X-vane configuration in a ducted-fan aerial vehicle

• US 8,104,707 B1
• Filed: 08/12/2008
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Ohanian, Osgar John III
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Tien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dixon, Keith L
• Application Number:
  US12/190,516
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 244/12.5, 244/23.D, 244/23.C
• US Class Current: 244/23.C
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/30 Lighter-than-air aircraft, e.g. aerostatic aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/14 ducted or shrouded
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a propulsion system, which may be implemented in an air-vehicle, such as a ducted-fan organic air-vehicle. The propulsion system comprises (a) a power source, (b) a fan located within a duct and powered by the power source, (c) a plurality of vanes arranged in an x-clocked configuration and configured to produce control moments from the flow generated by the fan. The maximum control moments, which can be created by the vanes in the x-clocked configuration, are substantially oriented along the flight axes of the air-vehicle or the principle axis of the maximum moment of inertia.

Claims

1. A propulsion system for an air-vehicle, the propulsion system comprising:

a power source;

a ducted-fan that is powered by the power source and configured to create an air flow through a duct; and

a plurality of vanes configured to produce control moments by deflecting the air flow created by the ducted-fan, each vane of the plurality of vanes defining a vane axis that is aligned with a moment created by the respective vane, wherein the vanes of the plurality of vanes are arranged in an x-clocked configuration in which the vane axes of at least two of the vanes are oriented at approximately 45 degrees relative to a flight axis of the air vehicle.

2. The propulsion system of claim 1 wherein the power source is a gas engine or an electric motor.

3. The propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the air-vehicle is a ducted-fan organic air-vehicle.

4. The propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the air flow provides thrust and lift for the air-vehicle.

5. The propulsion system of claim 1, wherein each vane is independently moveable.

6. The propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the air-vehicle has an associated direction of flight, wherein the direction of flight defines a set of flight axes including the flight axis, and wherein the vane axes of the vanes of the plurality of vanes are oriented at approximately forty-five degrees to the flight axes.

7. The propulsion system of claim 1, wherein each vane comprises a set of sub-vanes, wherein the sub-vanes in each set are arranged substantially parallel to each other.

8. The propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vanes arranged in an x-clocked configuration comprises four vanes arranged perpendicular to each other.

9. The propulsion system of claim 8, wherein each of the vanes creates a control moment, wherein the effect of control moments created by all the vanes is a combined control moment, and wherein the vanes are configurable so that the combined moment is a maximum moment of the x-clocked configuration.

10. The propulsion system of claim 9, wherein the maximum moment created by the vanes of the plurality of vanes of the x-clocked configuration is aligned with at least one flight axis of the air vehicle.

11. The propulsion system of claim 9, wherein the air-vehicle has a maximum moment of inertia, and wherein the maximum moment created by the vanes of the plurality of vanes of the x-clocked configuration is aligned with a principle axis of the maximum moment of inertia.

12. The propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vanes comprises a plurality of flapped vanes, wherein each flapped vane is moveable to control deflection of the air flow through the ducted-fan.

18. The propulsion system of claim 1, wherein a maximum control moment created by the vanes of the plurality of vanes is aligned with a flight axis of the air-vehicle.

13. A ducted-fan air-vehicle comprising:

a power source;

a duct;

a fan located within the duct and powered by the power source, wherein the fan is configured to create air flow through the duct; and

a plurality of vanes arranged in an x-clocked configuration in which a maximum control moment created by vanes of the plurality of vanes is aligned with a flight axis of the air-vehicle, wherein the vanes of the plurality of vanes are configured to produce control moments by deflecting the air flow through the duct.

14. The ducted-fan air-vehicle of claim 13, wherein the ducted-fan air-vehicle further comprises an avionics system to control the flight of the ducted-fan air-vehicle.

15. The ducted-fan air-vehicle of claim 14, wherein the avionics system is configured to orient the vehicle around a forward direction of flight, wherein the forward direction of flight defines a set of flight axes comprising the flight axis, the flight axis being one of a forward flight axis, a roll-axis, a pitch-axis, and a yaw-axis, wherein the roll-axis is oriented substantially parallel to the forward flight axis and the pitch-axis is oriented substantially perpendicular to the forward flight axis.

16. The ducted-fan air-vehicle of claim 13, wherein the plurality of vanes arranged in the x-clocked configuration comprises four vanes arranged perpendicular to each other such that each vane is aligned with a vane axis, wherein each vane axis is oriented at substantially forty-five degrees to at least one flight axis of the air vehicle.

17. The ducted-fan air-vehicle of claim 13, wherein the plurality of vanes comprises a plurality of flapped vanes, wherein each flapped vane is independently moveable to control deflection of the air flow through the ducted-fan.

19. The ducted-fan air-vehicle of claim 13, wherein the vanes of the plurality of vanes each define a vane axis that is aligned with a moment created by the respective vane, and wherein the vane axes of at least two of the vanes are oriented approximately 45 degrees relative to a flight axis of the air vehicle.