Convertible Vehicle For Road, Air, and Water Usage

• US 20110042507A1
• Filed: 08/19/2009
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donald S. Sr. Seiford
• Original Assignee: Donald S. Sr. Seiford
• Inventors: SEIFORD, Donald S. SR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,162,253 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 5/02 convertible into aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0025 the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0075 the motors being tiltable relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 37/00 Convertible aircraft

Abstract

A convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle has a road form, a water form, and an aircraft form. The vehicle includes a vehicle body having a passenger compartment and wheels supporting the vehicle body on the ground when in the road form. A wing assembly is attached to each side of the vehicle body. Each wing assembly includes a wing and at least one propelling device attached to the wing. The propelling devices may be jet engines, or ducted fans or in-wing propellers. A wing assembly rotating mechanism rotates the wing assembly 360 degrees when the vehicle is in the aircraft form so that thrust is provided in 360 degrees, allowing for vertical takeoff and landing and mid air hovering. A wing assembly positioning mechanism positions the wing assembly between an open-winged flying position and a folded or closed-winged non-flying position. A rear propelling assembly is provided to propel the vehicle in the air, and a tail assembly is provided which includes elements for maneuvering the vehicle in the air and water. The rear propelling assembly includes a rear propelling device and a propelling device positioning mechanism capable of positioning the rear propelling device through a range of at least 90 degrees between a position for providing the vehicle with vertical lift or thrust and a position for providing the vehicle with forward thrust. The rear propelling device may be a jet engine or a propeller. An operator'"'"'s control unit is disposed in the passenger compartment with which an operator controls vehicle.

Claims

1. A convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle which has a road form, a water form, and an aircraft form, comprising:

a vehicle body having a passenger compartment;

wheels supporting the vehicle body on the ground when in the road form;

a wing assembly attached to each side of the vehicle body, which support the vehicle when flying in the air in the aircraft form of the vehicle and which folds to align with sides of the vehicle body when in the road or water form of the vehicle, each wing assembly including a wing and at least one propelling device attached to the wing;

a wing assembly rotating mechanism provided for each wing assembly, capable of rotating the wing assembly at least 90 degrees when the vehicle is in the aircraft form so that thrust is provided by the propelling devices of the wing assembly in at least a 90 degree range;

a wing assembly positioning mechanism provided for each wing assembly, capable of positioning the wing assembly between an open-winged flying position and a folded or closed-winged non-flying position;

a rear propelling assembly which propels the vehicle in the air; and

a tail assembly which includes elements for maneuvering the vehicle in the air and water.

2. The convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising an operator'"'"'s control unit disposed in the passenger compartment with which an operator controls the wheels, the wing assemblies, the wing assembly rotating mechanism, the wing assembly positioning mechanism, the rear propelling assembly, and the tail assembly.

3. The convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the rear propelling assembly includes a rear propelling device and a propelling device positioning mechanism capable of positioning the rear propelling device through a range of at least 90 degrees about a horizontal axis between a position for providing the vehicle with vertical lift or thrust and a position for providing the vehicle with forward thrust.

4. The convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the wing assembly rotating mechanisms are capable of rotating the wing assemblies 360 degrees when the vehicle is in the aircraft form so that thrust is provided by the propelling devices of the wing assembly in a 360 degree range.

5. The convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the wing assembly rotating mechanisms are capable of rotating the wing assemblies 360 degrees when the vehicle is in the aircraft form so that thrust is provided by the propelling devices of the wing assembly in a 360 degree range.

6. The convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the propelling devices of the wing assemblies are jet engines.

7. The convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the propelling devices of the wing assemblies are jet engines.

8. The convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the propelling devices of the wing assemblies are ducted fans or in-wing propellers.

9. The convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the propelling devices of the wing assemblies are ducted fans or in-wing propellers.

10. The convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the rear propelling assembly includes a rear propelling device and a propelling device positioning mechanism capable of pivoting the rear propelling device about a vertical axis which maneuvers the vehicle laterally in the air and water.

11. The convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the propelling device positioning mechanism is also capable of pivoting the rear propelling device about a vertical axis which maneuvers the vehicle laterally in the air and water.

12. The convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the rear propelling assembly includes a jet engine.

13. The convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the rear propelling device is a jet engine.

14. The convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the rear propelling device is a jet engine.

15. The convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the rear propelling device is a jet engine.

16. The convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the rear propelling assembly includes a propeller.

17. The convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the rear propelling device is a propeller.

18. The convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the tail assembly includes a rudder and/or a stabilizer.

19. The convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the rear propelling assembly includes a rear propelling device and a propelling device positioning mechanism capable of pivoting the rear propelling device about a vertical axis which maneuvers the vehicle laterally in the air and water.

20. The convertible combined road, water, and aircraft vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the propelling device positioning mechanism is also capable of pivoting the rear propelling device about a vertical axis which maneuvers the vehicle laterally in the air and water.