초록 ▼

A biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism including a support member, at least two blade joints for holding blades and operatively connected to the support member. An outer shaft member is concentric with the support member, and an inner shaft member is concentric with the outer shaft member. The

A biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism including a support member, at least two blade joints for holding blades and operatively connected to the support member. An outer shaft member is concentric with the support member, and an inner shaft member is concentric with the outer shaft member. The mechanism allows the blades of a small-scale rotor to be actuated in the flap and pitch degrees of freedom. The pitching and the flapping are completely independent from and uncoupled to each other. As such, the rotor can independently flap, or independently pitch, or flap and pitch simultaneously with different amplitudes and/or frequencies. The mechanism can also be used in a non-rotary wing configuration, such as an ornithopter, in which case the rotational degree of freedom would be suppressed.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism comprising:a support member; an outer shaft member concentric with and supported within the support member; an inner shaft member concentric with and supported within the outer shaft member; and at least two blade joints for holding blades mounted on t

1. A biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism comprising:a support member; an outer shaft member concentric with and supported within the support member; an inner shaft member concentric with and supported within the outer shaft member; and at least two blade joints for holding blades mounted on the support member, each of the at least two blade joints including a flapping member being coupled to the outer shaft member, and a pitching member being coupled to the inner shaft member, the flapping member and pitching member being uncoupled and actuated independently of each other. 2. The biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the support member comprises a hub including at least two ball joints fixed to an upper portion of the hub for mounting the at least two blade joints through apertures therein, and a linear bearing for supporting the outer shaft within the hub.3. The biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the at least two blade joints further include a hinge on a first side and the pitching member being fixed to a second side adjacent the first side, the flapping member being connected to the hinge and extending from the first side, and the pitching member extending in a direction perpendicular to the flapping member.4. The biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the pitching member comprises a spherical bolt and the flapping member comprises a sliding pin.5. The biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the outer shaft member comprises an elongate section supported in the support member and a head section, the head section including at least two sleeves extending from opposite sides of the head section for receiving the flapping member, and an aperture for receiving the inner shaft member.6. The biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the inner shaft member comprises an elongate section supported in the outer shaft member, a linking section perpendicular to the elongate section and at least two female ball joints disposed at opposite ends of the linking section.7. The biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the inner shaft member comprises an elongate section that is slidingly engaged within the outer shaft member, and a linking section perpendicular to the elongate section having at least two female ball joints disposed at opposite ends, and wherein the at least two female ball joints are operatively connected to the pitching member.8. The biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the outer shaft member comprises a head section and at least two sleeves extending from opposite sides of the head section, and wherein the flapping member is slidingly engaged within the sleeves.9. The biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the pitching member of one of the at least two blade joints extends in a direction opposite from an extending direction of the pitching member of the other of the at least two blade joints.10. The biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism according to claim 1, wherein movement of the pitching member changes the pitch of the at least two blade joints and movement of the flapping member raises and lowers the at least two blade joints.11. A biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism comprising:supporting means for supporting at least two blade joints, each of the at least two blade joints including a flapping member for flapping the at least two blade joints and a pitching member for pitching the at least two blade joints, the flapping member and pitching member being uncoupled and actuated independently of each other; first moving means for moving the flapping member in a vertical direction; second moving means for moving the pitching member in an angular direction; first coupling means for coupling the flapping member to the first moving means; and second coupling means for coupling the pitching member to the second moving means. 12. A biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism according to claim 11, further comprising mounting means for mounting the at least two blade joints onto the supporting means.13. The biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism according to claim 12, wherein the mounting means comprises ball joint spheres disposed on an upper portion of the supporting means.14. The biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism according to claim 11, wherein the flapping member comprises an extending pin on the at least two blade joints slidingly engaged in a sleeve on the outer shaft member and wherein the pitching member comprises a spherical bolt on the at least two blade joints rotatingly engaged in a female part of the inner shaft member.15. The biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism according to claim 14, wherein the spherical bolt of one of the at least two blade joints extends in a direction adjacent to an extending direction of the extending pin.16. A biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism comprising:a support member; an outer shaft member concentric with and supported within the support member; an inner shaft member concentric with and supported within the outer shaft member; and at least two blade joints for holding blades, mounted on the support member, each of the at least two blade joints including a first moving member coupled to the outer shaft member for lifting the at least two blades joints, and a second moving member coupled to the inner shaft member for tilting the at least two blade joints, the first moving member and the second moving member being uncoupled and actuated independently of each other. 17. The biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism according to claim 16, wherein movement of the first moving member causes the blades to flap and movement of the second moving member changes a pitch of the blades.18. The biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a coupling of one of the at least two blade joints to the inner shaft member provides a pitching degree of freedom to the blades.19. The biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a coupling of the at least two blade joints to the outer shaft member provides a flapping degree of freedom to the blades.20. The biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a concentricity of the hub, inner shaft member and outer shaft member provide a rotational degree of freedom to the blades.