Helicopter using electric propeller torque arm as a power source to drive a main rotor

Abstract

A battery powered helicopter uses one or more torque arms as the power source directly driving the main rotor blades, causing them to rotate. The helicopter does not require a combustion engine, a clutch, a reducer, a tail driver, a tail boom, a tail rotor, or a fuel supply system. The output shaft of the high-energy motor is coaxial with the main rotor shaft. The centrifugal force of one or more motor(s) is negligible or minimized. The torque arm assembly includes a plurality of torque arms. Each of the torque arms of the plurality of torque arms includes a propeller and a driving system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A helicopter comprising:
 a torque arm assembly rotatable about a main rotational axis, the torque arm assembly comprising a plurality of torque arms, each of the torque arms comprising a torque arm propeller;   a main rotor blade mounted coaxially with the torque arm assembly and rotatable about the main rotational axis;   a motor assembly mounted coaxially with the torque arm assembly and rotatable about the main rotational axis;   a main shaft assembly; and   a fuselage; wherein   the motor assembly drives the torque arm propellers, and torque generated by the torque arm propellers rotates the torque arm assembly and the main rotor blade about the main rotational axis.   
     
     
         2 . The helicopter of  claim 1 , wherein each of the torque arms of the plurality of torque arms comprises a timing pulley and a timing belt that connects the timing pulley to the torque arm propeller, such that the motor assembly drives the torque arm propellers via the timing pulley and the timing belt. 
     
     
         3 . The helicopter of  claim 1 , wherein a centerline of each torque arm of the torque arm assembly is in a plane perpendicular to the main rotational axis. 
     
     
         4 . The helicopter of  claim 1 , wherein the motor assembly comprises a plurality of motors and wherein a centerline of each of the plurality of motors is coaxial with the main rotational axis. 
     
     
         5 . The helicopter of  claim 1 , wherein a centerline of each torque arm of the torque arm assembly forms a drooping angle with respect to the main rotational axis. 
     
     
         6 . The helicopter of  claim 1  further comprising a battery pack, power from the battery pack being transmitted through a slip ring to the motor assembly via a center channel in the main shaft assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The helicopter of  claim 6  further comprising a control module, the control module generating control signals that are transmitted through the slip ring to the motor assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The helicopter of  claim 1 , wherein the helicopter is a manned helicopter, an unmanned helicopter, or a multiple-rotor drone. 
     
     
         9 . The helicopter of  claim 1 , wherein each torque arm of the torque arm assembly comprises a driving shaft and a bevel gear set that connects the driving shaft to the torque arm propeller such that the motor assembly drives the torque arm propeller via the driving shaft and the bevel gear set. 
     
     
         10 . The helicopter of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the torque arm propellers is hinged so that it can move between a first closed position and a second open position. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus comprising:
 a torque arm assembly rotatable about a main rotational axis, the torque arm assembly comprising a plurality of torque arms, each of the torque arms comprising a torque arm propeller;   a main rotor blade mounted coaxially with the torque arm assembly and rotatable about the main rotational axis;   a motor assembly mounted coaxially with the torque arm assembly and rotatable about the main rotational axis, the motor assembly comprising a plurality of motors, a centerline of a drive shaft of each of the plurality of motors being parallel to the main rotational axis;   a main shaft assembly; and   a fuselage; wherein   the motor assembly drives the torque arm propellers, and torque generated by the torque arm propellers rotates the torque arm assembly and the main rotor blade about the main rotational axis.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein each of the torque arms of the plurality of torque arms comprises a timing pulley and a timing belt that connects the timing pulley to the torque arm propeller, such that the motor assembly drives the torque arm propellers via the timing pulley and the timing belt. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein a centerline of each torque arm of the torque arm assembly is in a plane perpendicular to the main rotational axis. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the motor assembly comprises a plurality of motors and wherein a centerline of each of the plurality of motors is coaxial with the main rotational axis. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein a centerline of each torque arm of the torque arm assembly forms a drooping angle with respect to the main rotational axis. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11  further comprising a battery pack, power from the battery pack being transmitted to the motor assembly through a slip ring via a center channel in the main shaft assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  further comprising a control module, the control module generating control signals that are transmitted through the slip ring to the motor assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus utilizes a torque arm assembly mounted on a central axis to generate a motive force. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein each torque arm of the torque arm assembly comprises a driving shaft and a bevel gear set that connects the driving shaft to the torque arm propeller such that the motor assembly drives the torque arm propeller via the driving shaft and the bevel gear set. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the torque arm propellers is hinged so that it can move between a first closed position and a second open position.