Short takeoff and landing vehicle with forward swept wings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12103674-B2
Application number	US-202318122502-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2023
Priority date	Oct 9, 2019
Publication date	Oct 1, 2024
Grant date	Oct 1, 2024

Abstract

A vehicle includes a tilt rotor that is aft of a fixed wing and that is attached to the fixed wing via a pylon. A flight computer configured to instruct the tilt rotor to produce a maximum downward angle including by updating an actuator authority database associated with the flight computer to reflect the maximum downward angle, and generating a rotor control signal for the tilt rotor using the updated actuator authority database that reflects the maximum downward angle, wherein the maximum downward angle is adjustable.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle, comprising:
a tilt rotor that is aft of a fixed wing and that is attached to the fixed wing via a pylon; and
a flight computer configured to instruct the tilt rotor to produce a maximum downward angle including by:
updating an actuator authority database associated with the flight computer to reflect the maximum downward angle; and
generating a rotor control signal for the tilt rotor using the updated actuator authority database that reflects the maximum downward angle, wherein the maximum downward angle is adjustable.

2. The vehicle recited in claim 1 , wherein the fixed wing includes a forward-swept and tapered wing.

3. The vehicle recited in claim 1 , wherein the tilt rotor includes a plurality of hard stops corresponding to different maximum downward angles.

4. The vehicle recited in claim 1 , wherein the tilt rotor is capable of rotating between a cruise position and the maximum downward angle.

5. The vehicle recited in claim 1 , wherein the maximum downward angle is determined based at least in part on a length of a runway.

6. The vehicle recited in claim 1 , wherein the maximum downward angle is determined based at least in part on a desired range for the vehicle.

7. The vehicle recited in claim 1 , wherein the flight computer is configured to update a set of permitted flight modes associated with the flight computer to reflect the maximum downward angle.

8. The vehicle recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the maximum downward angle is at 90°; and
the flight computer is configured to update a set of permitted flight modes associated with the flight computer to include a hover flight mode.

9. A method, comprising:
providing a tilt rotor that is aft of a fixed wing and that is attached to the fixed wing via a pylon; and
providing a flight computer, wherein the flight computer is configured to instruct the tilt rotor to produce a maximum downward angle including by:
updating an actuator authority database associated with the flight computer to reflect the maximum downward angle; and
generating a rotor control signal for the tilt rotor using the updated actuator authority database that reflects the maximum downward angle, wherein the maximum downward angle is adjustable.

10. The method recited in claim 9 , wherein the fixed wing includes a forward-swept and tapered wing.

11. The method recited in claim 9 , wherein the tilt rotor includes a plurality of hard stops corresponding to different maximum downward angles.

12. The method recited in claim 9 , wherein the tilt rotor is capable of rotating between a cruise position and the maximum downward angle.

13. The method recited in claim 9 , wherein the maximum downward angle is determined based at least in part on a length of a runway.

14. The method recited in claim 9 , wherein the maximum downward angle is determined based at least in part on a desired range for a vehicle in which the tilt rotor is provided.

15. The method recited in claim 9 , wherein the flight computer is configured to update a set of permitted flight modes associated with the flight computer to reflect the maximum downward angle.

16. The method recited in claim 9 , wherein:
the maximum downward angle is at 90°; and
the flight computer is configured to update a set of permitted flight modes associated with the flight computer to include a hover flight mode.

Assignees

• Kitty Hawk Corp

Inventors

• Sinha Pranay
• Vander Lind Damon

Classifications

• B64D27/357

  using batteries · CPC title

• B64C27/26

  characterised by provision of fixed wings · CPC title

• B64C29/00

  Aircraft capable of landing or taking-off vertically, e.g. vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft (rotorcraft B64C27/00) · CPC title

• B64D27/33 Primary

  Hybrid electric aircraft · CPC title

• B64D27/34

  All-electric aircraft · CPC title