Aircraft

• US 20050061910A1
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aloys Wobben
• Original Assignee: Aloys Wobben
• Inventors: Wobben, Aloys
• Granted Patent: US 7,364,114 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/17.230
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/20 Rotorcraft characterised by having shrouded rotors, e.g. flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/00 Aircraft capable of landing or taking-off vertically, e.g. vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft rotorcraft B64C27/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/022 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/16 with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/60 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/23 with each propulsion means having an individual motor
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 19/00 Hoisting, lifting, hauling or pushing, not otherwise provided for

Abstract

The present invention concerns an aircraft having a plurality of lifting and thrust rotors, with an electric motor and an inverter for each motor. In order to provide an aircraft having a greater payload, connecting bars are provided between the motors. In that respect the invention is based on the realization that, if such connecting bars are arranged in the manner of a latticework, they can provide a light but nonetheless stable structure for the aircraft, and that structure can carry correspondingly greater loads.

Claims

1. An aircraft having a plurality of lifting and thrust rotors, wherein an electric motor is associated with each rotor and each motor is connected to an inverter, wherein the aircraft has an electric motor-operated cable winch, by means of which loads carried by the aircraft can be raised or lowered.

2. The aircraft according to claim 1 characterized by a power supply having at least one trailing cable permanently coupled to the ground and coupled to the aircraft.

3. The aircraft according to claim 1 characterized by a wired remote control system.

4. The aircraft according to claim 3 characterized by two remote control systems which can act alternately on the aircraft.

5. The aircraft according to claim 1 characterized by a resiliently mounted support plate at the end of each motor, which is remote from the shaft.

6. The aircraft according to claim 1 characterized by a control device for the automatic control of flight attitude.

7. The aircraft according to claim 5 characterized by connecting bars between at least two motors and the control device.

8. The aircraft according to claim 6 characterized by a GPS system providing data to the control device for causing the aircraft to head for a predeterminable position.

9. The aircraft according to claim 6 characterized in that the control device is arranged beneath the plane in which the connecting bars extend between the motors.

10. The aircraft according to claim 1 characterized by structural combination of a motor and inverter.

11. The aircraft according to claim 1 characterized in that the connecting bars are hollow and cables are arranged in the interior of the bars.

12. The aircraft according to claim 1 characterized by fixed but releasable connections between the connecting bars and the motors.

13. The aircraft according to claim 1 characterized by an energy storage device arranged on the aircraft.

14. The aircraft according to claim 1 characterized in that the aircraft has a chassis which is constructed substantially from hollow connecting bars.

15. The aircraft according to claim 1 characterized in that the electric motors are connected together by connecting bars.

16. The aircraft according to claim 1 characterized in that the lifting rotors are substantially double-blade rotors.

17. The aircraft according to claim 1 characterized by a wireless remote control system.

18. The aircraft according to claim 3 characterized by two remote control systems which can act simultaneously on the aircraft.

19. The aircraft according to claim 1 characterized by a control device for the automatic control of flight height.

20. An aircraft comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of electric motors coupled to the frame;

a lifting rotor mechanically linked to one of the plurality of electric motors; and

a plurality of thrusting rotors, each mechanically linked to one of the plurality of electric motors.

21. The aircraft of claim 20, further comprising a lifting cable attachable to a load.

22. The aircraft of claim 21, wherein the cable is mechanically linked to one of the plurality of electric motors for raising and lowering the load.

23. The aircraft of claim 20, further comprising a power cable coupled to a power supply on the ground and to the aircraft.

24. The aircraft of claim 20, further comprising one or more control systems for positioning the aircraft.

25. The aircraft of claim 24, wherein one of the one or more control systems is wirelessly connected to an input device for sending commands to the one of the one or more control systems.

26. The aircraft of claim 24, wherein one of the one or more control systems comprises a computing system capable of autonomously positioning the aircraft.

27. The aircraft of claim 24, further comprising a Global Positioning System capable of providing data to one of the one or more control systems.

28. The aircraft of claim 20 further comprising a frame constructed substantially from hollow connecting bars.

29. The aircraft of claim 28, wherein the one or more electric motors, the lifting rotor, and the plurality of thrusting rotors are connected to the frame.

30. The aircraft of claim 20, wherein the lifting rotor rotates substantially in the horizontal plane.

31. The aircraft of claim 20, wherein the one or more thrusting motors rotate substantially in the vertical plane.

32. A method for lifting an object comprising steps of:

attaching an electrically powered aircraft to a power source fixed on the ground;

coupling the object to the electrically powered aircraft;

directing the electrically powered aircraft to fly to a predetermined position; and

decoupling the object from the electrically powered aircraft.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein coupling the object to an electrically powered aircraft further comprises the step of attaching a cable from the object to the electrically powered aircraft.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein directing the aircraft to fly to a predetermined position further comprises the step of sending commands to a flight control system capable of controlling the position of the aircraft.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein directing the aircraft to fly to a predetermined position further comprises the step of receiving GPS data by the flight control system.

36. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of raising the object with an electrically powered cable winch.

37. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of lowering the object into the predetermined position with an electrically powered cable winch.