Systems and methods for improved rotor assembly for use with a stator
Systems and methods relate to a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) platform that can include a stator and a rotor magnetically levitated by the stator. The rotor and stator can be annular, such that the rotor rotates about a rotational axis. The stator can include magnets that provide guidance, levitation, and drive forces to drive the rotor, as well as to control operation of rotor blades of the rotor that can be independently rotated to specific pitch angles to control at least one of lift, pitch, roll, or yaw of the VTOL platform. Various controllers can be used to enable independent and redundant control of components of the VTOL platform.
1 . A system, comprising:
a rotor, comprising:
a rotor sidewall defining a rotational axis;
at least one rotor blade coupled with and transverse the rotor sidewall along a first surface of the rotor sidewall; and
a plurality of rotor magnets coupled with the rotor sidewall along a second surface of the rotor sidewall opposite the first surface;
wherein the plurality of rotor magnets comprises a first rotor magnet coupled with the rotor sidewall at a first axial location relative to a pitch axis of the at least one rotor blade and a second rotor magnet coupled with the rotor sidewall at a second axial location spaced from the first axial location on a opposite axial side relative to the pitch axis the at least one rotor blade;
a stator, comprising:
a plurality of stator magnets circumferentially arranged along a surface of a stator sidewall facing the second surface of the rotor sidewall;
a plurality of actuators coupled with the plurality of stator magnets; and
a position encoder coupled with the plurality of stator magnets to transmit a position signal of each rotor blade;
wherein, during operation, differential magnetic forces produced between the plurality of stator magnets and the first rotor magnet and the second rotor magnet cause the at least one rotor blade to rotate about the pitch axis as the rotor rotates about the rotational axis; and
a controller electrically coupled to the plurality of stator magnets, the controller configured to provide control signals to each actuator of the plurality of actuators to drive each stator magnet of the plurality of stator magnets to produce lift at a lift velocity.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the plurality of stator magnets by transmitting a Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) control signal having a duty cycle.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the plurality of stator magnets to modify a magnitude of a magnetic field strength of the respective magnetic field.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one rotor blade is a first rotor blade and the first rotor magnet is a first rotor magnet corresponding to the first rotor blade, the first rotor blade configured to rotate about the rotational axis in a first direction, and wherein the rotor further comprises:
a second rotor blade spaced apart from the first rotor blade; and
a second rotor magnet corresponding to the second rotor blade.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a length of the at least one rotor blade to a radius of the at least one rotor blade is between 0.3 and 0.6.
6 . A vehicle, comprising:
a support structure defining a rotational axis;
a stator coupled with the support structure, the stator comprising a plurality of stator magnets, and a plurality of actuators coupled with the plurality of stator magnets;
a rotor, comprising:
a rotor sidewall extending around the rotational axis;
at least one rotor blade coupled with the rotor sidewall; and
a plurality of rotor magnets coupled with the rotor sidewall;
wherein the plurality of rotor magnets comprises a first rotor magnet coupled with the rotor sidewall at a first axial location relative to a pitch axis of the at least one rotor blade and a second rotor magnet coupled with the rotor sidewall at a second axial location spaced from the first axial location on a opposite axial side relative to the pitch axis the at least one rotor blade;
wherein, during operation, differential magnetic forces produced between the plurality of stator magnets and the first rotor magnet and the second rotor magnet cause the at least one rotor blade to rotate about the pitch axis as the rotor rotates about the rotational axis; and
a controller configured to provide control signals to each actuator of the plurality of actuators to drive each stator magnet of the plurality of stator magnets to produce lift at a lift velocity.
7 . The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to control the plurality of stator magnets by transmitting a PWM control signal having a duty cycle.
8 . The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to control the plurality of stator magnets to modify a magnitude of a magnetic field strength of each respective magnetic field.
9 . The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the at least one rotor blade is a first rotor blade and the first rotor magnet is a first rotor magnet corresponding to the first rotor blade, the first rotor blade configured to rotate about the rotational axis in a first direction, and wherein the rotor further comprises:
a second rotor blade spaced apart from the first rotor blade; and
a second rotor magnet corresponding to the second rotor blade.
10 . The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein a ratio of a length of the at least one rotor blade to a radius of the at least one rotor blade is between 0.3 and 0.6.