IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,717,523
Granted Patent B2
US 10,717,523 · App. 15/921,881 · Granted Jul 21, 2020

Aircraft and flight system

Inventor: Hideomi Sakuma (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
B64C29/02B64C11/46B64C39/024G05D1/0808B64C2201/021B64C2201/027B64C2201/042B64C2201/044B64C2201/104B64C2201/108B64C2201/146B64C2201/165
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,717,523
App. No.
15/921,881
Granted
Jul 21, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

An aircraft includes propellers at a center of the airframe; a first power source; a pitch adjuster to change pitch angles of the propellers; a plurality of attitude control propellers; a second power source lower in output than the first power source; and a control circuit to control attitude of the airframe. The control circuit includes a first yaw rotation generation control unit to control first yaw rotation generated by torques of the propellers with the pitch adjuster; and a second yaw rotation generation control unit to control a second yaw rotation generated by torques generated by a difference in rotation speed between the attitude control propellers. The control circuit is configured to control the first yaw rotation generation control unit and the second yaw rotation generation control unit in accordance with a magnitude of a command value of yaw rotation.

Claims (43)

1. An aircraft comprising:

an airframe;

a plurality of propellers disposed at a center of the airframe;

a first power source to rotate the plurality of propellers;

a pitch adjuster to change pitch angles of the plurality of propellers;

a plurality of attitude control propellers;

a second power source to rotate the plurality of attitude control propellers, the second power source being lower in output than the first power source; and

a control circuit to control attitude of the airframe,

the control circuit including:

a first yaw rotation generation control unit to control first yaw rotation generated by torques of the plurality of propellers with the pitch adjuster; and

a second yaw rotation generation control unit to control a second yaw rotation generated by torques generated by a difference in rotation speed between the plurality of attitude control propellers,

the control circuit configured to control the first yaw rotation generation control unit and the second yaw rotation generation control unit in accordance with a magnitude of a command value of yaw rotation.

2. The aircraft according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first power source is an internal combustion engine, and

wherein the second power source is an electric motor adjustable in rotation speed.

3. The aircraft according to claim 1 ,

wherein the plurality of attitude control propellers is disposed in a plane parallel to a rotation plane of each of the plurality of propellers.

4. The aircraft according to claim 3 ,

wherein the plurality of attitude control propellers is disposed in a plane of an intermediate region between two propellers of the plurality of propellers.

5. The aircraft according to claim 1 ,

wherein the pitch adjuster includes:

a link mechanism to change a pitch angle of at least one propeller of a plurality of propellers provided as the propeller; and

a servo control unit to drive the link mechanism.

6. The aircraft according to claim 1 , further comprising a fixed wing to give a lift to the airframe at horizontal flight,

wherein the control circuit changes a balance of propulsive forces of the plurality of attitude control propellers after vertical takeoff to raise the attitude of the airframe, and

the control circuit controls rotation of the plurality of attitude control propellers and rotation of the plurality of propellers to perform flight control after the airframe is raised.

7. The aircraft according to claim 6 , further comprising:

a leg to land on a vertical takeoff and landing area on vertical takeoff or landing,

wherein the control circuit changes a balance of propulsive forces of the plurality of attitude control propellers to perform an attitude control from a vertical takeoff and landing attitude to flight attitude and another attitude control from the flight attitude to the vertical takeoff and landing attitude.

8. A flight system comprising:

an operation device to transmit an operation command;

a flight controller to calculate a command value of attitude control in accordance with the operation command transmitted from the operation device;

an airframe;

a plurality of propellers disposed at a center of the airframe;

a first power source to rotate the plurality of propellers;

a pitch adjuster to change pitch angles of the plurality of propellers;

a plurality of attitude control propellers;

a second power source to rotate the plurality of attitude control propellers, the second power source being lower in output than the first power source; and

a control circuit to control attitude of the airframe,

the control circuit including:

a first yaw rotation generation control unit to control first yaw rotation generated by torques of the plurality of propellers with the pitch adjuster; and

a second yaw rotation generation control unit to control a second yaw rotation generated by torques generated by a difference in rotation speed between the plurality of attitude control propellers,

the control circuit configured to control the first yaw rotation generation control unit and the second yaw rotation generation control unit in accordance with a magnitude of a command value of yaw rotation calculated by the flight controller.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 15, 2018
From: SAKUMA, HIDEOMI
To: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 045604/0829 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2017-053740 · Mar 17, 2017 · national
JP 2018-006758 · Jan 18, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180265191A1 · Sep 20, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 12,545,406