Ducted fan VTOL vehicles

• US 7,857,253 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2006
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Urban Aeronautics Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Urban Aeronautics Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoeli, Raphael
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins; Timothy D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bonzell; Philip J
• Application Number:
  US11/411,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20070034739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• Field of Search: 244/12.1, 244/12.3, 244/12.4, 244/12.5, 244/23.R, 244/23.A, 244/23.B, 244/23.D, 244/53.B, 244 54- 56
• US Class Current: 244/12.3
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1415 Cargo doors, e.g. incorporating ramps
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/22 Other structures integral with fuselages to facilitate loading , e.g. cargo bays, cranes
• 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 29/0025 the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0033 the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/40 Varying angle of sweep
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/80 in association with aircraft, e.g. for braking thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 7/00 Arrangements of military equipment, e.g. armaments, armament accessories, or military shielding, in aircraft; Adaptations of armament mountings for aircraft dropping bombs or the like B64D1/00; armaments or mountings therefor per se F41
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/10 Drag reduction

Abstract

A vehicle including a fuselage having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, two Ducted Fan lift-producing propellers carried by the fuselage on each side of the transverse axis, a pilot'"'"'s compartment formed in the fuselage between the lift-producing propellers and substantially aligned with one side of the fuselage, a payload bay formed in the fuselage between the lift-producing propellers and opposite the pilot'"'"'s compartment, and two pusher fans located at the rear of the vehicle. Many variations are described enabling the vehicle to be used not only as a VTOL vehicle, but also as a multi-function utility vehicle for performing many diverse functions including hovercraft and ATV functions. Also described is an Unmanned version of the vehicle. Also described are unique features applicable in any single or multiple ducted fans and VTOL vehicles.

Claims

1. A ducted fan air flow vehicle comprising:

a fuselage and associated air flow control surfaces;

at least one air flow duct having a peripheral wall, an upper inlet end and a lower outlet end, said at least one air flow duct located along said fuselage and enclosing a fan arranged to force surrounding ambient air to flow through said at least one air flow duct from said upper inlet end to said lower outlet end, thereby creating force directed along a duct flow axis which provides vertical lift force and which, when the duct axis is tilted with respect to vertical, also provides a force component in the direction of tilt; and

at least one opening in said peripheral wall of said at least one air flow duct between said upper inlet end and said lower outlet end, providing an additional path for ambient air to flow into or out of said at least one air flow duct thereby reducing resistance of surrounding air to vehicle motion.

2. The ducted fan air flow vehicle as in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of pivotally mounted louvers which, in one position, substantially close said at least one opening and which, in at least one other position, substantially open said at least one opening for air flow therethrough.

3. The ducted fan air flow vehicle as in claim 1 wherein said at least one air flow duct comprises a first duct disposed fore of a cabin area of said fuselage and a second duct disposed aft of said cabin area of said fuselage, said second duct also enclosing a fan, said fans having centers which lie along a common, substantially horizontal, longitudinal center line, with their respective duct axes substantially parallel to one another and individually tilted forward relative to the fuselage to provide a force component in the direction of tilt.

4. The ducted fan air flow vehicle as in claim 1 wherein said at least one air flow duct comprises a pair of ducts disposed fore and aft of a cabin area of said fuselage, respectively, with their respective duct axes substantially parallel to one another, said vehicle further comprising:

a fuselage landing support structure which supports said aircraft in a non-flying position with said duct axes being inclined forwardly.

5. The ducted fan air flow vehicle as in claim 1 wherein said at least one air flow duct comprises a pair of ducts including:

a substantially cylindrical, open-ended duct disposed fore of a cabin payload area of said fuselage and a substantially cylindrical, open-ended duct disposed aft of said cabin payload area,

said at least one opening comprising a first controllable opening in a forward facing portion of the peripheral wall of the duct disposed fore of the cabin payload area; and

a second controllable opening in a rearward facing portion of the peripheral wall of the duct disposed aft of the cabin payload area so as to further reduce drag and enhance forward motion of the vehicle.

6. The ducted fan air flow vehicle as in claim 1 wherein said

at least one air flow duct comprises a pair of ducts disposed fore and aft of a cabin payload area of said fuselage, respectively, said at least one opening comprising an adjustable opening in a rearward facing side of said peripheral wall of the duct disposed aft of said cabin payload area.

7. The ducted fan air flow vehicle as in claim 1 wherein said

at least one air flow duct comprises a pair of ducts disposed fore and aft of a cabin payload area of said fuselage, respectively, said at least one opening comprising an adjustable opening in a forward-facing side of said peripheral wall of the fore-disposed duct;

the outer upper and lower surfaces of said cabin payload area being aerodynamically shaped to (a) enhance production of aerodynamic lift forces by air flowing there-over and (b) reduce resistance to air flow exiting from the fore-located duct.

8. The ducted fan air flow vehicle as in claim 7 wherein the outer upper surface of said cabin payload area is convexly shaped and the outer lower surface of said cabin payload area is concavely shaped.

9. The ducted fan air flow vehicle as in claim 1 wherein said air flow control surfaces include a plurality of control vanes disposed within and across at least a portion of said upper inlet end of said at least one air flow duct, said control vanes oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said fuselage.

10. The ducted fan air flow vehicle as in claim 9 wherein said control surfaces also include a plurality of control vanes disposed across at least a portion of said lower outlet end of said at least one air flow duct.

11. The ducted fan air flow vehicle as in claim 10 wherein at least some of said plurality of control vanes are also disposed transversely across at least a portion of said lower outlet end of said at least one air flow duct.

12. The ducted fan air flow vehicle as in claim 9 wherein said control vanes have an airfoil cross sectional shape with a leading edge positioned towards a direction of main fluid inlet flow through said at least one air flow duct.

13. The ducted fan air flow vehicle as in claim 12 wherein each of at least some of said airfoil shaped vanes is variably oriented along its spanwise axis so as to approximately match expected duct air flow vector directions at respectively different positions along the vane spanwise axis.

14. The ducted fan air flow vehicle as in claim 12 wherein said control vanes are variably twisted along their respective spanwise axes as a function of the location of the vane within said at least one air flow duct.

15. A ducted fan air flow vehicle comprising:

a fuselage and associated air flow control surfaces;

at least one air flow duct having a peripheral wall, an upper inlet end and a lower outlet end, said duct mounted along a fuselage and enclosing a fan arranged to force surrounding ambient air to flow through said duct in a direction from said upper inlet end to said lower outlet end, thereby creating force directed along a duct flow axis which provides vertical lift force;

at least one adjustable opening in said peripheral wall of said duct facing forward relative to a forward flight direction, thereby permitting additional ambient air to penetrate said peripheral wall and to join with ambient air entering said duct from said upper inlet end and exiting through said lower outlet end. thereby enhancing forward vehicle motion by reducing the drag contribution of said peripheral wall and providing a more direct flow of air into said at least one air flow duct during forward vehicle motion.

16. The ducted fan air flow vehicle of claim 15 wherein said air flow control surfaces include a plurality of control vanes disposed within and across at least a portion of said upper inlet end of said at least one air flow duct, oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said fuselage.

17. A ducted fan air flow vehicle comprising:

a fuselage and associated air flow control surfaces;

a first duct disposed forward of a cabin payload area of said fuselage and a second duct disposed aft of said cabin payload area, each of said first and second ducts having a peripheral wall, an upper inlet end and a lower outlet end, and each enclosing a fan arranged to force surrounding ambient air to flow therethrough in a direction from said upper inlet end to said lower outlet end of said first and second ducts, respectively, thereby creating a vertical lift force directed along respective duct flow axes;

at least one adjustable opening in a forward-facing side of the peripheral wall of said first duct and at least one adjustable opening in a rearward facing side of the peripheral wall of said second duct;

wherein said fuselage between said first and second ducts is aerodynamically shaped to produce additional lift force during forward vehicle motion, said fuselage tilted upwardly and said lower outlet end of said first duct configured such that a lower surface of said fuselage is substantially aligned with flow exiting said first duct.

18. The ducted fan air flow vehicle of claim 17 wherein said air flow control surfaces include a plurality of control vanes disposed within and across at least a portion of said upper inlet end of each of said first and second ducts, oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said fuselage.