Ultralight aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10093427-B2
Application number	US-201615041424-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2016
Priority date	Feb 12, 2015
Publication date	Oct 9, 2018
Grant date	Oct 9, 2018

Abstract

An aircraft which has a supporting structure which has at least one fuselage, a wing structure and at least one drive apparatus. The drive apparatus has at least one propeller and a drive motor. The aircraft has at least one energy store for providing energy for operation of the drive apparatus. The at least one drive apparatus and the at least one energy store are mechanically connected to the supporting structure and/or the wing structure of the aircraft by a securing device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aircraft comprising:
a supporting structure comprising at least one fuselage and an airfoil carrier;
a wing structure attached to the airfoil carrier;
at least one drive apparatus comprising at least one propeller and a drive motor;
at least one energy store for providing energy for operation of the drive apparatus; and
a securing device configured to mechanically connect the at least one drive apparatus and the at least one energy store to the airfoil carrier of the supporting structure,
wherein the securing device comprises at least one of a rope, a strap, a cable, a net, and a woven fabric.

2. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein two or more of the at least one drive apparatus, the at least one energy store, the supporting structure, and the wing structure are connected together by the securing device.

3. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the securing device comprises the net or the woven fabric, which are configured as a securing shroud, which is configured to enclose, at least partially, the at least one drive apparatus.

4. The aircraft of claim 3 , wherein the securing shroud is mechanically connected to the securing device.

5. The aircraft of claim 3 , wherein the securing device is also configured to mechanically connect the at least one drive apparatus and the at least one energy store to the wing structure.

6. The aircraft of claim 3 , wherein the securing shroud comprises a fiber or a fiber composite, which are tear-resistant.

7. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the securing device comprises the net or the woven fabric, which are configured as a securing shroud, which is configured to enclose, at least partially, the at least one energy store.

8. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the rope, the strap, and the cable comprise a fiber or a fiber composite, which are highly tear-resistant.

9. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the securing device is configured to hold components of the aircraft together in an event of a structural collapse of the aircraft.

10. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft is an unmanned ultralight aircraft.

11. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft is a pseudo-satellite.

12. The aircraft of claim 3 , wherein the securing shroud comprises a polyamide.

13. The aircraft of claim 12 , wherein the polyamide comprises nylon.

14. The aircraft of claim 6 , wherein the fiber or the fiber composite comprises an ultraviolet (UV) resistant material.

15. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the wing structure comprises an airfoil and an elevator.

16. The aircraft of claim 15 , wherein the at least one energy store comprises a plurality of energy stores that are distributed over the airfoil carrier.

17. The aircraft of claim 15 , comprising one or more solar cells for charging the at least one energy store, wherein the one or more solar cells are attached to the airfoil.

18. An aircraft comprising:
a supporting structure comprising at least two fuselages and an airfoil carrier, wherein each of the at least two fuselages are connected together by the airfoil carrier;
a wing structure comprising a common airfoil, wherein the wing structure is attached to the airfoil carrier;
a drive apparatus for each of the at least two fuselages, wherein each drive apparatus comprises at least one propeller and at least one drive motor;
a plurality of energy stores for providing energy for operation of the drive apparatus of each of the at least two fuselages;
a securing device configured to mechanically connect the drive apparatus of each of the at least two fuselages and the plurality of energy stores to the airfoil carrier of the supporting structure; and
solar cells for charging the plurality of energy stores;
wherein the securing device comprises at least one of a rope, a strap, a cable, a net, and a woven fabric.

19. The aircraft of claim 18 , wherein:
the wing structure comprises a first elevator, which is attached to a first of the at least two fuselages, and a second elevator, which is attached to a second of the at least two fuselages;
the plurality of energy stores comprise rechargeable batteries; and
the solar cells are arranged on the common airfoil.

Assignees

• Airbus Defence & Space Gmbh

Inventors

• Burns Simon

Classifications

• B64U10/25

  Fixed-wing aircraft (VTOL aircraft B64U10/20) · CPC title

• B64U50/19

  using electrically powered motors · CPC title

• B64C2201/00

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64C2201/165

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64D27/02 Primary

  Aircraft characterised by the type or position of power plants · CPC title