Aerial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10919635-B2
Application number	US-201615571258-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2016
Priority date	May 1, 2015
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the fuel cell provides a structural component of the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An unmanned aerial rotorcraft vehicle having a fuel cell system forming a portion of the aerial vehicle's support structure comprising:
a plurality of propulsion modules affixed via load bearing struts to a body;

each strut having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a fuel cell having vertical bi-polar plates oriented from top to bottom surface of each strut;
air inlets for each fuel cell provided at the top surface of each strut;
wherein the air inlets are unblocked during flight; wherein each propulsion module is configured to provide air as an oxidant to a fuel cell via the air inlets and,
wherein the fuel cells form a fuel cell stack which generates power and provides a structural load bearing component of the vehicle.

2. The rotorcraft vehicle of claim 1 wherein each propulsion module is configured to provide air as a coolant to a fuel cell via the air inlets.

3. The rotorcraft vehicle of claim 1 wherein each propulsion module is configured to provide air as both a coolant and an oxidant to a fuel cell via the air inlets.

4. The rotorcraft vehicle of claim 1 further comprising air outlets for each fuel cell provided at the bottom surface of each strut.

5. An unmanned aerial rotorcraft vehicle having a fuel cell system forming a portion of the aerial vehicle's support structure comprising:
a plurality of rotors each forming a propulsion module;
each of said propulsion modules affixed via a mechanical load bearing strut to a body;
each strut having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a fuel cell system within the body;
at least one cooling structure formed as part of a strut and thermally coupled to the fuel cell system configured to conduct heat away from said fuel cell system;
wherein the cooling structure receives airflow from a propulsion module during flight to dissipate heat conducted from the fuel cell system.

6. The rotorcraft vehicle of claim 5 further comprising an airflow pathway through a portion of the strut configured to be open during flight comprising at least one cooling structure configured to cool the cooling structure by convection; and,
wherein the airflow from the rotors is configured to supply airflow into the airflow pathway.

Assignees

• Intelligent Energy Ltd

Inventors

• Edgar David
• Winand Henri

Classifications

• B64U30/10

  Wings · CPC title

• B64U30/20

  Rotors; Rotor supports · CPC title

• B64U50/13 Primary

  using external fans or propellers · CPC title

• Y02T90/40

  Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells · CPC title

• B64U50/32

  generated by fuel cells · CPC title