Aircraft vertical stabilizer having a lift propeller and the method of using the same

• US 10,322,814 B1
• Filed: 09/01/2018
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shanghai Autoflight Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: AutoflightX International Limited.
• Inventors: Tian, Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Woldemaryam, Assres H
• Application Number:
  US16/120,259
• Time in Patent Office: 290 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0025 the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/04 having multiple fuselages or tail booms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/12 Canard-type aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2221/00 Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 31/00 Power plant control systems; Arrangement of power plant control systems in aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20

Abstract

An aircraft design where the one or multiple numbers of vertical stabilizer each has a lifting propeller.

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising:

a left fixed wing;

a right fixed wing;

a fuselage coupled to the left and the right fixed wings;

a left vertical stabilizer coupled to the fuselage, wherein the left vertical stabilizer has a left top distal end;

a right vertical stabilizer coupled to the fuselage, wherein the right vertical stabilizer has a right top distal end;

a left tail propeller disposed on the left top distal end of the left vertical stabilizer, said left tail propeller having a horizontal plane of rotation;

a left motor to drive the left tail propeller; and

wherein the left motor has a rotary axis and the rotary axis is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft.

2. The aircraft as recited in claim 1, wherein the left motor is disposed within the left top distal end of the left vertical stabilizer.

3. The aircraft as recited in claim 1, wherein the aircraft is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

4. The aircraft as recited in claim 1, wherein the aircraft is a passenger plane.

5. The aircraft as recited in claim 1, wherein the left vertical stabilizer is fixed to a structure and the left motor is disposed within the structure directly below the left vertical stabilizer.

6. The aircraft as recited in claim 5 further comprising a propeller shaft disposed within the left vertical stabilizer from the left top distal end to a bottom proximal end of the left vertical stabilizer, connecting to the left motor.

7. The aircraft as recited in claim 6, wherein the aircraft is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

8. The aircraft as recited in claim 6, wherein the aircraft is a passenger plane.

14. The aircraft as recited in claim 2 further comprising a left forewing and a right forewing both of which are coupled to the fuselage, both the left forewing and the right forewing being positioned forward of the left and right wings, respectively, and wherein each of the left and right forewings are shorter than each of the left and right wings, thereby creating a canard configuration.

15. The aircraft as recited in claim 14 further comprising a left linear support and a right linear support, each of the left and right linear support is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, and the left linear support is connected to the left forewing and the left wing, and the right linear support is connect to the right forewing and the right wing.

16. The aircraft as recited in claim 15 further comprising at least three lifting propellers coupled to each of the left and right linear supports.

17. The aircraft as recited in claim 16, wherein two of the at least three lifting propellers of the left linear support are disposed on a bottom side of the left linear support, and one of the at least three lifting propellers is disposed on a top side of the left linear support.

9. An aircraft comprising:

a left fixed wing;

a right fixed wing;

a fuselage coupled to the left and the right fixed wings;

a left forewing and a right forewing, both of which coupled to the fuselage;

a left tail having a left vertical stabilizer;

a right tail having a right vertical stabilizer;

a left tail propeller disposed on a top distal end of the left vertical stabilizer wherein the left tail propeller has a horizontal plane of rotation; and

a right tail propeller disposed on a top distal end of the right vertical stabilizer wherein the right tail propeller has a horizontal plane of rotation;

a left motor to drive the left tail propeller;

wherein the left motor has a rotary axis and the rotary axis is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft; and

wherein the aircraft has a canard configuration.

10. The aircraft as recited in claim 9 further comprising a left linear support connected to the left fixed wing and connected to the left tail, and a right linear support connected to the right fixed wing and connected to the right tail.

11. The aircraft as recited in claim 10, wherein the left linear support has a first lifting propeller, a second lifting propeller, and a third lifting propeller disposed thereon.

12. The aircraft as recited in claim 11, wherein the left tail propeller disposed on a top distal end of the left vertical stabilizer is directly driven by a motor.

13. The aircraft as recited in claim 11, wherein the left lifting propeller disposed on a top distal end of the left vertical stabilizer is indirectly driven by a motor.