Vertical takeoff and landing aerial vehicle
First Claim
1. An aerial vehicle comprising:
- a toroidal fuselage having a longitudinal axis, and a duct extending along the longitudinal axis between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the fuselage;
first and second counter-rotating, variable pitch rotor assemblies coaxially mounted within the duct of the fuselage; and
at least one canard wing secured to the toroidal fuselage and having a leading edge positioned out of the duct of the fuselage and axially forward of the leading edge of the fuselage, wherein at least a portion of the at least one canard wing comprises a control surface having a variable angle of attack, wherein the at least one canard wing includes a trailing edge positioned out of the duct of the fuselage and axially forward of the leading edge of the fuselage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An aerial vehicle including a toroidal fuselage having a longitudinal axis, and a duct extending along the longitudinal axis between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the fuselage, first and second counter-rotating, variable pitch rotor assemblies coaxially mounted within the duct of the fuselage, and at least one canard wing secured to the toroidal fuselage and having a leading edge positioned out of the duct of the fuselage and axially forward of the leading edge of the fuselage, wherein at least a portion of the canard wing comprises a control surface having a variable angle of attack. The invention provides an aerial vehicle that can take-off and land vertically, hover for extended periods of time over a fixed spatial point, and operate in confined areas. The aerial vehicle also has the ability to transition between a hover and high speed forward flight.
91 Citations
53 Claims
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1. An aerial vehicle comprising:
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a toroidal fuselage having a longitudinal axis, and a duct extending along the longitudinal axis between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the fuselage;
first and second counter-rotating, variable pitch rotor assemblies coaxially mounted within the duct of the fuselage; and
at least one canard wing secured to the toroidal fuselage and having a leading edge positioned out of the duct of the fuselage and axially forward of the leading edge of the fuselage, wherein at least a portion of the at least one canard wing comprises a control surface having a variable angle of attack, wherein the at least one canard wing includes a trailing edge positioned out of the duct of the fuselage and axially forward of the leading edge of the fuselage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
a hub mounted on the propeller shaft for rotation about an axis of the propeller shaft; and
at least two propeller blades extending radially outwardly from the hub.
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26. An aerial vehicle according to claim 25, wherein each propeller includes an axis extending substantially normal with respect to the axis of the propeller shaft, and the propeller blades are rotatable with respect to the propeller hub about the propeller axes.
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27. An aerial vehicle according to claim 26, wherein each rotor assembly further comprises a coupling assembly received on the propeller shaft and movable with respect to the propeller shaft parallel with the axis of the propeller shaft, and linkages pivotally connected between the coupling assembly and the propeller blades.
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28. An aerial vehicle according to claim 27, further comprising a movable rod connected to the coupling assemblies and a linear actuator connected to the actuation rod.
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29. An aerial vehicle according to claim 28, wherein the propeller shaft is hollow and the rod is movably received within the propeller shaft.
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30. An aerial vehicle comprising:
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a toroidal fuselage having a longitudinal axis, and a duct extending along the longitudinal axis;
a hollow propeller shaft coaxially extending along the axis and within the duct;
first and second rotor assemblies coaxially mounted on the propeller shaft within the duct, wherein each rotor assembly includes, a hub mounted on the propeller shaft for rotation about the axis, at least two propeller blades extending radially outwardly from the hub, wherein each propeller includes an axis extending substantially normal with respect to the axis of the duct, and the propeller blades are rotatably about the propeller axes, a coupling assembly received on the propeller shaft and movable with respect to the propeller shaft parallel with the axis of the fuselage, linkages pivotally connected between the coupling assembly and the propeller blades so that movement of the coupling assembly on the propeller shaft causes rotation of the propeller blades about the propeller axes, and a rod received within the hollow propeller shaft, movable with respect to the propeller shaft parallel with the axis of the duct, and connected to the coupling assemblies so that movement of the rod within the propeller shaft causes movement of the coupling assembly on the propeller shaft. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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Specification