Flyable automobile

• US 20030094536A1
• Filed: 10/25/2002
• Published: 05/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mitchell G. Labiche
• Original Assignee: Mitchell G. Labiche
• Inventors: LaBiche, Mitchell G.
• Application Number:
  US10/281,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20030094536A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 5/02 convertible into aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/56 Folding or collapsing to reduce overall dimensions of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 37/00 Convertible aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 5/12 for retraction against or within fuselage or nacelle

Abstract

A flyable automobile comprising a right main wing connected to the flyable automobile and comprising a right wing inner portion and a right wing outer portion, the right wing outer portion hingedly connected to the right wing inner portion so that the right wing outer portion can be folded above the right wing inner portion, and the right main wing connected to the flyable automobile so that the right main wing can pivot into a storage compartment underneath in the flyable automobile, and a left main wing connected to the flyable automobile and having a left wing inner portion and an left wing outer portion, the left wing outer portion hingedly connected to the left wing inner portion so that the left wing outer portion can be folded above the left wing inner portion, the left main wing connected to the flyable automobile so that the left main wing can pivot into the storage compartment in the flyable automobile.

Claims

1. A flyable automobile, comprising:

a right canard extending from a right front portion of the flyable automobile and hingedly connected to the flyable automobile so that the right canard can be pivoted into a front canard storage compartment on the flyable automobile;

a left canard extending from a left front portion of the flyable automobile and hingedly connected to the flyable automobile so that the left canard can be pivoted into the front canard storage compartment on the flyable automobile;

a right tail wing pivotally mounted to the flyable automobile on a right rear portion of the flyable automobile and having a right rudder disposed thereon;

a left tail wing pivotally mounted to the flyable automobile on a left rear portion of the flyable automobile and having a left rudder disposed thereon, the right tail wing and the left tail wing able to pivot inward to the road position and from a spoiler on a rear portion of the flyable automobile;

a hydraulic system operatively coupled to wheels on the flyable automobile and adapted to extend the wheels below the flyable automobile;

at least one propeller disposed at a rear of the flyable automobile and operatively connected to an engine in the flyable automobile;

a right main wing extending from a lower right portion of the flyable automobile and comprising a right wing inner portion and a right wing outer portion, the right wing inner portion hingedly connected to the right wing outer portion so that the right wing outer portion can be folded above the right wing inner portion, the right main wing connected to the flyable automobile so that the right main wing can pivot to a road position in a storage compartment underneath a right side of a floorboard of the flyable automobile; and

a left main wing extending from a lower left portion of the flyable automobile and having a left wing inner portion and an left wing outer portion, the left wing inner portion hingedly connected to the left wing outer portion so that the left wing outer portion can be folded above the left wing inner portion, the left main wing connected to the flyable automobile so that the left main wing can pivot to a road position in a storage compartment underneath a left side of the floorboard in the flyable automobile.

2. A flyable automobile, comprising:

a right main wing connected to the flyable automobile and comprising a right wing inner portion and a right wing outer portion, the right wing outer portion hingedly connected to the right wing inner portion so that the right wing outer portion can be folded above the right wing inner portion, and the right main wing connected to the flyable automobile so that the right main wing can pivot into a storage compartment underneath in the flyable automobile; and

a left main wing connected to the flyable automobile and having a left wing inner portion and an left wing outer portion, the left wing outer portion hingedly connected to the left wing inner portion so that the left wing outer portion can be folded above the left wing inner portion, the left main wing connected to the flyable automobile so that the left main wing can pivot into the storage compartment in the flyable automobile.

3. The flyable automobile of claim 2, wherein the storage compartment is disposed beneath a floorboard of the flyable automobile.

4. The flyable automobile of claim 2, further comprising:

a right canard extending from a right front portion of the flyable automobile and hingedly connected to the flyable automobile so that the right canard can be pivoted into a front canard storage compartment on the flyable automobile; and

a left canard extending from a left front portion of the flyable automobile and hingedly connected to the flyable automobile so that the left canard can be pivoted into the front canard storage compartment on the flyable autmobile.

5. The flyable automobile of claim 3, further comprising a canard door that encloses the front canard storage compartment when in a closed position.

6. The flyable automobile of claim 5, wherein the canard door is a clamshell door.

7. The flyable automobile of claim 5, wherein the canard door is single member hingidly connected to the flyable automobile.

8. The flyable automobile of claim 2, further comprising:

a right tail wing pivotally mounted to the flyable automobile on a rear portion of the flyable automobile; and

a left tail wing pivotally mounted to the flyable automobile on the rear portion of the flyable automobile, the right tail wing able to pivot inward to a horizontal and form a right half of a spoiler on the rear portion of the flyable automobile, and the left tail wing able to pivot inward to a horizontal position and form a left half of a spoiler on the rear portion of the flyable automobile.

9. The flyable automobile of claim 8, wherein the right tail wing and the left tail wing extend vertically when in a flight position.

10. The flyable automobile of claim 8, wherein the right tail wing is rotated 135 degrees outward from the horizontal position when in a flight position and the left tail wing is rotated 135 degrees outward from the horizontal position when in a flight position.

11. The flyable automobile of claim 2, further comprising a hydraulic system operatively coupled to wheels on the flyable automobile and adapted to extend the wheels below the flyable automobile.

12. The flyable automobile of claim 2, further comprising at least one propeller disposed at a rear of the flyable automobile and operatively connected to an engine in the flyable automobile.

13. The flyable automobile of claim 12, wherein the at least one propeller comprises two counter rotating propellers.

14. A retractable wing system, comprising:

a right main wing comprising a right wing inner portion and an right wing outer portion, the right wing outer portion hingidly connected to the right wing inner portion so that the right wing outer portion can be folded above the right wing inner portion;

a right wing box connected to the right wing inner portion and adapted to be pivotally attached to a vehicle;

a left main wing comprising a left wing inner portion and an left wing outer portion, the left wing outer portion hingedly connected to the left wing inner portion so that the left wing outer portion can be folded above the left wing inner portion; and

a left wing box connected to the left wing inner portion and adapted to be pivotally attached to the vehicle.

15. The retractable wing system of claim 14, wherein the right main wing is adapted to pivot forward when flaps are extended, and the left main wing is adapted to pivot forward when flaps are extended.

16. The retractable wing system of claim 14, wherein the right main wing comprises a right aileron and the left main wing comprises a left aileron.

17. An aircraft canard system, comprising:

a right canard adapted to be pivotally attached to a front section of a vehicle such that the right canard can be pivoted into a storage compartment in the vehicle; and

a left canard adapted to be pivotally attached to the front section of the vehicle such that the left canard can be pivoted into the storage compartment in the vehicle.

18. The canard system of claim 17, wherein the right canard is mounted by a right mounting tube that runs through a quarter chord of the right canard, the right canard attached to the aircraft in such a way that an incidence angle of the right canard can be adjusted by rotating the right mounting tube, and wherein the left canard is mounted by a left mounting tube that runs through a quarter chord of the left canard, the left canard attached to the aircraft in such a way that an incidence angle of the left canard can be adjusted by rotating the left mounting tube.

19. A tail wing system, comprising:

a right tail wing adapted to be pivotally mounted to a rear portion of a flyable vehicle; and

a left tail wing adapted to be pivotally mounted to a left rear portion of the flyable vehicle, the right tail wing adapted to pivot downward into a horizontal position, thereby forming a right half of a spoiler at the rear portion of the flyable vehicle and the left tail wing adapted to pivot downward into a horizontal position, thereby forming a left half of the spoiler at the rear portion of the flyable vehicle.

20. The tail wing system of claim 19, wherein the right tail wing comprises a right rudder and the left tail wing comprises a left rudder.

21. The tail wing system of claim 19, wherein the right tail wing is adapted to be mounted such that it can be pivoted upward to a vertical position and the left tail wing is adapted to be mounted such that it can be pivoted upward to a vertical position.

22. The tail wing system of claim 19, wherein the right tail wing is adapted to be mounted such that it can be pivoted outward to a position past a vertical position, and the left tail wing is adapted to be mounted such that it can be pivoted outward to a position past a vertical position.

23. The tail wing system of claim 22, wherein the right tail wing is adapted to be mounted to rotate 135 degrees outward from the horizontal position, and the left tail wing is adapted to be mounted to rotate 135 degrees outward from the horizontal position.

24. A drive system for a flyable automobile, comprising:

an engine;

a first propeller mounted on a first propeller shaft;

a counter-rotating propeller mounded on a second propeller shaft;

a first drive gear connected to the first propeller shaft;

a second drive gear connected to the second propeller shaft;

a drive shaft operatively connected to the engine and adapted to transfer power to wheels when an engine clutch is engaged;

a planetary gear arrangement operatively connected to the drive shaft;

a first gear set comprising at least one gear, the first gear set being operatively connected to the planetary gear arrangement and the first drive gear; and

a second gear set comprising at least two gears, the second gear set being operatively connected to the planetary gear system and the second drive gear.

25. The drive system of claim 24, wherein the planetary gear arrangement comprises a sun gear, a ring gear, and a plurality of planetary gears disposed between the sun gear and the ring gear.

26. The drive system of claim 25, further comprising a first brake that, when engaged, prevents the planetary gears from rotating, and a second brake that, when engaged, prevents the ring gear from rotating.

27. The drive system of claim 24, wherein the drive system is adapted to selectively drive at least one of the rear wheels and the propellers.

28. The drive system of claim 27, wherein the drive system is adapted to simultaneously drive the rear wheel and the propellers.

29. The drive system of claim 24, wherein the first gear set and the second gear set have the same speed reduction ratio.

30. A method of making a flyable automobile, comprising:

pivotally attaching a right canard to a front portion of the flyable automobile;

pivotally attaching a left canard to a front portion of the flyable automobile;

rotatably attaching a foldable right main wing to the flyable automobile so that the right main wing can be rotated into a right main wing storage bay under a floorboard of the flyable automobile;

rotatably attaching a foldable left main wing to the flyable automobile so that the right main wing can be rotated into a right main wing storage bay under a floorboard of the flyable automobile;

pivotally attaching a right tail wing to a right rear portion of the flyable automobile; and

pivotally attaching a left tail wing to a left rear portion of the flyable automobile.