Disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11891177-B2
Application number	US-202017642820-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2020
Priority date	Oct 24, 2019
Publication date	Feb 6, 2024
Grant date	Feb 6, 2024

Abstract

A disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft includes the following. A skirt widens toward the bottom. A disc-shaped rotor is positioned on a lower side of the skirt and rotates with relation to the skirt. A plurality of blades are provided standing on an upper surface of the rotor and are positioned radially from a center of the rotor. A cutout is formed in each of the plurality of blades. When the rotor rotates, centrifugal force causes an airflow along the blade rotating with the rotor, the airflow swirls in a spiral by a flow of air flowing over the cutout of the blade in a direction substantially orthogonal to the blade, the airflow flows in a radial direction of the rotor along the blade while swirling in the spiral, and the airflow ejected downward by the skirt causes ascending.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft comprising:
a skirt that widens toward a bottom;
a disc-shaped rotor that is positioned on a lower side of the skirt and that rotates with relation to the skirt;
a plurality of blades that are provided standing on an upper surface of the disc-shaped rotor and that are positioned radially from a center of the disc-shaped rotor; and
a plate-shaped member that is provided with an opening at a central portion and that links upper portions of the plurality of blades,
wherein a cutout is formed in each of the plurality of blades,
wherein air that flows from the opening passes a space that is formed surrounded by the skirt, the disc-shaped rotor and the plate-shaped member, and a portion divided by each of the plurality of blades, and
wherein when the disc-shaped rotor rotates, centrifugal force causes an airflow along the blade rotating with the disc-shaped rotor, the airflow swirls in a spiral by a flow of air flowing over the cutout of the blade in a direction substantially orthogonal to the blade, the airflow flows in a radial direction of the disc-shaped rotor along the blade while swirling in the spiral, and the airflow ejected downward by the skirt causes the disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft to ascend.

2. The disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein a cylindrical fan is positioned above the disc-shaped rotor, the cylindrical fan including a fan blade that rotates and sends air to a central portion of the disc-shaped rotor.

3. The disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 2 ,
wherein an opening and closing unit that is able to open and close is formed in a portion of a lower end of the skirt, and
wherein when the opening and closing unit opens, the airflow flowing in the radial direction of the disc-shaped rotor along the blade is ejected straight without a direction being changed by the skirt.

4. The disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 2 ,
wherein oscillators are formed in a plurality of positions in a lower end of the skirt, each of the oscillators capable of oscillating toward an inner side of the skirt, and
wherein oscillating angles of the oscillators are set to be different from each other and a difference in lift force can be generated in each portion of the disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft where the oscillators are formed.

5. The disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 2 ,
further comprising a guide on an inner surface of the skirt,
wherein the guide changes an ejecting direction of the airflow and changes a direction and/or magnitude of a force that rotates the skirt around a central axis of the skirt.

6. The disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein an opening and closing unit that is able to open and close is formed in a portion of a lower end of the skirt, and
wherein when the opening and closing unit opens, the airflow flowing in the radial direction of the disc-shaped rotor along the blade is ejected straight without a direction being changed by the skirt.

7. The disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 6 ,
wherein oscillators are formed in a plurality of positions in the lower end of the skirt, each of the oscillators capable of oscillating toward an inner side of the skirt, and
wherein oscillating angles of the oscillators are set to be different from each other and a difference in lift force can be generated in each portion of the disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft where the oscillators are formed.

8. The disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 6 ,
further comprising a guide on an inner surface of the skirt,
wherein the guide changes an ejecting direction of the airflow and changes a direction and/or magnitude of a force that rotates the skirt around a central axis of the skirt.

9. The disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein oscillators are formed in a plurality of positions in a lower end of the skirt, each of the oscillators capable of oscillating toward an inner side of the skirt, and
wherein oscillating angles of the oscillators are set to be different from each other and a difference in lift force can be generated in each portion of the disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft where the oscillators are formed.

10. The disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 9 ,
further comprising a guide on an inner surface of the skirt,
wherein the guide changes an ejecting direction of the airflow and changes a direction and/or magnitude of a force that rotates the skirt around a central axis of the skirt.

11. The disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a guide on an inner surface of the skirt,
wherein the guide changes an ejecting direction of the airflow and changes a direction and/or magnitude of a force that rotates the skirt around a central axis of the skirt.

12. The disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the plurality of blades and the cutout that is formed in each of the plurality of blades has a same shape.

13. The disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of blades has a rectangular shape, and
wherein the cutout has a rectangular shape.

14. The disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the cutout is formed at an outer side in the radial direction and an upper edge nearest the skirt of each of the plurality blades.

15. The disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 14 , wherein a length of the upper edge of each of the plurality of blades is greater than a length of the cutout.

16. The disc-type vertical take-off and landing aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of blades extends radially from the center of the disc-shaped rotor as a constant angle.

Assignees

• Subaru Corp

Inventors

• Kosaka Mitsuru

Classifications

• B64U30/294

  Rotors arranged in the UAV body · CPC title

• B64U10/20

  Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft (flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17) · CPC title

• B64C39/064 Primary

  with radial airflow · CPC title

• B64C11/18 Primary

  Aerodynamic features · CPC title

• B64C15/02 Primary

  the jets being propulsion jets · CPC title