Patent ID: 9683616
Date: 2017-06-20
CPC Classifications: B64C,B64D,F16D,F16H,Y02T,Y10T

Claim:
1. A rotorcraft, comprising: a body; a power train coupled to the body and comprising an engine and a drive shaft coupled to the engine; a rotor system coupled to the power train, the rotor system comprising at least one rotor blade; a pilot input device; and a first controlled-slippage actuator in mechanical communication between the pilot input device and the rotor system, the first controlled-slippage actuator comprising: a first driving member configured to receive mechanical energy from a power source; a first driven member; a first magnetorheological (MR) fluid disposed between the first driving member and the first driven member and configured to transmit a variable amount of mechanical energy from the first driving member to the first driven member; a first output member coupled between the first driven member and the rotor system; and a first magnetic circuit configured to deliver a first magnetic field towards the first MR fluid, the first magnetic circuit configured to vary the strength of the first magnetic field in response to inputs received from the pilot input device.