Aircraft having radially extendable tailboom assembly

    公开(公告)号:US10287012B2

    公开(公告)日:2019-05-14

    申请号:US15241436

    申请日:2016-08-19

    Abstract: A tail sitter aircraft includes a fuselage having a forward portion, an aft portion and a longitudinally extending fuselage axis. A main lifting surface is supported by the forward portion of the fuselage. A propulsion system is operably associated with the main lifting surface and operable to provide thrust during forward flight, vertical takeoff, hover and vertical landing. A tailboom assembly extends from the aft portion of the fuselage. The tailboom assembly includes a plurality of rotatably mounted tail arms having control surfaces and landing members wherein, in a forward flight configuration, the tail arms are radially retracted to reduce tail surface geometry and provide yaw and pitch control with the control surfaces and, wherein, in a landing configuration, the tail arms are radially extended relative to one another about the fuselage axis to form a stable ground contact base with the landing members.

    Rotorcraft variable thrust cross-flow fan systems

    公开(公告)号:US10279900B2

    公开(公告)日:2019-05-07

    申请号:US15233897

    申请日:2016-08-10

    Abstract: In some embodiments, a rotorcraft includes a fuselage, a tailboom, a drive system and a variable thrust cross-flow fan system. The cross-flow fan system includes a cross-flow fan assembly that is mechanically coupled to a drive shaft and operable to rotate with the drive shaft about a longitudinal axis. The cross-flow fan assembly includes first and second driver plates having a plurality of blades rotatably mounted therebetween. The blades are disposed radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis and have a generally circular path of travel when the cross-flow fan assembly rotates about the longitudinal axis. The blades are moveable between a plurality of pitch angle configurations. A control assembly is coupled to the blades. The control assembly is operable to change the pitch angle configuration of the blades to generate variable thrust at a substantially constant rotational speed of the cross-flow fan assembly.

    Cargo Transportation System having Perimeter Propulsion

    公开(公告)号:US20190061925A1

    公开(公告)日:2019-02-28

    申请号:US15688165

    申请日:2017-08-28

    Abstract: A cargo transportation system includes a cargo platform having an upper surface and a perimeter. A propulsion system is disposed about the perimeter of the cargo platform. The propulsion system includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies, each including a propulsion unit disposed within a housing defining an airflow channel having an air inlet for incoming air and an air outlet for outgoing air such that the outgoing air is operable to generate at least vertical lift. A power system disposed within the cargo platform provides energy to drive the propulsion system. A flight control system operably associated with the propulsion system and the power system controls flight operations of the cargo transportation system.

    Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) Aircraft
    15.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20180208305A1

    公开(公告)日:2018-07-26

    申请号:US15860601

    申请日:2018-01-02

    Abstract: Systems and methods include providing an aircraft with a flight control system, a hybrid electrical or hybrid hydraulic propulsion system, and three ducted fan configuration. Each of two ducted fore fans include a single rotor system having multiple rotor blades, and a single ducted aft fan includes dual, coaxial, counter-rotating rotor systems each having multiple rotor blades. The aircraft is a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft that is capable of operation in an airplane mode and a helicopter mode and designed to provide an urban air-taxi that would relieve ground traffic congestion, reduce carbon emissions, and increase productivity, thereby providing a faster, more efficient means of transportation.

    Aircraft Generating a Triaxial Dynamic Thrust Matrix

    公开(公告)号:US20180057160A1

    公开(公告)日:2018-03-01

    申请号:US15253449

    申请日:2016-08-31

    Abstract: A tri-wing aircraft includes a fuselage having a longitudinally extending fuselage axis. Three wings extend generally radially outwardly from the fuselage axis and are circumferentially distributed generally uniformly about the fuselage at approximately 120-degree intervals. The wings have airfoil cross-sections including first and second surfaces having chordwise channels therebetween. A distributed propulsion system includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies. Each propulsion assembly includes a variable thrust cross-flow fan disposed within one of the chordwise channels of one of the wings. At least two variable thrust cross-flow fans are disposed within the chordwise channels of each of the wings. A flight control system is operably associated with the distributed propulsion system such that the flight control system and the distributed propulsion system are operable to generate a triaxial dynamic thrust matrix.

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