Multi-modal vehicle

• US 9,132,915 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2011
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ohio University
• Original Assignee: Ohio University
• Inventors: Zhu, Jianchao
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUTCHENS, CHRISTOPHER D.
• Application Number:
  US13/696,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20130112804A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,590 Days
• Field of Search: 244/2, 244/7.R, 244/10, 244/12.1, 244/12.3, 244/12.4, 244/12.5, 244/23.A, 244/23.B, 244/50, 244/17.23, 244/45.A
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 3/0007 Arrangement of propulsion or steering means on amphibious vehicles marine propulsion or steering B63H
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0025 the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0033 the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/56 Folding or collapsing to reduce overall dimensions of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 37/00 Convertible aircraft

Abstract

A multi-modal vehicle (“MMV”) 20a-20d. The MMV 20a-20d includes a fuselage 22 and a chassis 26 supporting at least three wheels 44 having deployed and stowed states. Extending away from the fuselage 22 is a canard wing system 28 and a main wing system 30. The main wing system 30 includes an inboard portion 134 and an outboard portion 132. The inboard portion 134 is pivotally connected to the fuselage 22; the outboard portion 132 is pivotally connected to the inboard portion 134. The MMV 20a-20d further includes a vertical thrust system 32 comprising a pair of ducted fans 100 that are incorporated into the fuselage 22, and a dual-use thrust system 34 that is configured to transition between a first position for supplying vertical thrust and a second position for supplying a horizontal thrust. A controller 42 is configured to control the MMV operations, reconfigurations, or transitions.

Claims

1. A multi-modal vehicle (“

MMV”

) configured to operate as a roadable vehicle on land, a vertical takeoff and landing (“

VTOL”

) vehicle, an aircraft vehicle, and a watercraft vehicle on water, swamp, grassland, snow, or ice, the MMV comprising;

a fuselage;

a chassis coupled to the fuselage and supporting at least three wheels in a deployed position and in a stowed position;

a canard wing system supported on the fuselage;

a main wing system simported on the fuselage, wherein the main wing system further comprises;

an inboard portion pivotally connected to the fuselage, and an outboard portion pivotally connected to the inboard portion;

a first vertical thrust system including a pair of ducted fans incorporated within the fuselage;

a dual-use thrust system coupled to a rear portion of the fuselage and configured to transition between a first position for supplying a vertical thrust during a vertical takeoff or landing and a second position for supplying a horizontal thrust during an airborne cruise; and

a controller configured to automatically control at least one of the MMV operations, reconfigurations, and transitions.

2. The MMV of claim 1 further comprising:

a passenger cabin that is configured to be detachable from the fuselage as an escape pod.

3. The MMV of claim 2, wherein the passenger cabin further comprises:

an emergency deployment system having a parachute, at least one suspension spring, or at least one inflatable airbag, or a combination thereof, the emergency deployment system configured to be deployed from the escape pod during an emergency.

4. The MMV of claim 2, wherein the passenger cabin is detachable by detonating one or more explosive latches.

5. The MMV of claim 2, wherein the passenger cabin further comprises:

a unified operating interface including a steering wheel configured to turn so as to cause the MMV to turn on a surface or within the air, the steering wheel further configured to be pushed or pulled so as to cause the MMV to climb or glide within the air, respectively, an accelerator pedal so as to cause the MMV to accelerate, and a decelerator pedal so as cause the MMV to decelerate and to stop.

6. The MMV of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises:

a multi-modal vehicle operating system for automating the control of the MMV.

7. The MMV of claim 6, wherein the multi-modal vehicle operating system is configured to control at least one of a crew-commanded or crew-piloted operation, a remotely-piloted operation, a remotely-commanded autonomous operation, and an autonomous vehicle operation manager including a guidance system, a navigation system, a control system, a flight management system, a vehicle transition system, and an emergency deployment system.

8. The MMV of claim 1 further comprising:

a second vertical thrust system including a pair of ducted fans incorporated within the fuselage.

9. The MMV of claim 1, wherein the inboard and outboard portions of the main wing system each include a moveable split trailing edge.

10. The MMV of claim 1 further comprising:

one or more electromechanical actuators configured to do at least one of the following;

(i) rotate the canard wing system between the roadable vehicle and the VTOL vehicle or the aircraft vehicle;

(ii) rotate the outboard portion of the main wing system relative to the inboard portion;

(iii) rotate the inboard portion of the main wing system relative to the fuselage;

(iv) rotate the dual-use thrust system between the first and second positions;

(v) adjust a moveable split trailing edge of the inboard portion or the outboard portion or both of the main wing system so as to cause the MMV to climb, descend, or turn within the air;

(vi) adjust a moveable trailing edge of the canard wing system so as to cause the MMV to climb, descend, or turn within the air;

(vii) adjust one or more thrust vectors from the vertical thrust system and the dual-use thrust system so as to stabilize and to control the MMV during VTOL and transition flight or to recover from a vehicle upset;

(viii) adjust angles of the at least three wheels relative to the chassis so as to turn the MMV on a surface;

(ix) move the at least three wheels between the deployed position and the stowed position;

(x) slide a cover about each of the at least three wheels in the stowed state so as to reduce drag and waterproof a bottom portion of the MMV;

(xi) move a louver or an iris or both of the ducted fans of the first vertical thrust system to an open position during VTOL or to a closed position to reduce drag and to protect the ducted fans; and

(xii) adjust a throttle of a liquid-fuel engine.

11. The MMV of claim 10, wherein the electromechanical actuator is a servo motor, a MEMS device, a shape memory alloy device, a piezoelectric device, an electro-strictive device, a magneto-strictive device, or any applicable smart material-based actuator.

12. The MMV of claim 1 further comprising:

a hub motor powered by an onboard generator and a rechargeable battery for each of the at least three wheels, the hub motor configured to provide a horizontal motion of the MMV on a surface;

a rotor motor powered by a rechargeable battery for each of the ducted fans of the first vertical thrust system, the rotor motor configured to provide a vertical motion of the MMV by rotating a fan blade of the ducted fans;

a liquid-fuel engine configured to operate the dual-use thrust system to further provide the horizontal thrust, the vertical thrust, or to transition the dual-use thrust system between the first and second positions; and

an electrical machine powered by the liquid-fuel engine, the electrical machine configured to operate as a generator to charge a VTOL battery, operate the at least three wheels, or power the dual-use thrust system from an onboard generator or a battery if an engine of the dual-use thrust system fails, or a combination thereof.

13. The MMV of claim 1, wherein the dual-use thrust system comprises a pair of fans having a variable duct therethrough and a variable pitch rotor therein so as to optimize fuel efficiency and to maximize cruise velocity.

14. The MMV of claim 13, wherein the pair of fans is positioned relative to the main wing system so as to promote main wing system leading edge vortices by creating a trailing edge suction.

15. The MMV of claim 14, wherein blades of the pair of fans are configured to rotate in a direction that opposes the leading edge vortices so as to improve propulsion efficiency.

16. A method of transitioning the MMV of claim 1 from the VTOL vehicle to the aircraft vehicle, the method comprising:

supplying a first vertical thrust from the first vertical thrust system and a second vertical thrust from the dual-use thrust system;

providing a vectored thrust that transitions the second vertical thrust from the dual-use thrust system in the first position to a horizontal thrust from the dual-use thrust system in the second position; and

terminating the first vertical thrust.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein supplying the first and second vertical thrusts and providing the vectored thrust includes automatically controlling the supplying of the first and second vertical thrusts so as to maintain a stability of the MMV and automatically controlling the providing of the vectored thrust so as to further maintain the stability of the MMV.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

supplying a third vertical thrust from a second vertical thrust system.

19. A method of transitioning the MMV of claim 1 from the aircraft vehicle to the VTOL vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a vectored thrust that transitions a horizontal thrust from the dual-use thrust system in the second position to a first vertical thrust from the dual-use thrust system in the first position; and

supplying a second vertical thrust from the first vertical thrust system.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

supplying a third vertical thrust from a second vertical thrust system.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein supplying the first and second vertical thrusts and providing the vectored thrust each respectively includes automatically controlling the supplying of the first and second vertical thrusts so as to maintain a stability of the MMV and automatically controlling the providing of the vectored thrust so as to further maintain the stability of the MMV.

22. A method of transitioning the MMV of claim 1 from the roadable vehicle to the VTOL vehicle, the method comprising:

unfolding the main wing system such that the inboard portion is substantially parallel to a horizontal plane of the fuselage; and

rotating the dual-use thrust system to the first position.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

unfolding the outboard portion to be substantially co-planar with the inboard portion.

24. A method of transitioning the MMV of claim 1 from the VTOL vehicle to the roadable vehicle, the method comprising:

rotating the dual-use thrust system to the second position; and

folding the main wing system such that the inboard portion is substantially orthogonal to a horizontal plane of the fuselage and the outboard portion is substantially orthogonal to the inboard portion.

25. A method of transitioning the MMV of claim 1 from the aircraft vehicle to the roadable vehicle, the method comprising:

deploying the at least three wheels from the stowed position to the deployed position; and

folding the main wing system such that the inboard portion is substantially orthogonal to a horizontal plane of the fuselage and the outboard portion is substantially orthogonal to the inboard portion.

26. A method of transitioning the MMV of claim 1 from the roadable vehicle to the aircraft vehicle, the method comprising:

unfolding the main wing system such that the inboard portion is substantially parallel to a horizontal plane of the fuselage and the outboard portion is substantially co-planar with the inboard portion.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

extending the at least three heels from the deployed position to increase a ground clearance for conventional takeoff and landing;

stowing the at least three wheels from the deployed position to the stowed position when in flight.

28. A method of transitioning the MMV of claim 1 from the roadable vehicle to the watercraft vehicle, the method comprising:

stowing the at least three wheels from the deployed position to the stowed position; and

sliding a cover over each of the at least three wheels in the stowed position so as to waterproof a bottom portion of the MMV.

29. A method of transitioning the MMV of claim 1 from the watercraft vehicle to the roadable vehicle, the method comprising:

retracting a cover from each of the at least three wheels so as to expose each of the at least three wheels;

deploying the at least three wheels from the stowed position to the deployed position; and

extending the at least three wheels from the deployed position to increase a ground clearance.