AERODYNAMIC INTEGRATION OF A PAYLOAD CONTAINER WITH A VERTICAL TAKE-OFF AND LANDING AIRCRAFT

• US 20100012769A1
• Filed: 07/19/2007
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Stille, Brandon L., Alber, Mark R., Smiley, Alfred Russell
• Granted Patent: US 8,876,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/17.230
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2027/8236 including pusher propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/10 arranged coaxially
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/02 characterised by special use
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/17 Helicopters flying platforms B64U10/13
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/50 Foldable or collapsible UAVs with frangible components B64U20/30
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/21 Rotary wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/24 Coaxial rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers

Abstract

A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) rotary-wing air-craft is sized and configured to match a payload container such as a standardized Joint Modular Intermodal Container (JMIC). The aircraft may be an Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) that is capable of autonomously engaging and disengaging the container so that the aircraft can pick up and drop off the JMIC with minimum human intervention.

Claims

1. A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprising:

an airframe which defines a cargo tunnel along a longitudinal axis of said airframe, said cargo tunnel interfaces with a first surface of a payload container and extends at least partially along a second side and a third side of the payload container.

2. The aircraft as recited in claim 1, wherein said aircraft is unmanned.

3. The aircraft as recited in claim 1, wherein the first surface is an upper surface of the payload container.

4. The aircraft as recited in claim 1, wherein said cargo tunnel includes an open forward cargo tunnel section which opens through a forward section of said airframe such that the payload container may transit along a longitudinal axis of the airframe through said open forward cargo tunnel section.

5. The aircraft as recited in claim 1, wherein said cargo tunnel includes an at least partially closed aft section.

6. The aircraft as recited in claim 5, wherein said aft section includes a propulsive system.

7. The aircraft as recited in claim 1, wherein said cargo tunnel includes a first tunnel surface, a second tunnel surface transverse to said first tunnel surface and a third tunnel surface transverse to said first tunnel surface.

8. The aircraft as recited in claim 7, wherein said cargo tunnel includes an open forward cargo tunnel section which opens through a forward section of said airframe such that the payload container may transit along a longitudinal axis of the airframe through said open forward cargo tunnel section.

9. The aircraft as recited in claim 7, wherein said second tunnel surface and said third tunnel surface are defined by respective port and starboard sponsons of said airframe.

10. The aircraft as recited in claim 9, wherein said port and starboard sponsons of said airframe are each operable to support an external fuel tank.

11. The aircraft as recited in claim 1, wherein said airframe includes a propulsive system.

12. The aircraft as recited in claim 1, wherein said airframe includes a dual, counter-rotating, coaxial rotor system.

13. The aircraft as recited in claim 1, further comprising a retractable landing gear system selectively positionable relative to said airframe to vertically position said cargo tunnel relative to the payload container to attach said upper surface to said payload container.

14. An unmanned vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprising:

an airframe which defines a cargo tunnel along a longitudinal axis of said airframe, said cargo tunnel includes an open forward cargo tunnel section which opens through a forward section of said airframe such that the payload container may transit along a longitudinal axis of the airframe through said open forward cargo tunnel section.

15. The aircraft as recited in claim 14, wherein said cargo tunnel includes a first tunnel surface, a second tunnel surface transverse to said first tunnel surface and a third tunnel surface transverse to said first tunnel surface.

16. The aircraft as recited in claim 14, wherein said cargo tunnel is sized to receive the payload container.

17. The aircraft as recited in claim 14, wherein said cargo tunnel provides at least partial conformal carriage of the payload container.

18. The aircraft as recited in claim 14, further comprising a landing gear system selectively extendable from said airframe to vertically position said cargo tunnel relative to the payload container and attach the payload container within the cargo tunnel.

19. The aircraft as recited in claim 14, further comprising an aerodynamic structure which provides an aerodynamic interface between said cargo tunnel and the payload container.

20. A method of aerodynamic integration of a payload container with a vertical take-off and landing aircraft comprising the steps of:

(A) transiting a payload container along a longitudinal axis of an airframe through an open forward cargo tunnel section of a cargo tunnel along a longitudinal axis of said airframe; and

(B) adjusting a height of an aircraft main landing gear; and

(C) attaching the payload container at lest partially within the cargo tunnel.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, further comprising the step of:

(D) deploying an aerodynamic structure to provide an aerodynamic interface between the cargo tunnel and the payload container.