Vertical take-off and landing vehicle configured as a compound autogyro

• US 6,471,158 B1
• Filed: 07/15/1999
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Davis, Robert P.
• Original Assignee: Davis, Robert P.
• Inventors: Davis, Robert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Poon, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JAKEL, KEVIN W
• Application Number:
  US09/352,637
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 244/17.11, 244/23.R, 244/8, 244/6, 244/7.R, 244/7.A
• US Class Current: 244/8
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/02 Gyroplanes
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/18 the means being jet-reaction apparatus
• 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 27/24 with rotor blades fixed in flight to act as lifting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/26 characterised by provision of fixed wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/30 with provision for reducing drag of inoperative rotor

Abstract

A compound autogyro has a unique system of rotor blade retraction and vectored thrust. Redundant thrust systems provide for emergency conditions. Located in the upper mast are twin gas lines leading to a hub section of the rotor. In the hub, they divide the mass flow into two additional gas lines reaching to the tip ends of rigid rotor blades. A revolving, upper section of the rotor mast is attached to a lower, non-rotating section by a spherical bearing. Directly beneath this attach bearing is a distribution plenum, which receives the mass flow from each of three or four turbofan engines. To achieve high levels of propulsion, the turbofans are equipped with vectoring vanes that direct the mass flow to a plenum or, in the alternative, out a jet pipe for conventional flight. Another set of vectoring vanes can direct the mass flow downwardly, in case of a serious failure upon takeoff.

Claims

1. A compound autogyro having built in redundancy for safety purposes, comprising:

a fuselage devoid of any tail rotors having an upper surface for supporting at least one rotor blade;

a number of fixed wings supported by said fuselage, said fixed wings having control surfaces and high lift means;

at least one rotor blade rotatively supported upon said upper surface of said fuselage; and

a plurality of jet propulsion engines supported by said fuselage for generating thrust to achieve flight and lift, and operatively connected to said at least one rotor blade for rotatively moving said at least one rotor blade, whereby redundancy is built in to the compound autogyro for safety.

2. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 1, wherein said number of fixed wings comprises at least one of the group of fixed wing elements consisting of:

flaps, slats, a horizontal stabilizer, at least one vertical stabilizer, rudder, and combinations thereof.

3. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 1, wherein said number of fixed wings comprises at least one of the group of fixed wing elements consisting of:

a canard, a mid-wing section, a tail-section, and combinations thereof.

4. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 1, further comprising retraction means supported by said fuselage for retracting said at least one rotor blade into said fuselage adjacent said upper surface.

5. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 4, wherein said at least one rotor blade is retracted into said fuselage substantially flush with said upper surface.

6. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one rotor blade is operatively independent of said number of fixed wings.

7. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one rotor blade comprises at least three rotor blades rotatively supported by said fuselage.

8. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 4, wherein said retraction means comprises means defining a well disposed in said fuselage for housing said retracted at least one rotor blade therein.

9. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 8, wherein said retraction means comprises folding means for folding said at least one rotor blade into said well.

10. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 1, further comprising thrust means supported by said fuselage for directing a vectored thrust from said compound autogyro.

11. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 10, wherein said thrust means comprises force-directed vanes.

12. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one rotor blade comprises tip ends, and further comprising a plenum for directing mass flow to said tip ends of said at least one rotor blade.

13. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a pop-up centering vane disposed on said at least one rotor blade.

14. A compound autogyro having built in redundancy for safety purposes, comprising:

a fuselage devoid of any tail rotors having an upper surface for rotatively supporting at least one rotor blade;

a number of fixed wings supported by said fuselage, said fixed wings having control surfaces and high lift means;

at least one rotatively fixed rotor blade that is rotatively supported upon said upper surface of said fuselage; and

a plurality of jet propulsion engines supported by said fuselage for generating thrust to achieve flight and lift, and operatively connected to said at least one rotor blade for rotatively moving said at least one rotor blade, whereby redundancy is built in to the compound autogyro for safety.

15. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 14, wherein said number of fixed wings comprises at least one of the group of fixed wing elements consisting of:

flaps, slats, a horizontal stabilizer, at least one vertical stabilizer, rudder, and combinations thereof.

16. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 14, wherein said number of fixed wings comprises at least one of the group of fixed wing elements consisting of:

a canard, a mid-wing section, a tail-section, and combinations thereof.

17. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 14, wherein said at least one rotor blade is operatively independent of said number of fixed wings.

18. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 14, wherein said at least one rotor blade comprises at least three rotor blades rotatively supported by said fuselage.

19. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 14, further comprising thrust means supported by said fuselage for directing a vectored thrust from said compound autogyro.

20. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 19, wherein said thrust means comprises force-directed vanes.

21. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 14, wherein said at least one rotor blade comprises tip ends, and further comprising a plenum for directing mass flow to said tip ends of said at least one rotor blade.

22. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 14, further comprising a pop-up centering vane disposed on said at least one rotor blade.

23. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 14, further comprising at least one air inlet.

24. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 23, wherein said at least one air inlet comprises a lift inlet and a cruising inlet.

25. A compound autogyro having built in redundancy for safety purposes, comprising:

a fuselage devoid of any tail rotors having an upper surface for rotatively supporting at least one rotor blade;

a number of fixed wings supported by said fuselage, said fixed wings having control surfaces and high lift means;

at least one rotor blade rotatively supported upon said upper surface of said fuselage;

a plurality of jet propulsion engines supported by said fuselage for generating thrust to achieve flight and lift, and operatively connected to said at least one rotor blade for rotatively moving said at least one rotor blade, whereby redundancy is built in to the compound autogyro for safety; and

thrust means supported by said fuselage and operatively connected to said plurality of jet propulsion engines for directing a vectored thrust from said compound autogyro.

26. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 25, wherein said number of fixed wings comprises at least one of the group of fixed wing elements consisting of:

flaps, slats, a horizontal stabilizer, at least one vertical stabilizer, rudder, and combinations thereof.

27. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 25, wherein said number of fixed wings comprises at least one of the group of fixed wing elements consisting of:

a canard, a mid-wing section, a tail-section, and combinations thereof.

28. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 25, further comprising retraction means supported by said fuselage for retracting said at least one rotor blade into said fuselage adjacent said upper surface.

29. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 28, wherein said at least one rotor blade is retracted into said fuselage substantially flush with said upper surface.

30. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 25, wherein said at least one rotor blade is operatively independent of said number of fixed wings.

31. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 25, wherein said at least one rotor blade comprises at least three rotor blades rotatively supported by said fuselage.

32. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 28, wherein said retraction means comprises means defining a well disposed in said fuselage for housing said retracted at least one rotor blade therein.

33. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 32, wherein said retraction means comprises folding means for folding said at least one rotor blade into said well.

34. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 25, wherein said thrust means comprises force-directed vanes.

35. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 25, wherein said at least one rotor blade comprises tip ends, and further comprising a plenum for directing mass flow to said tip ends of said at least one rotor blade.

36. The compound autogyro in accordance with claim 25, further comprising a pop-up centering vane disposed on said at least one rotor blade.