Modular flying vehicle

• US 8,453,962 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2008
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald Orval Shaw
• Original Assignee: Donald Orval Shaw
• Inventors: Shaw, Donald Orval
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, TIEN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US12/070,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20090008499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,932 Days
• Field of Search: 244/56, 244/66, 244/17.23, 244/17.25, 244/17.11, 244/12.4, 244/30
• US Class Current: 244/17.23
• 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 forward axis and an airframe plane and having an airframe front, an airframe left side, an airframe right side, and airframe top, and an airframe back;

a plurality of propeller supports extending from the airframe, wherein each propeller support comprises a proximal end secured to the airframe and a distal end, wherein each propeller support is an independent structure which is unconnected to other propeller support except via the airframe, wherein each propeller support has a stored configuration and a flight configuration, wherein each propeller support in the stored configuration is positioned alongside the airframe in a position substantially parallel to the airframe forward axis, wherein each propeller support in the flight configuration extends away from the airframe in a direction which is non-parallel with the airframe, wherein in the flight configuration the distal end of each propeller support is displaced laterally from the airframe, wherein each propeller support is configured to swing from the stored configuration to the flight configuration and back to the flight configuration, wherein the propeller supports are positioned along the length of the aircraft in pairs, with each pair comprising one propeller support secured to the airframe right side and on propeller support secured to the airframe left side, wherein a frontmost pair of the propeller supports in the flight configuration extends from the airframe with the distal ends thereof positioned forward of the airframe front, wherein a rearmost pair of the propeller supports in the flight configuration extends from the airframe with the distal ends thereof positioned rearward of the airframe back, and wherein a first middle pair of the propeller supports in the flight configuration extend from the flight vehicle at positions longitudinally spaced between the frontmost pair of propeller supports and the rearmost pair of propeller supports;

a plurality of unducted, unshrouded propellers secured to and extending from the distal ends of said propeller supports, wherein only one propeller extends from the distal end of each propeller support, wherein each propeller comprises no more than two blades, wherein in the flight configuration each propeller is positioned above the top of the airframe, and in the stored configuration at least one blade of each propeller secured to the first middle pair of propeller supports is positioned immediately adjacent at least one blade of a propeller secured to the frontmost or rearmost pair of propeller supports; and

a plurality of tilt mechanisms, wherein each tilt mechanism is configured to effectuate tilt of a corresponding propeller away from or toward the airframe forward axis, wherein the tilt mechanism comprises an active tilt mechanism configured to selectively tilt the corresponding propeller away from or toward the airframe forward axis at different selected angles of tilt;

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 between −

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 from which the first propeller subset cannot be rotated from in flight.

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

8. The flight vehicle of claim 1, wherein each propeller has a rotational plane and is configured to autorotate and generate lift when the propeller is exposed to an airflow travelling substantially parallel to the rotational plane of the propeller.

9. A flight vehicle comprising:

an airframe defining an airframe forward axis and an airframe plane, the airframe having a left side, a right side, a front end, a top, and a back end;

a plurality of support arms having distal ends and proximal ends, each support arm being secured to the airframe via the support arm proximal end, each support arm configured to fold alongside the airframe in a position substantially parallel to the airframe forward axis in a stored configuration, each support arm further configured to swing from the stored configuration to a flight configuration wherein the support arm extends outwardly from the airframe, wherein a first half of the support arms are secured to the right side of the airframe and a second half of the support arms are secured to the left side of the airframe, the first half of the support arms secured to the right side of the airframe being secured thereto at different positions along the length thereof, and the second half of the support arms secured to the left side of the airframe being secured thereto at different positions along the length thereof, wherein the support arms are positioned along the length of the airframe in pairs, with each pair comprising one support arm secured to the right side of the airframe and one support arm secured to the left side of the airframe, wherein a frontmost pair of the support arms in the flight configuration extend from the flight vehicle with the distal ends thereof positioned forward of the airframe front end, and in the stored configuration the frontmost pair of the support arms are substantially parallel with the forward axis of the flight vehicle with the distal ends thereof positioned rearward of the airframe front end, wherein a rearmost pair of the support arms in the flight configuration extend from the flight vehicle with the distal ends thereof positioned rearward of the airframe back end, and in the stored configuration the rearmost pair of the support arms are substantially parallel with the forward axis of the flight vehicle with the distal ends thereof positioned forward of the airframe back end, and a first middle pair of the support arms in the flight configuration extend from the flight vehicle from a position longitudinally spaced between the frontmost pair of the support arms and the rearmost pair of the support arms, wherein in the stored configuration the first middle pair of the support arms are substantially parallel with the forward axis of the flight vehicle;

one or more propeller/engine assemblies, wherein one, and only one, of the propeller/engine assemblies is secured to the distal end of each of the one or more support arms, wherein each propeller/engine assembly comprises an engine and a propeller, wherein each propeller comprises no more than two blades, wherein in the flight configuration each propeller is positioned above the top of the airframe, and in the stored configuration at least one blade of each of the propeller/engines assemblies secured to the middle pair of the support arms is positioned immediately adjacent at least one blade of the propeller/engines assemblies secured to the frontmost or rearmost pair of the support arms; and

a dedicated propeller/engine assembly holder securing each propeller/engine assembly to the corresponding support arm, whereby each propeller/engine assembly holder comprises a tilt mechanism configured to effectuate tilt of the corresponding propeller/motor assembly away from or toward the airframe forward axis, wherein the tilt mechanism comprises an active tilt mechanism which is configured to selectively tilt the propeller/engine assembly away from or toward the airframe forward axis at different selected angles of tilt.

10. The flight vehicle of claim 9, 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.

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

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

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

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

a second middle pair of the support arms, wherein the second middle pair of the support arms in the flight configuration extend from the flight vehicle from a position longitudinally spaced between the frontmost pair of the support arms and the rearmost pair of the support arms, wherein in the stored configuration the second middle pair of the support arms are substantially parallel with the forward axis of the flight vehicle,

wherein in the stored configuration the blades of the propeller/engines assemblies secured to the second middle pair of the support arms are positioned immediately adjacent the blades of the propeller/engines assemblies secured to the rearmost pair of the support arms with respect to the airframe forward axis, and the blades of the propeller/engines assemblies secured to the first middle pair of the support arms are positioned immediately adjacent the blades of the propeller/engines assemblies secured to the frontmost pair of the support arms.

14. The flight vehicle of claim 9, wherein each propeller is unducted and unshrouded and wherein each propeller of a propeller/engine assembly has a rotational plane and is configured to autorotate and generate lift when power is reduced or eliminated to the engine of that propeller/engine assembly and the propeller is exposed to an airflow travelling substantially parallel to the rotational plane of the propeller.

15. A flight vehicle, comprising:

a main airframe, the airframe defining an airframe plane and having an airframe front, an airframe back, airframe sides, an airframe top, and an airframe length;

a plurality of support arms extending from the airframe, wherein each support arm comprises a proximal end secured to the airframe and a distal end, wherein support arm has a stored configuration and a flight configuration, wherein each support arm in the stored configuration is positioned alongside the airframe in a position substantially parallel to the airframe forward axis, wherein each propeller support in the flight configuration extends away from the airframe in a direction which is non-parallel with the airframe, wherein in the flight configuration the distal end of each propeller support is displaced laterally from the airframe, wherein each propeller support is configured to swing from the stored configuration to the flight configuration and back to the flight configuration, wherein the propeller supports are positioned along the length of the aircraft in pairs, with each pair comprising one propeller support secured to the airframe right side and on propeller support secured to the airframe left side, wherein a frontmost pair of the propeller supports in the flight configuration extends from the airframe with the distal ends thereof positioned forward of the airframe front, wherein a rearmost pair of the propeller supports in the flight configuration extends from the airframe with the distal ends thereof positioned rearward of the airframe back, and wherein a first middle pair of the propeller supports in the flight configuration extend from the flight vehicle at positions longitudinally spaced between the frontmost pair of propeller supports and the rearmost pair of propeller supports;

a plurality of propellers, wherein each propeller is mechanically linked to a dedicated propeller engine to form a propeller/engine assembly, wherein in the flight configuration each support arm extends from the airframe with one and only one propeller/engine assembly thereon, and each engine/propeller assembly is configured to be independently powered from the other propeller/engine assemblies, wherein each propeller comprises no more than two blades, wherein in the flight configuration each propeller is positioned above the top of the airframe, and in the stored configuration at least one blade of each of the propeller/engines assemblies secured to the middle pair of the support arms is positioned immediately adjacent at least one blade of the propeller/engines assemblies secured to the frontmost or rearmost pair of the support arms,

wherein in a first propeller pair of the plurality of the propellers each propeller is configured to have a forward tilt angle from the airframe plane with respect to the airframe of about 0 to 15 degrees, wherein one or more propellers of the first propeller pair are configured, when unpowered by the respective propeller engine for the particular propeller, to autorotate and generate lift when the aircraft is in forward motion, and

wherein in a second propeller pair of the plurality of propellers each propeller is configured to have a forward tilt angle from the airframe plane of between 0 and 90 degrees; and

a plurality of tilt mechanisms, wherein each tilt mechanism is configured to effectuate sideways tilt of a corresponding propeller away from or toward the airframe forward axis, wherein the tilt mechanism comprises an active tilt mechanism configured to selectively tilt the corresponding propeller away from or toward the airframe forward axis at different selected angles of tilt.

16. The flight vehicle of claim 15, wherein each propeller in the first propeller pair is configured to have a forward tilt angle of approximately 0 degrees.

17. The flight vehicle of claim 15, wherein each propeller in the second propeller pair is configured to have a forward tilt angle of about 90 degrees.

18. The flight vehicle of claim 15, wherein one or more propellers of the second propeller pair 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.

19. The flight vehicle of claim 18, wherein one or more propellers of the first propeller pair have a generally fixed forward tilt angle of between 15 degrees to 0 degrees from which the propeller cannot be rotated in flight.