Landing and take-off assembly for vertical take-off and landing and horizontal flight aircraft

• US 5,799,900 A
• Filed: 07/15/1996
• Issued: 09/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Product Development, LLC
• Original Assignee: Advanced Aerospace Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: McDonnell, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barefoot, Galen L.
• Application Number:
  US08/680,000
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 24/7 R, 24/7 A, 24/7 B, 24/7 C, 24/17.11, 24/17.15, 24/17.17, 24/115, 24/116, 24/110 C, 24/110 F, 24/45 R, 24/45 A
• US Class Current: 244/7.00A
• 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: B64F 1/02 for arresting aircraft, e.g. nets or cables
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/12 for anchoring aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/21 Rotary wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/294 Rotors arranged in the UAV body
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/30 for capturing UAVs in flight by ground or sea-based arresting gear, e.g. by a cable or a net
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/80 Energy efficient operational measures, e.g. ground operations or mission management

Abstract

An aircraft adapted for flight in helicopter mode with its longitudinal axis oriented generally vertically and in airplane mode with its longitudinal axis oriented generally horizontally is provided with the capability of launching and landing with the tail end directed skyward. The invention also includes improvements to the controllability and efficiency of aircraft in helicopter mode provided by the stabilizer wings and relative rotation of the fuselage section about the aircraft'"'"'s longitudinal axis. The aircraft has an elongate boom positioned between the rear fuselage and the stabilizer wings for engagement with a base structure. The base structure may be attached to a building, a trailer transporter, a ship or some other structure. The base may be a beam having latching arms that swing inward when pressure from the boom is applied, then trap the boom in a recess between the latching arm and beam, thereby suspending the aircraft. An actuator for releasing the latching arms is provided to allow the aircraft to launch.

Claims

1. An aircraft having a fuselage with an aft portion and a fore portion, said fuselage having a longitudinal axis, the aircraft being adapted for flight in a helicopter mode with the longitudinal axis oriented generally vertically and in an airplane mode with the longitudinal axis oriented generally horizontally, the aircraft comprising:

(a) at least a pair of rotor blades, each blade having a lateral axis and each blade being connected to the fuselage for rotation about its lateral axis relative to the fuselage; and

(b) a plurality of stabilizer wings connected to the aft portion in helicopter mode;

(c) said rotor blades having a leading edge and being positioned generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis with leading edges angled generally upwardly toward the stabilizing wings in helicopter mode and generally away from the stabilizing wings in airplane mode flight.

2. The aircraft of claim 1, the aircraft having:

(d) an elongate boom extending longitudinally from the fuselage for engagement with a base docking structure for launching and landing of the aircraft.

3. The aircraft of claim 2, further comprising:

(e) a rod disposed within the boom for reinforcement.

4. The aircraft of claim 3, in which:

(f) the boom has opposed ends and a middle portion, one of said ends having a larger diameter than the middle portion.

5. The aircraft of claim 4, in which:

(g) the larger diameter of the boom supports said boom when suspended from the base docking structure.

6. The aircraft of claim 2, in which:

(e) the base docking structure is a beam having a latching assembly.

7. The aircraft of claim 6, in which:

(f) the latching assembly includes a latching and pivotally mounted to the beam.

8. The aircraft of claim 2, further comprising:

(e) a tail end; and

(f) an elongate boom having means for attachment to a base structure with the tail end directed generally skyward.

9. The aircraft of claim 1, the aircraft having:

(d) a plurality of stabilizer wings connected to the fuselage; and

(e) means for suspending the aircraft disposed on at least one of the stabilizer wings.

10. The aircraft of claim 9, in which:

(f) the means for suspension is an elongate member extending outwardly from the stabilizer wings.

11. The aircraft of claim 1, the aircraft having:

(d) a boom; and

(e) a structural base having attachment means for engagement of the boom.

12. The aircraft of claim 11, in which:

(f) the attachment means includes a latching arm pivotally connected to a beam.

13. The aircraft of claim 12, in which:

(g) the beam includes means for disengaging the boom.

14. The aircraft of claim 13, in which:

(h) the means for disengaging the boom includes an actuator for selective engagement of the boom.

15. An aircraft having a fuselage with a longitudinal axis, the aircraft being adapted for flight in a helicopter mode with the longitudinal axis oriented generally vertically and in an airplane mode with the longitudinal axis oriented generally horizontally, the aircraft comprising:

(a) the fuselage consisting of a first and a second coaxial section that are connected together;

(b) at least a pair of rotor blades each having a lateral axis and each being connected to the first fuselage section for rotation of each rotor blade about its lateral axis relative to the first fuselage section;

(c) a plurality of stabilizer wings connected to the second fuselage section; and

(d) a propeller engine being secured inside the first fuselage section that rotates a propeller outside the first fuselage section in a first direction of rotation, and torque exerted on the propeller by the engine also generates an equal and opposite torque reaction on the first fuselage section and causes the first fuselage section together with the rotor blades to rotate in a second direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation;

(e) said propeller having blades with a leading edge, and said leading edges being angled toward the stabilizing wings in helicopter mode.

16. The aircraft of claim 15, in which:

(f) said propeller blades are positioned with the leading edges angled away from the stabilizing wings during horizontal aircraft mode flight.

17. An aircraft having a fuselage with a longitudinal axis, the aircraft being adapted for flight in a helicopter mode with the longitudinal axis oriented generally vertically and in an airplane mode with the longitudinal axis oriented generally horizontally, the aircraft comprising:

(a) the fuselage having coaxial sections connected for relative rotation of the sections about the longitudinal axis;

(b) a pair of rotor blades, each blade having a lateral axis and being connected to the fuselage for rotation about its lateral axis relative to the fuselage to a fixed win&

position for airplane mode flight; and

(c) a plurality of stabilizing wings connected to said fuselage;

(d) said stabilizing wings being asymmetrical about the longitudinal axis of rotation of the fuselage.

18. The aircraft of claim 17, in which:

(e) said stabilizing wings are biased to a rear portion of the fuselage in helicopter mode to cause the fuselage to weathervane into the direction of flight in helicopter mode.

19. The aircraft of claim 17, in which:

(e) at least one of said stabilizer wings has a control surface rotatable in plane with the airflow in translational helicopter mode flight.

20. An aircraft having a fuselage with an aft portion and a fore portion, said fuselage having a longitudinal axis, the aircraft being adapted for flight in a helicopter mode with the longitudinal axis oriented generally vertically and in an airplane mode with the longitudinal axis oriented generally horizontally, the aircraft comprising:

(a) at least a pair of rotor blades, each blade having a lateral axis and each blade being connected to the fuselage for rotation about its lateral axis relative to the fuselage; and

(b) a plurality of stabilizing wings connected to said fuselage;

(c) at least one of said stabilizing wings is rotatable in plane with the airflow in translational helicopter mode flight.

21. An aircraft having a fuselage with a longitudinal axis, the aircraft being adapted for flight in a helicopter mode with the longitudinal axis orbited generally vertically and in an airplane mode with the longitudinal axis oriented generally horizontally, the aircraft comprising;

(a) the fuselage having coaxial sections connected for relative rotation of the sections about h longitudinal axis;

(b) a pair of rotor blades, each blade having a later axis and being connected to the fuselage for rotation about its lateral axis relative to the fuselage; and

(c) a plurality of stabilizing wings connected to said fuselage;

(d) said stabilizing wings being asymmetrical about the longitudinal axis of rotation of the fuselage, and wherein

(e) said stabilizing wings are biased to a rear portion of the fuselage in helicopter mode to cause the fuselage to weathervane into the direction of flight in helicopter mode.

22. An aircraft having a fuselage with a longitudinal axis, the aircraft being adapted for flight in a helicopter mode with the longitudinal axis oriented generally vertically and in an airplane mode with the longitudinal axis oriented generally horizontally, the aircraft comprising:

(a) the fuselage having coaxial sections connected for relative rotation of the sections about the longitudinal axis;

(b) a pair of rotor blades, each blade having a lateral axis and being connected to the fuselage for rotation about its lateral axis relative to the fuselage; and

(c) a plurality of stabilizing wings connected to said fuselage;

(d) said stabilizing being asymmetrical about the longitudinal axis of rotation of the fuselage, and wherein

(e) at least one of said stabilizer wings has a control surface rotatable in plane with the airflow in translational helicopter mode flight.