公开(公告)号：US20230192255A1

公开(公告)日：2023-06-22

申请号：US18109144

申请日：2023-02-13

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： Paul K. Oldroyd ,  John Richard McCullough

IPC: B63H7/02 ,  F01D5/14 ,  F01D5/02

CPC classification number: B63H7/02 ,  F01D5/14 ,  F01D5/025

Abstract: A rotor assembly for generating vehicle thrust. The rotor assembly includes a rotor hub with a plurality of rotor blade assemblies coupled thereto. Each rotor blade assembly includes a metallic bearing race, a composite rotor blade and a split collet assembly. The split collet assembly includes two circumferentially distributed collet members each having an inner inboard conical seat configured to mate with a radially outwardly extending conical feature of the bearing race and an inner outboard conical seat configured to mate with a radially outwardly extending conical feature of the rotor blade. The split collet assembly also includes an outer sleeve having an inner conical surface that mates with outer conical surfaces of the collet members to maintain the collet members in a circumferential orientation around the bearing race and the rotor blade such that the split collet assembly provides a centrifugal force load path therebetween.

公开(公告)号：US11650604B2

公开(公告)日：2023-05-16

申请号：US17720254

申请日：2022-04-13

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： John Richard McCullough ,  Andrew Thomas Carter ,  Sung Kyun Kim ,  Matthew John Hill

IPC: B64C5/10 ,  B64C29/02 ,  G05D1/08

CPC classification number: G05D1/0858 ,  B64C5/10 ,  B64C29/02

Abstract: An aircraft includes an airframe with first and second wings having a fuselage extending therebetween. A propulsion assembly is coupled to the fuselage and includes a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system that is tiltable relative to the fuselage to generate a thrust vector. First and second yaw vanes extend aftwardly from the fuselage. A flight control system is configured to direct the thrust vector of the coaxial rotor system and control movements of the yaw vanes. In a VTOL orientation of the aircraft, differential operation of the yaw vanes and/or differential operations of first and second rotor assemblies of the coaxial rotor system provide yaw authority for the aircraft. In a biplane orientation of the aircraft, collective operation of the yaw vanes provides yaw authority for the aircraft.

公开(公告)号：US11124289B2

公开(公告)日：2021-09-21

申请号：US16154282

申请日：2018-10-08

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： John Richard McCullough ,  Paul K. Oldroyd

IPC: B64C13/16 ,  B64C29/02 ,  G05D1/08 ,  G05D1/00 ,  B64C11/46 ,  B64D27/24 ,  B64C39/02

Abstract: Systems and methods of prioritizing the use of flight attitude controls of aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. A method includes determining an optimal flight attitude state for the aircraft during flight, the aircraft including first and second wings with first and second pylons coupled therebetween forming an airframe with a two-dimensional distributed thrust array and a plurality of aerosurfaces coupled to the airframe; monitoring the current flight attitude state of the aircraft; identifying deviations between the current flight attitude state and the optimal flight attitude state; ordering the flight attitude controls of the aircraft based upon the flight attitude control authority of each in the current flight attitude state; and implementing the highest order flight attitude control to bias the aircraft from the current flight attitude state toward the optimal flight attitude state.

公开(公告)号：US10906637B2

公开(公告)日：2021-02-02

申请号：US15982420

申请日：2018-05-17

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： Frank Bradley Stamps ,  Michael K. McNair ,  John Richard McCullough

IPC: B64C27/08 ,  B64C29/00 ,  B64D27/02 ,  B64C27/00 ,  B64D27/10 ,  B64D27/24

Abstract: A propulsion assembly for a rotorcraft includes a blade assembly, a drive shaft coupled to the blade assembly and an electric motor coupled to the drive shaft and operable to provide rotational energy to the drive shaft to rotate the blade assembly. The propulsion assembly includes a landing assistance turbine coupled to the drive shaft and operable to selectively provide rotational energy to the drive shaft during an underpowered descent to rotate the blade assembly and provide upward thrust, thereby reducing a descent rate of the rotorcraft prior to landing.

公开(公告)号：US20200283140A1

公开(公告)日：2020-09-10

申请号：US16840292

申请日：2020-04-03

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： John Richard McCullough ,  Paul K. Oldroyd

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64C11/28 ,  B64D35/00 ,  B64C27/50 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64C29/02 ,  B64C39/06 ,  B64D1/08

Abstract: An aircraft has an airframe with first and second wings having first and second pylons extending therebetween. A distributed propulsion system attached to the airframe includes at least first, second, third and fourth propulsion assemblies that are independently controlled by a flight control system. A pod assembly is coupled to the airframe. In a VTOL flight mode, the first and second propulsion assemblies are forward of the pod assembly and the third and fourth propulsion assemblies are aft of the pod assembly. In a forward flight mode, the first and second propulsion assemblies are below the pod assembly and the third and fourth propulsion assemblies are above the pod assembly. In both the VTOL and forward flight modes, the first and fourth propulsion assemblies generate thrust having a first direction while the second and third propulsion assemblies generate thrust having a second direction that is different from the first direction.

公开(公告)号：US20200231297A1

公开(公告)日：2020-07-23

申请号：US16790676

申请日：2020-02-13

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： Paul K. Oldroyd ,  John Richard McCullough

IPC: B64D31/10 ,  B64C29/02 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64C27/52 ,  G05D1/00 ,  B64D27/26 ,  G05D3/00 ,  B64D27/24 ,  G05D1/10

Abstract: An aircraft has an airframe with a two-dimensional distributed thrust array attached thereto having a plurality of propulsion assemblies that are independently controlled by a flight control system. Each propulsion assembly includes a housing with a gimbal coupled thereto that is operable to tilt about first and second axes responsive to first and second actuators. A propulsion system is coupled to and operable to tilt with the gimbal. The propulsion system includes an electric motor having an output drive and a rotor assembly having a plurality of rotor blades that rotate in a rotational plane to generate thrust having a thrust vector. Responsive to a thrust vector error of a first propulsion assembly, the flight control system commands at least a second propulsion assembly, that is symmetrically disposed relative to the first propulsion assembly, to counteract the thrust vector error, thereby providing redundant directional control for the aircraft.

公开(公告)号：US10661892B2

公开(公告)日：2020-05-26

申请号：US15606197

申请日：2017-05-26

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： John Richard McCullough ,  Paul K. Oldroyd

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64C39/04 ,  B64C39/08 ,  B64C25/36 ,  B64C25/04

Abstract: An aircraft having omnidirectional ground maneuver capabilities. The aircraft includes an airframe and a plurality of propulsion assemblies attached to the airframe. Each of the propulsion assemblies includes a nacelle having a mast axis, a rotor assembly having a tilting degree of freedom relative to the mast axis and a tail assembly rotatable about the mast axis. The tail assembly includes at least one wheel having a rotational axis. A flight control system is operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies including tilting each rotor assembly and rotating each tail assembly. For each propulsion assembly, the rotor assembly and the tail assembly have complementary configurations in which a thrust vector generated by the rotor assembly has a horizontal component that is generally perpendicular to the rotational axis of the wheel, thereby enabling omnidirectional ground maneuvers.

公开(公告)号：US10583921B1

公开(公告)日：2020-03-10

申请号：US16526860

申请日：2019-07-30

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： John Richard McCullough ,  Paul K. Oldroyd

IPC: B64C29/02 ,  B64C29/00 ,  B64C11/28 ,  B64C27/50 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64D35/00 ,  B64D25/12

Abstract: An aircraft has an airframe with first and second wings having first and second pylons extending therebetween. A distributed propulsion system attached to the airframe includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies that are independently controlled by a flight control system. A pod assembly is coupled to the airframe. In a VTOL flight mode, the first wing is forward of the pod assembly and the second wing is aft of the pod assembly. In a forward flight mode, the first wing is below the pod assembly and the second wing is above the pod assembly. In both the VTOL flight mode and the forward flight mode, a first pair of symmetrically disposed propulsion assemblies generates thrust having a first direction while a second pair of symmetrically disposed propulsion assemblies generates thrust having a second direction that is different from the first direction.

公开(公告)号：US10538317B2

公开(公告)日：2020-01-21

申请号：US15221090

申请日：2016-07-27

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： Jeffrey Paul Nissen ,  John Richard McCullough

IPC: B64C27/473 ,  B64D15/12 ,  B64C29/00

Abstract: In some embodiments, a rotorcraft includes an engine, a rotor hub assembly mechanically coupled to the engine and a plurality of rotor blade assemblies rotatably mounted to the rotor hub assembly. Each of the rotor blade assemblies includes a rotor blade having a leading edge and an erosion shield system extending spanwise along the leading edge of the rotor blade. The erosion shield system includes a plurality of erosion shield segments positioned adjacent to one another forming joints therebetween wherein, the joints deform responsive to strain experienced by the rotor blade, thereby isolating the erosion shield segments from at least a portion of the strain experienced by the rotor blade.

公开(公告)号：US20230192294A1

公开(公告)日：2023-06-22

申请号：US18112832

申请日：2023-02-22

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： John Richard McCullough ,  Paul K. Oldroyd

IPC: B64C39/08 ,  B64C29/00 ,  B64C3/56 ,  B64C11/46 ,  B64C17/00 ,  B64C29/02 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64D27/24 ,  B64D27/26 ,  B64C27/30 ,  B64C1/06 ,  G05D1/00 ,  G05D1/10

CPC classification number: B64C39/08 ,  B64C29/0033 ,  B64C3/56 ,  B64C11/46 ,  B64C17/00 ,  B64C29/02 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64D27/24 ,  B64D27/26 ,  B64C27/30 ,  B64C1/063 ,  G05D1/0094 ,  G05D1/106 ,  G05D1/101 ,  G05D1/102 ,  B64D2027/262 ,  B64C2211/00 ,  B64U30/10

Abstract: An aircraft is configured for thrust-borne lift in a vertical takeoff and landing flight mode and wing-borne lift in a forward flight mode. The aircraft includes an airframe having a first wing and a first payload station. A distributed propulsion system that is coupled to the airframe includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies configured to provide vertical thrust in the vertical takeoff and landing flight mode and forward thrust in the forward flight mode. A control system is operably associated with the distributed propulsion system and is operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies. A payload module is configured to be transported by the airframe from a pickup location to a delivery location. The payload module is magnetically coupled to the first payload station during transportation and, responsive to a command from the control system, is magnetically decoupled from the first payload station at the delivery location.