SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TILT PROPELLERS WITH TILT ACTUATOR GEARBOX AND INTEGRATED INVERTER
A tilt propeller for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft includes a tilt actuation assembly for moving a tilt propeller between a lift configuration and a cruise configuration. The tilt actuation assembly may comprise multiple rotary actuators coupled to multiple torque paths in a tilt actuation gearbox. The rotary actuators may be coupled to each other by an idler gear in the tilt actuation gearbox to keep loads evenly distributed and provide redundancies in the event of a failure. The tilt actuation assembly may provide a compact packaging in which the be shared between a tilt actuator, propeller motor and propeller inverter may easily share power, control structures and sensor information.
1 - 29 . (canceled)
30 . A tilt apparatus of an aircraft, comprising:
a first frame;
a second frame moveably coupled to the first frame;
a propulsion system mounted to the second frame and configured to move with the second frame, the propulsion system comprising:
a propeller;
a motor configured to rotate the propeller, and
a propulsion inverter configured to supply current to the motor;
a tilt actuation system mounted to the second frame and configured to tilt with the second frame with respect to the first frame, the tilt actuation system comprising:
a tilt actuator linearly aligned with a body of the second frame; and
a tilt actuator inverter configured to supply current to the tilt actuator,
wherein the tilt actuator is configured to tilt the second frame with respect to the first frame.
31 . The tilt apparatus of claim 30 , further comprising:
a DC input and filter module configured to supply electrical power to the propulsion inverter and the tilt actuator inverter.
32 . The tilt apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the DC input and filter module is configured to supply the propulsion inverter and the tilt actuator inverter with a common voltage.
33 . The tilt apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the propulsion inverter and the tilt actuator inverter are coupled to a common busbar.
34 . The tilt apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the propulsion inverter supplies power to the tilt actuator inverter.
35 . The tilt apparatus of claim 30 , further comprising a common controller configured to control both the propulsion inverter and the tilt actuator inverter.
36 . The tilt apparatus of claim 30 , further comprising a common circuit board shared by both the propulsion inverter and the tilt actuator inverter.
37 . The tilt apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the propulsion inverter and a component of the tilt actuation system are co-packaged in a common housing.
38 . The tilt apparatus of claim 37 , further comprising:
a tilt actuator gearbox mounted to the second frame and configured to tilt with the second frame,
wherein the tilt actuator tilts the second frame with respect to the first frame via the tilt actuator gearbox, and
wherein the component of the tilt actuation system comprises at least one of the tilt actuator, wiring of the tilt actuator, the tilt actuator inverter, or a gear of the tilt actuator gearbox.
39 . The tilt apparatus of claim 30 , further comprising:
a tilt actuator gearbox mounted to the second frame and configured to tilt with the second frame,
wherein the tilt actuator tilts the second frame with respect to the first frame via the tilt actuator gearbox, and
wherein the tilt actuator is located between the motor and a gear of the tilt actuator gearbox.
40 . The tilt apparatus of claim 30 , further comprising:
a tilt actuator gearbox mounted to the second frame and configured to tilt with the second frame,
wherein the tilt actuator tilts the second frame with respect to the first frame via the tilt actuator gearbox, and
wherein the tilt actuator inverter is located between the motor and a gear of the tilt actuator gearbox.
41 . The tilt apparatus of claim 30 , further comprising:
a second tilt actuation system comprising a second tilt actuator, wherein the second tilt actuator is configured to tilt the second frame with respect to the first frame.
42 . The tilt apparatus of claim 41 , further comprising:
a tilt actuator gearbox mounted to the second frame and configured to tilt with the second frame,
wherein the tilt actuator tilts the second frame with respect to the first frame via the tilt actuator gearbox, and
the tilt actuator gearbox has a first torque path from the tilt actuator to the second frame and a second torque path from the second tilt actuator to the second frame.
43 . The tilt apparatus of claim 41 , wherein the propulsion inverter, a component of the tilt actuation system, and a component of the second tilt actuation system are co-packaged in a common housing.
44 . The tilt apparatus of claim 43 , further comprising:
a tilt actuator gearbox mounted to the second frame and configured to tilt with the second frame,
wherein the tilt actuator tilts the second frame with respect to the first frame via the tilt actuator gearbox, and
wherein the component of the tilt actuation system comprises at least one of the tilt actuator, wiring of the tilt actuator, the tilt actuator inverter, or a gear of the tilt actuator gearbox.
45 . The tilt apparatus of claim 44 , wherein the component of the second tilt actuation system comprises at least one of the second tilt actuator, wiring of the second tilt actuator, or an inverter of the second tilt actuator.
46 . The tilt apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the propulsion inverter has a propulsion inverter sampling rate,
the tilt actuation inverter has a tilt actuation inverter sampling rate, and
the propulsion inverter sampling rate is synchronized with the tilt actuation inverter sampling rate.
47 . The tilt apparatus of claim 30 , further comprising at least one of:
the propulsion system comprises a propulsion system sensor, data from the propulsion system sensor being shared with the tilt actuation system, or
the tilt actuation system comprises a tilt actuation system sensor, data from the tilt actuation system sensor being shared with the propulsion system.
48 . The tilt apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the propulsion inverter and the tilt actuator are configured to maintain a fixed separation though an entire range of tilt of the second frame with respect to the first frame.
49 . The tilt apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the first frame is coupled to a boom of the aircraft.
50 . The tilt apparatus of claim 30 , further comprising:
a tilt actuator gearbox mounted to the second frame and configured to tilt with the second frame, and
wherein the tilt actuator tilts the second frame with respect to the first frame via the tilt actuator gearbox.
51 . The tilt apparatus of claim 50 wherein tilting the second frame with respect to the first frame via the tilt actuator gearbox comprises tilting the propulsion system between a lift configuration and a cruise configuration.
52 . The tilt apparatus of claim 30 , wherein a rotor shaft of the tilt actuator is generally perpendicular to a tilting axis of the second frame with respect to the first frame.
53 . The tilt apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the second frame is configured to tilt with respect to the first frame about a single tilt axis that is offset from a thrust line of the propeller.
54 . The tilt apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the first frame extends from a leading or trailing edge of an aircraft wing.
55 . The tilt apparatus of claim 41 , further comprising:
a tilt actuator gearbox mounted to the second frame and configured to tilt with the second frame,
wherein the tilt actuator tilts the second frame with respect to the first frame via the tilt actuator gearbox, and
wherein the second tilt actuator is located between the motor and a gear of the tilt actuator gearbox.
56 . The tilt apparatus of claim 41 , further comprising:
a tilt actuator gearbox mounted to the second frame and configured to tilt with the second frame,
wherein the tilt actuator tilts the second frame with respect to the first frame via the tilt actuator gearbox, and
wherein the tilt actuator and the second tilt actuator are located between the motor and a gear of the tilt actuator gearbox.
57 . The tilt apparatus of claim 41 , wherein the propulsion inverter and the second tilt actuator are configured to maintain a fixed separation though an entire range of tilt of the second frame with respect to the first frame.
58 . The tilt apparatus of claim 41 , wherein the propulsion inverter, the tilt actuator, and the second tilt actuator are configured to maintain a fixed separation though an entire range of tilt of the second frame with respect to the first frame.
59 . An aircraft, comprising:
a boom;
a first frame coupled to the boom;
a second frame moveably coupled to the first frame;
a propulsion system mounted to the second frame and configured to move with the second frame, the propulsion system comprising:
a propeller;
a motor configured to rotate the propeller, and
a propulsion inverter configured to supply current to the motor;
a tilt actuation system mounted to the second frame and configured to tilt with the second frame with respect to the first frame, the tilt actuation system comprising:
a tilt actuator linearly aligned with a body of the second frame; and
a tilt actuator inverter configured to supply current to the tilt actuator,
wherein the tilt actuator is configured to tilt the second frame with respect to the first frame.
60 . the aircraft of claim 59 , wherein the propulsion inverter has a propulsion inverter sampling rate;
the tilt actuation inverter has a tilt actuation inverter sampling rate; and
the propulsion inverter sampling rate is synchronized with the tilt actuation inverter sampling rate.
61 . The aircraft of claim 59 , further comprising at least one of:
the propulsion system comprises a propulsion system sensor, data from the propulsion system sensor being shared with the tilt actuation system, or
the tilt actuation system comprises a tilt actuation system sensor, data from the tilt actuation system sensor being shared with the propulsion system.
62 . The aircraft of claim 59 , further comprising:
a tilt actuator gearbox mounted to the second frame and configured to tilt with the second frame,
wherein the tilt actuator tilts the second frame with respect to the first frame via the tilt actuator gearbox, and
wherein tilting the second frame with respect to the first frame via the tilt actuator gearbox comprises tilting the propulsion system between a lift configuration and a cruise configuration.
63 . The aircraft of claim 59 , further comprising:
a second tilt actuation system comprising a second tilt actuator, wherein the second tilt actuator is configured to tilt the second frame with respect to the first frame.
64 . The aircraft of claim 63 , further comprising:
a tilt actuator gearbox mounted to the second frame and configured to tilt with the second frame,
wherein the tilt actuator tilts the second frame with respect to the first frame via the tilt actuator gearbox, and
wherein the tilt actuator gearbox has a first torque path from the tilt actuator to the second frame and a second torque path from the second tilt actuator to the second frame.
65 . aircraft of claim 59 , wherein a rotor shaft of the tilt actuator is generally perpendicular to a tilting axis of the second frame with respect to the first frame.
66 . The aircraft of claim 59 , wherein the second frame is configured to tilt with respect to the first frame about a single tilt axis that is offset from a thrust line of the propeller.
67 . The aircraft of claim 59 , wherein the first frame extends from a leading or trailing edge of an aircraft wing.