Vertical lift craft

• US 7,273,195 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clayton R. Golliher
• Original Assignee: Clayton R. Golliher
• Inventors: Golliher, Clayton R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWIATEK, ROBERT P
• Application Number:
  US11/229,008
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 244/23.C, 244/17.11, 244/190, 244/4.A, 446/36, 446/37, 416/247.R
• US Class Current: 244/17.11
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/12 Helicopters A63H27/04 takes precedence; Flying tops
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls

Abstract

A vertical lift craft includes a vertical lift craft, a powered rotor system including two counter-rotating lift rotors rotatably mounted to the body and a cage fixed to the body and extending about the powered rotor system, the cage including flexible rods extending in an open mesh pattern and mutually attached at a plurality of intersections between the flexible rods and netting extending between the flexible rods to cover the cage. The mesh pattern includes latitudinally and longitudinally extending flexible rods and the cage further includes elastomeric bumpers at the plurality of intersections between flexible rods. A base has axles fixed relative to the body and wheels on the axles.

Claims

1. A vertical lift craft, comprising

a base;

a powered rotor system including at least one lift rotor rotatably mounted atop the base;

a cage fixed to the base and extending about and enclosing the powered rotor system, the cage including flexible rods extending in an open mesh pattern and mutually attached at a plurality of intersections between the flexible rods and netting extending between the flexible rods to cover the cage.

2. The vertical lift craft of claim 1, the mesh pattern including latitudinally and longitudinally extending flexible rods.

3. The vertical lift craft of claim 2, the cage further including elastomeric bumpers at the plurality of intersections between flexible rods.

4. The vertical lift craft of claim 1 further comprising

axles fixed relative to the body;

wheels on the axles.

5. The vertical lift craft of claim 1, the powered rotor system including two counter-rotating lift rotors.

6. The vertical lift craft of claim 1, the body including a battery.

7. The vertical lift craft of claim 1 further comprising

an RF receiver and proportional flight controls.

8. The vertical lift craft of claim 1, the cage further extending about the body.

9. A method for isolating a powered rotor system of a vertical lift craft, comprising

creating a flexible cage made up of flexible rods in a mesh pattern extending about the vertical lift craft including attaching the flexible rods together at a plurality of the instructions between the flexible rods;

affixing netting to the flexible cage;

balancing the power to the craft to operate at speeds such that the powered rotor system will not engage the flexible cage upon direct impact of the vertical lift craft against a fixed barrier.

10. A method for operating a vertical lift craft having a powered rotor system, comprising

creating a flexible cage made up of flexible rods in a mesh pattern and extending about the vertical lift craft including attaching the flexible rods together at a plurality of the intersections between the flexible rods;

affixing netting to the flexible cage;

operating the craft at speeds such that the powered rotor system will not engage the flexible cage upon direct impact of the vertical lift craft against a fixed barrier.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising

controlling the vertical lift craft through radio frequency (RF) controls.