Gyrostabilized self propelled aircraft
First Claim
1. An aircraft for vertical, horizontal and/or stationary flight, comprising:
- a ducted fan fuselage;
a plurality of control surfaces attached to the fuselage for controlling the flight of the aircraft;
an engine mounted to the fuselage having an engine shaft that extends longitudinally and is arranged to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the aircraft in a first rotational direction;
a propeller, comprising a plurality of blades, mounted to the engine shaft so as to rotate in the first rotational direction that produces sufficient thrust to thereby induce the aircraft into flight and such that air flow is created over the plurality of control surfaces wherein the engine provides sufficient thrust via the propeller so as to power the aircraft through flight envelope that includes vertical take off and landing and horizontal flight and transitions therebetween; and
a gyroscopic stabilization ring structure attached circumferentially around the blades of the propeller such that the ring structure rotates with the rotation of the propeller in the first rotational direction with an angular momentum that is selected, with respect to the moment of inertia of the aircraft about at least one axis perpendicular to the first rotational direction, such that the aircraft is gyroscopically stabilized during flight as the ring structure rotates;
wherein the ring structure is situated in a recessed formation in an opening of the ducted fan fuselage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An unmanned air vehicle comprises a fuselage that defines aerodynamic flight surfaces, an engine mounted to the fuselage having an engine shaft arranged to rotate about a longitudinal axis with respect to the fuselage, and a propeller mounted to the engine shaft so as to rotate to thereby provide thrust. The aircraft also comprises a gyroscopic stabilization member coupled to the shaft such that rotation of the engine shaft results in rotation of the gyroscopic member. Thus, there is more stability during the entire flight envelope. In one embodiment, the gyroscopic stabilization member is comprised of a ring that is attached to the outer ends of the blades of the propeller and the ring is also selected so as to have a mass that will result in the gyroscopic stabilization member having a sufficient angular momentum so as to gyroscopically stabilize the aircraft.
110 Citations
11 Claims
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1. An aircraft for vertical, horizontal and/or stationary flight, comprising:
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a ducted fan fuselage;
a plurality of control surfaces attached to the fuselage for controlling the flight of the aircraft;
an engine mounted to the fuselage having an engine shaft that extends longitudinally and is arranged to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the aircraft in a first rotational direction;
a propeller, comprising a plurality of blades, mounted to the engine shaft so as to rotate in the first rotational direction that produces sufficient thrust to thereby induce the aircraft into flight and such that air flow is created over the plurality of control surfaces wherein the engine provides sufficient thrust via the propeller so as to power the aircraft through flight envelope that includes vertical take off and landing and horizontal flight and transitions therebetween; and
a gyroscopic stabilization ring structure attached circumferentially around the blades of the propeller such that the ring structure rotates with the rotation of the propeller in the first rotational direction with an angular momentum that is selected, with respect to the moment of inertia of the aircraft about at least one axis perpendicular to the first rotational direction, such that the aircraft is gyroscopically stabilized during flight as the ring structure rotates;
wherein the ring structure is situated in a recessed formation in an opening of the ducted fan fuselage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification