Stabilizing control apparatus for robtic or remotely controlled flying platform

• US 6,450,445 B1
• Filed: 10/12/2001
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Moller International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Moller International, Inc.
• Inventors: Moller, Paul S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holzen, Stephen A.
• Application Number:
  US09/868,008
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• Field of Search: 244/23.A, 244/23.B, 244/23.C, 244/12.1, 244/12.2, 244/12.4, 244/12.5, 244/12.6, 244/67, 244/185, 244/186, 244/190, 244/82, 244/76.A
• US Class Current: 244/23.00A
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/02 having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/202 using tethers for connecting to ground station
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/14 ducted or shrouded

Abstract

A robotic or remotely controlled flying platform (10) with reduced drag stabilizing control apparatus constructed having an air duct (12) with an air intake (14) on the top and an exhaust (16) at the bottom, containing supported therein a clockwise rotating fan (22) and a counter-clockwise rotating fan (24). Directly below the perimeter of the air duct exhaust are mounted a plurality of trough shaped air deflection assemblies (32) each including a rotatably adjustable half trough (44) for selectively scooping a portion of the drive air, and a stationary adjacent half trough (36) for receiving the scooped drive air and redirecting it outward and upward from the air duct. A centrally positioned plate (112) has a plurality of rods (106), each pivotably connected between the plate (74) and a corresponding lever associated with each of the adjustable half troughs (44) so as to couple the adjustable half trough (44) in or out of the drive air steam according to the position of the plate (74), thereby providing control over the pitch and roll of the flying platform. The plate is driven by first and second motors responding to input control signals. The control signals also direct the yaw of the flying platform by selectively providing independent speed control to each of the clockwise and counter clockwise fan motors resulting in duct rotation in a clockwise or counter clockwise direction accordingly.

Claims

1. A vertical take-off and landing aircraft comprising:

air duct means including a duct wall having a duct periphery, and air intake at a top end and an air exhaust at a bottom end;

first fan means mounted within said air duct means including a plurality of fan blades driven by a first motor means in a clockwise direction for pulling drive air into said duct means from said air intake end and pushing said drive air out said exhaust end;

second fan means mounted coaxially with said first fan means within said air duct means including a plurality of fan blades driven by a second motor means in a counterclockwise direction for pulling air into said duct means from said air intake end and pushing it out said exhaust end;

a plurality of adjustable trough shaped air deflector means positioned exterior to and along the periphery of said air duct means at said exhaust end;

aircraft control means including

deflector control means for adjusting said adjustable trough shaped air deflector means responsive to control signals for providing roll and pitch control of said VTOL aircraft; and

fan control means responsive to control signals for adjusting the speed of said first and second fans for generating required drive air, and for adjusting the relative speed of said first fan to said second fan thereby causing yaw control of said VTOL aircraft.

2. A VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein said adjustable trough shaped air deflector means includes a plurality of air deflector assemblies spaced about said a duct periphery, an having an adjustable deflector means, positionable to intercept and deflect a selected amount of said drive air and a stationary deflector means rigidly attached to said duct wall for directing said selected amount of drive air upward along an exterior of said duct wall towards said top end.

3. A VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein said adjustable trough shaped air deflector means includes continuous rigid trough means having a periphery dimensionally equal to said duct periphery;

and means for flexibly suspending said continuous rigid trough means from said duct means;

whereby said trough means is responsive to said deflector control means to adjust said trough periphery relative to said duct periphery so as to intercept a greater or lessor amount of said drive air at a selected position along said duct periphery resulting in control of roll and pitch of said VTOL aircraft.

4. A VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 2 wherein said deflector control means includes individual servo motor means for each one of said plurality of adjustable deflector means.

5. A VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 2 wherein said deflector control means includes plate means having first and second orthogonal guide slots therein;

bearing plate means;

bearing means for assisting said plate means to move on said bearing plate;

first arm means having pin means at a first end of said arm means for guiding in said first guide slot;

second arm means having pin means at one end for guiding in said second guide second guide slot;

first servo motor means connected to a second end of said first arm means, said first servo motor means mounted to said bearing plate;

second servo motor means connected to a second end of said second arm means, said second servo motor means mounted to said bearing plate;

means for supporting said first and second servo motor means relative to said air duct;

a plurality of push-pull rod means, one each interconnected to one each of said adjustable deflector means;

whereby said first and second servo motor means are responsive to said deflector control means to rotate said first and second arms to cause said pin means to move said plate means causing said push-pull rod means to adjust said adjustable deflector means.

6. A VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein said aircraft control means further includes antenna means for receiving radiated signals from a remote transmitter;

receiver means responsive to said radiated signals to generate corresponding digital signals;

flight computer means responsive to said digital signals for providing said control signals.

7. A VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein said aircraft control means further includes attitude sensor means for providing attitude indicating signals;

flight computer means responsive to said attitude indicating signals for generating said control signals.

8. A VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein said aircraft control means further includes tether means for conducting tether signals from a remote operator to said VTOL aircraft;

flight computer means responsive to said tether signals to generate said control signals.

9. A VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 3 wherein said deflector control means includes plate means having first and second orthogonal guide slots therein;

bearing plate means;

bearing means for assisting said plate means to move on said bearing plate;

first arm means having pin means at a first end of said arm means for guiding in said first guide slot;

second arm means having pin means at one end for guiding in said second guide second guide slot;

first servo motor means connected to a second end of said first arm means, said first servo motor means mounted to said bearing plate;

second servo motor means connected to a second end of said second arm means, said second servo motor means mounted to said bearing plate;

means for supporting said first and second servo motor means relative to said air duct;

a plurality of push-pull rod means, one each interconnected to one each of said adjustable deflector means;

whereby said first and second servo motor means are responsive to said deflector control means to rotate said first and second arms to cause said pin means to move said plate means causing said pushpull rod means to adjust said adjustable deflector means.

10. A VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 4 wherein said aircraft control means further includes antenna means for receiving radiated signals from a remote transmitter;

receiver means responsive to said radiated signals to generate corresponding digital signals;

flight computer means responsive to said digital signals for providing said control signals.

11. A VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 4 wherein said aircraft control means further includes tether means for conducting tether signals from a remote operator to said VTOL aircraft;

flight computer means responsive to said tether signals to generate said control signals.

12. A VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 5 wherein said aircraft control means further includes antenna means for receiving radiated signals from a remote transmitter;

receiver means responsive to said radiated signals to generate corresponding digital signals;

flight computer means responsive to said digital signals for providing said control signals.

13. A VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 5 wherein said aircraft control means further includes tether means for conducting tether signals from a remote operator to said VTOL aircraft;

flight computer means responsive to said tether signals to generate said control signals.

14. A VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 9 wherein said aircraft control means further includes antenna means for receiving radiated signals from a remote transmitter;

receiver means responsive to said radiated signals to generate corresponding digital signals;

flight computer means responsive to said digital signals for providing said control signals.

15. A VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 9 wherein said aircraft control means further includes

tether means for conducting tether signals from a remote operator to said VTOL aircraft;

flight computer means responsive to said tether signals to generate said control signals.