LONG ENDURANCE VERTICAL TAKEOFF AND LANDING AIRCRAFT

• US 20120248259A1
• Filed: 03/23/2012
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DZYNE Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: DZYNE Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Page, Mark Allan, McCue, Matthew Robert, Godlasky, Robert Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 8,991,751 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/7.A
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/02 having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/20 Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/12 Variable or detachable wings, e.g. wings with adjustable sweep
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/14 ducted or shrouded
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20

Abstract

An aircraft for use in fixed wing flight mode and rotor flight mode is provided. The aircraft can include a fuselage, wings, and a plurality of engines. The fuselage can comprise a wing attachment region further comprising a rotating support. A rotating section can comprise a rotating support and the wings, with a plurality of engines attached to the rotating section. In a rotor flight mode, the rotating section can rotate around a longitudinal axis of the fuselage providing lift for the aircraft similar to the rotor of a helicopter. In a fixed wing flight mode, the rotating section does not rotate around a longitudinal axis of the fuselage, providing lift for the aircraft similar to a conventional airplane. The same engines that provide torque to power the rotor in rotor flight mode also power the aircraft in fixed wing flight mode.

Claims

1. An aircraft capable of fixed wing and rotor flight modes wherein a fixed wing flight mode is defined as flight in which a fuselage is substantially parallel to the ground and a rotor flight mode is defined as flight in which a fuselage is substantially perpendicular to the ground, the aircraft comprising:

a plurality of wings, each wing having a spar such that each wing is rotatable about said spar;

at least one actuator coupled to the spar of each of the plurality of wings;

a plurality of engines secured to said wings; and

a fuselage further comprising a rotating support rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the fuselage wherein said plurality of wings are secured to said rotating support such that said wings rotate about a longitudinal axis of the fuselage.

2. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein said plurality of wings further comprise:

a first wing having a first engine secured at a position between 20% and 75% of semi-span of said first wing; and

a second wing having a second engine secured at a position between 20% and 75% of semi-span of said second wing.

4. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein each wing further comprises a control surface for controlling pitch when the aircraft is flying in fixed wing flight mode and for controlling cyclic and collective when the aircraft is flying in rotor flight mode.

5. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein said engines may be jet engines or propeller engines.

6. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the wings are symmetric airfoils.

7. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein said engines are used to power flight in both fixed wing flight mode and rotor flight mode.

8. The aircraft of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of tail stabilizing surfaces.

9. The aircraft of claim 8, wherein said plurality of tail stabilizing surfaces further comprise at least one control surface for controlling the orientation of the aircraft when the aircraft is flying in fixed wing mode or in rotor flight mode.

17. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein said plurality of wings further comprise:

a first wing having a first engine secured at a position at least 30% of semi-span of said first wing; and

a second wing having a second engine secured at a position at least 30% of semi-span of said second wing.

3. An aircraft capable of fixed wing and rotor flight modes, wherein a fixed wing flight mode is defined as flight in which a fuselage is substantially parallel to the ground and a rotor flight mode is defined as flight in which a fuselage is substantially perpendicular to the ground, the aircraft comprising:

a first wing having a spar with a first engine secured at a position between 20% and 75% of semi-span of said first wing;

a second wing having a spar with a second engine secured at a position between 20% and 75% of semi-span of said second wing;

at least one actuator coupled to the spar of each of the first and second wings; and

a fuselage further comprising a rotating section rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the fuselage wherein said first and second wings rotate with respect to said rotating section such that the actuator coupled to the spar of said first wing rotates said first wing in a first direction around the span-wise axis of the first wing and the actuator coupled to the spar of said second wing rotates said second wing in a second direction around the span-wise axis of the second wing such that said first and second engines are directed in different directions causing said first and second wings to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the fuselage due to the thrust provided by each of said engines.

10. The aircraft of claim 3, wherein the engines are secured to the wings at a span-wise distance from the fuselage such that the difference between the torque and rpm requirements of the engines when the aircraft is operating in rotor flight mode and the thrust and flight speed requirements of the engines when the aircraft is operating in fixed wing flight mode is no more than 25%.

11. The aircraft of claim 10, wherein the engines are secured to the wings at a position at least 20% of semi-span of said wings.

19. The aircraft of claim 3, wherein the engines are secured to the wings at a span-wise distance from the fuselage such that the engines that provide the torque required when the aircraft is operating in rotor flight mode also provide between 75% and 100% of the thrust required when the aircraft is operating in fixed wing flight mode.

20. The aircraft of claim 3, wherein the engines are secured to the wings at a span-wise distance from the fuselage such that the engines that provide the torque required when the aircraft is operating in rotor flight mode also provide at least 80% of the thrust required when the aircraft is operating in fixed wing flight mode.

21. The aircraft of claim 3, wherein the engines are secured to the wings at a span-wise distance from the fuselage such that the difference between the torque and rpm requirements of the engines when the aircraft is operating in rotor flight mode and the thrust and flight speed requirements of the engines when the aircraft is operating in fixed wing flight mode is no more than 30%.

12. A method for changing the configuration of an aircraft between flight modes, the method comprising:

changing the rate of motion of a rotating portion of a fuselage from a first flight mode to a second flight mode; and

rotating each of a plurality of wings in opposite directions.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the rotation of each of a plurality of wings is accomplished by at least one actuator.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the rotating portion of the fuselage rotates around a longitudinal axis of the fuselage in the first flight mode and does not rotate around a longitudinal axis of the fuselage in the second flight mode.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the rotating portion of the fuselage rotates around a longitudinal axis of the fuselage in the second flight mode and does not rotate around a longitudinal axis of the fuselage in the first flight mode.

24. The method of claim 12 wherein said aircraft further comprises a rotating section comprising said rotating portion and said plurality of wings and at least one engine supported by said rotating section, the method further comprising changing the rate of rotation of said rotating section.

16. An aircraft capable of fixed wing and rotor flight modes wherein a fixed wing flight mode is defined as flight in which a fuselage is substantially parallel to the ground and a rotor flight mode is defined as flight in which a fuselage is substantially perpendicular to the ground, comprising:

a fuselage main body defining a longitudinal axis;

a rotating section connected to said fuselage main body, comprising;

a rotating support; and

a plurality of wings, each wing having a spar such that each wing is rotatable about said spar; and

a plurality of engines attached to the rotating section,

wherein said rotating section is rotatable around said longitudinal axis of said fuselage main body.

18. The aircraft of claim 16, wherein said engines are attached within said rotating section such that said engines rotate around a longitudinal axis of said fuselage.

22. The aircraft of claim 16, wherein the engines that provide the torque required when the aircraft is operating in rotor flight mode also provide between 75% and 100% of the thrust required when the aircraft is operating in fixed wing flight mode.

23. The aircraft of claim 16, wherein the engines that provide the torque required when the aircraft is operating in rotor flight mode also provide at least 80% of the thrust required when the aircraft is operating in fixed wing flight mode.

25. The aircraft of claim 16 further comprising at least one actuator coupled to the spar of each wing.