Modular flight vehicle with wings
First Claim
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1. A flight vehicle, comprising:
- a main airframe, the airframe defining an airframe horizontal plane and having an airframe front, airframe back, airframe left side, and airframe right side;
at least four propeller supports extending from the main airframe, wherein each propeller support comprises a proximal end, a distal end, and an elongated main support body between the proximal end and the distal end, wherein the elongated main support body comprises a longitudinal axis, wherein the proximal end is secured to the main airframe and the elongated main support extends sideways from the main airframe, wherein at least two propeller supports are positioned with the distal ends thereof to the left of the airframe left side, and at least two propeller supports are positioned with the distal ends thereof to the right of the airframe right side;
at least four propellers, wherein at least one of the four propellers is positioned at the distal end of each propeller support;
at least four movable airfoils, each airfoil comprising a leading edge, a trailing edge, a span, and a chord line, wherein at least one of the four movable airfoils is positioned on a corresponding propeller support of the at least four propeller supports, wherein the span of each movable airfoil is positioned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated main support body of the corresponding propeller support, and wherein the movable airfoil is configured to be rotated about an airfoil rotational axis, wherein the airfoil rotational axis is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated main support body, wherein each movable airfoil is configured to rotate from a first position wherein the chord line is substantially perpendicular to the airframe horizontal plane and the trailing edge is positioned below the leading edge, to a second position wherein the chord line is substantially parallel to the airframe horizontal plane and the trailing edge is positioned behind the leading edge, wherein each airfoil is a free wing that is freely rotatable about the airfoil rotational axis and has an angle of attack determined solely by aerodynamic forces acting on the airfoil.
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Abstract
The invention is a modular vehicle having an air vehicle that can be coupled to cargo containers, land vehicles, sea vehicles, medical transport modules, etc. In one embodiment the air vehicle has a plurality of propellers positioned around a main airframe, which can provide vertical thrust and/or horizontal thrust. The propellers are mounted on supports which have an airfoil shape to generate additional lift. One or more of the propellers may be configured to tilt forward, backward, and/or side-to-side with respect to the airframe.
116 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A flight vehicle, comprising:
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a main airframe, the airframe defining an airframe horizontal plane and having an airframe front, airframe back, airframe left side, and airframe right side; at least four propeller supports extending from the main airframe, wherein each propeller support comprises a proximal end, a distal end, and an elongated main support body between the proximal end and the distal end, wherein the elongated main support body comprises a longitudinal axis, wherein the proximal end is secured to the main airframe and the elongated main support extends sideways from the main airframe, wherein at least two propeller supports are positioned with the distal ends thereof to the left of the airframe left side, and at least two propeller supports are positioned with the distal ends thereof to the right of the airframe right side; at least four propellers, wherein at least one of the four propellers is positioned at the distal end of each propeller support; at least four movable airfoils, each airfoil comprising a leading edge, a trailing edge, a span, and a chord line, wherein at least one of the four movable airfoils is positioned on a corresponding propeller support of the at least four propeller supports, wherein the span of each movable airfoil is positioned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated main support body of the corresponding propeller support, and wherein the movable airfoil is configured to be rotated about an airfoil rotational axis, wherein the airfoil rotational axis is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated main support body, wherein each movable airfoil is configured to rotate from a first position wherein the chord line is substantially perpendicular to the airframe horizontal plane and the trailing edge is positioned below the leading edge, to a second position wherein the chord line is substantially parallel to the airframe horizontal plane and the trailing edge is positioned behind the leading edge, wherein each airfoil is a free wing that is freely rotatable about the airfoil rotational axis and has an angle of attack determined solely by aerodynamic forces acting on the airfoil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of operating an air vehicle, comprising:
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providing an air vehicle comprising; a main airframe, the airframe defining an airframe horizontal plane and having an airframe front, airframe back, airframe left side, and airframe right side; at least four propeller supports extending from the main airframe, wherein each propeller support comprises a proximal end, a distal end, and an elongated main support body between the proximal end and the distal end, wherein the elongated main support body comprises a longitudinal axis, wherein the proximal end is secured to the main airframe and the elongated main support extends sideways from the main airframe, wherein at least two propeller supports are positioned with the distal ends thereof to the left of the airframe left side, and at least two propeller supports are positioned with the distal ends thereof to the right of the airframe right side; at least four propellers, wherein at least one of the four propellers is positioned at the distal end of each propeller support; at least four movable airfoils, each airfoil comprising a leading edge, a trailing edge, a span, and a chord line, wherein at least one of the four movable airfoils is positioned on a corresponding propeller support of the at least four propeller supports, wherein the span of each movable airfoil is positioned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated main support body of the corresponding propeller support, and wherein the movable airfoil is configured to be rotated about an airfoil rotational axis, wherein the airfoil rotational axis is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated main support body, wherein each movable airfoil is configured to rotate from a vertical flight position wherein the chord line is substantially perpendicular to the airframe horizontal plane and the trailing edge is positioned below the leading edge, to a forward flight position wherein the chord line is substantially parallel to the airframe horizontal plane and the trailing edge is positioned behind the leading edge, wherein each airfoil is a free wing that is freely rotatable about the airfoil rotational axis and has an angle of attack determined solely by aerodynamic forces acting on the airfoil; positioning the air vehicle on a takeoff surface; positioning each movable airfoil in the vertical flight position; and rotating the propellers to generate sufficient propeller thrust to lift the vehicle substantially vertically off the takeoff surface, whereby the vehicle lifts from the takeoff surface. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A modular vehicle, comprising:
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A flight vehicle module, comprising; a main airframe, the airframe defining an airframe horizontal plane and having an airframe front, airframe back, airframe left side, and airframe right side; a plurality of propeller supports extending from the main airframe, wherein each propeller support comprises a proximal end, a distal end, and a generally straight elongated main support body between the proximal end and the distal end, wherein the elongated main support body comprises a support body longitudinal axis, wherein the proximal end is secured to the main airframe and the elongated main support extends sideways from the main airframe, wherein at least one propeller support is positioned with the distal end thereof to the left of the airframe left side, and at least one propeller support is positioned with the distal end thereof to the right of the airframe right side, wherein each of the plurality of propeller supports is configured to rotate about a support rotational axis, wherein the support rotational axis is substantially perpendicular to the airframe horizontal plane, wherein each of the plurality of propeller supports can be rotated from a stowed position wherein the distal end thereof is substantially adjacent the airframe to a deployed position wherein the distal end thereof is substantially displaced sideways from the airframe; a plurality of propellers, wherein at least one of the plurality of propellers is positioned at the distal end of each propeller support; a plurality of movable airfoils, each airfoil comprising a leading edge, a trailing edge, a span, and a chord line, wherein at least one of the plurality of movable airfoils is positioned on a corresponding propeller support of the plurality of propeller supports, wherein the span of each movable airfoil is positioned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated main support body of the corresponding propeller support, and wherein the movable airfoil is configured to be rotated about an airfoil rotational axis, wherein the airfoil rotational axis is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated main support body, wherein each movable airfoil is configured to rotate from a first position wherein the chord line is substantially non-parallel to the airframe horizontal plane and the trailing edge is positioned below the leading edge, to a second position wherein the chord line is substantially parallel to the airframe horizontal plane and the trailing edge is positioned behind the leading edge, wherein each airfoil comprises a proximal end closest to the airframe and a distal end furthest from the airframe, wherein each airfoil angles upward with respect to the airframe from the proximal end to the distal end, wherein each airfoil is a free wing that is freely rotatable about the airfoil rotational axis and has an angle of attack determined solely by aerodynamic forces acting on the airfoil; and a ground vehicle module, comprising a main ground vehicle body and a plurality of wheels, wherein the ground vehicle module is detachable from the flight module, and the ground vehicle module is configured to be driven on the ground separately from the flight vehicle module. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification