Aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12077325-B2
Application number	US-202117920434-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2021
Priority date	May 19, 2020
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

An aircraft includes a wing having an integrated ducted fan. The ducted fan is optionally equipped with inlet louvers and outlet louvers. The inlet louvers and the outlet louvers are adjustable between an open position and a closed position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aircraft comprising:
a wing having an integrated ducted fan,
inlet louvers and outlet louvers associated with the ducted fan,
wherein the inlet louvers and the outlet louvers are adjustable between an open position and a closed position,
wherein each inlet louver includes a leading edge and a trailing edge that is positionable against an adjacent inlet louver, wherein the trailing edge is more flexible than the leading edge.

2. The aircraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein the inlet louvers and the outlet louvers are adjustable at an opening angle of greater than 90°.

3. The aircraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein the ducted fan comprises a rotor and a stator arranged downstream of the rotor.

4. The aircraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein the aircraft comprises an all-electric drive.

5. The aircraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein the aircraft further comprises a rapidly chargeable battery system.

6. The aircraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein the ducted fan is substantially horizontal.

7. The aircraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein the aircraft further comprises substantially vertical fans for generating a propulsion.

8. The aircraft according to claim 7 ,
wherein the vertical fans are additional ducted fans.

9. The aircraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein the louvers are configured so as to avoid a pressure compensation between a negative pressure prevailing above the wing and a positive pressure prevailing below the wing through the ducted fan in a cruising phase of the aircraft.

10. The aircraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein the aircraft is fully autonomously controllable.

11. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the leading edge of one of the inlet louvers is positionable against a flexible portion formed on the wing, wherein the flexible portion of the wing has a greater flexibility than other portions of the wing.

12. The aircraft according to claim 11 , wherein the wing includes an opening in which the integrated ducted fan is positioned, wherein the opening extends between top and bottom sides of the wing, wherein the flexible portion is defined on the wing at an entrance of the opening at the top side of the wing.

13. The aircraft according to claim 11 , wherein the flexible portion does not extend to the bottom side of the wing.

14. The aircraft according to claim 11 , wherein the flexible portion is positioned at a leading edge of the opening that is positioned closest to a leading edge of the wing, and the flexible portion is not positioned at a trailing edge of the opening that is positioned closest to a trailing edge of the wing.

15. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein, for each inlet louver, the leading edge has a rounded geometry and the trailing edge has a pointed geometry.

16. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein for each inlet louver, the trailing edge is deformable upon contacting said adjacent inlet louver.

17. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the inlet louvers are each connected to a translatable bar.

18. The aircraft according to claim 17 , further comprising a rotational actuator connected to the translatable bar, wherein rotation of the rotational actuator causes translation of the translatable bar, which causes simultaneous movement of the inlet louvers between the open and closed positions.

19. The aircraft according to claim 18 , further comprising a radial lever that interconnects the translatable bar with the rotational actuator.

Assignees

• Porsche Ag

Inventors

• Chew Guan
• Fürstner Michael
• Bender Stefan
• Fauri Mikel
• Rotermund Malte

Classifications

• B64U2201/10

  autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] · CPC title

• B64U30/295

  Rotors arranged in the wings · CPC title

• B64U10/20

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

• B64U50/14 Primary

  ducted or shrouded · CPC title

• Y02T50/60

  Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft · CPC title