Double ducted hovering air-vehicle

• US 7,658,346 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Goossen, Emray R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mansen; Michael R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bonzell; Philip J
• Application Number:
  US11/338,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20060192047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• Field of Search: 244/4.R, 244/53.R, 244/54, 244/17.11, 244/17.23, 244/17.25
• US Class Current: 244/17.23
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/20 Rotorcraft characterised by having shrouded rotors, e.g. flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0016 the lift during taking-off being created by free or ducted propellers or by blowers
• 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 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/12 Variable or detachable wings, e.g. wings with adjustable sweep
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/12 using turbine engines, e.g. turbojets or turbofans
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/14 ducted or shrouded
• 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 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence

Abstract

A dual ducted fan arrangement in which the duct components, engine, and avionics/payload pods are capable of being quickly disassembled to fit within common backpacking systems. Each duct is identical in fan, stator, and control vane design. Assembly connections between ducted fans and electronic modules are also identical. An engine or APU drives the dual ducted fans through a splined shaft to a differential or through electric motors. Energy is transferred to the ducted fans by a single gear mounted to the stator hub. Relative speeds of the individual ducted fans are controlled through separate frictional or generator load control braking mechanisms on each of the splined shafts between the differential and ducted fans. In the electric motor case relative speed is through electronic speed control. The fans are counter rotating for torque balancing. The electronic module locations are vertically variable for longitudinal center of gravity for variations in payloads.

Claims

1. A hovering air vehicle comprising:

two duct fan assemblies comprising a rotating first fan in a first fan assembly and a second counter rotating fan in a second fan assembly;

at least one engine for powering the first fan and said second fan, wherein the at least one engine is disposed outside of a duct inflow wave between the first fan assembly and the second fan assembly;

an energy transfer apparatus for independently regulating a speed of the first fan and the second fan;

at least two pods, a first pod from the at least two pods directly affixed to the first ducted fan assembly and the second duct fan assembly, and a second pod from the at least two pods directly affixed to the first duct fan assembly and the second duct fan assembly, the at least two pods being located between the two duct fan assemblies so as to maintain the center of gravity in the center of the ducts, and the at least two pods further comprising assemblies for removably affixing the at least two pods to the first and second duct fan assemblies and adjusting a lateral location of the at least two pods;

a one axis of freedom tail cone for each duct fan assembly for both pitch and yaw attitude control of the hovering air vehicle; and

a controller for independently controlling each tail cone position.

2. The air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said energy transfer apparatus comprises a controller for driving electric motors under the first fan and the second fan.

3. The air vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least two assemblies for removably affixing the at least two pods comprise dovetail assemblies.

4. The air vehicle of claim 1 wherein the first and second pods comprise a member from the group consisting of avionics equipment, vehicle control system sensors, payload sensors, a payload and fuel.

5. The air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said at least two pods are affixed to the two duct fan assemblies to optimize payload sensor visibility.

6. The air vehicle of claim 1 comprising a plurality of dovetail assemblies for removably affixing winglets, lights or other payload pods.

7. The air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said two duct fan assemblies, said at least one engine and said energy transfer apparatus are each modular for quick assembly and disassembly.

8. The air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said two duct fan assemblies, said at least one engine and said energy transfer apparatus are configured to be stacked in a backpack.

9. The air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said at least one engine comprises a shock mount to said first fan assembly and said second fan assembly.

10. The air vehicle of claim 1 wherein said energy transfer apparatus comprises a differential.

11. The air vehicle of claim 10 wherein said differential comprises output shaft speeds that are independently controlled by a braking or a shaft loading system.

12. The air vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a landing gear.

13. The air vehicle of claim 12 wherein said landing gear comprises a slot and snapping structure for removably affixing said landing gear to the air vehicle.

14. A method for assembling a modular dual ducted air vehicle, the method comprising:

a. inserting a first spline of an energy transfer apparatus into a first ducted fan assembly spline socket of a first fan assembly comprising a rotating first fan and inserting a second spline of the energy transfer apparatus into a second ducted fan assembly spline socket of a second fan assembly comprising a second counter rotating fan, wherein the energy transfer apparatus independently regulates a speed of the first rotating fan and the second counter rotating fan;

b. affixing an engine splined shaft of an engine into a differential splined coupling, wherein the engine powers the first rotating fan and the second counter rotating fan and is disposed outside of a duct inflow wave between the first fan assembly and the second fan assembly;

c. concurrently sliding a first end of a first pod into a first dovetail assembly on the first fan assembly and a second end of the first pod onto a second dovetail assembly on the second fan assembly;

d. repeating step c) for a second pod, wherein the first and second pods are located between the first and second fan assemblies so a to maintain the center of gravity in the center of ducts of the first and second fan assemblies, the first and second pods further comprising assemblies for removably affixing the first and second pods to the first and second fan assemblies and adjusting a lateral location of the first and second pods; and

e. attaching a first tail cone to the first ducted fan assembly and attaching a second tail cone to the second ducted fan assembly, wherein the first and second tail cones each have one axis of freedom for both pitch and yaw attitude control of the hovering air vehicle, and the first and second tail cones are independently controlled by a controller.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of sliding each leg from a plurality of landing legs onto a dovetail assembly slotted hole.