IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,291,326
Granted Patent B2
US 12,291,326 · App. 18/539,741 · Granted May 6, 2025

Supplemental engine power control

Inventors: Charles Eric Covington (Colleyville, TX); Chia-Wei Su (Lewisville, TX); Darren Gregory Lang (Dallas, TX); Thomas Parsons (Fort Worth, TX); Cody Earl Fegely (Irving, TX)
Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
B64C27/12B64D31/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,291,326
App. No.
18/539,741
Granted
May 6, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A rotorcraft has a drive system including a main rotor coupled to a main rotor gearbox to rotate the main rotor at a rotor speed, a main engine coupled to the drive system to provide a first power, a supplemental engine coupled, when a first clutch is engaged, to the drive system to provide a second power additive to the first power, and a control system operable to control the main engine and the supplemental engine to provide a total power demand, where the main engine is controlled based on variations in rotor speed and a power compensation command to produce the first power, and the supplemental engine is controlled to produce the second power in response to a supplemental power demand.

Claims (18)

1. A rotorcraft comprising:

a drive system including a main rotor coupled to a main rotor gearbox to rotate the main rotor at a rotor speed;

a first engine coupled to the drive system to provide a first power;

a second engine coupled, when a first clutch is engaged, to the drive system to provide a second power additive to the first power; and

a control system, comprising a processor, operable to control the first engine and the second engine to provide a total power demand;

wherein the first engine is controlled with a power compensation command to produce the first power, and the second engine is controlled to produce the second power in response to a second-engine power demand;

wherein the control system imposes a plurality of power limits on the second engine, the plurality of power limits comprise a first power limit to maintain the first power at a sufficient first power for the first engine to govern the rotor speed and a second power limit to maintain the first clutch engaged;

wherein the second power limit is less than the first power limit.

2. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the first engine has a greater horsepower rating than the second engine.

3. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the power compensation command is the total power demand reduced by the second-engine power demand.

4. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the power compensation command is the total power demand reduced by the second-engine power demand; and

the first engine has a greater horsepower capacity than the second engine.

5. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the second-engine power demand is calculated as a proportion to the total power demand; and

the power compensation command is the total power demand reduced by the second-engine power demand.

6. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the second-engine power demand is between about 5 and 20 percent of the total power demand.

7. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the second-engine power demand is between about 10 and 15 percent of the total power demand.

8. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the power compensation command is reduced by the second-engine power demand; and

the first engine has a greater horsepower rating than the second engine.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2023
From: COVINGTON, CHARLES ERIC; SU, CHIA-WEI; LANG, DARREN GREGORY; PARSONS, THOMAS; FEGELY, CODY EARL
To: BELL TEXTRON INC.
Reel/Frame 065923/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2023
From: BELL TEXTRON INC.
To: BELL TEXTRON RHODE ISLAND INC.
Reel/Frame 065923/0186 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2023
From: BELL TEXTRON RHODE ISLAND INC.
To: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
Reel/Frame 065923/0241 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17342963 · Jun 9, 2021
Related Publication 20240336356A1 · Oct 10, 2024
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