Propulsion device

• US 7,484,687 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2005
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Martin Aircraft Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Martin Aircraft Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Martin, Glenn Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Mansen; Michael R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sanderson; Joseph W
• Application Number:
  US11/259,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20060196991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 244/4.A, 244/2, 244/903, 244/23.A, 244/23.R
• US Class Current: 244/4.00A
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 15/00 Attitude, flight direction, or altitude control by jet reaction
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/20 Rotorcraft characterised by having shrouded rotors, e.g. flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/026 for use as personal propulsion unit
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 35/04 characterised by the transmission driving a plurality of propellers or rotors

Abstract

A personal flight device which consists of a housing securable to a pilot, at least one pair of fans, and at least one engine mounted on the housing for driving the fans; one fan of the pair is mounted to one side of the housing and the other fan of the pair is mounted to the other side of the housing; in use, both fans rotate in the same direction for producing thrust.

Claims

1. A personal flight device comprising:

a housing which is physically securable to a pilot, said pilot standing during use;

at least one pair of fans, one fan of the pair mounted to the housing so as to be adjacent to one side of the pilot, and the other fan of the pair mounted to the housing so as to be adjacent to another side of the pilot, wherein each fan rotates about an axis of rotation, wherein the axis of rotation of each fan of said pair of fans is fixed relative to the housing; and

at least one engine mounted on the housing for driving the fans, wherein both fans rotate in the same direction for producing thrust, said at least one engine being mechanically coupled to said fans for mechanically driving said fans.

2. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each fan is secured to the housing such that the axis of rotation of each fan is substantially vertical when the device is secured to a pilot standing upright.

3. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a steering vane coupled to at least one fan, said vane being controllable for directing the airflow leaving the at least one fan.

4. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the steering vane comprises a plate having an aerofoil cross-section and mounted diametrically across a lower edge of a duct surrounding said at least one fan.

5. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the housing incorporates:

a mounting for a throttle control; and

a control for the steering vane.

6. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the throttle control mounting and the control for the steering vane are mounted on armrests extending from the housing.

7. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a protective shielding for shielding the pilot from the engine and fans.

8. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a harness for securing the device to the pilot.

9. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each fan is a ducted fan comprising a duct surrounding the fan and defining an intake.

10. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said intake is covered with a mesh.

11. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one engine is selected from the group consisting of two-stroke internal combustion engines, four-stroke internal combustion engines, rotary engines, and gas turbine engines.

12. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a drive means driven by the at least one engine, said driven drive means connecting said at least one engine to said at least one pair of fans for driving the at least one pair of fans.

13. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the drive means comprises a single drive.

14. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the drive means comprises a double drive.

15. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the drive means comprises a drive selected from the group consisting of chain drives, fluid drives, and belt drives.

16. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the drive means is a toothed belt drive.

17. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the drive means is a micro-V belt drive.

18. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device comprises only a single pair of ducted fans and a single engine.

19. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a parachute coupled to the housing.

20. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each fan is mounted within a duct, wherein the device further comprises a set of stators arranged in each fan duct to straighten the airflow leaving that fan.

21. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the stators of each set have one end secured to an inner wall of the duct and another end secured to a hub of the fan within the duct.

22. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 20, wherein each stator is a flat parallel sided plate.

23. The personal flight device as claimed in claim 20, wherein each stator comprises a curved aerofoil cross-section.

24. The personal flight device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a duct for each fan, wherein each duct surrounds each fan.

25. The personal flight device as recited in claim 24 wherein each duct is fixed relative to the housing.

26. The personal flight device as recited in claim 24 further comprising a set of stators associated with each fan and arranged to straighten the airflow leaving that fan.

27. The personal flight device as recited in claim 24 further comprising a control vane for steering an airflow generated by one of the fans for steering the device.

28. The personal flight device as recited in claim 27 further comprising a second control vane for steering an airflow generated by the other of said fans for steering the device.

29. The personal flight device as recited in claim 28 wherein each control vane is mounted on the duct of the fan whose airflow said vane steers.