Modular flying vehicle

• US 20090008499A1
• Filed: 02/19/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donald Orval Shaw
• Original Assignee: Donald Orval Shaw
• Inventors: Shaw, Donald Orval
• Granted Patent: US 8,453,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/17.230
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/08 with two or more rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/20 Rotorcraft characterised by having shrouded rotors, e.g. flying platforms
• 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 29/0033 the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/20 Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/60 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/295 Rotors arranged in the wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 40/20 for in-flight adjustment of the base configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/50 Launching from storage containers, e.g. from submarine missile tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/80 by vehicles

Abstract

The invention is a modular vehicle having an air vehicle that can be coupled to cargo containers, land vehicles, sea vehicles, medical transport modules, etc. In one embodiment the air vehicle has a plurality of propellers positioned around a main airframe, which can provide vertical thrust and/or horizontal thrust. One or more of the propellers may be configured to tilt forward, backward, and/or side-to-side with respect to the airframe.

Claims

1. A flight vehicle, comprising:

a main airframe, the airframe defining an airframe plane and having an airframe front;

a plurality of propellers extending on supports from the main airframe,

wherein a first propeller subset of the plurality of the propellers comprises at least one propeller having a forward tilt angle from the airframe plane with respect to the airframe front of about −

15 to −

15 degrees, and wherein a second propeller subset of the plurality of propellers comprises at least one propeller having a forward tilt angle from the airframe plane of between 60 and 95 degrees.

2. The flight vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first propeller subset comprises at least one propeller having a forward tilt angle of approximately zero degrees.

3. The flight vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second propeller subset of one or more of the propellers comprises at least one propeller having a forward tilt angle of about 90 degrees.

4. The flight vehicle of claim 1, wherein one or more propellers of the second propeller subset are configured to be tilted forward from a first forward tilt angle to a second forward tilt angle, wherein the first forward tilt angle is less than the second forward tilt angle.

5. The flight vehicle of claim 4, wherein the first forward tilt angle is approximately zero degrees, and the second forward tilt angle is approximately 90 degrees.

6. The flight vehicle of claim 4, wherein one or more propellers of the first propeller subset have a generally fixed forward tilt angle of 15 degrees to −

15 degrees.

7. The flight vehicle of claim 4, wherein one or more of the propellers of the second propeller subset are configured to vary from a first height relative to the airframe to a second height relative to the airframe.

8. A flight vehicle comprising:

an airframe defining an airframe forward axis and an airframe plane;

one or more support arms extending from the airframe;

one or more propeller/engine assemblies, wherein one of the propeller/engine assemblies is secured to a proximal portion of each of the one or more support arms;

a propeller/engine assembly holder securing each propeller/engine assembly to the corresponding support arm, whereby the propeller/engine assembly holder is configured to permit the propeller/engine assembly to tilt away from or toward the airframe forward axis.

9. The flight vehicle of claim 8, wherein the propeller/engine assembly holder permits the propeller/engine assembly to tilt away from or toward the airframe longitudinal axis responsive to a moment applied to the propeller/engine assembly by rotation of the propeller, wherein the moment applied is in a plane generally perpendicular to the airframe forward axis.

10. The flight vehicle of claim 9, further comprising:

a restraining mechanism configured to oppose the moment applied to the propeller engine assembly.

11. The flight vehicle of claim 10, wherein the restraining mechanism comprises a shock absorber.

12. The flight vehicle of claim 8, further comprising:

a tilt mechanism configured to effectuate tilt the propeller/motor assembly away from or toward the airframe forward axis.

13. The flight vehicle of claim 12, wherein the tilt mechanism comprises an electric motor configured to tilt the propeller/motor assembly.

14. A method of operating a flight vehicle having a plurality of propellers and an airframe, wherein the airframe has an airframe front and defines an airframe plane, comprising:

positioning each of the plurality of propellers with a tilt angle of approximately zero with respect to the airframe plane;

providing power to all of the plurality of motors, wherein the power is sufficient to lift the air vehicle off of the ground so the vehicle is airborne;

with the vehicle airborne, maintaining or increasing power to a first propeller subset comprising one or more of the plurality of motors;

with the vehicle airborne, reducing power to a second propeller subset comprising one or more of the plurality of motors, while simultaneously;

with power reduced or eliminated to the second propeller subset, tilting one or more of the propellers of the second propeller subset forward with respect to the airframe front to a tilt angle of between 60 and 95 degrees;

with the one or more of the propellers of the second propeller subset tilted forward with respect to the airframe front to a tilt angle of between 60 and 95 degrees, increasing power to the second propeller subset.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

after increasing power to the second propeller subset while tilted forward, reducing power to one or more propellers of the first propeller subset.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein reducing power to the one or more propellers of the first propeller subset comprises eliminating power to the one or more propellers of the first propeller subset.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the airframe comprises an airframe back, and propellers of the first subset of propellers are positioned generally adjacent the airframe front and airframe back.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein propellers of the second subset of propellers are positioned generally between airframe front and airframe back

19. The method of claim 14, wherein propellers of the second subset of propellers are positioned generally between the propellers of the first subset of propellers.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the propellers of the second subset of propellers are positioned at a height with respect to the airframe, and further comprising:

changing the height of one or more of the propellers of the second subset of propellers, wherein changing height of the one or more propellers of the second subset of propellers occurs after the vehicle is airborne and before increasing power to the second propeller subset.