Aircraft with a plurality of engines driving a common driveshaft

• US 9,688,397 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2016
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Frick A. Smith
• Original Assignee: Frick A. Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Frick A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Tien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Green, Richard R
• Application Number:
  US15/204,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20160311530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1415 Cargo doors, e.g. incorporating ramps
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1476 Canopies; Windscreens or similar transparent elements
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/22 Compound rotorcraft, i.e. aircraft using in flight the features of both aeroplane and rotorcraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/26 characterised by provision of fixed wings
• 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 27/82 characterised by the provision of an auxiliary rotor or fluid-jet device for counter-balancing lifting rotor torque or changing direction of rotorcraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/00 Aircraft capable of landing or taking-off vertically, e.g. vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft rotorcraft B64C27/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0016 the lift during taking-off being created by free or ducted propellers or by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0033 the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/02 characterised by special use
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/24 Rigging lines
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/34 adapted to control direction or rate of descent
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/62 Deployment
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/64 by extractor parachute
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/80 in association with aircraft, e.g. for braking thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/02 Aircraft characterised by the type or position of power plants fuselages specially adapted for mounting power plants B64C1/16; wings specially adapted for power plants B64C3/32
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 31/00 Power plant control systems; Arrangement of power plant control systems in aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 35/04 characterised by the transmission driving a plurality of propellers or rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/00 : Means for producing lift; Empennages; Arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 : Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/14 : detachable
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 : Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/00 : Propulsion; Power supply
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/14 : ducted or shrouded
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 : Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20

Abstract

An aircraft may have a fuselage, a left wing extending from the fuselage, a right wing extending from the fuselage, a tail section extending from a rear portion of the fuselage, and a first engine and a second engine operably connected by a common driveshaft, wherein the first and second engines are configured for freewheeling such that if one of the first and second engines loses power the other of the first and second engines continues to power the aircraft.

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising:

a fuselage having a longitudinal axis;

a first engine disposed in said fuselage;

a second engine disposed in said fuselage;

said first and second engines being operably connected to a common driveshaft traversing through said first and second engines and having an axis of rotation oriented transverse to said longitudinal axis of said fuselage;

a first propeller operably connected to said common driveshaft; and

a second propeller operably connected to said common driveshaft;

wherein said first and second engines are configured for freewheeling such that if one of said first and second engines loses power the other of said first and second engines continues to power said first and second propellers.

2. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second propellers comprises a ducted fan.

3. The aircraft of claim 2 wherein said ducted fans are tiltable to facilitate VTOL and forward flight.

4. The aircraft of claim 3 wherein each of said ducted fans is mounted to a wing extending from said fuselage.

5. The aircraft of claim 2 wherein each of said ducted fans comprises counter-rotating blades.

6. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second engines is operable at a selected power level.

7. The aircraft of claim 6 wherein said first and second engines are selectable such that the hours on each of said first and second engines are maintainable at a similar level.

8. The aircraft of claim 1 further comprising a nose section having an extendable and retractable ramp.

9. The aircraft of claim 1 further comprising a retractable canopy.

10. The aircraft of claim 1 further comprising a parachute attached to said fuselage.

11. The aircraft of claim 10 wherein said parachute is mounted in a rear portion of said fuselage.

12. The aircraft of claim 10 further comprising one or more rockets configured for deploying said parachute.

13. The aircraft of claim 10 further comprising cables configured for attaching said parachute to said fuselage, wherein said cables are concealed in a recessed channel under a non-protruding breakaway covering which is aerodynamically flush with said fuselage.

14. The aircraft of claim 13 wherein said cables are attached to said fuselage at four attachment points.

15. The aircraft of claim 10 wherein said parachute is automatically deployable by a computer if said aircraft becomes unstable.

16. The aircraft of claim 10 wherein said parachute is manually deployable by a lever.

17. The aircraft of claim 10 further comprising an airbag expander configured for expanding said parachute into a fully deployed condition.

18. The aircraft of claim 17 wherein said airbag expander comprises elongated tubes embedded in canopy cords and outer edges of said parachute.

19. The aircraft of claim 17 further comprising computer controlled air sensors configured for determining whether to apply or delay deployment of said airbag expander.

20. An aircraft comprising:

a wing;

a first tiltable ducted fan mounted to a left portion of said wing;

a second tiltable ducted fan mounted to a right portion of said wing; and

first and second engines operably engaged with a common driveshaft which is in line with said wing and traverses span-wise through said wing and said engines from said first ducted fan to said second ducted fan.