US 12,291,326 B2
Supplemental engine power control
Charles Eric Covington, Colleyville, TX (US); Chia-Wei Su, Lewisville, TX (US); Darren Gregory Lang, Dallas, TX (US); Thomas Parsons, Fort Worth, TX (US); and Cody Earl Fegely, Irving, TX (US)
Assigned to Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US)
Filed by Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US)
Filed on Dec. 14, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/539,741.
Application 18/539,741 is a continuation of application No. 17/342,963, filed on Jun. 9, 2021, granted, now 11,873,081, issued on Jan. 16, 2024.
Prior Publication US 2024/0336356 A1, Oct. 10, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B64C 27/12 (2006.01); B64D 31/12 (2006.01)
CPC B64C 27/12 (2013.01) [B64D 31/12 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A rotorcraft comprising:
a drive system including a main rotor coupled to a main rotor gearbox to rotate the main rotor at a rotor speed;
a first engine coupled to the drive system to provide a first power;
a second engine coupled, when a first clutch is engaged, to the drive system to provide a second power additive to the first power; and
a control system, comprising a processor, operable to control the first engine and the second engine to provide a total power demand;
wherein the first engine is controlled with a power compensation command to produce the first power, and the second engine is controlled to produce the second power in response to a second-engine power demand;
wherein the control system imposes a plurality of power limits on the second engine, the plurality of power limits comprise a first power limit to maintain the first power at a sufficient first power for the first engine to govern the rotor speed and a second power limit to maintain the first clutch engaged;
wherein the second power limit is less than the first power limit.