IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,441,495
Granted Patent B2
US 12,441,495 · App. 18/851,260 · Granted Oct 14, 2025

Flight device and flight device control method

Inventors: Mitsuru Ishikawa (Ota, JP); Hiroyuki Nagashima (Ota, JP)
Assignees: ISHIKAWA ENERGY RESEARCH CO., LTD.; KUBOTA CORPORATION
B64U50/27B64D31/06B64U50/11B64U10/16
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,441,495
App. No.
18/851,260
Granted
Oct 14, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a flight device and a flight device control method that ensure safety even if a defect occurs in a power connection/disconnection unit. Rotor-side power transmission units 26 of a flight device 10 include first and second rotor-side power transmission units 261 and 262 . Power connection/disconnection units 27 transmit power according to conditions and include first and second power connection/disconnection units 271 and 272 . The first power connection/disconnection unit 271 is provided between a first engine-side power transmission unit 251 and the first rotor-side power transmission unit 261 . The second power connection/disconnection unit 272 is provided between a second engine-side power transmission unit 252 and the second rotor-side power transmission unit 262 . The arithmetic control unit 31 changes the flight status when the degree to which the first power connection/disconnection unit 271 transmits the power and the degree to which the second power connection/disconnection unit 272 transmits the power differ by a certain amount or more.

Claims (36)

1. A flight device comprising: an airframe; a main rotor; an engine; an engine-side power transmission unit; a rotor-side power transmission unit; a power connection/disconnection unit; and an arithmetic control unit, wherein

the main rotor rotates to generate driving force necessary for the airframe to fly and includes a first main rotor and a second main rotor,

the engine generates power necessary for the first main rotor and the second main rotor to rotate,

the engine-side power transmission unit rotates using the power of the engine and includes a first engine-side power transmission unit and a second engine-side power transmission unit,

the rotor-side power transmission unit includes a first rotor-side power transmission unit drivingly connected to the first main rotor and a second rotor-side power transmission unit drivingly connected to the second main rotor,

the power connection/disconnection unit transmits the power according to conditions and includes a first power connection/disconnection unit and a second power connection/disconnection unit,

the first power connection/disconnection unit is provided between the first engine-side power transmission unit and the first rotor-side power transmission unit,

the second power connection/disconnection unit is provided between the second engine-side power transmission unit and the second rotor-side power transmission unit, and

the arithmetic control unit changes a flight status when a degree to which the first power connection/disconnection unit transmits the power and a degree to which the second power connection/disconnection unit transmits the power are different by a predetermined value.

2. The flight device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first rotational speed measurement unit measuring rotational speed of the first rotor-side power transmission unit; and

a second rotational speed measurement unit measuring rotational speed of the second rotor-side power transmission unit, wherein

the arithmetic control unit changes the flight status when the rotational speed of the first rotor-side power transmission unit measured by the first rotational speed measurement unit and the rotational speed of the second rotor-side power transmission unit measured by the second rotational speed measurement unit are different by a predetermined value.

3. The flight device according to claim 1 , wherein in a case of changing the flight status in a landing state, the arithmetic control unit stops the engine.

4. The flight device according to claim 1 , wherein in a case of changing the flight status in a flight state, the arithmetic control unit lands the flight device by using the driving force of the engine.

5. The flight device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a sub-rotor; and

a motor that rotates the sub-rotor, wherein

in a case of changing the flight status in a flight state, the arithmetic control unit stops the engine and lands the flight device by rotating the sub-rotor using the motor.

6. The flight device according to claim 1 , wherein

in a case of flight from a landing state, the arithmetic control unit cancels the flight when the difference between the degree to which the first power connection/disconnection unit transmits the power and the degree to which the second power connection/disconnection unit transmits the power is greater than a first setting value.

7. The flight device according to claim 1 , wherein

during flight, the arithmetic control unit lands the flight device while running the engine when the difference between the degree to which the first power connection/disconnection unit transmits the power and the degree to which the second power connection/disconnection unit transmits the power is greater than a second setting value.

8. The flight device according to claim 1 , wherein

during flight, the arithmetic control unit lands the flight device with the engine stopped when the difference between the degree to which the first power connection/disconnection unit transmits the power and the degree to which the second power connection/disconnection unit transmits the power is greater than a third setting value.

9. The flight device according to claim 1 , wherein

the arithmetic control unit changes the flight status when the absolute value of the difference between the rotational speed of the first rotor-side power transmission unit and the rotational speed of the second rotor-side power transmission unit is more than or equal to a certain value.

10. A method of controlling a flight device, the flight device comprising: an airframe; a main rotor; an engine; an engine-side power transmission unit; a rotor-side power transmission unit; and a power connection/disconnection unit, wherein

the main rotor rotates to generate driving force necessary for the airframe to fly and includes a first main rotor and a second main rotor,

the engine generates power necessary for the first main rotor and the second main rotor to rotate,

the engine-side power transmission unit rotates using the power of the engine and includes a first engine-side power transmission unit and a second engine-side power transmission unit,

the rotor-side power transmission unit includes a first rotor-side power transmission unit drivingly connected to the first main rotor and a second rotor-side power transmission unit drivingly connected to the second main rotor,

the power connection/disconnection unit transmits the power according to conditions and includes a first power connection/disconnection unit and a second power connection/disconnection unit,

the first power connection/disconnection unit is provided between the first engine-side power transmission unit and the first rotor-side power transmission unit,

the second power connection/disconnection unit is provided between the second engine-side power transmission unit and the second rotor-side power transmission unit, and the method comprises:

changing a flight status when a degree to which the first power connection/disconnection unit transmits the power and a degree to which the second power connection/disconnection unit transmits the power are different by a predetermined value.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 26, 2024
From: ISHIKAWA, MITSURU; NAGASHIMA, HIROYUKI
To: ISHIKAWA ENERGY RESEARCH CO., LTD.; KUBOTA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 069053/0567 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-054026 · Mar 29, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250214723A1 · Jul 3, 2025
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