Aircraft

• US 9,663,237 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2013
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volocopter GmbH
• Original Assignee: E-Volo GmbH (Volocopter GmbH)
• Inventors: Senkel, Thomas, Wolf, Stephan, Zosel, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWANDROSKI, SARA J
• Application Number:
  US14/380,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20150012154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,560 Days
• Field of Search: 701 4, 701 11, 244 4 R, 244 1711, 244 1713, 244 1723, 244 76 R, 244180-182
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/34 wheeled type, e.g. multi-wheeled bogies
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/52 Skis or runners
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/56 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/08 with two or more rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/14 Direct drive between power plant and rotor hub
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/20 Rotorcraft characterised by having shrouded rotors, e.g. flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/473 Constructional features
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0025 the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0689 specially adapted for pilots
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/80 in association with aircraft, e.g. for braking thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/00 Emergency apparatus or devices, not otherwise provided for parachutes B64D17/00, B64D19/00; jettisoning of fuel tanks or fuel per se B64D37/00; specially adapted for protection against criminal attack, e.g. anti-hijacking systems B64D45/0015 ; safety belts or body harnesses in general A62B35/00; safety belts or body harnesses for land vehicles B60R22/00; jettisonable parts of fuselage facilitating emergency escape B64C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/24 using steam or spring force jet aircraft B64D27/16
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 31/04 actuated personally
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 31/06 actuated automatically
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0858 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (101) for transporting persons or loads, including a plurality of preferably equivalent and redundant electric motors (3) and propellers (2), substantially arranged in one surface, wherein each propeller is assigned an individual electric motor to drive the propeller, the aircraft being characterized in that at least one attitude sensor is provided for attitude control of the aircraft (101) in an active signal connection to at least one signal processing unit which is designed or set up to automatically perform the attitude control based on measurement data from the attitude sensor by regulating the speed of at least some of the electric motors (3), preferably with signal actions of the speed controller assigned to each electric motor such that the aircraft (101) is positioned in space with the surface defined by the propeller (2) substantially horizontal at all times, without control input by a pilot or a remote control.

Claims

1. A vertical take-off and landing aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) for transporting people or loads, comprising:

a plurality of electric motors (3, 3a-m) and propellers (2, 2a-f) arranged essentially in one surface, a separate one of the electric motors being allocated to each of the propellers for driving the propellers;

a plurality of attitude sensors (8a, 8aa-an) for attitude control of the aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) provided in active signal connection to a plurality of signal processing units (8b, 8ba-bn); and

a plurality of rotational speed controllers (8da-8dm) each respectively connected to an electric motor of the plurality of electric motors,

wherein each said signal processing unit is configured to automatically perform attitude control based on measurement data of the attitude sensors by controlling a rotational speed of at least one of the electric motors (3, 3a-m), so that the aircraft is always positioned essentially horizontally in space with a surface defined by the propellers (2, 2a-f) without control inputs of a pilot or a remote controller,

wherein the electric motors (3, 3a-m) and the propellers (2, 2a-f) are arranged in at least a basic hexagonal pattern.

2. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing unit (8b, 8ba-bn) is constructed as a digital signal processor, microcontroller, FPGA digital controller, analog processor, analog computer, analog controller, or as a hybrid processing unit made from analog and digital elements.

3. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 1, wherein each said signal processing unit (8b, 8ba-8bn) is additionally configured to perform the attitude control based on control data of a control device, the control data being specified by a pilot or by remote control.

4. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the electric motors (3, 3a-m) are constructed as brushless direct-current motors.

5. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 1, wherein an active connection between each of the electric motors (3, 3a-m) and the respective propellers (2, 2a-f) is constructed without gears as a direct drive.

6. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 1, further comprising a plug-in/folding mechanism.

7. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 1, wherein at least the electric motors (3, 3a-m) and the propellers (2, 2a-f) are arranged on a frame support structure (1) formed from a space framework with tension-resistant and compression-resistant bars (1a) that are connected to each other by nodes (1b), wherein, in said space framework, forces are introduced into the nodes (1b).

8. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 1, wherein the propellers (2, 2a-f) are spaced from the bars (1a) or the bars (1a) have aerodynamic constructions at least in an area of the propellers (2, 2a-f) in order to alleviate a flow resistance on the propeller air flow.

9. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 1, wherein the propellers (2, 2a-f) are constructed essentially rigid and without blade adjustment, and roots (22) of the rotor blades (21) of the propellers have a defined flexibility for compensating for flapping and oscillating movements, or the rotor blades (21) are constructed to absorb flapping and oscillating movements.

10. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 1, wherein a number of the electric motors (3, 3a-m) and the propellers (2, 2a-f) is at least twelve, the propellers (2, 2a-f) are arranged essentially in one plane, and said plane is defined by rotor circular areas covered by the propellers.

11. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 10, wherein at least one grouping of the propellers (2, 2a-f) is arranged at an angle relative to the plane, and said plane is defined by the rotor circular areas covered by the remaining propellers (2).

12. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 10, wherein the rotor circular areas covered by the propellers (2, 2a-f) do not overlap.

13. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 10, wherein the rotor circular areas covered by the propellers (2, 2a-f) overlap each other at least partially at least for some of the propellers.

14. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 1, wherein the propellers (2, 2a-f) are constructed as free-running propellers.

15. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 1, wherein at least one emergency parachute (7) for the whole aircraft, including at least one of a pilot or cargo, said emergency parachute (7) is arranged in a propeller-free area underneath or approximately at a height of the propellers (2, 2a-f).

16. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 1, wherein for torque equalization, a same number of counterclockwise rotating (L) and clockwise rotating (R) ones of the propellers (2) are provided.

17. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 1, wherein for powering the electric motors (3, 3a-m) at least one energy converter (5′

) is provided for preparation of electrical energy, and at least one energy accumulator (5, 5a-m) connected to the at least one energy converter, and the electric motors (3, 3a-m) are in active electrical connection to the energy accumulator.

18. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 15, wherein the at least one energy accumulator (5, 5a-m) includes an energy accumulator (5) that is arranged approximately centrally for powering a plurality of electric motors (3a-m).

19. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 16, wherein the at least one energy accumulator (5, 5a-m) includes a plurality of energy accumulators (5a-m) arranged in a decentralized arrangement for each powering a sub-group of the electric motors (3a-m).

23. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 19, further comprising landing gear with elastic wheels, skids (9′

), or air filled elements (9), and said landing gear is arranged on the pilot cockpit (10) or the seat (4).

24. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 19, further comprising at least one supplemental drive device (13) for supporting the forward flight, said supplemental drive device is arranged on the pilot cockpit (10) or the seat (4) and comprises a steering device.

20. A vertical take-off and landing aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) for transporting people or loads, comprising:

a plurality of electric motors (3, 3a-m) and propellers (2, 2a-f) arranged essentially in one surface, a separate one of the electric motors being allocated to each of the propellers for driving the propellers;

a plurality of attitude sensors (8a, 8aa-an) for attitude control of the aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) provided in active signal connection to a plurality of signal processing units (8b, 8ba-bn); and

a plurality of rotational speed controllers (8da-8dm) each respectively connected to an electric motor of the plurality of electric motors,

wherein each said signal processing unit is configured to automatically perform attitude control based on measurement data of the attitude sensors by controlling a rotational speed of at least one of the electric motors (3, 3a-m), so that the aircraft is always positioned essentially horizontally in space with a surface defined by the propellers (2, 2a-f) without control inputs of a pilot or a remote controller, and

wherein the aircraft, is disassemblable into several parts (1′

) for transport, each with three or more of the electric motors (3) and propellers (2), wherein these electric motors and propellers are arranged in a triangle configuration.

21. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 20, further comprising a plug-in/folding mechanism.

22. A vertical take-off and landing aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) for transporting people or loads, comprising:

a plurality of electric motors (3, 3a-m) and propellers (2, 2a-f) arranged essentially in one surface, a separate one of the electric motors being allocated to each of the propellers for driving the propellers;

a plurality of attitude sensors (8a, 8aa-an) for attitude control of the aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) provided in active signal connection to a plurality of signal processing units (8b, 8ba-bn);

a plurality of rotational speed controllers (8da-8dm) each respectively connected to an electric motor of the plurality of electric motors; and

a cockpit (10) or a seat (4) for at least one pilot arranged below a plane of the propellers (2, 2a-f),

wherein each said signal processing unit is configured to automatically perform attitude control based on measurement data of the attitude sensors by controlling a rotational speed of at least one of the electric motors (3, 3a-m), so that the aircraft is always positioned essentially horizontally in space with a surface defined by the propellers (2, 2a-f) without control inputs of a pilot or a remote controller, and

wherein the cockpit (10) or the seat (4) is pivotally suspended about a pitch axis.

25. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 22, further comprising a plug-in/folding mechanism.

26. A vertical take-off and landing aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) for transporting people or loads, comprising:

a plurality of electric motors (3, 3a-m) and propellers (2, 2a-f) arranged essentially in one surface, a separate one of the electric motors being allocated to each of the propellers for driving the propellers;

a plurality of attitude sensors (8a, 8aa-an) for attitude control of the aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) provided in active signal connection to a plurality of signal processing units (8b, 8ba-bn); and

a plurality of rotational speed controllers (8da-8dm) each respectively connected to an electric motor of the plurality of electric motors,

wherein each said signal processing unit is configured to automatically perform attitude control based on measurement data of the attitude sensors by controlling a rotational speed of at least one of the electric motors (3, 3a-m), so that the aircraft is always positioned essentially horizontally in space with a surface defined by the propellers (2, 2a-f) without control inputs of a pilot or a remote controller, and

wherein the plurality of propellers includes at least one relatively larger propeller and some number of relatively smaller propellers, and the smaller propellers are arranged around the larger propellers.

27. The aircraft (100, 101, 102, 103) according to claim 26, further comprising a plug-in/folding mechanism.