Rotor/wing aircraft including vectorable nozzle
First Claim
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1. A method of operating an aircraft having a rotor/wing assembly and a nozzle, the method comprising:
- vectoring the nozzle into a position for creating vertical thrust;
using the rotor/wing assembly and the nozzle together to create vertical thrust during a rotary mode of operation, wherein the aircraft includes a turbine engine to produce an exhaust flow, wherein the rotor/wing assembly is configured to extract work from the exhaust flow and then direct the exhaust flow to the nozzle during the rotary mode of operation, wherein the rotor/wing assembly includes a rotor/wing and a turbine to drive the rotor/wing during the rotary mode of operation, the turbine including an inlet, a valve disposed in the inlet, an outlet, a vortical chamber and a chamber outlet, the inlet to receive the exhaust flow from the turbine engine, and wherein the aircraft includes a conduit fluidly coupling the outlet to the nozzle; and
bypassing the rotor/wing assembly and using the nozzle to create forward thrust during a fixed mode of operation by operating the valve to direct the exhaust flow from the inlet to the outlet of the turbine.
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Abstract
A method of operating an aircraft having a rotor/wing assembly and a nozzle comprises vectoring the nozzle into a position for creating vertical thrust, and using the rotor/wing assembly and the nozzle together to create vertical thrust during a rotary mode of operation.
104 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of operating an aircraft having a rotor/wing assembly and a nozzle, the method comprising:
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vectoring the nozzle into a position for creating vertical thrust; using the rotor/wing assembly and the nozzle together to create vertical thrust during a rotary mode of operation, wherein the aircraft includes a turbine engine to produce an exhaust flow, wherein the rotor/wing assembly is configured to extract work from the exhaust flow and then direct the exhaust flow to the nozzle during the rotary mode of operation, wherein the rotor/wing assembly includes a rotor/wing and a turbine to drive the rotor/wing during the rotary mode of operation, the turbine including an inlet, a valve disposed in the inlet, an outlet, a vortical chamber and a chamber outlet, the inlet to receive the exhaust flow from the turbine engine, and wherein the aircraft includes a conduit fluidly coupling the outlet to the nozzle; and bypassing the rotor/wing assembly and using the nozzle to create forward thrust during a fixed mode of operation by operating the valve to direct the exhaust flow from the inlet to the outlet of the turbine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification