Vertical/short take-off and landing (V/STOL) air vehicle capable of providing high speed horizontal flight
First Claim
1. A vertical/short take-off and landing air vehicle capable of producing high speed horizontal flight, comprising:
- a) a fuselage;
b) a plurality of lifting surfaces, including at least one wing and at least one all moving horizontal tail, attached to said fuselage, each said at least one wing having a respective control device attached thereto;
c) an articulated propulsion system attached to said fuselage, comprising;
I) a duct assembly pivotally connected to said fuselage, said duct assembly comprising;
a duct; and
a propeller assembly mounted within said duct; and
ii) a motor assembly connected to said propeller assembly,wherein said propulsion system is positionable in a substantially vertical position to provide sufficient direct vertical thrust for vertical take-off and landing and is directable to other positions to provide a varying spectrum of take-off and landing configurations as well as a substantially horizontal position for high speed horizontal flight and wherein each of said plurality of lifting surfaces pivots with respect to the fuselage to remain generally aligned with a longitudinal central axis of the duct assembly as the propulsion system is positioned in and between the substantially vertical position and the substantially horizontal position.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The vehicle includes a fuselage; a plurality of lifting surfaces attached to the fuselage having control devices attached thereto; and, an articulated propulsion system attached to the fuselage. The propulsion system includes a duct assembly pivotally connected to the fuselage. The duct assembly includes a duct and a propeller assembly mounted within the duct. A motor assembly is connected to the propeller assembly. The duct assembly may be positioned in a substantially vertical position to provide sufficient direct vertical thrust for vertical take-off and landing and may be directed in other positions to provide a varying spectrum of take-off and landing configurations, as well as a substantially horizontal position for high speed horizontal flight. Use of the control surface in the ducted propulsion assembly provides VTOL capability in a very small environment. The environment is not required to be prepared in any special manner. During horizontal flight, the wings provide the lift, which is more efficient than a propeller providing lift. The present invention takes advantage of a center line propulsion, so that there are no asymmetric propulsion loads.
126 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A vertical/short take-off and landing air vehicle capable of producing high speed horizontal flight, comprising:
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a) a fuselage; b) a plurality of lifting surfaces, including at least one wing and at least one all moving horizontal tail, attached to said fuselage, each said at least one wing having a respective control device attached thereto; c) an articulated propulsion system attached to said fuselage, comprising; I) a duct assembly pivotally connected to said fuselage, said duct assembly comprising; a duct; and a propeller assembly mounted within said duct; and ii) a motor assembly connected to said propeller assembly, wherein said propulsion system is positionable in a substantially vertical position to provide sufficient direct vertical thrust for vertical take-off and landing and is directable to other positions to provide a varying spectrum of take-off and landing configurations as well as a substantially horizontal position for high speed horizontal flight and wherein each of said plurality of lifting surfaces pivots with respect to the fuselage to remain generally aligned with a longitudinal central axis of the duct assembly as the propulsion system is positioned in and between the substantially vertical position and the substantially horizontal position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification