US4587436A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Aircraft providing variable and constant electric power
Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corp
•
Filing: 1980-07-28
•
Granted: 1986-05-06
•
Expires: 2000-07-28
Abstract
Abstract The invention is a two-level power system for electrically powered aircraft sub-systems. An aircraft engine (2) drives a three phase generator (30) at a variable speed. The output of generator (30) is primary variable-voltage/variable-frequency (VV-VF) power which is utilized by various aircraft subsystems. A portion of the primary VV-VF power is converted to constant voltage-constant frequency (CV-CF) power by an inverter (31) which includes front end rectification. The CV-CF power is then available to selected aircraft subsystems while portions of the CV-CF power are converted by rectifier (32) and transformer-rectifier (33) into 270 vdc and 28 vdc power, respectively, which power is also then available to aircraft sub-systems.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael J. Cronin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 09:13
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02P; H02P9/00; H02P9/14; H02P9/26; H02P9/30; H02P9/305; H02P9/307; H02P2101/00; H02P2101/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
In an aircraft having at least one variable speed engine first electricity driven subsystems and devices including fuel pumps, electrohydraulic pumps, electric-galley, de-icing, and environmental control subsystems, and second electrically driven subsystems and devices including solenoids, control valves, shut-off valves, indicators, lamps and instruments, the improvement comprising: generator means associated with and adapted to be driven by said at least one aircraft engine continuously and at variable speeds, said generator means being further adapted for generating primary variable-voltage/variable-frequency power to said first electrically driven subsystems and devices; and means associated with said primary power generating means for converting a minor portion of said primary variable-voltage/variable-frequency power to conditioned secondary power for said second electrically driven subsystems and devices.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
118 words
In an aircraft having at least one variable speed engine first electricity driven subsystems and devices including fuel pumps, electrohydraulic pumps, electric-galley, de-icing, and environmental control subsystems, and second electrically driven subsystems and devices including solenoids, control valves, shut-off valves, indicators, lamps and instruments, the improvement comprising: generator means associated with and adapted to be driven by said at least one aircraft engine continuously and at variable speeds, said generator means being further adapted for generating primary variable-voltage/variable-frequency power to said first electrically driven subsystems and devices; and means associated with said primary power generating means for converting a minor portion of said primary variable-voltage/variable-frequency power to conditioned secondary power for said second electrically driven subsystems and devices.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
An aircraft in claim 1 wherein said generating means comprises a three phase generator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
An aircraft as in claim 1 wherein said means associated with said primary power generating means converts at least a portion of said primary variable-frequency/variable-voltage power to constant-voltage/constant-frequency power.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
An aircraft as in claim 3 wherein said means for converting to constant-voltage/constant-frequency power comprises an inverter with front end voltage control circuitry.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
An aircraft as in claim 3 including means for converting at least a portion of said constant-voltage/constant-frequency power to a constant level of 270 volt dc power.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
An aircraft as in claim 5 wherein said means for converting to 270 volt dc power includes a three phase bridge rectifier.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
An aircraft as in claim 3 wherein said means associated with said primary power generating means converts at least a portion of said primary variable-frequency/variable-voltage power to a constant level of 270 volt dc power.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
An aircraft as in claim 7 wherein said means for converting to said constant level of 270 volt dc power includes a three phase rectifier bridge, said rectifier bridge including voltage-control means connected to the variable-voltage/variable frequency power.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
An aircraft as in claims 3, or 26 including means for converting at least a portion of said constant-voltage/constant-frequency power to 28 volt dc power.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
An aircraft as in claim 9 wherein said means for converting to 28 volt dc power includes a transformer-rectifier device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
An aircraft as in any of claims 1, 3, or 5 wherein said means for generating primary variable-frequency/variable-voltage power comprises a permanent magnet rotor generator.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
An aircraft as in claim 11 wherein said generator includes a high energy permanent magnet rotor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
An aircraft as in claim 12 wherein said high energy permanent magnet rotor comprises a samarium cobalt rotor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US26327A
Cited
US26630A
Cited
USRE26327E
Cited
US2026474A
Cited
US2500655A
Cited
US2892098A
Cited
US2967252A
Cited
US2899566A
Cited
US3274482A
Cited
US3641418A
Cited
USRE26630E
Cited
US3440398A
Cited
US3585485A
Cited
US3668419A
Cited
US4038592A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-05-05 | 1989-11-04 | 1990-05-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-05-05 | 1993-11-04 | 1994-05-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-05-05 | 1997-11-04 | 1998-05-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |