Stopped rotor aircraft

• US 10,017,246 B1
• Filed: 03/09/2018
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
• Inventors: Vander Lind, Damon, Horn, Gregory Mainland
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzell, Philip J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kreiner, Michael B
• Application Number:
  US15/917,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20180194461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 123 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2027/8236 including pusher propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2027/8272 comprising fins, or movable rudders
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2027/8281 comprising horizontal tail planes
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/14 Direct drive between power plant and rotor hub
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/26 characterised by provision of fixed wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/30 with provision for reducing drag of inoperative rotor
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/467 Aerodynamic features
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/82 characterised by the provision of an auxiliary rotor or fluid-jet device for counter-balancing lifting rotor torque or changing direction of rotorcraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 31/024 with auxiliary power plant

Abstract

An aircraft includes a wing which is configured to provide lift during a wing-borne mode of flight and a stoppable rotor which includes a first blade and a second blade. The stoppable rotor is configured to rotate about a vertical axis of rotation during a hover mode of flight and stop with the first blade pointing forward and the second blade pointing backward at least some of the time during the wing-borne mode of flight. The aircraft also includes a combination rotor which rotates about a longitudinal axis of rotation in a first direction at least some of the time during the hover mode of flight and in a second direction at least some of the time during the wing-borne mode of flight.

Claims

1. An aircraft, comprising:

a wing which is configured to provide lift during a wing-borne mode of flight;

a stoppable rotor which includes a first blade and a second blade, wherein;

the stoppable rotor is configured to rotate about a vertical axis of rotation during a hover mode of flight; and

the stoppable rotor is configured to be stopped with the first blade pointing forward and the second blade pointing backward at least some of the time during the wing-borne mode of flight; and

a combination rotor, wherein;

the combination rotor is configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis of rotation in a first direction at least some of the time during the hover mode of flight; and

the combination rotor is configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis of rotation in a second direction at least some of the time during the wing-borne mode of flight.

2. The aircraft recited in claim 1, wherein the first blade is shorter than the second blade.

3. The aircraft recited in claim 1 further including a dedicated anti-torque rotor wherein:

the dedicated anti-torque rotor is configured to rotate at least some of the time during the hover mode of flight; and

the dedicated anti-torque rotor is configured to stop rotating at least some of the time during the wing-borne mode of flight.

4. The aircraft recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first blade and the second blade includes a flap.

5. The aircraft recited in claim 1, wherein:

the first blade is shorter than the second blade; and

the second blade includes a tailfin.

6. The aircraft recited in claim 1, wherein:

the first blade is shorter than the second blade; and

the second blade includes a double-sided tailfin.