Emergency collective actuator and method for a helicopter

摘要

A helicopter includes a rotor system having a rotor with an adjustable pitch that is controlled at least in part by a pilot using a collective control and which helicopter generates a Low RPM signal that is indicative of a threshold low rotational speed of the rotor. An actuator arrangement can move the collective control by exerting a force on the collective control such that the pilot is able to overcome the actuator force but which otherwise can move the collective control from a current operational position toward a minimum pitch position. A clutch can co-rotate with a motor to serve in transferring the actuation force to reduce the adjustable pitch and can slip relative to the actuator shaft assembly responsive to an application of a counterforce applied by the pilot to the collective control such that the counterforce overcomes the actuation force.

主权项

1. For use with a helicopter including a rotor system having a main rotor with an adjustable pitch that is controlled at least in part by a pilot using a collective control, an apparatus comprising:
an actuator arrangement including a motor having an output shaft for rotation to change the adjustable pitch by exerting an actuation force and a clutch supported by the output shaft and in operative communication with the collective control such that the clutch slips relative to the output shaft to allow the pilot to overcome said actuation force using the collective control but otherwise the clutch co-rotates with the motor shaft to bias the adjustable pitch toward a minimum collective pitch position; and a control arrangement that is configured to receive a signal that is indicative of a low rotor RPM condition and to respond to said signal by activating the actuator arrangement to exert the actuation force.