Configuration for vertical take-off and landing system for aerial vehicles

• US 10,464,668 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2017
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jetoptera, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jetoptera, Inc.
• Inventors: Evulet, Andrei
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P
• Application Number:
  US15/456,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20170240275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 11/001 Shrouded propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 15/00 Attitude, flight direction, or altitude control by jet reaction
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 21/00 Influencing air flow over aircraft surfaces by affecting boundary layer flow
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/02 having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/04 characterised by jet-reaction propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/12 Canard-type aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/38 Jet flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2033/0273 for jet engines
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/10 of gas-turbine type jet aircraft B64D27/16
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/20 within, or attached to, fuselages
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 29/02 associated with wings wings adapted for mounting power plant B64C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 33/02 of combustion air intakes air intakes for gas-turbine plants or jet-propulsion plants per se F02C7/04; air intakes for combustion engines in general F02M35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 33/04 of exhaust outlets or jet pipes exhaust outlets for combustion engines in general F01N; jet pipes or nozzles for jet-propulsion plants per se F02K; plants characterised by the form or arrangement of the jet pipe or nozzle F02K ; attitude, flight direction, or altitude control by jet reaction B64C
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/20 Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/20 for noise reduction
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/00 Means for producing lift; Empennages; Arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/12 using turbine engines, e.g. turbojets or turbofans
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/14 : ducted or shrouded
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 : Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/10 : Drag reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 : Weight reduction

Abstract

A vehicle, includes a main body. A fluid generator is coupled to the main body and produces a fluid stream. At least one fore conduit and at least one tail conduit are fluidly coupled to the generator. First and second fore ejectors are fluidly coupled to the fore conduit, coupled to the main body and respectively coupled to a starboard side and port side of the vehicle. The fore ejectors respectively comprise an outlet structure out of which fluid flows. At least one tail ejector is fluidly coupled to the tail conduit. The tail ejector comprises an outlet structure out of which fluid flows. A primary airfoil element is coupled to the tail portion. A surface of the primary airfoil element is located directly downstream of the first and second fore ejectors such that the fluid from the first and second fore ejectors flows over the such surface.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a main body having a fore portion, a tail portion, a starboard side and a port side;

a fluid generator coupled to the main body and producing a fluid stream;

at least one fore conduit fluidly coupled to the generator;

at least one tail conduit fluidly coupled to the generator;

first and second fore ejectors fluidly coupled to the at least one fore conduit, coupled to the fore portion and respectively coupled to the starboard side and port side, the fore ejectors respectively comprising an outlet structure out of which fluid from the at least one fore conduit flows at a predetermined adjustable velocity;

at least one tail ejector fluidly coupled to the at least one tail conduit and coupled to the tail portion, the at least one tail ejector comprising an outlet structure out of which fluid from the at least one tail conduit flows at a predetermined adjustable velocity; and

a primary airfoil element having a surface, the primary airfoil element coupled to the tail portion, the surface of the primary airfoil element being located directly downstream of the first and second fore ejectors such that the fluid from the first and second fore ejectors flows over the surface of the primary airfoil element.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising first and second canard wings coupled to the fore portion and respectively coupled to the starboard side and port side, the canard wings configured to develop boundary layers of ambient air flowing over the canard wings when the vehicle is in motion, the canard wings being respectively located directly upstream of the first and second fore ejectors such that the first and second fore ejectors are fluidly coupled to the boundary layers.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the first and second fore ejectors respectively comprise first and second inlet portions, and the first and second fore ejectors are positioned such that the boundary layers are ingested by the inlet portions.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the fluid generator is disposed in the main body.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the fluid stream produced by the generator is the sole means of propulsion of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first and second fore ejectors each have a leading edge, and the entirety of each of the first and second fore ejectors is rotatable about an axis oriented parallel to the leading edge.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising at least one secondary airfoil element having a surface and coupled to the main body, the leading edge of the at least one secondary airfoil element located directly downstream of the outlet structure of the at least one tail ejector such that the fluid from the at least one tail ejector flows over the surface of the at least one secondary airfoil element.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one tail ejector has a leading edge, and the entirety of the at least one tail ejector is rotatable about an axis oriented parallel to the leading edge.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the primary airfoil element comprises a closed wing having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the leading and trailing edges of the closed wing defining an interior region.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the at least one tail ejector is at least partially disposed within the interior region.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the ejector is controllably movable within the interior region.

12. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the closed wing further comprises a plurality of control surfaces.

13. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the fluid generator comprises a first region in which the fluid stream is at a low temperature and a second region in which the fluid stream is at a high temperature;

the at least one fore conduit provides fluid from the first region to the first and second fore ejectors; and

the at least one tail conduit provides fluid from the second region to the at least one tail ejector.

24. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the outlet structure is entirely disposed within the interior region.

25. The vehicle of claim 24, wherein the outlet structure is disposed in the center of the interior region.

26. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one tail ejector comprises a turbojet.

14. A vehicle, comprising:

a main body having a fore portion, a tail portion, a starboard side and a port side;

a fluid generator coupled to the main body and producing a fluid stream;

at least one fore conduit fluidly coupled to the generator;

at least one tail conduit fluidly coupled to the generator;

first and second fore ejectors fluidly coupled to the at least one fore conduit, coupled to the fore portion and respectively coupled to the starboard side and port side, the fore ejectors respectively comprising an outlet structure out of which fluid from the at least one fore conduit flows at a predetermined adjustable velocity;

at least one propeller fluidly coupled to the at least one tail conduit and coupled to the tail portion; and

a primary airfoil element having a surface, the primary airfoil element coupled to the tail portion, the surface of the primary airfoil element being located directly downstream of the first and second fore ejectors such that the fluid from the first and second fore ejectors flows over the surface of the primary airfoil element.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, further comprising first and second canard wings coupled to the fore portion and respectively coupled to the starboard side and port side, the canard wings configured to develop boundary layers of ambient air flowing over the canard wings when the vehicle is in motion, the canard wings being respectively located directly upstream of the first and second fore ejectors such that the first and second fore ejectors are fluidly coupled to the boundary layers.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the first and second fore ejectors respectively comprise first and second inlet portions, and the first and second fore ejectors are positioned such that the boundary layers are ingested by the inlet portions.

17. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the fluid generator is disposed in the main body.

18. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the first and second fore ejectors each have a leading edge, and the entirety of each of the first and second fore ejectors is rotatable about an axis oriented parallel to the leading edge.

19. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the primary airfoil element comprises a closed wing having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the leading and trailing edges of the closed wing defining an interior region.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the at least one propeller is at least partially disposed within the interior region.

21. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the closed wing further comprises a plurality of control surfaces.

22. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein:

the fluid generator comprises a first region in which the fluid stream is at a low temperature and a second region in which the fluid stream is at a high temperature;

the at least one fore conduit provides fluid from the first region to the first and second fore ejectors; and

the at least one tail conduit provides fluid from the second region to a turbine coupled to the at least one propeller.

23. The vehicle of claim 14, further comprising a support assembly extending from the tail portion and parallel to the main body.