Aircraft with independently controllable propulsion assemblies

• US 10,183,746 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2016
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: McCullough, John Richard, Oldroyd, Paul K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Benedik, Justin M
• Application Number:
  US15/200,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20180002012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 11/28 Collapsible or foldable blades
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/10 retractable, foldable, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0033 the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/02 having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/12 Ejectable capsules
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/16 with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/69 the UAVs provided with means for airdropping goods, e.g. deploying a parachute during descent
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/24 Coaxial rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20

Abstract

In some embodiments, an aircraft includes a flying frame having an airframe, a distributed propulsion system attached to the airframe, a flight control system operably associated with the distributed propulsion system and a pod assembly selectively attachable to the flying frame. The distributed propulsion system includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies that are independently controlled by the flight control system, thereby enabling the flying frame to have a vertical takeoff and landing mode and a forward flight mode.

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising:

an airframe having first and second wing members with at least two pylons extending generally perpendicularly therebetween;

a distributed propulsion system including at least two propulsion assemblies attached to the first wing and at least two propulsion assemblies attached to the second wing;

a flight control system operably associated with the distributed propulsion system and operable to independently control a rotor speed and a thrust vector of each of the propulsion assemblies, the airframe, the distributed propulsion system and the flight control system forming a flying frame; and

a pod assembly selectively attachable to and detachable from the flying frame,

wherein, the flying frame is operable for flight both with the pod assembly and without the pod assembly;

wherein, the flying frame has a vertical takeoff and landing mode and a forward flight mode, and

wherein, each propulsion assembly includes an engine, a power source and an electronics node disposed within a nacelle, a plurality of rotor blades coupled to a rotor hub, and a thrust vectoring control assembly, the rotor hub coupled to the engine, the electronics node operable to communicate with the flight control system and the thrust vectoring control assembly operable to tilt the rotor hub and the rotor blades relative to a nacelle axis to change a direction of the thrust vector.

2. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein, in the vertical takeoff and landing mode, the distributed propulsion system is generally above the pod assembly and wherein, in the forward flight mode, the distributed propulsion system is generally forward of the pod assembly.

3. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the propulsion assemblies are attached to the airframe in a mid wing configuration.

4. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the propulsion assemblies are attached to the airframe in a high wing configuration.

5. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein, in the vertical takeoff and landing mode, the first wing member is forward of the pod assembly and the second wing member is aft of the pod assembly and wherein, in the forward flight mode, the first wing member is below the pod assembly and the second wing member is above the pod assembly.

6. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the rotor blades of a plurality of propulsion assemblies further comprises a plurality of first propulsion assemblies rotate clockwise and the rotor blades of a plurality of second propulsion assemblies rotate counterclockwise.

7. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the distributed propulsion system further comprises a plurality of first propulsion assemblies that operate in the forward flight mode and a plurality of second propulsion assemblies that are shut down in the forward flight mode.

8. The aircraft as recited in claim 7 wherein the plurality of first propulsion assemblies further comprises outboard propulsion assemblies and the plurality of second propulsion assemblies further comprises inboard propulsion assemblies.

9. The aircraft as recited in claim 7 wherein the rotor blades of the plurality of second propulsion assemblies are operable for passive folding in the forward flight mode.

10. The aircraft as recited in claim 7 wherein the rotor blades of the plurality of second propulsion assemblies are operable to be feathered and locked to prevent rotation in the forward flight mode.

11. The aircraft as recited in claim 7 wherein the rotor blades of the plurality of second propulsion assemblies are operable to be feathered and allowed to windmill in the forward flight mode.

12. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the engines further comprises a liquid fuel powered engine and wherein each of the power sources further comprises a liquid fuel.

13. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein, in the vertical takeoff and landing mode, the first wing member is forward and above the pod assembly and the second wing member is aft and above the pod assembly and wherein, in the forward flight mode, the first wing member is forward and below the pod assembly and the second wing member is forward and above the pod assembly.

14. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the distributed propulsion system further comprises a distributed fuel system.

15. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the engines further comprises an electric motor and wherein each of the power sources further comprises a battery.

16. A method of operating an aircraft comprising:

providing a flying frame including an airframe having first and second wing members with at least two pylons extending generally perpendicularly therebetween, a distributed propulsion system including at least two propulsion assemblies attached to the first wing and at least two propulsion assemblies attached to the second wing and a flight control system operably associated with the distributed propulsion system;

selectively attaching the flying frame to a pod assembly;

independently controlling a rotor speed and a thrust vector of each of the propulsion assemblies with the flight control system;

lifting the pod assembly into the air in a vertical takeoff and landing mode of the aircraft;

transitioning the aircraft between the vertical takeoff and landing mode and a forward flight mode; and

transporting the pod assembly in the forward flight mode of the aircraft;

wherein, the flying frame is operable for flight both with the pod assembly and without the pod assembly; and

wherein, each propulsion assembly includes an engine, a power source and an electronics node disposed within a nacelle, a plurality of rotor blades coupled to a rotor hub, and a thrust vectoring control assembly, the rotor hub coupled to the engine, the electronics node operable to communicate with the flight control system and the thrust vectoring control assembly operable to tilt the rotor hub and the rotor blades relative to a nacelle axis to change a direction of the thrust vector.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein transitioning the aircraft between the vertical takeoff and landing mode and a forward flight mode further comprises, in the vertical takeoff and landing mode, positioning the distributed propulsion system generally above the pod assembly and, in the forward flight mode, positioning the distributed propulsion system generally forward of the pod assembly.

18. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein transitioning the aircraft between the vertical takeoff and landing mode and a forward flight mode further comprises, in the vertical takeoff and landing mode, positioning the first wing member forward of the pod assembly and positioning the second wing member aft of the pod assembly and, in the forward flight mode, positioning the first wing member below the pod assembly and positioning the second wing member above the pod assembly.

19. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein transitioning the aircraft between the vertical takeoff and landing mode and a forward flight mode further comprises, in the vertical takeoff and landing mode, positioning the first wing member forward and above the pod assembly and positioning the second wing member aft and above the pod assembly and, in the forward flight mode, positioning the first wing member forward and below the pod assembly and positioning the second wing member forward and above the pod assembly.

20. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein independently controlling the rotor speed and the thrust vector of each of the propulsion assemblies with the flight control system further comprises operating a plurality of first propulsion assemblies of the distributed propulsion system in the forward flight mode and shutting down a plurality of second propulsion assemblies of the distributed propulsion system in the forward flight mode.