ROTOR/WING AIRCRAFT INCLUDING VECTORABLE NOZZLE

• US 20140248149A1
• Filed: 04/21/2014
• Published: 09/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Richardson, Steven D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,878,785 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 15/02 the jets being propulsion jets
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 15/14 the jets being other than main propulsion jets jet flaps B64C9/38
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/18 the means being jet-reaction apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/24 with rotor blades fixed in flight to act as lifting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/26 characterised by provision of fixed wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/82 characterised by the provision of an auxiliary rotor or fluid-jet device for counter-balancing lifting rotor torque or changing direction of rotorcraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/385 Variable incidence wings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/10 Drag reduction

Abstract

A method of operating an aircraft having a rotor/wing assembly and a nozzle comprises vectoring the nozzle into a position for creating vertical thrust, and using the rotor/wing assembly and the nozzle together to create vertical thrust during a rotary mode of operation.

Claims

1. A method of operating an aircraft having a rotor/wing assembly and a nozzle, the method comprising:

vectoring the nozzle into a position for creating vertical thrust; and

using the rotor/wing assembly and the nozzle together to create vertical thrust during a rotary mode of operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the aircraft further includes a turbine engine;

and wherein the rotor/wing assembly is configured to extract work from a turbine exhaust flow and then direct the exhaust flow to the nozzle during the rotary mode.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising bypassing the rotor/wing assembly and using the nozzle to create forward thrust during a fixed mode of operation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the rotor/wing assembly includes a rotor/wing, the method further comprising locking the rotor/wing to prevent rotation during the fixed mode.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the aircraft includes canards;

and wherein the method further comprises pivoting the canards during conversion between the fixed and rotary modes.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the aircraft includes a tail assembly;

and wherein the method further comprises pivoting the tail assembly during conversion between the fixed and rotary modes.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising diverting a portion of the exhaust for yaw control.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising independently controlling an amount of vertical thrust produced by each of the rotor/wing assembly and the nozzle.

9. An aircraft, comprising:

a propulsion system operable to produce an exhaust flow;

a vectorable nozzle for receiving the exhaust flow; and

a vertical lift assembly configured to be driven by the propulsion system during a rotary mode of operation.

10. The aircraft of claim 9, wherein the nozzle is at an aft end of the aircraft.

11. The aircraft of claim 9, wherein the vertical lift assembly includes a rotor/wing and a drive shaft mechanically coupled to the propulsion system to drive the rotor/wing during the rotary mode.

12. The aircraft of claim 11, wherein inlet valves at an inlet of the turbine selectively allow the exhaust flow to bypass the turbine to the turbine outlet.

13. The aircraft of claim 9, wherein the rotor/wing assembly includes a rotor/wing that is lockable to prevent rotation during a fixed mode of operation.

14. The aircraft of claim 9, further comprising at least one of pivotable canards and a pivotable tail assembly.

15. The aircraft of claim 9, further comprising a yaw control system operable from diverted exhaust flow.

16. A propulsion system comprising:

a turbine engine;

a vectorable nozzle configured to receive exhaust flow from the turbine engine during a fixed mode of operation; and

a vertical lift assembly including a rotor/wing, and a drive shaft and gear box configured to extract work from the turbine engine and rotate the rotor/wing to create lift during a rotary mode of operation.