rexresearch.com
Cyclogyro Aircraft
http://technology.newscientist.com/article/dn13368-flying-paddleboat-may-finally-take-off.html
Flying 'paddleboat' may finally take
off
A cyclogyro flies using "cycloidal propellers" - several wings
positioned around the edge of a rotating cylindrical framework, a
bit like a paddle-wheel.
As each wing rotates, its blades move through the air generating
lift and thrust. And, since each wing rotates through a full
circle, altering the angle of the individual blades can pull the
aircraft forwards, backwards and down as well up.
The maneuverability that cycloidal propellers could offer provides
benefits over more established flying methods.
Although no cyclogyro has yet flown without being tethered, its
proponents say the design could prove more efficient and
maneuverable than helicopters at small scales.
A team of Singapore researchers is leading the race to construct a
working cyclogyro with a prototype that hovers on the end of a
line. After studying the performance of different cycloidal
designs, the pair modified a toy helicopter, giving it two
cycloidal propellers with three blades each, and a small tail
rotor for stability.
"On the tether, the aircraft can spin, move directly up and down
or fly forward and backward," says Hu. "This is perhaps the first
recorded flight for a cyclogyro," he adds. "There were some people
claiming successful flights, but no video or proof for that."
"Cyclogyros are more relevant now because people want to build
small, agile UAVs [uncrewed aerial vehicles]," says Weihs. At such
sizes they have greater advantages over helicopters, he says. The
parts of a helicopter blade nearest and furthest from the hub are
moving too slowly and too fast, respectively, to generate thrust.
"With a cyclogyro every bit moves at the same speed, so there is
no 'dead space'," says Weihs. Cyclogyros can also be more
manoeuvrable, says Weihs. Helicopters must tilt to travel
laterally. But cycloidal propellers can generate thrust in any
direction so the craft can remain level, or adopt any other
position and still fly in any direction. These advantages are
greatest at small sizes. "They are probably not practical above
half a metre across," says Weihs. "You won't see one carry a
passenger."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZYRii4MjLY
Video of a prototype model flying
http://serve.me.nus.edu.sg/cyclocopter/
Feb 19, 2007
The Development of Cyclogyro
Hu Yu , Lim Kah Bin
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, National University of
Singapore
http://arc.aiaa.org/doi/abs/10.2514/6.2006-7704
25TH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF THE
AERONAUTICAL SCIENCES
THE INVESTIGATION OF CYCLOGYRO DESIGN AND THE PERFORMANCE
Hu Yu, Lim Kah Bin, Tay Wee Beng
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University
of Singapore
Abstract
The investigation over several possible cyclogyo designs was
performed in the paper. The concept of cyclogyro has existed
almost 100 years, but still more research are needed. The
effects of taper ratio, aspect ratio and winglets are
investigated in this paper. The comparison between different
designs shows that the tapered blades with larger aspect ratio
can improve propellers performance. A new and simple blade
structure is also presented to demonstrate how to keep blades
with large aspect ratio work safely with neglectable weight
penalty.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclogyro
Cyclogyro
The cyclogyro, or cyclocopter, is an aircraft design that uses
cycloidal rotors which consist of airfoils rotating around a
horizontal axis for both lift and thrust. They are capable of
vertical take off and landing and hovering performance like a
helicopter, without the same disadvantages.[citation needed]
Although a number of cyclogyros were built in the 1930s, none were
known to have successfully flown until 2011.[citation needed] The
cyclogyro should not be mistaken for flettner airplanes, the
unsuccessful and aerodynamically different aircraft designs using
cylindrical wings which attempted to harness the Magnus effect.
Function
The cyclogyro wing resembles a paddle wheel, with airfoils
replacing the paddles. The airfoils' pitch (angle of attack) is
adjusted either collectively (by means of a control ring with
links to all blades, which is located eccentrically and variably
relative to the rotor's axis of rotation) or the blades are
individually adjustable in pitch and are adjusted continually by
the control system as they move around the rotor's axis. In normal
forward flight the airfoils are given a slight positive pitch at
the upper and forward portions of their arc, producing lift and
forward thrust. They are given flat or negative pitch at the
bottom, and are "flat" through the rest of the circle to produce
little or no lift in other directions. The pitch can be adjusted
to change the thrust profile, allowing the cyclogyro to travel in
any direction.[1] Differential thrust between the two wings (one
on either side of the fuselage) can be used to turn the aircraft
around its vertical axis, although conventional tail surfaces are
generally used as well.[2]
History
Early Designs
Jonathan Edward Caldwell appears to have been the first to patent
the concept, and invent the term. He filed a patent on the concept
that was granted in 1927, but immediately moved on to an
ornithopter design and appears to have made no effort to build a
cyclogyro of his own.[3] Several attempts to build a working
cyclogyro were made by other designers. The earliest full-sized
example appears to be the Schroeder S1 from 1930, which used the
cyclogyro "wheels" for forward thrust only.[citation needed] Adolf
Rohrbach of Germany designed a full VTOL version in 1933,[4] which
was later developed in the US and featured a tall fish-like
fuselage to keep the wings well clear of the ground.[5] Another
early example was by Rahn Aircraft in 1935, which used two much
larger chord wings instead of a multi-blade wheel driven by a 240
hp supercharged Wright Whirlwind[6] In 1935 NACA carried out a
series of wind tunnel experiments on the cyclogyro concept, and
found that the power required to turn the wheels was much higher
than expected.[citation needed] Theoretical tools of the era
simply weren't useful for prediction on the highly asymmetrical
lift profiles and the greatly simplified models they used varied
dramatically from real-world results.[citation needed] Early
experiments then ended.
The concept has recently been applied to smaller Unmanned aerial
vehicle designs, where the hovering capability would be
particularly useful.[7][8][9] Several of these designs have
produced flying prototype models:
In 2007 a team at the University of Singapore built a working
model of cyclogyro, although it has only flown in tethered flight.
Their cycloidal model was a modified helicopter, with the rotor
replaced with two sideways cycloidal rotors, each with three
blades sticking out of them in the perpendicular.[10]
A team at Northwestern Polytechnical University in China built a
free flying Cyclogyro. This design used two cycloidal rotors for
the efficient generation of lift and small and noisy conventional
head and tail rotors to stabilize the craft and provide control of
its horizontal position and direction of flight. Video of the
team's test flights can be found here. In September 2013 another
Cyclocopter model was flight tested in China
In December 2011 a team at the University of Maryland successfully
built and tested a micro Cyclocopter, as seen here. Their design
does not require a head rotor in addition to the usual tail
rotor.[citation needed]
The Austrian company Innovative Aerodynamic Technologies (IAT)
premiered a 4 rotor cyclogyro at the Paris Air Show in June 2011.
IAT has christened their creation Project D-DALUS.[11] A video can
be found here.
A team at the Seoul National University has built and in December
2012 successfully demonstrated a stable, mostly hovering flight of
a 4 rotor Cyclocopter
The Korean team design solution provides for stable and
controllable flight by having two pairs of the counter-rotating
rotors which are parallel to each other and rotate at the same
rpm. However this approach will not work for the higher forward
speeds. Not one of the teams (mentioned above) so far has achieved
the Power Loading (Lift/Power in kgf/hp) which is any better than
that achieved by the helicopters. The University of Maryland team
and the team in China use individual motors for each rotor for
stability by varying their rpm. Using a number of individual
motors makes that design heavier, more complicated and costlier.
The Korean team has announced the building of a two main rotor 90
kg UAV back in 2012.
A European Seventh Framework Programme consortium, the CROP,[12]
also studied cycloidal rotors with the optic of optimizing their
performances. Within this project, various possible aircraft
configurations were considered. One of those is the Heligyro, for
which a conceptual aeroelastic study rendering is shown.
Future Developments
Future developments, such as a variable cycloidal rotor, may
improve the cyclogyro design. This technology allows the blades to
travel about the horizontal axis along the most aerodynamically
desirable orbit as continuously determined by the control system.
This orbit will generally be non-circular and elongated, with that
orbit shape dynamically modified by the control system as the
flight regime and conditions change to keep the relative airflow
about the blades optimized. The dynamic counterbalancing of the
blades radial movements is used to keep the rotor balanced. This
design would also allow their operation and the blade orbit shape
to be optimized not only for the highest efficiency, but
alternatively also for the highest flight speed or for the highest
possible lifting capability or for the most silent
operation.[citation needed] In addition to the horizontally
elongated blade orbits being conducive to greater stability, the
ability of this technology to precisely control in real time the
localization and distribution of the lift/thrust generation may
also largely eliminate the stability issues[citation needed] which
is the most serious problem faced by current cyclogyro
designs.;[citation needed] the second biggest problem faced by the
current designs, namely that of blade bending due to the
centrifugal forces, can also be addressed via the trajectory shape
as on flat or nearly flat portions of the trajectory the
centrifugal force acting on the blades will respectively be either
zero or small.
25TH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF THE AERONAUTICAL SCIENCES
THE INVESTIGATION OF CYCLOGYRO DESIGN AND
THE PERFORMANCE
Hu Yu, Lim Kah Bin, Tay Wee Beng
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of
Singapore
Abstract
The investigation over several possible coclogyo designs was
performed in the paper. The concept of cyclogyro has existed
almost 100 years, but still more research are needed. The effects
of taper ratio, aspect ratio and winglets are investigated in this
paper. The comparison between different designs shows that the
tapered blades with larger aspect ratio can improve propellers
performance. A new and simple blade structure is also presented to
demonstrate how to keep blades with large aspect ratio work safely
with neglectable weight penalty.
m.blog.daum.net
Cycloidal Propeller
(The blue vector shows the velocity of the
blade leading edge and the green vector shows the velocity of
the blade trailing edge)
http://discaircraft.greyfalcon.us/Rohrbach%20Cyclogyro.htm
ROHRBACH CYCLOGYRO
(1933)
by
Rob Arndt
In 1933, experiments in Germany by Adolf Rohrbach resulted in a
paddle-wheel wing arrangement. Oscillating winglets went from
positive to negative angles of attack during each revolution to
create lift, and their eccentric mounting would, in theory,
produce nearly any combination of horizontal and vertical forces.
The DVL evaluated Rohrbach’s design, but the foreign aviation
journals of the time cast doubt on the soundness of the design
which meant that funding for the project could not be raised, even
with a latter proposal as a Luftwaffe transport aircraft.
There appears to be no evidence that this design was ever built,
let alone flown.
Platt’s Cyclogyro
Note the tall thin fuselage required to lift the rotary wings
clear of the ground
Based on Rohrbach’s paddle-wheel research, however, Platt in the
US designed by 1933 his own independent Cyclogyro. His
paddle-wheel wing arrangement was awarded a US patent (which was
only one of many similar patents on file), and underwent extensive
wind-tunnel testing at MIT in 1927.
Despite this, there is no evidence Platt’s aircraft was ever
built.
By 1935, Platt had designed his Vertigiro helicopter having a
single rotor with moveable vanes in the rotor downwash for
anti-torque control. Platt’s US patent # 2,074,805 of the control
system revealed a three-way drawing of a multi-seat version of the
craft. Sometime thereafter, Platt and LePage worked on this design
together, but never got past the model stage.
http://aerofiles.com/_pl.html
Rotorcraft based on experiments in
Germany by Prof Adolf Rohrbach.
Paddle-wheel wing arrangement was awarded a US patent (which was
only one of many similar patents on file), and underwent extensive
wind-tunnel testing at MIT in 1927. In essence, oscillating
winglets on this wheel went from positive to negative angles of
attack during each revolution to create lift, and their eccentric
mounting would in theory produce any combination of horizontal and
vertical forces. Still, there is no record of this critter ever
flying.
Vertigiro c.1935
Design for a helicopter having a single rotor with movable
vanes in the rotor downwash for anti-torque control.
Interestingly, an article by W Laurence LePage in the Oct 1936
Journal of the Franklin Institute was the first summary of Rotary
Wing progress. Platt's patent #2,074,805 of the control system
shows a three-view drawing of a multi-seat version, and at some
point there was collaboration between Platt and LePage on this
design that apparently never went beyond the model stage.
Gray Goose Cyclogyro c.1937
VTOL experiment using minimum power, it was hardly more than a set
of wings and a tail mounted on a motorcycle [4308] c/n 1.
Originally designed in 1923, articulated slats, connected to the
motorcycle, set the heavily-braced wings into a flapping frenzy,
but before it got any serious ideas about flying its tail broke
off.
http://rotoplan.narod.ru/history_e.htm
Strandgren's cyclogiro, 1924
In 1924 Swedish engineer Strandgren has received the patent for
vertical take-off aircraft. Then he was experimenting with models
in France within 9 years and in 1933 has begun construction of
full-scale cyclogyro. In this drawing, surprising are
disproportionately small rotors.
"Cyclogyro"
This aircraft was constructed in San Francisco about 1930. It was
expected that paddle wheel arrangement, named "cycloidal
propeller", will create both thrust and lift. The propellers of
such a type, where blades are placed in a vertical plane, have
appeared effective only for water environment, but hadn't got
prevalence for aircrafts. Source : "Unconventional Aircraft" by
Peter M. Bowers
Simplified aerodynamic analysis of the
cyclogiro
John B. Wheatley,
Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, Washington, 1933.
A simplified aerodynamic theory of the cyclogiro was developed. In
addition, examples have been calculated: cyclogiro rotor (4
blades, radius: 6 ft., span: 24 ft., chord: 0.472 ft., speed: 300
ftps) and a rotorcraft with two similar rotors (weight: 3000 lb.,
engine power: 300 hp). The main conclusions were:
The cyclogiro is aerodynamically sound in principle. Hovering
flight, vertical ascent, and reasonable forward speed may be
obtained without the excessive expenditure of power. Autorotation
in a gliding descent is available.
Strandgren's cyclogiro, 1933
In 1933 Strandgren (see above) has finished a series of
experiments with models and together with the company "Liore &
Olivier" has begun a construction of full-scale cyclogiro. The
most part of charges was paid by Societe d'Expansion
Franco-Scandinave. On the nonvalidated data, in 1934 construction
was completed and tests have begun.
Calculated characteristics:
Rotors: diameter — 6 m, five blades, blade length — 245 cm, chord
— 40.8 cm, thickness — 3.8 cm. Blades made from duralumin, weight
of each — 5 kg. Maximal rotation speed — 180 rpm.
Clerget engine, 130 hp.
Gross weight — about 600 kg.
Rotor's lift — 800 kg at 120 rpm.
Rohrbach's Cyclogyro, 1934
The project was well worked. Calculations were checked up in NACA
and in DVL (Deutsche Versuchsanstalt fur Luftfahrt, the German
Laboratory of Flight), and were recognized as reliable. In 1934
the machine was under construction.
Calculated characteristics:
Total sizes: length — 8.6 m, height — 4.3 m, span — 10 m.
Rotors: diameter — 3.6 m, three blades, blade length — 4.4 m,
chord — 0.315 m, maximal rotation speed — 420 rpm.
Engine power — 240 hp, possibly from two motors.
Empty weight — 680 kg, useful load — 270 kg, gross weight — 950
kg.
Speeds: maximal — 200 km/h, travelling (at 75% RPM) — 170 km/h,
minimal — 0 km/h, maximal backward — 30 km/h.
Ceiling — 4500 m in forward flight and 500 m in vertical climb.
Range — 400 km with three passengers and 700 km without
passengers.
With an overload of 250 kg (that is, with take-off weight 1200 kg)
minimal speed — 21 km/h, maximal — 190 km/h, ceiling — 2700 m.
Range — 1050 km with two passengers and 1550 km without
passengers. Probably, in these cases all overload weight was
supposed to be used for extra fuel.
Kirsten's Cycloplane, University of
Washington, 1921, 1934, 1942.
Cycloidal propeller was patented by prof. Frederick Kurt Kirsten
in the beginning of 1920th. The idea was supported by William
Boeing. Have begun with a water propeller. Tests of a vessel model
have passed successfully, but further business has failed, and
Kirsten has sold the patents to Voith-Schneider Corp.
For studying of an air version of a propeller the wind tunnel of
the sufficient size was required. Such tunnels were scarce in USA
then, and Kirsten has offered the University of Washington to
construct their own big (8x12 ft) wind tunnel. Twist of fate: the
tunnel was constructed in 1936, but immediately began to be used
so intensively that only in 1942 Kirsten could test a model of his
"Cycloplane". Results appeared unfavourable.
Rahn Aircraft Corp, Brooklyn NY, 1935
One-seat rotating-wing experiment with 240hp supercharged Wright
Whirlwind. Two 6' rotating wings on each side theoretically would
cause the plane to rise or descend vertically, or fly laterally
without a conventional propeller up to 100mph, but it is
unrecorded if this 15'-long creation ever accomplished any of
these feats.
US patent 4194707
Lift augmenting device for
aircraft
Thomas H. Sharpe
Cyclogiro rotors of small radius, covered with casings, are placed
in a wing and used as ordinary fans. Angles of incidence are
controlled by simplified eccentric mechanism. In horizontal flight
the rotors are disconnected from the engine, and horizontal thrust
is created by usual variable-pitch pushing propeller. The
longitudinal balancing is provided by an elevator placed in an
airflow from propeller. The elevator has an additional shutter for
thrust reversind.
Propulsive lifting rotors
French patent 76.39820
US patent 4210299
Marcel Chabonat
The project is delightful in its own way. The rotors are
two-bladed. In the first version, the variation of an angle of
incidence is "automatic" — the blades are freely swinging between
the terminators under the action of aerodynamic and/or centrifugal
forces. When moving down, the blade produces lift, when moving up
— thrust. Thus, in the bottom of a cycle the angle of incidence
changes abruptly, with an impact. Therefore terminators, on a plan
of the inventor, should be elastic. In the second version the
angle of incidence is changing "by program" with the means of
profiled cams. It is supposed to have a set of cams for different
modes of flight (take-off, climb, cruise flight, descent or
landing). The style of this mechanics reminds the tape drive
mechanism of the tape recorder of 1960's. Though the toothed belts
are used instead of elastic ones. And one more detail: it is
supposed to place the elevator assembly (at the presence of those)
in front of fuselage, to prevent its appearance in the airflow
from the rotor.
US patent 4482110
Cyclorotor composite aircraft
Arthur G. Crimmins
The main purpose of this composite aircraft is to be a flying
crane. The body weight of the craft is counterbalanced by
aerostatic lift of a balloon 1, and weight of a cargo — by lift of
cyclogiro wings 2. The wings and thrust means are mounted on
turnable pylones 3, playing also a role of the propeller blades.
The device can accept a configuration of a "classical" dirigible,
"classical" cyclogiro and all intermediate. Due to this there are
no restrictions on a summary thrust vector orientation — that is
what the flying crane needs for. The large, typical for balloons,
size of this craft will allow to spin it up to significant tip
speed while the moderate centrifugal stresses.
US patent 5265827
Paddle wheel rotorcraft
Heinz A. Gerhardt
Aerodynamically it's a usual cyclogiro.The longitudinal balancing
is provided either by vertical propeller on a vertical stabilizer,
or by second pair of cyclogiro rotors. Feature of this craft is
absence of kinematic management of an angle of incidence of
blades. Instead, on each blade the hydrocylinder constantly
controlled by the computer on the chosen law is established.
Aircraft
US Patent 7735773
Meinhard Schwaiger
As a whole: it's a classical cyclogyro with longitudinal rotors.
Design feature: cyclic control not only for attack angle, but also
for blade curvature is provided. The second feature: original (and
doubtful) autorotation mode was suggested.
Wind-tunnel Tests of a Cyclogiro Rotor
John B. Wheatley and Ray Windler,
Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, Washington, 1935.
A cyclogiro rotor (4 blades, span and diameter: 8 ft., chord:
0.312 ft.) was tested in the N.A.C.A. 20-foot wind tunnel.
The tests showed that:
The cyclogiro is capable of vertical ascent, forward flight, and
gliding flight without power.
The probable performance of the cyclogiro is very poor for normal
power loadings, and a maximum speed of 100 mph would be attained
only with a power loading of less than 7 lb./hp.
The variations of the power required by the cyclogiro with the
vertical and horizontal force coefficients is correctly predicted
by mathematical analysis.
The profile-drag coefficient of the cyclogiro rotor blades
increases rapidly with tip-speed ratio and is probably influenced
by the blade oscillations.
Research on the oscillating airfoil is needed in order to clarify
past and future rotating-wing research.
http://www.naca.larc.nasa.gov
NACA Technical Note No 467
[ PDF ]
NACA Technical Note No 528
[ PDF ]
http://www.douglas-self.com/
Developments of Seoul University
http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-08032001-111940/unrestricted/MLMThesis.pdf
DEVELOPMENT OF A CYCLOIDAL PROPULSION
COMPUTER MODEL AND
COMPARISON WITH EXPERIMENT
By
Michael Lynn McNabb
A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Mississippi
State University in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science
in Engineering in the Department of Aerospace
Engineering
Mississippi State, Mississippi ( December 2001 )
http://www.boschaero.com/
Developments of Bosch Aerospace
http://serve.me.nus.edu.sg/cyclocopter
Developments of Singapore University
VIDEOS
University of Maryland Prototypes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sF8TV2PVWlI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mwgzCg9suTI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4j67-tUzJ0Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=E9Jmg-0NGWc
Seoul National University Prototypes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VEP4KYqkF4k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gbn0Bnt3iDs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3mT1sTNbNCc
Developments of Northwestern Polytechnical
University (China)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bPdczsY3sOQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9ZYRii4MjLY
http://worldwide.espacenet.com/advancedSearch?locale=en_EP
PATENTS
Hybrid power airship adopting inflated wings and cycloidal
propellers
CN103448908
The invention provides a hybrid power airship adopting inflated
wings and cycloidal propellers. The hybrid power airship comprises
an airship body, a thin film solar cell array and an
oxygen-hydrogen fuel battery pack, cycloidal propeller thrusters,
inflated wings, a V-shaped empennage, undercarriages, a load cabin
and a control system, wherein the thin film solar cell array is
covered on the upper surface of the airship body, the plurality of
cycloidal propeller thrusters are symmetrically arranged at two
sides of the airship body along a longitudinal symmetric surface
of the airship body, a drive device of the cycloidal propeller
thrusters is positioned in the airship body, the V-shaped
empennage is fixed at the tail part of the airship body, the
undercarriages are arranged at the bottom of the airship by
adopting a front-three-point manner, the inflated wings are
positioned at the left side and the right side of the airship
body, and the load cabin and the oxygen-hydrogen fuel battery pack
are positioned at the belly part of the airship body. According to
the hybrid power airship, the cycloidal propellers, the airship
and the inflated wings are combined so that helium bags with high
cost do not need to be installed in the airship body, the volume
of the airship is reduced, and the weight and cost are saved; by
using the cycloidal propellers as propelling devices of the
airship and forming a compound control system together with the
V-shaped empennage, the control responding speed of the airship is
increased.
PROPULSION MECHANISM WITH WINGS IN CYCLOIDAL MOTION
FOR AERIAL MICRO-VEHICLES
RO128727
The invention relates to a propulsion mechanism with wings in
cycloidal motion for aerial micro-vehicles, applying the
functioning principle of the Schneider propeller used in the navy,
for generating the lift of the mini-vehicles. According to the
invention, the mechanism uses two coaxial propellers, named here
rotors, in which the common shaft is horizontal when the vehicle
is at rest on the ground, each rotor being provided with two,
three or even four wings (), and the axes () of the wings () form
with the rotors axes a flare angle Delta, which is a significant
modification in relation to the marine propeller where the wing
axes are parallel to the rotation axis, the mechanism for carrying
out the motion of rotors is based on two original solutions,
namely, the utilization of a circular cylindrical guide () for the
cyclical pitch and the control by means of a gear () - rack ();
system of the general pitch, the circular cylindrical guide
changing the cyclic pitch angle in conformity with a law which is
correct from the aerodynamic point of view, and the control
transmitted by the gear () - rack () system allows the variation
of the average amplitude in conformity with the above-mentioned
law, also proposing a system of controls, elevator, direction,
ailerons, placed in the rotor jet, which operate in any
conditions, in flight at fixed point, included.
Spherical micro unmanned aerial vehicle
CN202896880
The invention relates to a propulsion mechanism with wings in
cycloidal motion for aerial micro-vehicles, applying the
functioning principle of the Schneider propeller used in the navy,
for generating the lift of the mini-vehicles. According to the
invention, the mechanism uses two coaxial propellers, named here
rotors, in which the common shaft is horizontal when the vehicle
is at rest on the ground, each rotor being provided with two,
three or even four wings (), and the axes () of the wings () form
with the rotors axes a flare angle Delta, which is a significant
modification in relation to the marine propeller where the wing
axes are parallel to the rotation axis, the mechanism for carrying
out the motion of rotors is based on two original solutions,
namely, the utilization of a circular cylindrical guide () for the
cyclical pitch and the control by means of a gear () - rack ();
system of the general pitch, the circular cylindrical guide
changing the cyclic pitch angle in conformity with a law which is
correct from the aerodynamic point of view, and the control
transmitted by the gear () - rack () system allows the variation
of the average amplitude in conformity with the above-mentioned
law, also proposing a system of controls, elevator, direction,
ailerons, placed in the rotor jet, which operate in any
conditions, in flight at fixed point, included.
Cycloidal propeller aerial vehicle
CN102963526
The invention relates to an unmanned aerial vehicle, especially a
cycloidal propeller aerial vehicle. The cycloidal propeller aerial
vehicle includes a fuselage, a rudder system, a power plant, an
energy system, and a control system. The invention is
characterized in that the power plant is composed of two cycloidal
propeller structures and two propeller structures, and the
structures interact to make the aerial vehicle present multiple
flight attitudes. The fuselage is a spherical framework, which is
a combination of eight semicircular longitudinal frames and a
transverse frame. An angle of 45 degrees is formed between every
two longitudinal frames. The rudder system is located at the upper
part inside the fuselage. The energy system is a hydrogen fuel
cell and is located at the bottom inside the fuselage. The control
system is composed of two sub-control systems symmetrically
distributed inside the transverse frame. The novel aerial vehicle
provided in the invention has the advantages of small size, low
noise, high flexibility, wide living environment and the like,
thus having very broad application prospects.
Unmanned aerial vehicle
CN102963525
The invention relates to a novel unmanned aerial vehicle,
especially a cycloidal propeller aerial vehicle. The aerial
vehicle includes a fuselage, a power unit, an energy system, a
control system, and bracket systems. The aerial vehicle is mainly
characterized in that: the power unit is composed of a cycloidal
propeller structure and a propeller structure, and the two
structures interact to generate maximum power. The fuselage
consists of a large elliptical frame and a small elliptical frame.
The large elliptical frame can make 360-degree free rotation
around the small elliptical frame under the action of rotation
shafts. The energy system is made up of hydrogen fuel cells. The
bracket systems include light metal rods, bracket retraction and
release devices, as well as elastic rubber balls. The elastic
rubber balls play a shock attenuation role during aerial vehicle
landing. After the aerial vehicle takes off, under the action of
the control system, the four bracket systems are retracted into
the small elliptical frame. The novel aerial vehicle provided in
the invention has the advantages of small size, low noise, weak
radar visible signal, and high flexibility, etc., thus having very
broad application prospects.
Novel aircraft
CN102700707
The invention relates to a novel aircraft, in particular to a
cycloidal propeller aircraft. The novel aircraft is mainly
characterized in that higher thrust level is provided by providing
power with the aid of the combination of a cycloidal propeller and
a screw propeller. The aircraft comprises a machine body, a power
device, an energy source system, a control system and a bracket,
wherein the machine body consists of a large elliptic frame and a
small elliptic frame which are vertical two each other. The power
device consists of two cycloidal propeller structures and two
screw propeller structures, which interact so as to reach the
purpose of maximum power; the energy source system consists of
hydrogen cells so that the aircraft is green and environment
friendly; and the bracket consists of a light metal rod and an
elastic rubber ball, so that the aircraft has certain damping
function. With the adoption of the aircraft, the low-altitude
flying and parking are realized so as to execute tasks of
reconnaissance, monitoring, and intelligence gathering, so that
the aircraft has great practical value.
Flying-wing layout aircraft provided with cycloidal
propellers
CN102556335
The invention provides a flying-wing layout aircraft provided
with cycloidal propellers. The flying-wing layout aircraft
comprises a flying-wing layout aircraft body, a cycloidal
propeller thruster and two elevons; wherein the cycloidal
propeller thruster is symmetrically arranged above the flying-wing
layout aircraft body along the symmetrical surfaces of the
flying-wing layout aircraft body, and the paddles of the cycloidal
propeller thruster are arranged on the outer side of the upper
surface of the flying-wing layout aircraft body; a driving device
of the cycloidal propeller thruster is located in the flying-wing
layout aircraft body; the cycloidal propeller thruster comprises
cycloidal propeller blades, a paddle bracket, a cycloidal
propeller rotating shaft, the driving device and an eccentric
circular ring locating mechanism; and the eccentric circular ring
locating mechanism comprises a control pill rod, an eccentric
rotary circular ring, an eccentric hollow cylinder locating
platform and an auxiliary locating pull rod. In the invention, the
cycloidal propeller has higher aerodynamic efficiency than that of
a screw propeller so that fuels can be saved and the voyage and
the load of the aircraft can be improved; two cycloidal propellers
have all-around vectored thrusts and can directly control the
flight direction; and air on the upper surface of the flying wing
can flow faster through airflow produced by the cycloidal
propellers so that the lift-to-drag ratio of the flying wing can
be improved.
Special aircraft using a novel integrated lift, propulsion
and steering system
US3938759
An aircraft having a body on which is mounted an integrated
lift, propulsion and steeing system inclusive of cycloidal
propellers having horizontal axes of rotation capable of
developing net thrust forces at any given angle in a vertical
plane. Each propeller is externally driven and is formed with a
circular array of blades at the periphery of a common rim and the
blades can be turned to vary the angle of thrust by operation of a
common control head.
VERTICAL TAKE-OFF AND LANDING AMPHIBIAN AEROPLANE
RU2125524
FIELD: aircraft manufacture; designing of new multi-functional
flying vehicle. SUBSTANCE: amphibian aeroplane has fuselage with
wings, propulsors with horizontal blades and engine; two
streamlined keel superstructures are mounted above fuselage in
nose and tail sections. Each superstructure has two built-in
reduction gears of propulsors. These reduction gears have working
bevel gears fitted on inner end-pieces of blade axles. Bevel gears
are kinematically linked with non-revolving sun bevel gear at
total ratio of 2:1 by means of two bevel gears and satellite
shaft. Non-revolving bevel sun gear is fitted on axle braked by
means of worm reduction gear connected with output shaft of
remotely controlled reversible drive. Blades may perform cycloid
trajectory of motion in air flow. Outer trunnions of blade axles
of each propulsor may be fitted in bearing combined by circular
streamlined cage. Aeroplane may be provided with additional
engine; engines may be interconnected by means of longitudinal
shaft with end couplings. EFFECT: improved operational
characteristics of aeroplane.