Double ducted hovering air-vehicle

• US 20060192047A1
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Goossen, Emray R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,658,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/17.23
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/20 Rotorcraft characterised by having shrouded rotors, e.g. flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0016 the lift during taking-off being created by free or ducted propellers or by blowers
• 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 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/12 Variable or detachable wings, e.g. wings with adjustable sweep
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/12 using turbine engines, e.g. turbojets or turbofans
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• 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: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence

Abstract

A dual ducted fan arrangement in which the duct components, engine, and avionics/payload pods are capable of being quickly disassembled to fit within common backpacking systems.. Each duct is identical in fan, stator, and control vane design. Assembly connections between ducted fans and electronic modules are also identical. An engine or APU drives the dual ducted fans through a splined shaft to a differential or through electric motors. Energy is transferred to the ducted fans by a single gear mounted to the stator hub. Relative speeds of the individual ducted fans are controlled through separate frictional or generator load control braking mechanisms on each of the splined shafts between the differential and ducted fans. In the electric motor case relative speed is through electronic speed control. The fans are counter rotating for torque balancing. The electronic module locations are vertically variable for longitudinal center of gravity for variations in payloads.

Claims

1. A hovering air vehicle comprising:

two duct fan assemblies comprising a rotating first fan in a first fan assembly and a second counter rotating fan in a second fan assembly;

at least one engine for powering said first fan and said second fan, wherein said at least one engine is disposed outside of a duct inflow wave between the first fan assembly and the second fan assembly; and

an energy transfer apparatus for independently regulating a speed of said first fan and said second fan.

2. The air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said energy transfer apparatus comprises a differential.

3. The air vehicle of claim 2 wherein said differential comprises output shaft speeds that are independently controlled by a braking or a shaft loading system.

4. The air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said energy transfer apparatus comprises a controller for driving electric motors under the first fan and the second fan.

5. The air vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a one axis of freedom tail cone for each duct fan assembly for pitch and yaw attitude control of said hovering air vehicle.

6. The air vehicle of claim 5 further comprising a controller for independently controlling each tail cone position.

7. The air vehicle of claim 1 further comprising at least two pods, each pod from the at least two pods affixed on a first end to said first duct fan assembly and a second end affixed to said second duct fan assembly.

8. The air vehicle of claim 7 wherein said at least two pods comprise dovetail assemblies for removeably affixing said at least two pods to the first and second duct fan assemblies and adjusting a lateral location of said at least two pods.

9. The air vehicle of claim 7 wherein said each pod comprises a member from the group consisting of avionics equipment, vehicle control system sensors, payload sensors, a payload and fuel.

10. The air vehicle of claim 7 wherein said at least two pods are affixed to the two duct fan assemblies to optimize the payload sensors visibility.

11. The air vehicle of claim 1 comprising a plurality of dovetail assemblies for removeably affixing winglets, lights or other payload pods.

12. The air vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a landing gear.

13. The air vehicle of claim 12 wherein said landing gear comprises a slot and snapping structure for removeably affixing said landing gear to the air vehicle.

14. The air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said two duct fan assemblies, said at least one engine and said energy transfer apparatus are each modular for quick assembly and disassembly.

15. The air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said two duct fan assemblies, said at least one engine and said energy transfer apparatus are configured to be stacked in a backpack.

16. The air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said at least one engine comprises a shock mount to said first fan assembly and said second fan assembly.

17. A method for assembling a modular dual ducted air vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

a. inserting a first differential spline into a first ducted fan assembly spline socket and inserting a second slpine into a second ducted fan assembly spline socket;

b. affixing an engine splined shaft into a differential splined coupling;

c. concurrently sliding a first end of a first pod onto a first dovetail assembly on the first ducted fan assembly and a second end of the first pod onto a second dovetail assembly on the second ducted fan assembly;

d. repeating step c) for a second pod; and

e. attaching a first tail cone to the first ducted fan assembly and attaching a second tail cone to the second ducted fan assembly.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of sliding each leg from a plurality of landing legs onto a dovetail assembly slotted hole.

19. A method of compactly packaging a dual ducted air vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

a. dissembling each of two tail cones, each leg of a landing gear, a power unit, a differential and two pods from a first and a second fan assembly of the dual ducted air vehicle;

b. stacking the first fan assembly on top of the second fan assembly inside a transport container;

c. laying the two pods inside of a cavity of the second fan assembly in a circular pattern;

d. placing the power unit and differential next to the two pods in the cavity;

e. inserting a first tail cone into a second tail cone;

f. laying the second tail cone on top of the power unit; and

g. laying the landing gear on top of the power unit between the second tail cone and the two pods.