AIRCRAFT HAVING A LIFT/PROPULSION UNIT

• US 20100301158A1
• Filed: 04/15/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Johnson, Martin C., HARRIS, Paul J.H., Hewitt, Frank A., Wright, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,317,126 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/12.5
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 15/14 the jets being other than main propulsion jets jet flaps B64C9/38
• 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 29/0075 the motors being tiltable relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2027/026 comprising different types of power plants, e.g. combination of an electric motor and a gas-turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/026 comprising different types of power plants, e.g. combination of a piston engine and a gas-turbine Hybrid electric aircraft B64D27/33
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/10 with another turbine driving an output shaft but not driving the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/004 by using one or more swivable nozzles rotating about their own axis
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 5/00 Plants including an engine, other than a gas turbine, driving a compressor or a ducted fan
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/328 providing direct vertical lift
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/76 an electrical generator
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

An aircraft having a lift/propulsion unit which includes a power unit such as a turboshaft engine which drives a fan through a transmission mechanism. The fan discharges to vectoring nozzles which can be independently swivelled to provide lift or propulsion thrust. An output shaft of the transmission mechanism serves as the main shaft of a motor/generator of modular form. The motor/generator can act as a generator to charge an electrical storage device such as a battery, or as a motor to drive the fan, either alone or to supplement the output of engine. Reaction control nozzles are provided at extremities of the aircraft to provide stabilising thrust. The aircraft is capable of vertical take off and hovering, with the vectoring nozzles swivelled to a lift position, and forward thrust with the vectoring nozzles swivelled to a propulsion position.

Claims

1. An aircraft having a fuselage provided with a lift/propulsion unit comprising a power unit and a fan which is driveably connected to the power unit by a transmission mechanism, the fan having a rotary axis which extends upwardly in the attitude of the aircraft corresponding to level flight, and being provided with vectoring means for adjusting the direction of thrust generated by the fan, wherein the vectoring means comprises at least one vectoring nozzle which is mounted for swivelling movement with respect to the fan.

2. An aircraft as claimed in claim 1, in which the vectoring nozzle can be swivelled between a lift position in which the nozzle generates thrust in a generally vertical direction, and a propulsion position in which the nozzle generates thrust in a generally horizontal direction parallel to the direction of forward travel of the aircraft.

3. An aircraft as claimed in claim 1, in which the fan outlet discharges into a delivery chamber which communicates with the or each vectoring nozzle, the or each vectoring nozzle being mounted for swivelling movement on the delivery chamber.

4. An aircraft as claimed in claim 1, in which two of the vectoring nozzles are provided, disposed on opposite sides of the fuselage.

5. An aircraft as claimed in claim 4 , in which the vectoring nozzles are mounted for swivelling movement independently of each other.

6. An aircraft as claimed in claim 1, in which the fan is disposed substantially at the centre of gravity of the aircraft.

7. An aircraft as claimed in claim 1, in which the lift/propulsion unit comprises a motor/generator having a main shaft which comprises a driveshaft of the transmission mechanism and which transmits power from the power unit to the fan.

8. An aircraft as claimed in claim 1, in which the transmission mechanism comprises a gearbox, a motor/generator being integrated with the gearbox.

9. An aircraft as claimed in claim 7, in which an electrical storage device is provided which is chargeable by the motor/generator and is adapted to supply electrical power to the motor/generator to apply drive to the fan.

10. An aircraft as claimed in claim 7, in which the motor/generator is of modular construction, comprising removable and replaceable modules.

11. An aircraft as claimed in claim 1, in which reaction control devices are provided for generating supplementary thrust to stabilise the attitude of the aircraft.

12. An aircraft as claimed in claim 11, in which the reaction control devices are disposed at wing tips of the aircraft and/or at the ends of the fuselage.

13. An aircraft as claimed in claim 12, in which the reaction control devices comprise discharge nozzles provided with control means for controlling delivery of pressurised air to the nozzles.

14. An aircraft as claimed in claim 13, in which the control means comprises control valves.

15. An aircraft as claimed in claim 13, in which the control means comprises supplementary fans.

16. An aircraft as claimed in claim 14, in which an electrical storage device is provided which is chargeable by the motor/generator and is adapted to supply electrical power to the motor/generator to apply drive to the fan, and the control valves and/or the supplementary fans are electrically driven by means of electrical power supplied by the motor/generator or from the electrical storage device.