TORQUE PRODUCTION VEHICLE AND METHOD

• US 20110101155A1
• Filed: 11/04/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Timothy D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,256,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/12.1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/064 with radial airflow
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/31 generated by photovoltaics
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/70 Launching or landing using catapults, tracks or rails launching from storage containers B64U70/50
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/84 Waterborne vehicles

Abstract

A torque production vehicle includes a plenum body having a wall with a central port and a radial port formed within the wall, an impeller disposed within the plenum body to move air through the central port, an engine coupled to the impeller to rotate the impeller about an axis, at least one arm coupled to the plenum body, and a plurality of foils disposed in the radial port to direct air about the plenum body to provide a torque force about the plenum body.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a plenum body having a wall with a central port and a radial port formed within the wall;

an impeller disposed within the plenum body to move air through the central port;

an engine coupled to the impeller to rotate the impeller about an axis;

at least one arm coupled to the plenum body; and

a plurality of foils disposed in the radial port to direct air about the plenum body to provide a torque force about the plenum body.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plenum body includes a base portion defined by a conical-shaped cross-sectional area positioned toward a bottom end of the plenum body.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the plenum body is defined by a vertical extent and a horizontal extent longer than the vertical extent and the conical-shaped cross-sectional area is symmetric about a central radial axis.

4. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the plenum body rotates about a central axis and the base portion of the plenum body is longitudinally coincident with the central axis.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plenum body further comprises:

an upper portion vertically opposing the base portion, the radial port formed between a lower radial extent of the upper portion and an upper radial extent of the base portion.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the radial port forms an annular slot between the base portion and the upper portion.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the annular slot is formed along the entire area around the plenum body.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the plenum body wall is smooth to substantially reduce a coefficient of friction of air moving along the inner surface of the plenum body.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plenum body is comprised of a flexible material.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the flexible material is expandable and collapsible.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the impeller is a centrifugal impeller.

12. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the impeller is an axial impeller.

13. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the impeller is a mixed-flow impeller.

14. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the arm is a lift arm configured to provide at least one of:

vertical movement and horizontal movement of the vehicle.

15. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the arm is coupled distally to the plenum body.

16. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the arm is a plurality of arms.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the arms are evenly spaced about the plenum body.

18. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a shaft to couple the impeller and the engine.

19. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a controller.

20. A method of torque production comprising:

providing a vehicle comprising;

a plenum body having a wall with a central port and a radial port formed within the wall;

an impeller disposed within the plenum body to move air through the central port;

an engine coupled to the impeller to rotate the impeller about an axis;

at least one arm coupled to the plenum body; and

a plurality of foils disposed in the radial port to direct air about the plenum body to provide a torque force about the plenum body.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the plenum body includes a base portion defined by a conical-shaped cross-sectional area positioned toward a bottom end of the plenum body.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the plenum body is defined by a vertical extent and a horizontal extent longer than the vertical extent and the conical-shaped cross-sectional area is symmetric about a central radial axis.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the plenum body rotates about a central axis and the base portion of the plenum body is longitudinally coincident with the central axis.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the plenum body further comprises:

an upper portion vertically opposing the base portion, the radial port formed between a lower radial extent of the upper portion and an upper radial extent of the base portion.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the radial port forms an annular slot between the base portion and the upper portion.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the annular slot is formed along the entire area around the plenum body.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the inner surface of the plenum body wall is smooth to substantially reduce a coefficient of friction of air moving along the inner surface of the plenum body.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the plenum body is comprised of a flexible material.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the flexible material is expandable and collapsible.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the impeller is a centrifugal impeller.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the impeller is a propeller.

32. The method of claim 20, wherein the arm is a lift arm configured to provide at least one of:

vertical movement and horizontal movement of the vehicle.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein the arm is coupled distally to the plenum body.

34. The method of claim 20, wherein the arm is a plurality of arms.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the arms are evenly spaced about the plenum body.

36. The method of claim 20, wherein the vehicle further comprises a shaft to couple the impeller and the engine.

37. The method of claim 20, wherein the vehicle further comprises a controller.