Aircraft attitude control configuration

• US 20070102575A1
• Filed: 11/09/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vox LLC
• Original Assignee: Morgan Aircraft LLC
• Inventors: Hagen, David, Morgan, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 7,581,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/87
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 5/02 Tailplanes
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 5/06 Fins B64C5/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/06 with two or more independent movements
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/12 surfaces of different type or function being simultaneously adjusted
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/30 Wing lift efficiency

Abstract

An aircraft attitude control configuration enables control surfaces to provide attitude control for an aircraft at hover or low air speed conditions. The aircraft attitude control configuration includes a thruster mounted to an aircraft for thrusting air, a first control surface kinematically coupled to the aircraft at a position downstream of the thruster, and a second control surface kinematically coupled to the aircraft at a position downstream of the thruster, the second control surface being differentially movable with respect to the first control surface such that a portion of the thrusted air from the thruster generates a first vector force on the first control surface and another portion of the thrusted air generates a second vector force on the second control surface, so that the first and the second vector forces provide a net roll moment about the Y-Roll axis.

Claims

1. An aircraft attitude control configuration comprising:

a thruster mounted to an aircraft for thrusting air;

a first control surface kinematically coupled to the aircraft at a position downstream of the thruster; and

a second control surface kinematically coupled to the aircraft at a position downstream of the thruster, the second control surface being differentially movable with respect to the first control surface such that a portion of the thrusted air from the thruster generates a first vector force on the first control surface and another portion of the thrusted air generates a second vector force on the second control surface, so that the first and the second vector forces provide a net roll moment about the Y-Roll axis.

2. The aircraft attitude control configuration of claim 1 further comprising:

a first stabilizer mounted on the aircraft; and

the first and the second control surfaces are kinematically coupled to the stabilizer.

3. The aircraft attitude control configuration of claim 2 further comprising:

a second stabilizer mounted on the aircraft; and

a third control surface kinematically coupled to the second stabilizer such that another portion of the thrusted air generates a third vector force on the third control surface.

4. The aircraft attitude control configuration of claim 3 wherein the third control surface is a rudder.

5. The aircraft attitude control configuration of claim 3 wherein the first control surface is a first elevator kinematically coupled to the first stabilizer and the second control surface is a second elevator kinematically coupled to the second stabilizer.

6. The aircraft attitude control configuration of claim 1 wherein the first control surface is a first stabilator and the second control surface is a second stabilator and both stabilators are kinematically coupled to the aircraft.

7. The aircraft attitude control configuration of claim 6 further comprising:

a third control surface kinematically coupled to the aircraft, and another portion of the thrusted air generates a vector force on the third control surface.

8. The aircraft attitude control configuration of claim 7 wherein the third control surface is a third stabilator.

9. An aircraft attitude control configuration comprising:

a plurality of thrusters mounted to an aircraft for thrusting air;

a first control surface kinematically coupled to the aircraft at a position downstream of a first thruster such that a first vector force is generated by a portion of thrusted air from the first thruster on the first control surface; and

a second control surface kinematically coupled to the aircraft at a position downstream of a second thruster, the second control surface being differentially movable with respect to the first control surface such that a second vector force is generated by a portion of thrusted air from the second thruster on the second control surface, so that the first and the second vector forces provide a net roll moment about the Y-Roll axis.

10. The aircraft attitude control configuration of claim 9 further comprising:

a third control surface kinematically coupled to the aircraft, the third control surface and a portion of the thrusted air from a third thruster in the plurality of thrusters generates a third vector force on the third control surface.

11. The aircraft flight control configuration of claim 10 wherein the first control surface, the second control surface, and the third control surface are independently operable with respect to one another.

22. The method of claim 9 further comprising kinematically coupling a trim tab to one of the first control surface and the second control surface.

12. A method for configuring an attitude control for an aircraft comprising:

kinematically coupling a first control surface and a second control surface to an aircraft so the first and the second control surfaces are differentially moveable; and

mounting a thruster to the aircraft at a position that enables thrusted air from the thruster to generate a first vector force on the first control surface, a second vector force generated by thrusted air on the second control surface, so that the first and the second vector forces provide a net roll moment about the Y-Roll axis.

13. The method of claim 12, the coupling of the first and the second control surfaces to the aircraft further comprising:

mounting a first stabilizer to the aircraft; and

kinematically coupling the first and the second control surfaces to the first stabilizer so the first and the second control surfaces are differentially moveable with respect to the first stabilizer.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

mounting a second stabilizer to the aircraft; and

kinematically coupling a third control surface to the second stabilizer at a position that enables the thrusted air to generate a third vector force on the third control surface.

15. The method of claim 14, the kinematically coupling of the third control surface further comprising:

kinematically coupling a rudder to the second stabilizer.

16. The method of claim 14, the kinematically coupling of the first and the second control surfaces further comprises:

kinematically coupling first and second elevators to the first stabilizer.

17. The method of claim 12, the kinematically coupling of the first and the second control surfaces further comprises:

kinematically coupling a first stabilator and a second stabilator to the aircraft.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

kinematically mounting a third control surface to the aircraft at a position that enables a thrust air to be directed at the third control surface.

19. A method for configuring an attitude control for an aircraft comprising:

mounting a plurality of thrusters to the aircraft;

kinematically coupling a first control surface to the aircraft;

kinematically coupling a second control surface to the aircraft to be differentially moveable with respect to the first control surface; and

positioning each of the thrusters to enable at least a portion of thrusted air from a thruster to be directed towards at least one of the first and the second control surfaces.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

kinematically mounting a third control surface to the aircraft; and

the positioning of the thrusters further comprising;

positioning a first thruster to direct thrusted air towards the first control surface;

positioning a second thruster to direct thrusted air towards the second control surface; and

positioning a third thruster to direct thrusted air towards the third control surface.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

positioning two thrusters to direct air towards the first control surface; and

positioning two thrusters to direct air towards the second control surface.