The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 29, 2022
Filed:
Apr. 26, 2019
Textron Systems Corporation, Hunt Valley, MD (US);
Sean Marshall Baity, Westminster, MD (US);
David D. Billingsley, Seven Valleys, PA (US);
Brad S. Galloway, Seven Valleys, PA (US);
Richard M. Chapman, Madison, WI (US);
Daniel Thomas Otradovec, Forest Hill, MD (US);
Graham Schill, Upperco, MD (US);
Textron Systems Corporation, Hunt Valley, MD (US);
Abstract
An aircraft employs articulated, variable-position electric rotors having different operating configurations and transitions therebetween, as well as variable-pitch airfoils or blades, for generating vectored thrust in the different configurations. Control circuitry generates rotor position signals and blade pitch signals to independently control rotor thrust, rotor orientation and rotor blade pitch of the variable-position rotors in a manner providing (i) the transitions among the operating configurations for corresponding flight modes of the aircraft, which may include both vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) mode as well as a forward-flight mode, and (ii) commanded thrust-vectoring maneuvering of the aircraft in the different configurations, including tailoring blade pitch to optimize aspects of aircraft performance.