IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,091,179
Granted Patent B2
US 12,091,179 · App. 17/965,252 · Granted Sep 17, 2024

Aircrafts, systems, and methods for providing constant torque on takeoff

Inventor: Vinod S. Kumar (Bengaluru, IN)
Assignee: General Electric Company
B64D27/10B64D27/24B64D31/00B64D35/00B64D47/00F02C6/00F02C7/36B64D27/026
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,091,179
App. No.
17/965,252
Granted
Sep 17, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

An aircraft includes a gas turbine engine, an electric motor, and a propulsion device. The gas turbine engine and the electric motor are configured to provide a target cumulative output to the propulsion device. An electronic control unit is configured to set the gas turbine engine to a first engine mode to provide a first engine output to the propulsion device, set the electric motor to a first motor mode to provide a first motor output to the propulsion device, a sum of the first engine output and the first motor output being within a predetermined range of the target cumulative output, and in response to a speed of the aircraft reaching a target speed and the first engine output increasing to a second engine output, set the electric motor to a second motor mode.

Claims (36)

1. An aircraft comprising:

a gas turbine engine;

an electric motor;

a propulsion device operatively coupled to the gas turbine engine and the electric motor, the gas turbine engine and the electric motor configured to provide a target cumulative output to the propulsion device;

a wheel weight sensor configured to detect a weight on a wheel of the aircraft; and

an electronic control unit configured to:

set the gas turbine engine to a first engine mode to provide a first engine output to the propulsion device;

set the electric motor to a first motor mode to provide a first motor output to the propulsion device, a sum of the first engine output and the first motor output being within a predetermined range of the target cumulative output;

in response to a speed of the aircraft reaching a target speed and the first engine output increasing to a second engine output, set the electric motor to a second motor mode to provide a second motor output to the propulsion device, the second motor output being less than the first motor output of the electric motor, a sum of the second engine output and the second motor output being within the predetermined range of the target cumulative output; and

increase the power delivered to the gas turbine engine and decrease the power delivered to the electric motor in response to detecting that the weight on the wheel of the aircraft is below a wheel weight threshold.

2. The aircraft of claim 1 , further comprising a combining gear box in communication with the gas turbine engine and the electric motor.

3. The aircraft of claim 2 , further comprising a propeller gear box, and wherein the propulsion device comprises a propeller, the propeller gear box provided between the propeller and the combining gear box.

4. The aircraft of claim 3 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to increase the power delivered to the electric motor by a predetermined amount in response to detecting a failure event associated with a second gas turbine engine.

5. The aircraft of claim 4 , further comprising a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure within the second gas turbine engine, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to increase the power delivered to the electric motor in response to detecting that the pressure within the second gas turbine engine is less than a predetermined pressure threshold.

6. The aircraft of claim 4 , further comprising a core speed sensor configured to detect rotational speed of a core of the second gas turbine engine, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to increase the power delivered to the electric motor in response to detecting that the rotational speed of the core of the second gas turbine engine is less than a predetermined core speed threshold.

7. An electronic control unit configured to:

set a gas turbine engine of an aircraft to a first engine mode to provide a first engine output to a propeller of the aircraft;

set an electric motor of the aircraft to a first motor mode to provide a first motor output to the propeller, the propeller operatively coupled to the gas turbine engine and the electric motor, a sum of the first engine output and the first motor output being within a predetermined range of a target cumulative output;

in response to a speed of the aircraft reaching a target speed and the first engine output increasing to a second engine output, set the electric motor to a second motor mode to provide a second motor output to the propeller, the second motor output being less than the first motor output of the electric motor, a sum of the second engine output and the second motor output being within the predetermined range of the target cumulative output;

increase the power delivered to the gas turbine engine and decreasing the power delivered to the electric motor in response to determining that the aircraft is increasing in altitude;

receive a detected weight on a wheel of the aircraft detected by a wheel weight sensor; and

increase the power delivered to the gas turbine engine and decrease the power delivered to the electric motor in response to determining that the weight on the wheel of the aircraft is below a wheel weight threshold.

8. The electronic control unit of claim 7 , further comprising a combining gear box in communication with the gas turbine engine and the electric motor.

9. The electronic control unit of claim 8 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to increase the power delivered to the electric motor by a predetermined amount in response to detecting a failure event associated with a second gas turbine engine.

10. The electronic control unit of claim 9 , wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to receive a detected pressure within the second gas turbine engine detected by a pressure sensor, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to increase the power delivered to the electric motor in response to determining that the pressure within the second gas turbine engine is less than a predetermined pressure threshold.

11. The electronic control unit of claim 9 , wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to receive a detected rotational speed of a core of the second gas turbine engine detected by a speed sensor, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to increase the power delivered to the electric motor in response to determining that the rotational speed of the core of the second gas turbine engine is less than a predetermined core speed threshold.

12. A method comprising:

setting a gas turbine engine of an aircraft to a first engine mode to provide a first engine output to a propulsion device;

setting an electric motor of the aircraft to a first motor mode to provide a first motor output to the propulsion device, a sum of the first engine output and the first motor output being within a predetermined range of a target cumulative output;

in response to a speed of the aircraft reaching a target speed and the first engine output increasing to a second engine output, setting the electric motor to a second motor mode to provide a second motor output to the propulsion device, the second motor output being less than the first motor output of the electric motor, a sum of the second engine output and the second motor output being within the predetermined range of the target cumulative output; and

increasing the power delivered to the gas turbine engine and decreasing the power delivered to the electric motor in response to detecting that a weight on a wheel of the aircraft is below a wheel weight threshold.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising providing a combining gear box in communication with the gas turbine engine and the electric motor.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising providing a propeller gear box, and wherein the propulsion device comprises a propeller, the propeller gear box provided between the propeller and the combining gear box.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising increasing the power delivered to the electric motor by a predetermined amount in response to detecting a failure event associated with a second gas turbine engine.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising increasing the power delivered to the electric motor in response to detecting that a pressure within the second gas turbine engine is less than a predetermined pressure threshold.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising increasing the power delivered to the electric motor in response to detecting that a rotational speed of a core of the second gas turbine engine is less than a predetermined core speed threshold.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 13, 2022
From: KUMAR, VINOD
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 061413/0064 →
Priority Claims (1)
IN 202211048927 · Aug 26, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240067347A1 · Feb 29, 2024