Aircraft with selectively attachable passenger pod assembly

• US 9,963,228 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2016
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: McCullough, John Richard, Oldroyd, Paul K.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Hara, Brian M
• Application Number:
  US15/200,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20180002011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/28 Parts of fuselage relatively movable to improve pilots view
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/32 Severable or jettisonable parts of fuselage facilitating emergency escape
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 11/28 Collapsible or foldable blades
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 17/02 by gravity or inertia-actuated apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2211/00 Modular constructions of airplanes or helicopters
• 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 27/30 with provision for reducing drag of inoperative rotor
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0033 the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/02 having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/08 having multiple wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/80 in association with aircraft, e.g. for braking thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/12 Ejectable capsules
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/16 with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/57 for bringing emergency supplies to persons or animals in danger, e.g. ropes or life vests
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/293 Foldable or collapsible rotors or rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/11 : using internal combustion piston engines
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/18 : Thrust vectoring
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 : using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/50 : with landing legs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/83 : using parachutes, balloons or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0065 : for taking-off
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 : specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 : Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

In some embodiments, an aircraft includes a flying frame having an airframe, a propulsion system attached to the airframe and a flight control system operably associated with the propulsion system wherein, the flying frame has a vertical takeoff and landing mode and a forward flight mode. A pod assembly is selectively attachable to the flying frame such that the flying frame is rotatable about the pod assembly wherein, the pod assembly remains in a generally horizontal attitude during vertical takeoff and landing, forward flight and transitions therebetween.

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising:

a flying frame including an airframe, a propulsion system attached to the airframe and a flight control system operably associated with the propulsion system, the airframe including first and second wing members having at least two pylons extending therebetween; and

a pod assembly selectively attachable to the flying frame,

wherein, the flying frame has a vertical takeoff and landing mode in which the first and second wing members are substantially above the pod assembly and a forward flight mode in which the first wing member is below the pod assembly and the second wing member is above the pod assembly; and

wherein, the flying frame is rotatable about the pod assembly such that the pod assembly remains in a generally horizontal attitude during vertical takeoff and landing, forward flight and transitions therebetween.

2. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein, in the vertical takeoff and landing mode, the first wing member is forward of the pod assembly and the second wing member is aft of the pod assembly and wherein, in the forward flight mode, the first wing member is below the pod assembly and the second wing member is above the pod assembly.

3. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the pod assembly is rotatably mounted to the pylons.

4. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein, in the forward flight mode, the pod assembly is operable to translate in forward and aft directions relative to the flying frame such that the center of gravity of the aircraft is adjustable.

5. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the pod assembly and the flying frame have at least one communication channel therebetween operable to enable communication between the pod assembly and the flight control system of the flying frame.

6. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the pod assembly further comprises a manned pod assembly.

7. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the pod assembly further comprises an unmanned pod assembly.

8. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the flying frame is operable to jettison the pod assembly during flight.

9. The aircraft as recited in claim 8 wherein the pod assembly further comprises a parachute operable to be deployed in association with the pod assembly being jettisoned from the flying frame during flight.

10. The aircraft as recited in claim 9 wherein the parachute further comprises a parafoil parachute.

11. The aircraft as recited in claim 8 wherein the pod assembly further comprises a watertight pod assembly.

12. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the flying frame is operable to couple with and decouple from the pod assembly when the flying frame is positioned on a surface.

13. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the flying frame is operable to autonomously couple with and decouple from the pod assembly.

14. A method of operating an aircraft comprising:

providing a flying frame including an airframe, a propulsion system attached to the airframe and a flight control system operably associated with the propulsion system, the airframe including first and second wing members having at least two pylons extending therebetween;

selectively attaching the flying frame to a pod assembly;

lifting the pod assembly into the air in a vertical takeoff and landing mode of the aircraft with the pod assembly in a generally horizontal attitude;

transitioning the aircraft between the vertical takeoff and landing mode, in which the first and second wing members are substantially above the pod assembly, and a forward flight mode, in which the first wing member is below the pod assembly and the second wing member is above the pod assembly, by rotating the flying frame relative to the pod assembly while maintaining the pod assembly in the generally horizontal attitude; and

transporting the pod assembly in the forward flight mode of the aircraft with the pod assembly in the generally horizontal attitude.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein selectively attaching the flying frame to the pod assembly further comprises rotatably mounting the pod assembly to the pylons.

16. The method as recited in claim 14 further comprising jettisoning the pod assembly from the flying frame during flight.

17. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein selectively attaching the flying frame to the pod assembly further comprises operably coupling the flying frame to and decoupling the flying from the pod assembly when the flying frame is positioned on a surface.

18. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein selectively attaching the flying frame to the pod assembly further comprises autonomously coupling the flying frame to and decoupling the flying from the pod assembly.