Off-board gyrocopter take-off systems and associated methods
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B64C-027/02
B64F-001/04
출원번호
US-0602190
(2015-01-21)
등록번호
US-9776713
(2017-10-03)
발명자
/ 주소
Sada-Salinas, Jaime G.
출원인 / 주소
Sada-Salinas, Jaime G.
대리인 / 주소
Perkins Coie LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
2
초록▼
Off-board gyrocopter take-off systems and associated methods are disclosed. A representative method includes restraining a gyrocopter from vertical and lateral movement, pre-rotating a fixed-pitch lift rotor of the gyrocopter via a power source located off the gyrocopter, and releasing the gyrocopte
Off-board gyrocopter take-off systems and associated methods are disclosed. A representative method includes restraining a gyrocopter from vertical and lateral movement, pre-rotating a fixed-pitch lift rotor of the gyrocopter via a power source located off the gyrocopter, and releasing the gyrocopter for vertical movement to allow the gyrocopter to lift under a force provided by the lift rotor. Optionally, the method can further include interrupting or reducing power from the power source to the gyrocopter as a way to release the gyrocopter for vertical movement.
대표청구항▼
1. A system for pre-rotating a gyrocopter, comprising: a restraint positionable to at least restrict lateral and vertical motion of a gyrocopter;a power source;a transmission device coupled to the power source, the transmission device being releasably coupleable to a pre-rotator carried by the gyroc
1. A system for pre-rotating a gyrocopter, comprising: a restraint positionable to at least restrict lateral and vertical motion of a gyrocopter;a power source;a transmission device coupled to the power source, the transmission device being releasably coupleable to a pre-rotator carried by the gyrocopter; anda portable base, wherein the restraint, the power source, and the transmission device, are fixedly connected to the portable base during operation of the transmission device. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein: the restraint includes multiple lateral restraints, each positioned to engage a side surface of a wheel of the gyrocopter;the restraint further includes multiple vertical restraints, each positioned to engage an at least partially upwardly-facing surface of one of the wheels of the gyrocopter; andthe transmission device includes a flexible rotatable shaft positioned in a sleeve, the shaft being coupled to a coupling that includes a spline element and is positioned to receive a corresponding coupling carried by the gyrocopter. 3. The system of claim 1, further comprising the gyrocopter, and wherein the gyrocopter is releasably coupled to the transmission device, further wherein the power source is positioned off-board the gyrocopter. 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the power source includes a battery. 5. The system of claim 1 wherein the power source includes an internal combustion engine. 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the restraint is configured to releasably engage with a landing gear of the gyrocopter. 7. The system of claim 6 wherein the restraint includes at least one lateral restraint positioned to engage with a lateral surface of the landing gear of the gyrocopter. 8. The system of claim 6 wherein the restraint includes at least one vertical restraint positioned to engage with an at least partially upwardly facing surface of the at least one landing gear. 9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a release mechanism coupled to the restraint and having a first configuration in which the restraint mechanism is positioned to restrain the gyrocopter and a second configuration in which the restraint mechanism is positioned not to restrain the gyrocopter. 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller operatively coupled to the transmission device, the controller being configured to engage the transmission device with the gyrocopter and disengage the transmission device from the gyrocopter. 11. The system of claim 10 wherein the controller is programmed to receive an input corresponding to a change of power provided by the transmission device to the gyrocopter and, in response to receiving the signal, disengage the transmission device from the gyrocopter. 12. The system of claim 1 wherein the transmission device includes an off-board coupling configured to releasably engage with a corresponding on-board coupling carried by the gyrocopter. 13. The system of claim 12 wherein the off-board coupling includes a spline coupling that is slideable between an engaged and a disengaged position with the onboard coupling. 14. A gyrocopter system, comprising: a gyrocopter that includes: a body;a propeller;a first power source coupled to the propeller; anda lift rotor; anda pre-rotator arrangement that includes: a restraint positioned to at least restrict lateral and vertical motion of a gyrocopter;a second power source;a transmission device having an on-board portion carried by the gyrocopter and an off-board portion carried off the gyrocopter, the on-board portion being coupled to the rotor and having an onboard coupling, the off-board portion being coupled to the second power source and having an offboard coupling releasably coupleable to the onboard coupling; anda controller operably coupled to the second power source and configured to direct an amount of power provided by the second power source to the lift rotor. 15. The system of claim 14 wherein the lift rotor is a fixed-pitch lift rotor. 16. The system of claim 14 wherein the onboard coupling includes one of a female spline element and a male spline element, and the offboard coupling includes the other of the female spline element and the male spline element. 17. The system of claim 14, further comprising a drive link coupled between the first power source and the lift rotor. 18. The system of claim 14, further comprising a power coupling coupleable among the lift rotor, the first power source and the second power source to selectively couple at least one of the first and second power sources to the lift rotor. 19. The system of claim 18 wherein the power coupling has four configurations: a first configuration with the lift rotor decoupled from both the first power source and the second power source;a second configuration with the lift rotor coupled to the first power source and not the second power source;a third configuration with the lift rotor coupled to the second power source and not the first power source; anda fourth configuration with the lift rotor coupled to both the first power source and the second power source. 20. The system of claim 14 wherein the gyrocopter includes a wheeled landing gear, and wherein the restraint is positioned to releasably engage with the wheeled landing gear. 21. The system of claim 14 wherein the gyrocopter includes a landing gear having a skid, and wherein the restraint is positioned to releasably engage with the skid. 22. A system for pre-rotating a gyrocopter, comprising: a restraint positionable to at least restrict lateral and vertical motion of a gyrocopter;a power source;a transmission device coupled to the power source, the transmission device being releasably coupleable to a pre-rotator carried by the gyrocopter; anda base carrying the restraint, the power source and the transmission device; and whereinthe restraint includes multiple lateral restraints, each positioned to engage a side surface of a wheel of the gyrocopter;the restraint further includes multiple vertical restraints, each positioned to engage an at least partially upwardly-facing surface of one of the wheels of the gyrocopter; andthe transmission device includes a flexible rotatable shaft positioned in a sleeve, the shaft being coupled to a coupling that includes a spline element and is positioned to receive a corresponding coupling carried by the gyrocopter. 23. A gyrocopter system, comprising: a gyrocopter that includes: a body;a propeller;a first power source coupled to the propeller; anda lift rotor; anda pre-rotator arrangement that includes: a restraint positionable to at least restrict lateral and vertical motion of a gyrocopter;a second power source;a transmission device having an on-board portion carried by the gyrocopter and an off-board portion carried off the gyrocopter, the on-board portion being coupled to the rotor and having an onboard coupling, the off-board portion being coupled to the second power source and having an offboard coupling releasably coupleable to the onboard coupling; anda drive link coupled between the first power source and the lift rotor. 24. A gyrocopter system, comprising: a gyrocopter that includes: a body;a propeller;a first power source coupled to the propeller; anda lift rotor; anda pre-rotator arrangement that includes: a restraint positionable to at least restrict lateral and vertical motion of a gyrocopter;a second power source;a transmission device having an on-board portion carried by the gyrocopter and an off-board portion carried off the gyrocopter, the on-board portion being coupled to the rotor and having an onboard coupling, the off-board portion being coupled to the second power source and having an offboard coupling releasably coupleable to the onboard coupling; anda power coupling coupleable among the lift rotor, the first power source and the second power source to selectively couple at least one of the first and second power sources to the lift rotor. 25. The system of claim 24 wherein the power coupling has four configurations: a first configuration with the lift rotor decoupled from both the first power source and the second power source;a second configuration with the lift rotor coupled to the first power source and not the second power source;a third configuration with the lift rotor coupled to the second power source and not the first power source; anda fourth configuration with the lift rotor coupled to both the first power source and the second power source. 26. A gyrocopter system, comprising: a gyrocopter having landing gear; anda pre-rotator arrangement that includes: a restraint positionable to at least restrict lateral and vertical motion of the gyrocopter;a power source off-board the gyrocopter; anda transmission device coupled to the power source, at least a portion of the transmission device being off-board the gyrocopter and releasably coupleable to a pre-rotator carried by the gyrocopter. 27. The system of claim 26 wherein the landing gear includes a wheeled landing gear, and wherein the restraint is positioned to releasably engage with the wheeled landing gear. 28. The system of claim 26 wherein the landing gear includes a skid, and wherein the restraint is positioned to releasably engage with the skid. 29. The system of claim 26, further comprising a portable base carrying the restraint, the power source, and the transmission device. 30. The system of claim 26 wherein the restraint is configured to releasably engage with the landing gear of the gyrocopter. 31. The system of claim 30 wherein the restraint includes at least one lateral restraint positioned to engage with a lateral surface of the landing gear of the gyrocopter. 32. The system of claim 30 wherein the restraint includes at least one vertical restraint positioned to engage with an at least partially upwardly facing surface of the at least one landing gear. 33. The system of claim 30, further comprising a release mechanism coupled to the restraint and having a first configuration in which the restraint mechanism is positioned to restrain the gyrocopter and a second configuration in which the restraint mechanism is positioned not to restrain the gyrocopter. 34. A system for pre-rotating a gyrocopter, comprising: a restraint positionable to at least restrict lateral and vertical motion of a gyrocopter;a power source;a transmission device coupled to the power source, the transmission device being releasably coupleable to a pre-rotator carried by the gyrocopter; anda controller operatively coupled to the transmission device, the controller being configured to engage the transmission device with the gyrocopter, the transmission device including an off-board coupling configured to releasably engage with a corresponding on-board coupling carried by the gyrocopter and disengage the transmission device from the gyrocopter. 35. The system of claim 34 wherein the controller is programmed to receive an input corresponding to a change of power provided by the transmission device to the gyrocopter and, in response to receiving the signal, disengage the transmission device from the gyrocopter. 36. The system of claim 34, further comprising the gyrocopter, and wherein the gyrocopter is releasably coupled to the transmission device, further wherein the power source is positioned off-board the gyrocopter. 37. The system of claim 34 wherein the off-board coupling includes a spline coupling that is slideable between an engaged and a disengaged position with the onboard coupling.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (2)
Groen Henry J. (1813 Downing Ave. Salt Lake City UT 84108) Groen David L. (Twenty Benchmark Tooele UT 84074), Autogyro aircraft.
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