Tilt-prop aircraft

• US 10,640,207 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korea Aerospace Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Korea Aerospace Research Institute
• Inventors: Lee, Myeong Kyu, Choi, Seong Wook, Kim, Deog-Kwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Claude J
• Application Number:
  US15/820,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20180155019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 244 7 A
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/28 with forward-propulsion propellers pivotable to act as lifting rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/46 Blades
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/59 mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0033 the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 35/04 characterised by the transmission driving a plurality of propellers or rotors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

A tilt-prop aircraft is configured to operate in a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) mode or a forward flight mode by adjusting a tilt angle of a rotor connected to a wing. The tilt-prop aircraft includes: a blade included in the rotor and configured to rotate to produce lift and thrust; and a tilt center shaft configured to connect the rotor and the wing to each other and adjust the tilt angle of the rotor with respect to a flight plane of the tilt-prop aircraft, wherein when the tilt angle of the rotor is adjusted, a pitch angle of the blade is varied by a power transmission unit mechanically interlocked with the tilt center shaft.

Claims

1. A tilt-prop aircraft configured to operate in a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) mode or a forward flight mode by adjusting a tilt angle of a rotor connected to a wing, the tilt-prop aircraft comprising:

a blade included in the rotor and configured to rotate to produce lift and thrust;

a tilt center shaft configured to connect the rotor and the wing to each other and adjust the tilt angle of the rotor with respect to a flight plane of the tilt-prop aircraft; and

a push rod placed on a rotation axis of the rotor and connected to the power transmission unit to vary the pitch angle of the blade when the title angle of the rotor is adjusted,

wherein when the tilt angle of the rotor is adjusted, a pitch angle of the blade is varied by a power transmission unit mechanically interlocked with the tilt center shaft, and

wherein the power transmission unit comprises;

a rotation link pierced at an end thereof by a fixed hinge shaft fixed in position and parallel to the tilt center shaft, the rotation link configured to be rotatable on the fixed hinge shaft; and

a connection link sharing a movable hinge shaft with another end of the rotation link and configured to vary in movement toward the rotation axis of the rotor according to movement of the movable hinge shaft,

wherein movement of the push rod for varying the pitch angle of the blade is varied according to variations in movement of the connection link.

2. The tilt-prop aircraft of claim 1, wherein the tilt-prop aircraft comprises at least three rotors.

3. The tilt-prop aircraft of claim 1, further comprising a duct cylindrically surrounding the rotor.

4. A tilt-prop aircraft configured to operate in a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) mode or a forward flight mode by adjusting a tilt angle of a rotor connected to a wing, the tilt-prop aircraft comprising:

a blade included in the rotor and configured to rotate to produce lift and thrust;

a tilt center shaft configured to connect the rotor and the wing to each other and adjust the tilt angle of the rotor with respect to a flight plane of the tilt-prop aircraft; and

a push rod placed on a rotation axis of the rotor and connected to the power transmission unit to vary the pitch angle of the blade when the tilt angle of the rotor is adjusted,

wherein the power transmission unit further comprises;

a fixed part that is coaxial with the tilt center shaft and fixed in position;

a worm gear located on an edge of the fixed part;

a worm configured to rotate in engagement with the worm gear;

a first gear configured to be rotated by rotation of the worm;

a second gear configured to be rotated by a belt connected to the first gear; and

a slide screw configured to be linearly moved by rotation of the second gear,

wherein movement of the push rod for varying the pitch angle of the blade is varied according to variations in movement of the slide screw.

5. The tilt-prop aircraft of claim 4, wherein the tilt-prop aircraft comprises at least three rotors.

6. The tilt-prop aircraft of claim 4, further comprising a duct cylindrically surrounding the rotor.