Brian

Classifications

• B64F3/02 Primary

  with means for supplying electricity to aircraft during flight · CPC title

• F03D7/02 Primary

  the wind motors having rotation axis substantially parallel to the air flow entering the rotor · CPC title

• F05B2240/921

  kept aloft due to aerodynamic effects · CPC title

• Y02E10/723

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• B64U2101/10

  for generating power to be supplied to a remote station, e.g. UAVs with solar panels · CPC title