VTOL vehicle with coaxially tilted or tiltable rotors

• US 8,342,441 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2009
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Urban Aeronautics Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Urban Aeronautics Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoeli, Raphael
• Primary Examiner(s): Alsomiri, Isam
• Assistant Examiner(s): BENEDIK, JUSTIN M
• Application Number:
  US12/549,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20100051740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 244/17.11, 244/6, 244/7.R, 244/7.B, 244/7.A, 244 121- 125, 244/71.23, 244/17.25
• US Class Current: 244/12.4
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/20 Rotorcraft characterised by having shrouded rotors, e.g. flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0033 the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/20 Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/20 Transmission of mechanical power to rotors or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/40 foldable or retractable

Abstract

A VTOL vehicle includes a forward rotor, an aft rotor and a fuselage, the forward and aft rotor lying in a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, with the fuselage located axially between the forward and aft rotors. The vehicle has an in-flight configuration wherein the forward rotor is tilted downwardly at a negative tilt angle relative to the fuselage and the aft rotor is tilted upwardly at a positive tilt angle relative to the fuselage.

Claims

1. A VTOL vehicle comprising a pivotably mounted forward rotor, a pivotably mounted aft rotor and a fuselage, the forward and aft rotors secured to said fuselage and lying on a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, with the fuselage located axially between the forward and aft rotors, the vehicle having an in-flight configuration wherein the forward rotor is tilted downwardly about a pivot axis located at an aft end of the forward rotor at a negative tilt angle relative to said fuselage, and the aft rotor is tilted upwardly about a pivot axis located at a forward end of the aft rotor at a positive tilt angle relative to said fuselage.

2. The VTOL vehicle of claim 1 wherein said forward and aft rotor are pivotably mounted for enabling individually selected positive and negative angles of between 0°

and about 90°

relative to said fuselage.

3. The VTOL vehicle of claim 1 wherein said forward and aft rotors are mounted in open-ended ducts.

4. The VTOL vehicle of claim 3 wherein each open-ended duct is provided with a first plurality of adjustable control vanes extending across at least an inlet end of each said duct, said first plurality of adjustable control vanes oriented substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

5. The VTOL vehicle of claim 4 wherein each open-ended duct is provided with a second plurality of adjustable control vanes extending across an outlet end of each said duct, said second plurality of adjustable control vanes oriented substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

6. The VTOL vehicle of claim 1 wherein said forward rotor and said aft rotor are tilted through substantially identical negative and positive tilt angles, respectively.

7. The VTOL vehicle of claim 1 wherein said fuselage is aerodynamically shaped so as to generate lift when in forward flight.

8. A VTOL vehicle comprising a forward rotor mounted in a forward duct, an aft rotor mounted in an aft duct, and a fuselage;

the forward and aft rotors lying on a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, with the fuselage located axially between the forward and aft ducts, said forward and aft ducts pivotably mounted to said fuselage at respective pivot axes located at an aft end of said forward duct and a forward end of said aft duct, respectively, for movement from a first position where said forward and aft rotors lie in a common reference plane substantially parallel to the ground for lift-off and hover, to another position where said forward and aft rotors are tilted relative to said fuselage and said reference plane for forward flight, each of said forward and aft ducts provided with a plurality of adjustable control vanes extending across at least an inlet end thereof, said adjustable control vanes oriented substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

9. The VTOL vehicle of claim 8 wherein in said another position, said forward and aft ducts and said forward and aft rotors are tilted at positive and negative angles, respectively, relative to said fuselage, in a range of from about 30°

to about 90°

.