Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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IN THE UNITED STATES RECEIVING OFFICE
PCT INTERNATIONAL PATENT APPLICATION
TITLE: AIRCRAFT WITH FREEWHEELING ENGINE
ATTORNEY DOCKET NO.: 33189.6
INVENTOR
NAME: FRICK A. SMITH
RESIDENCE: KINGSLAND, TEXAS, US
CITIZENSHIP: US
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Title: AIRCRAFT WITH FREEWHEELING ENGINE
Inventor: Frick A. Smith
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No.
13/442,544
filed April 9, 2012, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Application No.
13/012,763 filed
January 24, 2011, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application
No. 11/581,321
filed October 16, 2006, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No.
60/727,798 filed October 18, 2005, the disclosures of each of which are
incorporated herein
by reference.
FIELD
[0002] This invention relates generally to Vertical Take-Off and Landing
(VTOL)
aircraft and more specifically to a compact VTOL aircraft with a fixed wing
which can be
utilized as a Personal Air Vehicle (PAV) or an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).
BACKGROUND
[0003] Inventors have long contemplated and attempted to design vehicles which
would serve as a combination car/airplane. That creation could be driven as a
car to an
airport where it would be converted with wings and then flown like an
airplane. Upon
landing, the aircraft would be converted back to a car and then driven on a
roadway to a
destination. The Aerocar (1959) by Molt Taylor and the recent "Transition"
flying car by
Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate student Carl Dietrich and the
MIT team show
a continuation of that dream. However, that dream has not been fully realized,
and a need
still remains for an aircraft that may operate without being constrained to
airports or
roadways.
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SUMMARY
[0004] The present disclosure is directed to an aircraft that contemplates no
need for
driving a car through traffic to and from airports. The capabilities and
properties of this
particular aircraft make it compact and versatile enough so as to enable a
pilot to fly this
aircraft from "door to door" without the requirement of an airport or
highways. For example,
a person could lift off as with a helicopter from a space such as a driveway,
back yard,
parking garage, rooftop, helipad, or airport and then fly rather than drive to
all the day's
various appointments. Some embodiments of the present invention provide a
versatile VTOL
aircraft that is not only lightweight and powerful enough to take off and land
vertically, but is
also economical and powerful enough to take off, land and fly at a fast rate
of speed, like an
airplane. Therefore, it serves as a personal air vehicle (PAV) with a
multitude of uses and
configurations. The ability to transition from vertical flight to forward
flight and back again
provides unlimited possibilities because it combines the flexibility and best
attributes of both
types of aircraft.
[0005] In some embodiments, the current invention is able to achieve its power
from
the placement and production of two (2) Axial Vector/Dyna-Cam type engines
mounted
sideways with respect to the fuselage of the aircraft (that is, the axis of
rotation of the
driveshaft of each engine may be oriented transverse to the longitudinal axis
of the fuselage).
These engines are lightweight and produce greater horsepower and three (3)
times more
torque per horsepower than conventional engines. Each engine may have a double-
ended
driveshaft which provides direct drive to the ducted fans/nacelles which are
located outside of
the fuselage. Each end of each double-ended driveshaft may turn one ducted
fan, so two
engines will power two (2) pairs of ducted fans for a total of four ducted
fans.
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Forward Engine
[0006] In some embodiments, a first engine may be placed in the front section
of the
aircraft fuselage, and the driveshafts from the ends of the first engine may
run through a front
canard wing on the aircraft to a front pair of ducted fans located at the ends
of the canard
wing. These front ducted fans may be mounted far enough out from the fuselage
to prevent
propeller wash in the rear ducted fans.
Rear Engine
[0007] In some embodiments, a second engine may be mounted behind the
passenger
cabin and toward the rear of the fuselage. This engine may power an aft pair
of ducted fans
which are attached to the fuselage, so the driveshaft for this engine may
connect directly
through a transfer case to differentials in the ducted fans. The rear engine
may be slightly
elevated above the center line of the side of the fuselage.
In-line Configuration
[0008] The two sideways mounted engines may be placed in-line in the fuselage
so
the passenger cabin and the rear engine receive less wind resistance, thus
reducing drag on
the airplane and increasing fuel efficiency. As early as 1937, Dr. Claude
Dornier used the in-
line configuration in his German built Dornier D0335. By the 1960s, the Cessna
Skymaster
336 was using in-line engines, and presently the Adams A500 designed by Burt
Rutan is
utilizing the configuration. Since the engines are located inside the fuselage
rather than
outside in the ducted fans or at the end of a main wing, as on the Bell Boeing
V-22 Osprey, a
better in-line center of gravity is established thereby resulting in quicker
response, better
balance and increased stability in flight and/or in hover.
Ducted Fans
[0009] In some embodiments, the aircraft may have a fixed wing and four
aerodynamically designed tilt ducted fans. As early as the 1960s, the Bell X-
22A was one of
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the first aircraft to fly using tilt ducted fans. More recently, Moller's
"Skycar" (U.S. Pat. No.
5115996) is a vehicle which includes ducted fans with directional vanes and
two engines in
each duct for a total of eight engines. Unlike the X-22 with its four engines
and Moeller's car
with its eight engines, some embodiments of this invention use only two
sideways placed
engines in the fuselage with direct drive from the driveshafts into
differentials in the ducted
fans to power four ducted fans, with no intervening transmission between the
rotor of each
engine and the driveshaft or between the driveshaft and the differentials. The
elimination of a
transmission in such a direct drive embodiment saves weight and increases
efficiency and
performance.
[0010] The fact that only a differential rather than a motor is located in the
ducted
fans of some embodiments of this invention creates a larger volume of airflow
through the
ducted fans. Eliminating the weight of the motors or engines outboard of the
fuselage also
reduces the weight on the side of the fuselage and/or the wing tips, thereby
using less
horsepower and torque and in turn making the aircraft more responsive and
stable.
[0011] Most ducted fans have a problem when reaching higher speeds because of
a
tendency to push air out in front of the duct. In some embodiments of the
current invention,
the aerodynamic shape of the front of the ducted fans is such that the bottom
of each duct
protrudes forward and the top of each duct slopes down to the bottom. This
lifting air intake
duct design creates low pressure in the bottom front of the duct which helps
eliminate the
need for more wing area and in turn reduces the weight of the aircraft.
Willard Custer
illustrated this lift principle with his Channelwing aircraft in the late
1930s. This technology
is being researched even today at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
[0012] Another result of extending the bottom of the ducts is a reduction of
the noise
created by the turning blades. In a UAV stealth design, this will also help
cover the radar
signature from the turning blades.
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[0013] In some embodiments, ducted fans permit the aircraft to take off and
land in
either conventional or VTOL mode. Since the fan blades may be encased in
ducts, the ducts
can be rotated to align horizontally with the fuselage, and the aircraft may
take off and land
conventionally. In some embodiments, such ducted fans may provide greater
flexibility in
terms of sizing, thrust, and ground clearance than if unducted propellers are
used. In some
embodiments, a double row of counter-rotating fan blades in the ducted fans
may provide
sufficient thrust so that the duct diameter may be small enough for sufficient
ground
clearance. In some embodiments, conventional take-off and landing may also be
provided
because the double row of counter-rotating blades in the ducted fans allow the
ducted fans to
be small enough to clear the ground when oriented horizontally. In some
embodiments,
VTOL is possible because the ducted fans may rotate to a vertical orientation
and provide
sufficient thrust for take-off and landing.
Lifting body Airframe
[0014] In some embodiments, the aircraft body itself may be an aerodynamically
designed lifting body. As far back as the 1920s, Burnelli Aircraft was
building a lifting body
airframe (U.S. Pat. 1758498). Today, the Space Shuttle still utilizes that
technology. With
the engines mounted sideways with respect to the fuselage, this design lends
itself to a lifting
body application.
Emergency Parachute
[0015] Some embodiments of the current invention include a power boosted
emergency parachute assembly which can be used in hover or flight conditions,
should the
aircraft lose one or more of its engines, thus allowing the pilot to continue
to maneuver the
aircraft to a safe landing.
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Fly-by-Wire Control System
[0016] Some embodiments of the current invention incorporate a computer
controlled
fly-by-wire system which calculates gyroscopic stability and sends information
to one or
more ducted fans or propeller blades to adjust them to the correct pitch for
controlled flight.
Fixed Wing with Removable Sections
[0017] In some embodiments, the aircraft may have a fixed level, dihedral, or
anhedral wing to provide for forward flight in airplane mode. Sections of the
aircraft wings
may be bolted on or removed to create various wing lengths for different
applications, such as
for short distances as in a city setting or long distances for long range
travel and for easy
transporting of the aircraft, as on a trailer or truck or in a shipping
container. For example,
extensions on the main wing may enable an aircraft to fly at high altitude
and/or to loiter for
long periods of time.
[0018] By combining the attributes of a fixed wing airplane and a helicopter
to a
lightweight and compact aircraft, a personal air vehicle may become a new mode
of
transportation. The embodiments set forth herein are merely examples of
various
configurations of the aircraft, and many new models can result from this
invention. Different
embodiments of this aircraft could range from a variety and number of
passenger seating
arrangements to a model with no passengers; i.e., a UAV. In other
applications, the aircraft
may serve as a personal air vehicle, an air taxi, an observation aircraft, an
emergency rescue
vehicle, a military vehicle or a UAV, or for other purposes.
[0019] Some embodiments may be constructed of lightweight material and the
airframe may be designed as a lifting body, which helps reduce the weight and
the square
footage area of the wings.
[0020] Some embodiments may have the vertical take-off, landing and flight
capabilities of a helicopter and the conventional take-off, landing and flight
capabilities of an
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airplane. Some embodiments may transition back and forth between VTOL and
forward
flight. If the aircraft is in hover position, air deflectors (which may be
mounted on the rear of
each ducted fan) may enable the aircraft to move sideways and to counter
rotate, and the
tilted ducted fans may enable it to move forward and backward safely in tight
spaces. Since
some embodiments of the aircraft may use significant power to accommodate its
VTOL
capabilities, the aircraft may also be designed to take advantage of this
power and transform
it into maximum airspeed in forward flight.
[0021] All these capabilities make this a truly unique aircraft, capable of a
multitude
of uses. Some embodiments of the current invention can lift off and set down
like a
helicopter, but can also utilize the speed of an airplane to provide quick
"door to door"
service for convenience and for the saving of time and fuel.
[0022] Since some embodiments of the aircraft can take off like an airplane,
it may be
capable of handling more weight¨such as that of passengers, fuel and
freight¨on takeoff
and then traveling a longer distance. In some embodiments, the aircraft may
land in a
conventional aircraft mode on a runway, if desired, or the aircraft may land
vertically in a
smaller space or without a runway. In some embodiments, the compact nature of
the aircraft,
combined with the use of ducted fans, may provide a large spectrum of landing
locations for
it as a VTOL vehicle.
[0023] Although some embodiments of the aircraft may not be as fast as the new
light
jets currently being developed and soon to be offered for air taxi service,
the aircraft
nonetheless saves overall time because it can take off and land in locations
other than a
landing strip. Time commuting to and from an airport can be significant, and
some
embodiments of this aircraft may provide a means to bypass airports by leaving
from and
returning to a nearby convenient location.
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[0024] In some embodiments, one advantage of the fixed wing aircraft is the
ability to
throttle back the engines and use lift from the wing to help the engines
conserve fuel while
flying. In some dual engine embodiments, either engine may be shut off, and
the aircraft can
cruise on one engine for improved fuel economy. For example, Burt Rutan's
Voyager took
off using both engines, then shut down one engine and flew around the
world¨using one
engine¨without refueling. Additionally, the wing may be dihedral, which may
improve the
stability of the aircraft.
[0025] In some dual engine embodiments, if one engine is lost, the aircraft
can fly on
either of its engines and continue to an airport to land conventionally. If
both engines are lost
while in flight, the aircraft's glide slope is excellent. The pilot can glide
the aircraft to a
landing site or use a guidable emergency parachute to float to a safe
location.
[0026] In some embodiments, another advantage derives from the fact that the
engines are not in the ducts but are instead mounted in the fuselage,
providing an in-line
center of gravity for better stability and increased response (as opposed to
having the weight
of the engines on the wingtips). Additionally, the front engine may break the
air for both the
cabin and the rear engine, thus creating a very aerodynamic lifting body
aircraft.
[0027] In some embodiments, the elevation of the rear engine may allow for air
intake
scoops to be mounted on the front of each side of the engine, thereby
providing for air
cooling of the rear engine while still maintaining the aircraft's aerodynamic
design. In
conventional airplane mode, this elevation may also improve the flare of the
aircraft upon
landing and derotation and may allow the rear landing gears to hit the runway
first. It also
may improve take-off and rotation because the front landing gear of the
aircraft may lift off
first.
[0028] In some embodiments, another advantage in landing an aircraft as
described
herein is that, in the case of an engine being lost, the two ducted fans
attached to that engine
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may stop also. Consequently, the critical engine problem which causes yaw and
then roll,
usually experienced when a twin engine aircraft loses an engine, may be
eliminated.
Additionally, if an engine is lost, some embodiments of the aircraft are
capable of auto
feathering the fan blades of the two ducted fans associated with that engine,
thereby reducing
drag through the duct.
[0029] In some embodiments, the sideways placement of the engines may provide
the
ability to power two ducted fans with one engine having a double-ended
driveshaft. In such
embodiments, the cost of construction and operation of the aircraft may be
less, for example,
because only two engines may be used to power four ducted fans.
[0030] In some embodiments, one or more driveshafts of the rear engine may be
shortened going into the associated rear ducted fans because the ducted fans
may be mounted
on the side of the fuselage, and one or more driveshafts of the front engine
may be shortened
going through a canard wing which may not be as long as a main wing. This
configuration
not only may reduce the weight of the one or more driveshafts, but may also
provide an
enhanced safety factor. Since a driveshaft may enter the middle of a
differential in a ducted
fan, the driveshaft may naturally turn two output shafts of the ducted fan in
a counter rotating
motion. This reliable yet simple design may also add to the safety of the
aircraft.
[0031] In some embodiments, the aircraft may use an Axial Vector/Dyna-Cam type
engine which may provide many advantages, including very smooth operation with
little
vibration and utilization of a variety of fuels and high fuel efficiency. The
Axial
Vector/Dyna-Cam type engine is a lightweight, small and compact internal
combustion
engine with high horsepower and high torque. A high torque engine may allow a
high angle
of attack on variable pitch blades, which may provide quick response with
little variation in
the rpm of the engine.
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[0032] In some embodiments, the ducts of the ducted fans may be
aerodynamically
designed to create lift thereby reducing the weight of the aircraft because of
less square
footage of wing area than otherwise may be required. Since no engines are
located in the
ducts, more area is available for airflow through the ducts, thus creating
more lift and thrust.
In some embodiments, the front pair of ducts may be mounted far enough out on
the canard
wing to allow the rear ducts to receive undisturbed air.
[0033] In some embodiments, two rows of blades in a ducted fan may turn in a
counter rotating motion thereby creating more thrust and reducing the overall
diameter of the
duct. This reduced diameter may provide sufficient ground clearance for a
conventional
aircraft take-off and landing mode as well as VTOL and VSTOL capability.
[0034] Tilt ducted fans may provide the ability to get full thrust on lift and
forward
flight. The aerodynamic shape of the lifting duct may provide for more lift
with less weight
since a shorter wing may be used.
[0035] In some embodiments, the blades in each row of a ducted fan may have
variable pitch. The pitch angle of the blades may be determined and controlled
by a
computer in communication with gyros in a fly-by-wire system, thus controlling
pitch for
stability in a hover mode or adjusting pitch while in forward flight. The
blades may have the
capability of self feathering and lining up in an identical configuration
behind one another
within each duct to help reduce drag and increase air flow through the ducts
should an engine
be lost or shut down. This capability may extend the range which can be flown
with one
engine.
[0036] In some embodiments, the use of ducted fans instead of un-ducted
propellers
may provide for safer VTOL. In such embodiments, no exposed propellers are
involved, so
the aircraft can land in tight spaces or get close to people or to stationary
objects. For
example, it could hover next to buildings for rescues, land in fields with
electrical wires,
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and/or land in neighborhoods or a regular parking lot. In such embodiments,
since ducts
surround the fan blades, the ducted fans may be quieter, enabling the aircraft
to take off and
land with less noise than is typically associated with helicopters. This
ducted fan design may
also help reduce or cover the radar signature from the turning blades in a UAV
stealth design.
[0037] NASA has been researching and developing its "highway in the sky" which
provides synthetic vision and GPS guidance in aircraft so that pilots can
bypass the large
congested airport hubs and land at smaller airports. That technology may be
included in
some embodiments of this invention, which may allow pilots to bypass even the
small
airports and land at or near their actual destinations, and it may assist in
handling bad weather
such as fog.
[0038] Some embodiments of this invention may include an emergency parachute
system that provides for quick deployment and rapid expansion to prevent
significant altitude
loss while in hover or for a delayed deployment while in forward flight. Most
of the
currently used emergency parachutes¨often referred to as whole-airplane
recovery parachute
systems¨require too much time to fill with air, resulting in a significant
loss of altitude
before the parachute can take effect.
[0039] The Ballistic Recovery System (BRS) which was invented and patented by
Boris Popov (U.S. Pat. No. 4607814) was originally created for ultralights and
experimental
aircraft and later retrofitted for larger aircraft. The BRS system is
currently utilized by Cirrus
Design for its lighter single engine airplanes. However, the emergency
parachute system in
the Cirrus aircraft allows a significant loss of altitude before the canopy is
filled with air.
Once the Cirrus is descending under the parachute, the pilot has no control of
the descent and
therefore no control of the landing site. The rocketed parachute system in
some embodiments
of the present invention may rapidly deploy and expand the parachute and then
allow the
pilot to steer the parachute to get the aircraft to a preferred landing site.
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[0040] A sport plane embodiment of this aircraft may have a fuselage having a
longitudinal axis, a left wing extending from the fuselage, a right wing
extending from the
fuselage, a tail section extending from a rear portion of the fuselage, a
first ducted fan
rotatably mounted to the left wing, a second ducted fan rotatably mounted to
the right wing,
and an engine disposed in the fuselage, the engine having a direct-drive,
double-ended
driveshaft having an axis of rotation oriented transverse to the longitudinal
axis of the
fuselage, wherein the first ducted fan includes a first differential operably
connected between
first and second rows of counter rotating fan blades, wherein the second
ducted fan includes a
second differential operably connected between third and fourth rows of
counter rotating fan
blades, and wherein one end of the driveshaft is directly connected to the
first differential,
and the other end of the driveshaft is directly connected to the second
differential.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0041] FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of a four ducted fan aircraft
embodiment of the current invention.
[0042] FIGURE 2a is a top schematic cross-sectional view of the aircraft of
FIG. 1
showing single engines serving the front and rear pairs of ducted fans.
[0043] FIGURE 2b is a top schematic cross-sectional view of the aircraft of
FIG. 1
showing pairs of engines serving the front and rear pairs of ducted fans.
[0044] FIGURE 3a is a side schematic cross-sectional view of a ducted fan
assembly.
[0045] FIGURE 3b is a top schematic cross-sectional view of the ducted fan
assembly
of FIG. 3a.
[0046] FIGURE 3c is a front view of the ducted fan assembly of FIG. 3a.
[0047] FIGURE 4a is a side view of the aircraft of FIG. 1 in forward flight
with rear
thrust.
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[0048] FIGURE 4b is a side view of the aircraft of FIG. 1 in hover with
downward
thrust.
[0049] FIGURE 4c is a side view of the aircraft of FIG. 1 in braking position
with
reverse thrust.
[0050] FIGURE 5 is a front perspective view of a Personal Air Vehicle (PAV) or
an
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) embodiment.
[0051] FIGURE 6 is a front perspective view of a Sport Plane embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0052] As used herein, the following terms should be understood to have the
indicated meanings:
[0053] When an item is introduced by "a" or "an," it should be understood to
mean
one or more of that item.
[0054] "Comprises" means includes but is not limited to.
[0055] "Comprising" means including but not limited to.
[0056] "Having" means including but not limited to.
[0057] "Including" means including but not limited to.
VTOL aircraft with sideways mounted engines
[0058] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2a, a first embodiment of the current invention
may
have four ducted fans. This embodiment is a VTOL aircraft with two (2)
engines¨one fore
201 and one aft 202¨placed sideways with respect to an elongated lifting body
fuselage 100,
which may be made of lightweight composite materials, aluminum, or other
suitable
materials. This embodiment may have a canard wing 123 on the front, a fixed
main wing 113
in the middle of the fuselage 100 with winglets 114 attached on each end of
the main wing
113, two vertical stabilizers 120 on the rear, a horizontal stabilizer 122
across the top of the
tail, a pair of ducted fans 106R and 106L fore, and a pair of ducted fans 706R
and 706L aft
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on each side of the fuselage 100 for a total of four (4 ) ducted fans. The
canard wing 123 and
the main wing 113 may be level, dihedral, or anhedral, depending on the
overall aerodynamic
design of the aircraft. In this example, all four ducted fans may have the
same design and are
sometimes referred to as element 106 in the discussion of this embodiment.
Alternatively,
the ducted fans may not all have the same design. In other alternative
embodiments, un-
ducted propellers may be used instead of ducted fans, or a combination of
ducted fans and
un-ducted propellers may be used.
[0059] The engines 201, 202 may be Axial Vector/Dyna-Cam type engines or other
suitable engines. The Axial Vector engine from Axial Vector Engine Corporation
is a six
piston twelve cylinder radial design with high horsepower and torque. The
engine is small,
lightweight and produces three times the torque per horsepower as compared to
some other
available engines, thus improving the power-to-weight ratio. It is fuel
efficient and can use a
variety of fuels. It has fewer parts and produces less vibration than some
other available
engines.
Passenger Cabin
[0060] In this example, the passenger cabin may have a lightweight frame made
of
composite, aluminum, or other suitable material with one stationary front
wraparound
transparent canopy 127 which serves as the windshield, and two pivotally
hinged gull wing
style doors 126 which are wraparound door frames with transparent window
material
encompassing most of the surface to serve as the side windows and skylights on
each side of
the fuselage 100. The doors 126 may also be made of composite, aluminum, or
other suitable
material. To clarify, these doors 126, when closed, may serve as skylights on
the top and
windows on the side. The pilot and front passenger side of the cabin may have
transparent
material of oval or other suitable shape in the floorboard which may provide
for downward
viewing and may also provide an emergency escape hatch. The side door 126 may
pivot
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wide open to allow for loading/unloading of large loads; e.g., an emergency
stretcher or large
cargo. It may open large enough to accommodate the ingress and egress of both
the front and
rear passengers. Some embodiments of the present invention may have a four-
seat cabin, but
other embodiments may include fewer or more than four seats, and still other
embodiments
may be utilized as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with no seats.
Forward Section of the Aircraft
[0061] The headlights/landing lights encasement 101 may have a streamlined
transparent protective covering located on the nose of the fuselage 100 and
one front air
intake 102 may be located on each side of the nose of the fuselage 100. A
canard wing 123
may be attached to the front fuselage 100, with a ducted fan 106 attached to
each end of the
canard wing by a duct rotation actuator 124. Elevators 116 on the trailing
edge of the canard
wing may facilitate in controlling the pitch of the aircraft.
[0062] Each of the ducted fans 106 may house a front blade actuator assembly
107
which controls the pitch angle of a front row of blades 108 and a rear blade
actuator assembly
210 which controls the pitch angle of a rear row of counter rotating blades
109 (hidden in
FIG. 1; see FIGS. 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b). A duct air deflector 110 may be located on
the rear of each
ducted fan 106. Each of the four ducted fans 106 on the aircraft may contain
the same front
and rear blade assemblies and configuration, and each may or may not have a
duct air
deflector 110 on the rear of the ducted fan 110. Alternatively, the ducted
fans 106 may not
all be of the same design. For example, in some embodiments, the forward
ducted fans 106
may be of one design, and the rear ducted fans 106 may be of a different
design. The air
deflector 110 may facilitate control of the transition from forward flight to
hover and back to
forward flight or from hover to forward flight and back to hover, and control
of the sideways
and counter rotating motion when in hover.
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[0063] One front tire 103 may be located on the front bottom of each side of
the
fuselage and may be attached to a fixed front landing gear spar 105 and may be
partially
covered by a streamlined fairing 104 which is wrapped around each tire 103.
Alternatively,
the tires 103 and associated landing gear may be retractable into the fuselage
100 or the
canard wing 123. The spars 105 may be fixed, and the tires 103 may be pivoting
to provide a
tight turning radius. A first avionics bay 128 for storing the aircraft's
computer, gyroscopic
equipment, etc. may be located inside the nose cone. This avionics bay 128 may
house the
flight computers and gyroscopes which handle guidance, navigation and control;
for example,
it may serve as a data bus which takes the flight instrumentation, weather and
additional data,
along with pilot input, to control flight. A second bay may be located in the
back (not shown)
for redundancy.
Center of the Aircraft
[0064] The main wing 113 may be attached to the bottom of the fuselage 100
below
the passenger cabin doors 126. Alternatively, the main wing 113 may be
attached to the top
of the fuselage 100 or to some intermediate portion of the fuselage 100. A
speed brake 111
may be located toward the center of the wing 113 on each side of the fuselage
to enable the
aircraft to slow while in forward flight. The wing 113 may include winglets
114 to help
reduce drag and thereby increase speed and lift; ailerons 115 to help control
roll while in
forward flight; and flaps 112 to help reduce landing speed, move into
transitional speed while
switching from horizontal to vertical and/or back to horizontal flight, and
decrease the surface
area of the wing thus resulting in less drag on vertical take-off In some
embodiments, other
control surfaces may be employed in combination with or in lieu of speed
brakes 111,
ailerons 115, and flaps 112.
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Rear Section of the Aircraft
[0065] One rear tire (not shown in FIGURE 1) may be attached to a fixed or
retractable rear landing gear spar 117 on each side of the fuselage 100 toward
the aft section
of the aircraft. Each of these rear tires may be fixed and covered by a
streamlined fairing 104
or retractable into the aft portion of the fuselage 100 and may be equipped
with brakes.
[0066] A ducted fan 106 may be located on each side of the fuselage 100 with
the
attachment point located behind the rear passenger cabin/canopy 126.
[0067] The rear engine 202 may be mounted slightly higher than the front
engine 201
to provide room for air intake cooling which may be accomplished through an
air intake
scoop 118 located behind the passenger cabin/canopy 126 and on each side of
the fuselage
100.
[0068] One fixed vertical stabilizer 120 may be attached on each side and at
the end
of the fuselage 100 to minimize or eliminate the yaw/roll oscillations and to
reduce the drag
off the aft end of the lifting body fuselage 100. A rudder assembly 119
attached to the rear of
each vertical stabilizer 120 may help provide yaw control. Atop the vertical
stabilizers 120, a
horizontal stabilizer 122 may be attached, with a rear elevator 121 located on
the trailing edge
of the horizontal stabilizer 122 for pitch control.
[0069] An emergency parachute with deployment rocket launchers may be stored
in a
storage location compartment 125 in the rear fuselage 100, just behind the
passenger
cabin/canopy 126 and above the rear engine 202. The parachute cables may be
attached to
the aircraft at four attachment points 129 (three not shown). Two of these
attachment points
129 may be located on each side of the aircraft, with two fore and two aft.
The front
parachute cable on each side may be routed from the attachment point 129 on
the front of the
aircraft, up the side of the fuselage 100 between the front canopy 127 and
rear canopy 126,
across the top of the fuselage 100 between the left and right hinged gull wing
doors 126, and
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back to the parachute storage compartment 125. The rear attachment points 129
may be
located behind and above the air intake scoop 118 on each side of the
aircraft. The rear
parachute cable on each side may be routed up the side of the aircraft from
the attachment
point 129 to the storage compartment 125. All the parachute cable routings may
be
concealed in a recessed channel under a non-protruding breakaway covering (not
shown)
which is aerodynamically flush with the fuselage 100.
[0070] As shown in FIGURE 2a, two double-ended, direct driveshaft engines 201,
202 may be mounted longitudinally in-line with one another in the fuselage
100, with one
fore and one aft. Engines 201 and 202 may be oriented "sideways" with respect
to the
fuselage 100 such that the axis of rotation of the driveshaft 204 and 219,
respectively, of each
engine is oriented transverse to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage. A
first engine 201 may
be placed sideways in the front portion of and with respect to the fuselage
100, and a second
engine 202 may be placed sideways in the rear portion of and with respect to
the fuselage
100. Each engine 201, 202 may have a double-ended driveshaft 204 or 219,
respectively,
which powers a pair of ducted fans 106R and 106L forward, and 706R and 706L
aft. One
ducted fan 106R, 106L may be mounted on each end of the front canard wing 123,
and one
ducted fan 706R, 706L may be mounted on each side of the fuselage 100 behind
the
passenger cabin/canopy 126.
[0071] In general, this embodiment of the current invention includes a first
power
generation device or engine 201 forward in the fuselage, which is used to
power a first
driveshaft that serves a ducted fan or propeller on the right canard wing and
to power a
second driveshaft that serves another ducted fan or propeller on the left
canard wing. In some
embodiments, the first power generation device may be a single engine, and the
first
driveshaft and the second driveshaft may be a single continuous driveshaft 226
that goes
through the engine and protrudes out each end of the engine. In other
embodiments described
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below, the first power generation device may be two or more engines in
alignment, and the
first and second driveshafts may be a single continuous driveshaft or may be
separate distinct
driveshafts, which may be coupled together to act as a single driveshaft. The
same is true for
the rear power generation device or engine 202 and its associated
driveshaft(s).
Forward Engine
[0072] The front engine 201 may be mounted in a sideways position with respect
to
the fuselage 100 between the nose of the aircraft and the front section of the
cabin/canopy
127. As the double-ended direct driveshaft 204 exits each end of the front
engine 201, each
side of the driveshaft 204 runs in an opposite direction and exits the
fuselage 100 through a
transfer case 203, continues span-wise through the canard wing 123 and duct
rotator actuator
124, and connects to an internal duct differential 212 in a mid portion of the
ducted fans 106L
and 106R. The portion of the driveshaft 204 that exits the left end of the
engine 201 runs to
the left to power the left front ducted fan 106L; the section of the
driveshaft 204 that exits the
right end of the engine 201 runs to the right to power the right front ducted
fan 106R.
Rear Engine
[0073] The rear engine 202 may be mounted in a sideways position with respect
to
the fuselage 100 behind the passenger cabin/canopy 126. Rear engine 202 may be
located in-
line with the front engine 201 and may be slightly elevated above the center
line of the
fuselage 100. Two air intake scoops 118, with one mounted on each side of the
fuselage in
front of the rear engine 202, may provide for air cooling of the rear engine
202. The rear
direct driveshaft 219 may be shorter than the front driveshaft 204 because the
rear ducted
fans 706L and 706R may be mounted on each side of the fuselage 100 just behind
the
passenger cabin/canopy 126. Similar to the front engine 201, the double-ended
direct
driveshaft 219 exits each end of the rear engine 202, and each side of the
driveshaft 219 runs
in an opposite direction and exits the fuselage 100 through a transfer case
218, continues
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through a duct rotator actuator 124, and connects to an internal duct
differential 212 in a mid
portion of the ducted fans 706L and 706R.
[0074] In this embodiment, the front transfer case 203 and the rear transfer
case 218
may be connected by a transfer case supplemental driveshaft 217 which runs
just inside of
each side of the fuselage 100 between the transfer cases 203 and 218. These
supplemental
driveshafts 217 are not normally engaged; however, should one engine lose
power
(sometimes referred to herein as a "dead," "lost," or "non-working" engine), a
computer or
other controller may engage the supplemental driveshafts 217 in the transfer
cases 203, 218
thereby bypassing the non-working engine. Through the transfer cases 203, 218
and
supplemental driveshafts 217, the working engine may provide power to operate
the pair of
ducted fans 106R and 106L, or 706R and 706L, as the case may be, of the non-
working
engine and thus keep the aircraft in a stable position.
[0075] The mechanics inside each of the ducted fans 106R and 106L may be
identical
except for the entry of the driveshaft 204 through the duct rotator actuator
124 into the duct.
The front 204 and rear 219 driveshafts extending from the right sides of the
engines 201, 202
enter the right front and right rear ducted fans 106R and 706R from the left;
and the front 204
and rear 219 driveshafts running from the left sides of the engines 201, 202
enter the left front
and left rear ducted fans 106L and 706L from the right.
[0076] In each of the four ducted fans 106, a differential casing 213 may
house the
differential 212 and two differential output driveshafts 225. The differential
212 may turn the
two differential output driveshafts 225 in a counter rotating motion with one
shaft powering a
row of variable pitch blades 108 at a front low pressure air intake opening
206 and one
powering another row of variable pitch blades 109 at a rear air output
expansion chamber 216
of each ducted fan 106. These blades 108, 109 may turn in a counter rotating
motion with
two computer controlled actuator assemblies¨one front 107 and one rear
210¨determining
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the pitch of the blades. As the actuator assembly 107, 210 increases the pitch
of the blades
108, 109 in each of the ducted fans 106, air flow is increased through the
front air intake 206,
is compressed in the high pressure chamber 306, and is exhausted by the rear
row of blades
109 through the expansion chamber 216. This creates the thrust for takeoff in
either vertical
or forward flight. FIGURES 3a, 3b, and 3c show enlarged illustrations of the
ducted fans
106, and FIGURES 4a, 4b, and 4c illustrate various rotational positions of the
ducted fans
106 and how they affect take-off, flight, hover, and braking.
[0077] As shown in FIGURES 3a, 3b and 3c, each of the ducted fans 106 is a
ducted
tilt rotor, which may be composed of a lightweight composite, aluminum, or
other suitable
material. The rows of blades 108, 109 inside the ducts may be driven by a
direct driveshaft
315 from a double-ended engine 201, 202 which is mounted sideways with respect
to the
aircraft fuselage 100 as described above. Referring also to FIGURES 2a and 2b,
driveshaft
315 may be located in either the front of the aircraft as shown by element 204
or in the rear of
the aircraft as shown by element 219. The driveshaft 315 may enter each ducted
fan 106
from the side and connect inside the differential casing 213 with the
differential 212 in a mid
portion of the ducted fan 106. Extending from the differential 212, a forward
output shaft
307 and a rear output shaft 310 may respectively drive a forward row of fan
blades 108 in a
front portion of each ducted fan 106 and a rear row of fan blades 109 in a
rear portion of each
ducted fan 106. The fan blades 108, 109 may turn in a counter rotating motion
which may
create more thrust and reduce the overall diameter of the ducted fans 106,
thereby providing
sufficient ground clearance for conventional aircraft take-off and landing
mode as well as
VTOL capability.
[0078] FIGURE 3a and FIGURE 3b illustrate the aerodynamic shape of the front
of
each of the ducted fans 106, with the bottom of each ducted fan 106 protruding
forward as a
lower front induction scoop 301 and with the top of each ducted fan 106
sloping down from
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an upper front induction scoop 302 to the lower front induction scoop 301,
thereby creating
more lift and less drag. This lifting air intake duct design may create a low
pressure area 206
in the bottom front of the duct which in turn creates lift. This design may
reduce or eliminate
the need for more wing area and in turn may reduce the weight of the aircraft.
[0079] FIGURE 3a also shows a high pressure inner compression chamber 306
located between the two rows of rotating fan blades¨front 108 and rear 109--in
each ducted
fan 106. The front blade actuator 107 changes the pitch of the front blades
108. By
increasing the pitch of the front row of blades 108, air is pulled in and
compressed in the high
pressure inner compression chamber 306. The rear blade actuator 210 changes
the pitch of
the rear row of blades 109. The rear blades 109 pull the air from the high
pressure inner
compression chamber 306 and exhaust the air through the low pressure expansion
chamber
216 thereby creating forward thrust.
[0080] The blades in each row may have variable pitch controlled by fly-by-
wire
computers which relay information to the front blade actuator 107 and to the
rear blade
actuator 210 to adjust the angle of the blades. Gyros located in the avionics
bays may send a
computer signal to the blade actuators 107, 210 to help control the stability
of the aircraft in
hover. The blades may be capable of self feathering and lining up in an
identical
configuration behind one another within each ducted fan 106 to help reduce
drag and to
increase air flow through the ducts, should an engine be lost or shut down.
This feathering
feature may extend the range which can be flown with one engine.
[0081] Each ducted fan 106 may also have a rear air deflector 110 mounted
vertically,
horizontally, or in another desired configuration on the rear of the ducted
fan 106 when
positioned for forward flight or other flight condition. This deflector 110
may be controlled
by a fly-by-wire actuator 300 and may divert air to the left, right, or other
desired direction to
help stabilize the aircraft when it transitions from flight to hover or
undergoes another desired
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maneuver. While in hover mode, the deflector 110 may divert the air to provide
the ducted
fans 106 with the capability of moving the aircraft sideways. Additionally,
the air deflector
110 on the rear of the front ducted fans 106 may move one way while the air
deflector 110 on
the back of the rear ducted fans 106 may divert in the opposite direction or
another desired
direction, thus giving the aircraft counter-rotation capabilities.
[0082] FIGURES 4a, 4b and 4c show the position of the ducted fans 106 in
forward
flight, hover, and reverse, respectively.
[0083] FIGURE 4a shows the position of the ducted fans 106 for forward flight
and
for take-off in conventional fixed wing mode.
[0084] FIGURE 4b illustrates the position of the ducted fans 106 in hover and
for
vertical take-off As the aircraft is lifting vertically as shown in FIGURE 4b,
forward
movement may be accomplished by a computer controlled duct rotator actuator
124 rotating
the ducted fans 106 forward toward the position shown in FIGURE 4a to create
forward
movement until such speed is reached that sufficient airflow over the lifting
surfaces creates
lift, and the aircraft transitions from vertical to horizontal flight.
[0085] While in forward flight as shown in FIGURE 4a, the ducted fans 106 may
remain in aerodynamic alignment with the fuselage 100 as with a conventional
fixed wing
aircraft. When transitioning from horizontal flight to vertical flight, the
duct actuators 124
may be rotated upward to slow the forward motion as shown in FIGURE 4b. This
decreases
the air speed thus reducing the airflow over the lifting surfaces, and as the
ducted fan 106 is
rotated back to the upward position, it may increase the vertical thrust of
the variable pitch
blades. The actuators 124 may turn the ducted fans 106 past vertical as shown
in FIGURE 4c
to slow the aircraft to a complete stop of forward motion. The tilted duct
rotator actuator 124
may also control forward and reverse motion in hover by moving the ducts 106
forward or
backward, respectively.
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DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENT ¨ UAV
[0086] In this embodiment, the aircraft may be adapted to perform as an
unmanned
aerial vehicle or UAV. This embodiment may include the sideways engine
placement and in-
line alignment and the fans encased in ducts as described for previous
examples above. Most
of the configuration of the aforementioned embodiment may remain intact, but
some
differences may be provided to help reduce the radar signature and to help
provide for the
carrying of weapons, large payloads, surveillance equipment, or the like. The
aircraft and the
engine may be scaled up or scaled down to accommodate different weight and/or
mission
obj ectives.
[0087] The UAV embodiment may include the same tail configuration of the
previous
examples, that is, the vertical stabilizers with the horizontal tail atop
them, or as pictured in
FIGURE 5, it may utilize a V-tail assembly 501 and may include horizontal
stabilizers 502
attached to the sides of and/or to the rear of the ducts (not shown). This V-
tail configuration
is similar to that of the Raptor F-22.
[0088] Other differences may include a retractable landing gear instead of a
fixed
landing gear, foldable wings or changeable wings for high altitude and other
applications, a
large compartment in place of a passenger cabin, and a camera location in the
nose cone for
surveillance. The cabin canopy may be manufactured of an opaque material
rather than a
transparent material and may become more aerodynamically streamlined by
incorporating a
lower profile. Bomb bay doors which open at the bottom of the aircraft for
deployment of
weapons, emergency food supplies, or the like may improve stealth capabilities
because those
items may be hidden and encased in the fuselage rather than placed on the
wings.
[0089] The UAV embodiment may be used for military and reconnaissance
operations for close in support. The UAV embodiment may also be used as an
emergency
vehicle to pick up wounded or stranded people in a dangerous location. The
bolt-on or
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foldable wings may allow it to be trailered to a nearby or safe location
before being sent on a
mission. Thinner and longer wing extensions may accommodate higher altitudes
and longer
loitering. The ability of the aircraft to fly with one engine shut down and to
take-off and land
in close proximity to a target area may increase the distance the aircraft can
fly on its
designated fuel allowance. The engine may have the ability to alternate piston
firings which
also may increase fuel economy while keeping the aircraft aloft using very
little horsepower.
[0090] Since the fan blades may be encased in ducts, and since ducted fans are
quieter
than propellers or jet engines, less radar signature may be produced. Also,
since the engines
may be mounted in the fuselage, less infrared signature may be produced.
Stealth may
therefore be much improved.
[0091] In some embodiments, most or all of the cabin area between the two
engines
may be used for storage of weapons, cargo and supplies, and/or surveillance
equipment.
VTOL capabilities may allow the aircraft to get closer to a target or to get
into tight areas as
for a rescue. The ability to take off and land in conventional mode may
provide for more
carrying capacity because the wings may be used for lift so the aircraft may
carry more fuel
and weight. Once the fuel has burned off on a long flight, a vertical landing
is possible.
[0092] The V-tail configuration 501 could also be utilized on the passenger
embodiments to improve the speed of the aircraft.
DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENT - SPORT PLANE
[0093] FIGURE 6 shows an alternative embodiment of this invention as a VTOL
sport plane. This embodiment may be comprised of an elongated aerodynamic
fuselage with
one double-ended driveshaft engine mounted sideways with respect to the
fuselage and with a
rotatable ducted fan 106 on each end of a main fixed wing 605 for a total of
two ducted fans.
The wing 605 may be level, dihedral, or anhedral. A passenger
compartment/cabin 600 in the
front portion of the fuselage may accommodate one or two people, and the
engine may be
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located in the fuselage just behind cabin 600 and in line with the wing 605.
An emergency
parachute compartment may be located behind the passenger cabin 600 and just
above the
engine. The aircraft may have a fixed or retractable tricycle landing gear
with one attached to
the front 601 of the fuselage and two 602¨one left and one right¨attached to
the bottom of
the fuselage behind and below the passenger compartment 600.
[0094] In this embodiment, the engine, driveshaft, transfer case, duct rotator
actuator,
and ducted fans 106 may be provided for wing 605 in like manner as described
above for
canard wing 123 (see FIGS. 1, 2a, 2b). The double-ended driveshaft from each
end of the
engine may exit the fuselage through a transfer case, bearing, or other
suitable support, run
inside the main fixed wing 605, continue through a duct rotator actuator, and
continue
through a side of the ducted fan 106 and into a mid portion of the ducted fan
106 where it
connects to a differential. As the driveshaft exits the right end of the
engine, it runs through
the right side of the wing and enters the right ducted fan 106 through the
left side; and as the
driveshaft exits the left end of the engine, it runs through the left side of
the wing and enters
the left ducted fan 106 through the right side. Inside each ducted fan 106,
the differential
may have two output shafts with each one turning one row of blades. Therefore,
the two
output shafts may respectively turn two rows of counter rotating blades in
each ducted fan
106.
[0095] Two air deflectors¨one vertical 110 and one horizontal (not shown in
FIGURE 6)¨may be attached to the rear of each ducted fan 106. These deflectors
may
employ a DSS (Duct Stabilization System) and may use splitting capabilities to
control the
output thrust for increased stability. The horizontal air deflector may move
the aircraft
forward and backward, and may provide counter rotation of the aircraft in
hover. The
vertical air deflector may move the aircraft sideways in hover. In
conventional airplane
mode, the horizontal air deflector may control the roll.
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[0096] The rear fuselage of the aircraft may be long and streamlined with a
cruciform
shaped tail comprised of one left 604 and one right (not shown) horizontal
surface and one
top 603 and one bottom vertical surface (not shown) controlling pitch and yaw,
respectively,
while the aircraft is in conventional airplane mode.
DESCRIPTION OF FURTHER ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS
Multiple engines placed end to end
[0097] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2b, two or more engines may be
provided fore, and two or more engines may be provided aft. Each set of
engines may be
placed end to end and sideways with respect to the fuselage. A common
driveshaft or
coupled driveshafts which act as one driveshaft 226 may run through the
multiple engine
blocks, with the shaft output on the outside ends of the outside engines
running a pair of
propellers or ducted fan blades. In this example, a transfer case may not be
necessary for a
backup for a dead engine, although a transfer case and supplemental drive
shaft may be
provided for further redundancy. The dead engine shaft may be driven by the
running engine
and/or engines with the dead engine freewheeling. The propellers or ducted fan
blades may
keep turning but at reduced power.
[0098] In some embodiments, freewheeling may be accomplished by coupling
multiple engines (two or more) in-line with a continuous or coupled driveshaft
and/or
camshaft to effectively create a single power source and to provide for the
freewheeling of
one or more engines or for all of the engines, further described as follows.
The freewheeling
system may be formed by placing two or more engines (power sources) end to end
and with
each combined engine having a common driveshaft (which may be one integral,
continuous
shaft or multiple shafts coupled together) enabling the other engine or
engines to freewheel.
The sizes, horsepower, and types of power sources for such embodiments may be
identical or
varied. Output shafts for freewheeling can be utilized from each end, or from
only one end,
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or from the middle of the coupled or continuous shafts. Coupling of multiple
power sources
may provide for the capability of freewheeling of one or more power sources
while one or
more other power sources are providing power to the other end of the
freewheeling engine(s).
It may also provide for all of the power sources to run together or for all
power sources to
freewheel together. If one power source fails, the other power source(s) will
continue to turn
the driveshaft, thus providing redundancy and enhanced safety.
[0099] In some embodiments, each of the power sources may provide a different
power level for the coupled unit; e.g., if three power sources are coupled,
one power source
could be at idle, one could be at medium power, and one could be at full
power, or
alternatively all the power sources could be working at full power. More
generally, each
power source may be utilized at any selected power level. Significant fuel
savings may result
from regulating the power to only what is necessary at a given flight
condition. In addition,
any combination of the power sources could be selected to power or freewheel,
and the power
sources may be alternately selected so that the hours on each of the power
sources may be
maintained at a similar level if needed.
[0100] In some embodiments, coupling of the power sources with the resultant
freewheeling capability may eliminate the need between units for clutches,
transmissions,
torque converters and/or differentials. This may simplify manufacturing and
operations,
thereby reducing costs of operation and maintenance and increasing safety.
Alternatively,
various freewheeling devices may be interposed between a power source and the
driveshaft if
needed.
[0101] In some embodiments, coupling two or more different types of power
sources¨such as one heat source (e.g., internal combustion or jet engine) and
one electrical
source, for example¨may provide for various capabilities. The heat source may
be utilized
to turn an electric source into a generator, thus letting the heat source
charge batteries, for
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example. The heat source may provide power while freewheeling the electric
source.
Alternatively, the electric source may provide power by freewheeling the heat
source, or both
the heat source and the electric source may be used together to provide hybrid
power. As
another alternative, both sources may be freewheeled and used in a
regenerating mode to turn
the electric source into a generator and provide braking and electrical
current to charge
batteries.
[0102] In some embodiments, the multi-source unit being used to power a
generator(s) may continue to generate power¨even with the loss of an
engine¨because the
other engine(s) may accelerate to compensate for the dead engine, thus
eliminating or
minimizing loss of power.
[0103] In some embodiments, some of the power units for which this
freewheeling
concept may work best may be power sources which produce very little friction
when the
power source is freewheeling and the continuous or coupled driveshaft(s) are
in-line, thus
using internal driveshafts/crankshafts/cam shafts as the drive line. The
internal mechanical
parts of the engine may be used as the continuous drive line which turns the
output shaft with
power from the other power source(s).
[0104] In some conventional aircraft applications, coupling the engines for
freewheeling may make it possible for one drive shaft from one end of the
coupled power
units to turn one propeller unit. This configuration may eliminate the need
for other drive
shafts when a back-up engine is needed, thereby reducing drag while still
providing the
"back-up" safety element of conventional twin engines or multi-engines.
[0105] In some embodiments, the freewheeling system may also work inside
nacelles;
e.g., by placing propellers on one end of multiple engines, between the
engines, or at each
end of the engines. This configuration may also be used to retrofit an
existing aircraft by
placing a propeller at one end of combined engines.
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[0106] In some embodiments, this coupled and freewheeling power generating
unit
may provide both power and back-up power from each end or from one end of the
coupled
power unit and may be used in a VTOL aircraft to provide for powering the
aircraft. It may
also be used to improve the powering of existing VTOL aircraft currently in
design,
production, and/or use. Currently, many of these aircraft have propellers and
blades at the
end of the engines or in the ducts with their power units creating safety
issues if one engine
fails. In some embodiments, coupling engines together may allow the use of
smaller engines
thereby reducing the cost of manufacturing, especially for electric motors,
since smaller
engines generally cost less to manufacture.
[0107] Some examples of reduced friction power units that may be used for
coupling
may include engines such as the PerlexTM, Axial VectorTM, Sinusoidal CamTM,
Dyna-
CamTM, RadmaxTM, Rand-CamTM, WankelTM, and any cylindrical rotor, rotor,
rotary,
mill, vane, turbine, jet, electric and any other reduced friction power units
capable of using its
internal drive shafts in freewheeling applications as described herein.
Alternatively, some
conventional engines may be used if the amount of friction produced in them
may be
reduced.
[0108] In some embodiments, freewheeling may be provided in connection with
actuators and servo motors. As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, a common shaft 307,
310 may
be provided between the two actuators 107 and 210, which may be connected to
allow
redundancy for the control of the variable pitch blades 108 and 109 by
allowing the
freewheeling of a failed actuator. In some embodiments, common shaft 307, 310
may be
hollow with a rod traversing through the middle, with the outer portion of the
shaft serving to
power blades 108, 109 and the inner rod serving to connect actuators 107, 210,
such that if
one of the actuators 107, 210 loses power the other of the actuators 107, 210
may continue to
control the pitch of the first and second rows of blades 108, 109. This type
of application
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may also be applied to many different scenarios for backup systems. For
example, actuators
and servo motors may be stacked (i.e., operably engaged with a common
driveshaft) like the
multiple engines described above, or separated and equipped with separate
power sources in
the event one power source fails. Such actuators and servo motors may be
connected by a
common shaft thus allowing freewheeling of a dead actuator or servo motor.
[0109] Some embodiments may have two engines fore and two engines aft with
each
pair of engines comprising a first engine fore and a next engine aft. Each
pair of engines may
be placed end to end and in-line and sideways with respect to the fuselage.
Each engine may
be controlled separately with the driveshaft from the right engine turning the
propellers or
ducted fan blades on the right side of the aircraft and with the driveshaft
from the left engine
turning the propellers or ducted fan blades on the left side of the aircraft.
Transfer cases may
be used in this example to pick up the power from the other engines.
Emergency Rescue Vehicle
[0110] This embodiment may use modifications to provide for an emergency
rescue
vehicle. The changes comprise shortened wings, a stubby nose, a front canopy
that would
fold or retract backwards, and a platform addition which would facilitate
emergency escapes.
The emergency vehicle could nose in to a building, cliff, or the like to
provide an escape
route for people trapped in, for example, a burning building. Ducted fans¨as
opposed to
propellers¨may permit the aircraft to get next to structures or into tight
areas. The stubby
nose and retractable canopy may allow access to the aircraft. An
extendible/retractable ramp
in the nose section may provide a stable emergency escape route.
[0111] Various embodiments of the aircraft described herein may utilize one or
more
of various types of engines, including Axial Vector, Dyna-Cam type engines,
internal
combustion, radial, piston, reciprocating, rotary, rotor, StarRotor, vane,
mill, electric, hybrid,
diesel, or similar type engines, alone or in combination, mounted in-line and
sideways with
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respect to the fuselage. Hybrid engines may include one or more of each of a
plurality of
engine types. For example, a hybrid engine may include a diesel portion and an
electric
portion.
[0112] In some embodiments, an electric engine may have a first mode in which
the
electric engine drives the driveshaft and a second mode in which the electric
engine serves as
a generator driven by the driveshaft and charges a battery electrically
connected to the
electric engine. For example, the electric engine may operate in the first
mode during take-
off, and the electric engine may operate in the second mode after take-off.
[0113] In some embodiments, the front ducted fans may be mounted at the end of
the
canard wing, and the rear ducted fans may be mounted on each side of the
fuselage just
behind the passenger canopy. However, in other embodiments, the ducted fans
may be
mounted on each side of the front part of the fuselage, on each end of the
main wing, and/or
on the tail, depending upon the configuration of the aircraft.
[0114] In some embodiments, propellers may be utilized to handle larger loads
with
less horsepower, and the engines may be mounted in a higher position on the
fuselage to
provide clearance for the propellers. This configuration may accommodate from
six to ten
passengers or a large payload, for example.
[0115] Any or all of the embodiments may utilize an emergency parachute
system.
The aircraft may be equipped with a parafoil type parachute and one or more
deployment
rockets for emergencies. The deployment rockets may be solid fuel, liquid
fuel, gaseous fuel,
or a combination thereof The parachute may primarily be used while in hover
mode or at
slow speeds, but may be used in other flight conditions if necessary or
desired. The
parachute and rockets may be mounted in the top of the rear portion of the
fuselage behind
the rear cabin, with one rocket on each side, for example. A cable system may
be imbedded
in the fuselage with a breakaway covering as described above. The supporting
cables may be
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attached to the airframe at four attachment points as described above¨two in
the front
fuselage near the outside end of the front engine and two in the rear fuselage
near the outside
end of the rear engine. The risers from the parachute may be attached to the
supporting
cables.
[0116] The emergency parachute may be deployed by the pilot via an emergency
hand lever if the aircraft is in forward flight, or it may be automatically
deployed by a
computer if an engine loses power or the aircraft becomes unstable in hover or
other flight
condition. The parachute system may deploy the rockets, shooting them out at
an angle and
pulling the ends of the parafoil parachute in opposite directions, thereby
moving the
parachute away from the aircraft appendages and stretching the canopy to the
full length of
the parachute.
[0117] Airbag technology with small elongated tubes embedded in the parachute
canopy cords and the outer edges of the parachute system may be utilized to
immediately
expand the parachute into the ultimate shape of a fully deployed parachute.
The canopy may
then be ready to receive the air, and this may result in the aircraft
suffering a very slight loss
of altitude from the time the parachute deploys until it is filled with air.
[0118] If the aircraft is moving in forward flight, computer controlled air
sensors may
determine if a need exists to apply or delay deployment of the airbag expander
of the air
canopy. This may minimize the shock from the forward air speed. When the
parachute is
opened, it may be steered via controls inside the aircraft. The parafoil
parachute may give the
aircraft a forward motion to help steer the aircraft to a safe area for a
landing while
descending under the parachute. If one engine is still operating, the
parachute may act as a
parasail to help keep the aircraft aloft while the pilot leaves a dangerous
area and searches for
a safe landing site.
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[0119] Since the emergency parachute may be computer controlled in hover or
other
flight condition, it is possible the emergency backup transfer case and
supplemental
driveshafts may be bypassed or eliminated from certain embodiments thereby
streamlining
and simplifying the design of the output shafts from the engine to each
differential. This may
significantly reduce the weight of the aircraft.
[0120] The embodiments described above are some examples of the current
invention. Various modifications, applications, substitutions, and changes of
the current
invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Further, it is
contemplated that features
disclosed in connection with any one embodiment, system, or method may be used
in
connection with any other embodiment, system, or method. The scope of the
invention is
defined by the claims, and considering the doctrine of equivalents, and is not
limited to the
specific examples described herein.
