Aircraft floats

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11498674-B2
Application number	US-202016787416-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2020
Priority date	Dec 4, 2019
Publication date	Nov 15, 2022
Grant date	Nov 15, 2022

Abstract

Disclosed is a system for an amphibious aircraft where floats on each side of the aircraft include aerodynamic structures. The structures are configured to compensate for aerodynamic imbalances (e.g., in yaw and pitch) created by the incorporation of the floats onto the aircraft.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system of an aircraft, the system comprising: an independent first float configured for attachment to a downwardly-extending structure underneath a first side of the aircraft;
a first aerodynamic structure having upper and lower ends, the lower end of the first aerodynamic structure being mounted on the first float, the upper end of the first aerodynamic structure being unconnected;
an independent second float configured to be attached to a downwardly-extending structure underneath a second side of the aircraft separately from the first float;
a second aerodynamic structure having upper and lower ends, the lower end of the second aerodynamic structure being mounted on the second float, the upper end of the second aerodynamic structure being unconnected; and
the first aerodynamic structure being configured to compensate for aerodynamic imbalances created by the first float; and
the second aerodynamic structure being configured to compensate for aerodynamic imbalances created by incorporation of the second float onto the aircraft.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first float and first aerodynamic structure are symmetrical to the second float and second aerodynamic structure.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the first and second aerodynamic structures are tapered upward and swept back.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second aerodynamic structures are one of: (i) vertical fins; (ii) T-shaped; (iii) V-shaped fin pairs on each of the first and second floats; or (iv) single, outwardly-angled fins, one on each of the first and second floats.

5. A system of an aircraft, the system comprising:
a first float and a second float; the first float including a passive aerodynamic structure mounted on an upper rearward surface of the elongated member, the aerodynamic structure having an unconnected upper end and being configured to aerodynamically compensate for an aerodynamic imbalance in one or more of pitch or yaw created by an incorporation of the first float onto a plurality of aircraft designs, the first aerodynamic structure configured to substantially eliminate the aerodynamic imbalance caused by an inherent aerodynamic instability created by an aircraft float in flight; a hydrofoil undersurface configuration on the first float, the undersurface having a bow; a stern; a substantially flat top; upper, inwardly tapered sides; lower sides which are concavely tapered upward and outward from a forward keel; a substantially flat rear; a skeg; and rearwardly converging lower surfaces meeting to meet at a rearward keel; each of the lower sides and lower surfaces configured to reduce drag when the aircraft is moving in water, and to provide lift out of the water during a takeoff, and the second float configured to be oriented substantially parallel to, spaced apart from, and configured to be substantially symmetrical to the first float; the first and second floats each being aerodynamically balanced, and thus installable onto various aircraft without substantially impacting overall aircraft aerodynamic stability.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the at least one aerodynamic structure on the first float extends upward vertically, and is substantially centered at the rear of the float.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the at least one aerodynamic structure on the first float includes a pair of outwardly angled structures.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the outwardly angled structures on the first float extend outward from rear edges of the upper surface.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein:
the first aerodynamic structure on the first float is a first fin angled in a first outboard direction from the first float; and
the second aerodynamic structure on the second float is a second fin being angled in a second outboard direction opposite the first outboard direction.

10. The system of claim 5 wherein the at least one aerodynamic structure on the first float has both a substantially vertical member and a substantially horizontal member.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the at least one aerodynamic structure on the first float includes a horizontal component configured to compensate for a pitch instability of the aircraft created by the addition of the float to an aircraft.

12. The system of claim 5 wherein the at least one aerodynamic structure on the first float includes at least one fin, the fin being angled to an extent that a balance is created between yaw and pitch instabilities.

13. The system of claim 5 wherein the at least one aerodynamic structure on the first float includes a pair of outwardly-angled fins, the fins being angled upward at an angle creating a balance between yaw and pitch instabilities.

14. The system of claim 5 wherein the at least one aerodynamic structure on the first float is a vertical fin tapered towards the unconnected upper end.

15. A float system of aircraft, the system comprising: one or more elongated members, each of said members having an undersurface configuration for engaging water; the one or more elongated members being mountable onto one or more downwardly-extending structures on the aircraft such that the one or more elongated members are in parallel with a flight direction of the aircraft; the one or more elongated members each creating an imbalance in pitch or yaw in the elongated member; an aerodynamic structure mounted on an exterior surface at the rear of each of the one or more elongated members, each aerodynamic structure having a base where the aerodynamic structure is mounted onto the exterior surface and an upper end, the upper end being free from any connection, the aerodynamic structure being configured to compensate for the imbalance in pitch or yaw created by each of the one or more elongated members.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the aerodynamic structures configure the one or more floats such that an one or more floats are usable on a variety of aircraft.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein each aerodynamic structure substantially compensates for yaw instabilities.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein each aerodynamic structure has a V-shaped configuration and substantially compensates for both pitch and yaw instabilities.

Assignees

• Textron Aviation Inc

Inventors

• Willford Neal Herbert

Classifications

• B64C25/54 Primary

  Floats · CPC title

• B64C5/06

  Fins (B64C5/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B64C35/006

  with lift generating devices · CPC title

• B64C35/008 Primary

  Amphibious sea planes · CPC title