Modular flying vehicle

• US 9,108,728 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2013
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald Orval Shaw
• Original Assignee: Donald Orval Shaw
• Inventors: Shaw, Donald Orval
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Badawi, Medhat
• Application Number:
  US13/907,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20140151496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/08 with two or more rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/20 Rotorcraft characterised by having shrouded rotors, e.g. flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/28 with forward-propulsion propellers pivotable to act as lifting rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/52 Tilting of rotor bodily relative to fuselage of see-saw type construction B64C27/43
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0033 the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/20 Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/60 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/295 Rotors arranged in the wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 40/20 for in-flight adjustment of the base configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/50 Launching from storage containers, e.g. from submarine missile tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/80 by vehicles

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. One or more of the propellers may be configured to tilt forward, backward, and/or side-to-side with respect to the airframe.

Claims

1. A method of operating a flight vehicle having a plurality of propellers and an airframe, wherein the airframe has an airframe front and defines an airframe plane, comprising:

positioning each of the plurality of propellers with a tilt angle of approximately zero with respect to the airframe plane;

providing power to all of the plurality of motors, wherein the power is sufficient to lift the air vehicle off of the ground so the vehicle is airborne;

with the vehicle airborne, maintaining or increasing power to a first propeller subset comprising one or more of the plurality of motors;

with the vehicle airborne, reducing power to a second propeller subset comprising one or more of the plurality of motors, while simultaneously;

with power reduced or eliminated to the second propeller subset, tilting one or more of the propellers of the second propeller subset forward with respect to the airframe front to a tilt angle of between 60 and 95 degrees;

with the one or more of the propellers of the second propeller subset tilted forward with respect to the airframe front to a tilt angle of between 60 and 95 degrees, increasing power to the second propeller subset.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after increasing power to the second propeller subset while tilted forward, reducing power to one or more propellers of the first propeller subset.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein reducing power to the one or more propellers of the first propeller subset comprises eliminating power to the one or more propellers of the first propeller subset.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the airframe comprises an airframe back, and propellers of the first subset of propellers are positioned generally adjacent the airframe front and airframe back.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein propellers of the second subset of propellers are positioned generally between airframe front and airframe back.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein propellers of the second subset of propellers are positioned generally between the propellers of the first subset of propellers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the propellers of the second subset of propellers are positioned at a height with respect to the airframe, and further comprising:

changing the height of one or more of the propellers of the second subset of propellers, wherein changing height of the one or more propellers of the second subset of propellers occurs after the vehicle is airborne and before increasing power to the second propeller subset.