Fluidic propulsive system

• US 10,501,197 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2016
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jetoptera, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jetoptera, Inc.
• Inventors: Evulet, Andrei
• Primary Examiner(s): McFall, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US15/221,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20170057647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 15/00 Attitude, flight direction, or altitude control by jet reaction
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 15/14 the jets being other than main propulsion jets jet flaps B64C9/38
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 21/00 Influencing air flow over aircraft surfaces by affecting boundary layer flow
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 21/04 for blowing
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2230/04 by actively generating fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2230/06 by explicitly adjusting fluid flow, e.g. by using valves, variable aperture or slot areas, variable pump action or variable fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2230/16 by blowing other fluids over the surface than air, e.g. He, H, O2 or exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 23/00 Influencing air flow over aircraft surfaces, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 23/005 by other means not covered by groups B64C23/02 - B64C23/08, e.g. by electric charges, magnetic panels, piezoelectric elements, static charges or ultrasounds
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• 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 27/18 within, or attached to, wings
• 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 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/65 Composite materials
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/00 Means for producing lift; Empennages; Arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 : Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/15 : using combustion exhausts other than turbojets or turbofans, e.g. using rockets, ramjets, scramjets or pulse-reactors
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/04 : having a turbine driving a compressor power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/04 : Gas-turbine plants providing heated or pressurised working fluid for other apparatus, e.g. without mechanical power output F02C6/18 takes precedence ; for a fluidised-bed combustor F02C3/205
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/002 : with means to modify the direction of thrust vector F02K1/54 takes precedence; thrust vectoring of rockets F02K9/80
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/36 : having an ejector
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/90 : in vehicles adapted for vertical or short take off and landing (v/stol vehicles)
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/10 : Drag reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/30 : Wing lift efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 : Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 : Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A propulsion system coupled to a vehicle. The system includes a convex surface, a diffusing structure coupled to the convex surface, and at least one conduit coupled to the convex surface. The conduit is configured to introduce to the convex surface a primary fluid produced by the vehicle. The system further includes an intake structure coupled to the convex surface and configured to introduce to the diffusing structure a secondary fluid accessible to the vehicle. The diffusing structure comprises a terminal end configured to provide egress from the system for the introduced primary fluid and secondary fluid.

Claims

1. A propulsion system coupled to a vehicle, the system comprising:

a convex surface having a perimeter and a plurality of recesses;

a diffusing structure coupled to the convex surface;

at least one conduit coupled to the convex surface and configured to introduce to the convex surface via multiple nozzles distributed along the entirety of the perimeter a primary fluid produced by the vehicle; and

an intake structure coupled to the convex surface and configured to introduce to the diffusing structure a secondary fluid accessible to the vehicle, wherein the nozzles are downstream of the intake structure, and wherein the diffusing structure comprises a terminal end configured to provide egress from the system for the introduced primary fluid and secondary fluid.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one conduit comprises an array of nozzles arranged in at least one of a curved orientation, a spiraled orientation, and a zigzagged orientation.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the intake structure is asymmetrical.

4. A propulsion system coupled to a vehicle, the system comprising:

a diffusing structure;

at least one conduit coupled to the diffusing structure and configured to introduce to the diffusing structure a primary fluid produced by the vehicle; and

an asymmetrical intake structure coupled to the diffusing structure and configured to introduce to the diffusing structure a secondary fluid accessible to the vehicle, wherein the diffusing structure comprises a terminal end configured to provide egress from the system for the introduced primary fluid and secondary fluid, and wherein the intake structure comprises first and second lateral opposing edges, and the first lateral opposing edge has a greater radius of curvature than the second lateral opposing edge.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one conduit comprises an array of conduits arranged in at least one of a curved orientation, a spiraled orientation, and a zigzagged orientation.

6. The system of claim 4, further comprising a convex surface, wherein the at least one conduit is configured to introduce to the convex surface the primary fluid produced by the vehicle.

7. A propulsion system coupled to a vehicle, the system comprising:

a diffusing structure;

at least one conduit coupled to the diffusing structure and configured to introduce to the diffusing structure a primary fluid produced by the vehicle; and

an asymmetrical intake structure coupled to the diffusing structure and configured to introduce to the diffusing structure a secondary fluid accessible to the vehicle, wherein the diffusing structure comprises a terminal end configured to provide egress from the system for the introduced primary fluid and secondary fluid, and wherein the intake structure comprises first and second opposing edges, and the second opposing edge includes a curved portion projecting toward the first opposing edge.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one conduit comprises an array of conduits arranged in at least one of a curved orientation, a spiraled orientation, and a zigzagged orientation.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a convex surface, wherein the at least one conduit is configured to introduce to the convex surface the primary fluid produced by the vehicle.