Apparatus and method for vertical take-off and landing aircraft

• US 7,874,513 B1
• Filed: 10/16/2006
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Frick A. Smith
• Original Assignee: Frick A. Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Frick A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh; Tien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Green; Richard R
• Application Number:
  US11/581,321
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 244/12.3, 244/12.4, 244/12.5, 244/17.23, 244/17.25, 244/23.A, 244/23.D, 244/56, 244/66, 244/73.C, 244/60, 244/7.R, 244/7.A, 244/7.B, 244/7.C, 244/55, 244/54, 244/53.R, 244/62, 244/45.A, D12/330, D12/326, D12/327, D12/328, D12/329
• US Class Current: 244/12.4
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 11/001 Shrouded propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0033 the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage

Abstract

A fixed wing Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft for use as a Personal Air Vehicle (PAV) or unmanned vehicle. A first double-ended drive shaft engine is mounted sideways in the front of the fuselage to serve a first pair of ducted fans mounted at the ends of the front wing. A second double-ended drive shaft engine is mounted sideways in the rear of the fuselage to serve a second pair of ducted fans mounted on the rear fuselage. The ducted fans are rotatable from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation to permit the aircraft to take off and land as a VTOL or conventional aircraft, and to be flown as a conventional aircraft. A parachute is provided with inflation assistance to permit rapid low altitude deployment for a controlled descent of the aircraft in an emergency.

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising:

a fuselage having a longitudinal axis, a front portion, a middle portion, and a rear portion;

a canard wing extending from said front portion of said fuselage, said canard wing having a left end and a right end;

a main wing extending from said middle portion of said fuselage;

a tail section extending from said rear portion of said fuselage;

a first propeller rotatably mounted to said left end of said canard wing;

a second propeller rotatably mounted to said right end of said canard wing;

a third propeller rotatably mounted on a left side of said rear portion of said fuselage;

a fourth propeller rotatably mounted on a right side of said rear portion of said fuselage;

said first and second propellers being mounted further from said longitudinal axis than said third and fourth propellers;

a first engine disposed in said front portion of said fuselage, said first engine comprising a first double-ended driveshaft having a first axis of rotation oriented transverse to said longitudinal axis of said fuselage, said first double-ended driveshaft comprising a continuous driveshaft extending from said first propeller to said second propeller; and

a second engine disposed in said rear portion of said fuselage, said second engine comprising a second double-ended driveshaft having a second axis of rotation oriented transverse to said longitudinal axis of said fuselage, said second double-ended driveshaft comprising a continuous driveshaft extending from said third propeller to said fourth propeller.

2. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein each of said first, second, third, and fourth propellers comprises a ducted fan.

3. The aircraft of claim 2 wherein each of said ducted fans comprises a differential operably connected to two rows of counter-rotating blades.

4. The aircraft of claim 2 wherein each of said ducted fans comprises an aerodynamic shape wherein a bottom portion protrudes forward of a top portion, and wherein said top portion and said bottom portion are connected by a sloped portion.

5. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein said tail section comprises two vertical stabilizers and a horizontal stabilizer disposed across a top portion of said vertical stabilizers.

6. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein said tail section comprises a V-tail.

7. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein said first double-ended driveshaft traverses through a first transfer case and said second double-ended driveshaft traverses through a second transfer case, and wherein said first and second transfer cases are connected by a transfer case supplemental driveshaft which is engageable with said first and second transfer cases if one of said first and second engines loses power.

8. The aircraft of claim 1 further comprising a rocket-launchable parachute disposed in a parachute storage compartment in an upper region of said rear portion of said fuselage, said parachute being attached to said fuselage with cables at four attachment points, two of said attachment points being on said front portion of said fuselage and two of said attachment points being on said rear portion of said fuselage, said cables being concealed in recessed channels under a non-protruding breakaway covering which is aerodynamically flush with said fuselage.

9. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second engines comprises a plurality of engines respectively connected to one of said double-ended driveshafts.

10. An aircraft comprising:

a fuselage having a longitudinal axis, a front portion, a middle portion, and a rear portion;

a canard wing extending from said front portion of said fuselage, said canard wing having a left end and a right end;

a main wing extending from said middle portion of said fuselage, said main wing having no engine or propeller attached thereto;

a tail section extending from said rear portion of said fuselage;

a first propeller rotatably mounted to said left end of said canard wing;

a second propeller rotatably mounted to said right end of said canard wing;

a third propeller rotatably mounted on a left side of said rear portion of said fuselage;

a fourth propeller rotatably mounted on a right side of said rear portion of said fuselage;

a first engine disposed in said front portion of said fuselage, said first engine comprising a first driveshaft operably connected between said first propeller and said second propeller; and

a second engine disposed in said rear portion of said fuselage, said second engine comprising a second driveshaft operably connected between said third propeller and said fourth propeller.

11. The aircraft of claim 10 wherein each of said first, second, third, and fourth propellers comprises a ducted fan.

12. The aircraft of claim 10 wherein said first driveshaft comprises a single driveshaft extending from said first propeller to said second propeller.

13. The aircraft of claim 10 wherein said second driveshaft comprises a single driveshaft extending from said third propeller to said fourth propeller.

14. The aircraft of claim 10 wherein said first engine comprises a plurality of engines connected to said first driveshaft.

15. The aircraft of claim 10 wherein said second engine comprises a plurality of engines connected to said second driveshaft.