Aerial vehicle turbine system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11370529-B2
Application number	US-201916366284-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2019
Priority date	Mar 29, 2018
Publication date	Jun 28, 2022
Grant date	Jun 28, 2022

Abstract

A propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle having a body having a plurality of channels, an inlet formed in the body and configured to allow air flow to enter the plurality of channels from an exterior of the body, an anechoic chamber formed in the body and coupled to the plurality of channels, a rotor comprising a plurality of angled fins located in the anechoic chamber, a control system configured to direct air flow within the plurality of channels, and one or more circular tubes coupled to the exterior of the body and in communication with the plurality of channels. The air flows into the body through the inlet, into the plurality of channels and the anechoic chamber, and exits through the one or more circular tubes to provide lift and directional control to the propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle.

First claim

We claim:

1. A propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle, the unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
a ducted body having a plurality of channels, the plurality of channels include at least one pressurized canister, and the plurality of channels are molded into the ducted body to form an overall air foil shape;
an inlet formed in the ducted body and configured to allow air flow to enter the plurality of channels from an exterior of the ducted body;
an anechoic chamber formed in the ducted body and coupled to the plurality of channels;
a rotor comprising a plurality of angled fins located in the anechoic chamber;
a control system configured to direct air flow within the plurality of channels;
one or more circular tubes coupled to the exterior of the ducted body and in communication with the plurality of channels; and
at least one valve of the ducted body, the control system is configured to control air flow by instructing at least one of an opening, a partial opening, and a closing of the at least one valve,
wherein air flows into the ducted body through the inlet, into the plurality of channels and the anechoic chamber, and exits through the one or more circular tubes to provide lift and directional control to the propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle.

2. The propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of anechoic chambers having rotors, wherein the plurality of anechoic chambers are aligned with a plurality of directions of control.

3. The propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a cooling system within the plurality of channels.

4. The propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the cooling system is one of an air conditioning system, liquid cooling, or aerosol.

5. The propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of sensors coupled to the ducted body, wherein the plurality of sensors monitor an amount of pressurized air in the propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle.

6. The propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control system, the at least one valve is a shut off valve configured to redirect air flow through the plurality of channels.

7. A method for controlling a propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle, the method comprising:
providing a propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle with a body, the body having a plurality of internal channels, the plurality of internal channels include at least one pressurized canister, and the plurality of internal channels are molded into the body to form an overall air foil shape;
providing an air inlet in a center of the body;
flowing air through the air inlet and into the plurality of internal channels to an anechoic chamber;
accelerating the air flow through the anechoic chamber with a rotor located in the anechoic chamber;
directing the accelerated air flow through the plurality of internal channels to an air outlet;
discharging the air through one or more circular tubes coupled to an exterior of the body; and
controlling a direction, thrust, and/or lift of the propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle, the controlling including controlling air_flow by instructing at least one of an opening, a partial opening, and a closing of at least one valve of the body.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein controlling the direction of the propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle includes at least one of: adjusting a position of the one or more circular tubes and controlling a connected member to which the one or more circular tubes are coupled.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising monitoring an amount of pressurized air in the propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the body is a ducted body and wherein the plurality of internal channels form a network of air channels.

11. The propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the inlet, anechoic chamber, and rotor form a modular propulsion unit.

12. The propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the ducted body is provided with one or more modular propulsion units, and wherein a number of modular propulsion units is selected based on a use of the propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle.

13. The propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more circular tubes are configured to rotate with respect to the ducted body to control the lift and directional control of the propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle.

14. The propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising no external propellers.

15. The propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the rotor includes asymmetric fins configured to harmonize with each other.

16. The propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the asymmetric fins and anechoic chamber are configured to reduce noise as compared to a fanned unmanned aerial vehicle.

17. The propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of channels form a network of internal air channels within the ducted body.

18. The propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of channels are fixed within the ducted body.

19. The propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the control system is further configured to:
receive a plurality of signals from the plurality of sensors monitoring the amount of pressurized air in the propeller-less unmanned aerial vehicle; and
control at least one of (i) the air flow of the at least one valve and (ii) a rotation of the one or more circular tubes in response to receiving the plurality of signals.

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• O'Brien John J
• O'Brien Samantha M
• Bishop Trey
• Mattingly Todd

Classifications

• B64U2101/64

  for parcel delivery or retrieval · CPC title

• B64U30/30

  Lift-producing means using radial airflow · CPC title

• F04D29/545

  Ducts · CPC title

• B64D27/20

  within, or attached to, fuselages · CPC title

• F04D29/384

  characterised by form · CPC title