Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Mission-adaptive rotor blade with circulation control
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Application No.: US14665047Application Date: 2015-03-23
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Publication No.: US09637229B2Publication Date: 2017-05-02
- Inventor: Jacob Johannes van der Westhuizen
- Applicant: Groen Brothers Aviation Global, Inc.
- Applicant Address: US UT Salt Lake City
- Assignee: Groen Aeronautics Corporation
- Current Assignee: Groen Aeronautics Corporation
- Current Assignee Address: US UT Salt Lake City
- Agency: The Watson I.P. Group, PLC
- Agent Jovan N. Jovanovic; Vladan M. Vasiljevic
- Main IPC: B64C27/72
- IPC: B64C27/72 ; B64C27/26 ; B64C27/18

Abstract:
A rotorcraft may include an airframe and a rotor connected to the airframe. The rotor may include a plurality of blades defining ducts along the length thereof and vents in fluid communication with the ducts. Flow from through the vents may be controlled by valves with piezoelectric actuators. The valves may be adjusted to achieve a lift profile suited for an operational mode such as vertical, autorotative, or unloaded flight. The lift profile may vary along the length of the blade and may vary cyclically with rotation of the blade. The lift profile may be chosen to approximate a figure of merit for the rotor suitable for a given operational mode.
Public/Granted literature
- US20160001881A1 MISSION-ADAPTIVE ROTOR BLADE WITH CIRCULATION CONTROL Public/Granted day:2016-01-07
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