Vertical takeoff and landing aircraft

• US 9,085,355 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2012
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DeLorean Aerospace, LLC
• Original Assignee: DeLorean Aerospace, LLC
• Inventors: DeLorean, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzell, Philip J
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCFALL, NICHOLAS A
• Application Number:
  US13/708,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20140158816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 244/6, 244/12.1, 244/12.4, 244/23.R, 244/23.A, 244/56, 244/73.R
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/32 Rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0033 the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/04 having multiple fuselages or tail booms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/10 All-wing aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/12 Canard-type aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/24 using steam or spring force jet aircraft B64D27/16
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/10 Drag reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

The disclosure generally pertains to a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprising a fuselage and at least one fixed wing. The aircraft may include at least two powered rotors located generally along a longitudinal axis of the fuselage. The rotor units may be coupled to the fuselage via a rotating chassis, which allows the rotors to provide directed thrust by movement of the rotor units about at least one axis. By moving the rotor units, the aircraft can transition from a hover mode to a transition mode and then to a forward flight mode and back.

Claims

1. A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprising:

a fuselage having a fore end, an aft end, a top side, and a bottom side;

a main wing coupled to the fuselage;

at least one vertical stabilizer coupled to the fuselage;

a fore rotor unit located at the fore end of the fuselage and intersecting a longitudinal axis of the fuselage;

an aft rotor unit located at the aft end of the fuselage and intersecting the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, the fore rotor unit and the aft rotor unit each including;

a ducted housing including a stator;

at least one rotor vane including a plurality of pitched blades;

an electric motor coupled to the stator, the electric motor to rotate the at least one rotor vane to create thrust;

a rotating support for coupling each ducted housing to the fuselage, the rotating support allowing rotation of each rotor unit about at least one axis, the rotating support configured to transition each rotor unit between;

a hover flight orientation such that thrust from each rotor unit is directed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the thrust from each rotor unit generating lift to support the VTOL aircraft in hover flight, and

a forward flight orientation such that thrust from each rotor unit is directed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the thrust from each rotor unit causing propulsion of the VTOL aircraft in forward flight; and

a battery set to provide power for each electric motor.

2. The VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 1, wherein the rotating support provides a lateral directing of the rotor unit'"'"'s thrust to enable roll and yaw control while hovering, and yaw control during forward flight.

3. The VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 1, wherein a height of pressure centers of the rotor units is above a center of mass of the aircraft while hovering to provide stability via a pendulum effect.

4. The VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 1, wherein the main wing provides upward lift to support flight while the VTOL aircraft is moving in a forward direction.

5. The VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of stability augmentation sensors located on the VTOL aircraft, the plurality of stability augmentation sensors to generate signals that include motion and orientation information during operation of the VTOL aircraft; and

a control management system to receive the signals from at least the plurality of stability augmentation sensors, the control management system to issue commands to orient and power the fore rotor unit and aft rotor unit based at least in part on the inputs from the stability augmentation sensors.

6. The VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 1, further comprising a power management system to monitor power capacity of the battery set.

7. The VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 1, wherein the main wing further comprises:

a fixed wing section coupled to the aft end of the fuselage;

a foldable wing section rotatably coupled to the fixed wing section; and

a folding mechanism located between the fixed wing section and the foldable wing section to transition the foldable wing section from a folded state to an extended state that provides lift during forward flight.

8. The VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 1, further comprising a cockpit that includes operator controls that, when manipulated by an operator, adjust power and orientation of the fore rotor unit and the aft rotor unit.

9. A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprising:

a fuselage having a fore end and an aft end;

a main wing having a fore end, an aft end, a lateral axis extending between tips of the main wing, a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the lateral axis and extending between the fore end and the aft end, a top side, and a bottom side;

a fore rotor unit located at the fore end of the fuselage and intersecting a longitudinal axis of the fuselage;

an aft rotor unit located at the aft end of the fuselage and intersecting the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, the fore rotor unit and the aft rotor unit each including;

a ducted housing;

at least one rotor vane including a plurality of pitched blades; and

a motor coupled to a stator, the motor to rotate the at least one rotor vane to create thrust;

a rotating support for coupling the housing to at least the one of the fuselage or the main wing, the rotating support allowing rotation of each rotor unit about at least the lateral axis, the rotating support configured to transition each rotor unit between;

a hover flight orientation such that thrust from each rotor unit is directed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the thrust from each rotor unit generating lift to support the VTOL aircraft in hover flight, and

a forward flight orientation such that thrust from each rotor unit is directed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the thrust from each rotor unit causing propulsion of the VTOL aircraft in forward flight; and

a power distribution system in communication with each motor to deliver power for flight.

10. The VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 9, wherein the rotating support orients each rotor unit such that thrust from the rotors is directed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the thrust from the rotors causing propulsion of the VTOL aircraft in forward flight, and wherein a wing provides upward lift during forward flight.

11. The VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 9, wherein the main wing provides upward lift during the forward flight.

12. The VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 9, further comprising a regenerative battery charging system that, when activated, converts air drag of at least one rotor unit into an electrical charging current for a battery set while the main wing provides upward lift to support forward flight of the VTOL aircraft.

13. The VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 9, further comprising one or more cameras that transmit imagery to an operator of the VTOL aircraft.

14. A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft comprising:

a fuselage having a fore end and an aft end;

a wing coupled to the fuselage, the wing to generate lift when the VTOL aircraft is in forward flight;

at least one fore rotor unit and at least one aft rotor unit intersecting a longitudinal axis of the fuselage, the fore rotor unit and aft rotor unit each including a rotor vane that generates thrust;

a motor for each rotor vane to rotate the respective rotor vane;

a power source to provide power to each motor;

a mounting surface located at the fore end and the aft end of the fuselage, the mounting surface for coupling the fore rotor unit and the aft rotor unit to the fuselage, and for independently rotating the fore rotor and the aft rotor about at least one axis, wherein the mounting surface is configured to rotationally transition each rotor unit between;

a hover mode where each rotor unit is oriented such that thrust from each rotor unit is directed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the thrust from each rotor unit generating lift to support the VTOL aircraft in hover flight, and

a forward flight mode where each rotor unit is oriented such that thrust from each rotor unit is directed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the thrust from each rotor unit causing propulsion of the VTOL aircraft in forward flight, and wherein the wing provides upward lift during the forward flight; and

a control processor, the control processor for processing a plurality of inputs and sending an output signal to control power and orientation of the fore rotor unit and the aft rotor unit.

15. The VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 14, wherein the mounting surface is further configured to orient each rotor unit in a transition mode where each rotor unit is oriented in a position between the hover mode and the forward flight mode, the thrust from each rotor unit generating lift to support the VTOL aircraft and to cause propulsion of the VTOL in forward flight.

16. The VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 14, further comprising a plurality of stability augmentation sensors located on the VTOL aircraft, the plurality of stability augmentation sensors to generate signals that include motion and orientation information during operation of the VTOL aircraft, and wherein the control processor uses the signals from the plurality of stability augmentation sensors to generate the output signal to control power and orientation of the fore rotor unit and the aft rotor unit.

17. The VTOL aircraft as recited in claim 14, wherein the power source includes a battery set, and wherein at least one wing, the fuselage, or both, include solar cells to provide current to recharge the battery set.