Multicopter with wide span rotor configuration and protective fuselage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12179900-B2
Application number	US-202318468401-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2023
Priority date	Jul 13, 2017
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

An inner middle rotor is rotated while an inner front rotor, an inner back rotor, and an outer rotor are not rotated. The inner middle rotor is surrounded by the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, the outer rotor, and a fuselage. After rotating the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor, the inner middle rotor, the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are simultaneously rotated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of rotors, including an inner front rotor, an inner middle rotor, an inner back rotor, and an outer rotor;
a fuselage; and
a flight controller configured to:
determine that the plurality of rotors are stopped;
in response to a determination that the plurality of rotors are stopped:
rotate the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor to be positioned tip-to-tip;
rotate the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor; and
after rotating the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, simultaneously rotate the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor.

2. The vehicle recited in claim 1 , wherein the inner middle rotor is surrounded by the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, the outer rotor, and the fuselage.

3. The vehicle recited in claim 1 , wherein the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates.

4. The vehicle recited in claim 1 , wherein:
prior to the rotating of the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor, the rotating of the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor to be positioned tip-to-tip occurs at an end of a first flight; and
the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates during a second flight, wherein the second flight occurs after the first flight.

5. The vehicle recited in claim 1 , wherein the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates during a same flight as when the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are rotated to be positioned tip-to-tip.

6. A method, comprising:
determining that a plurality of rotors are stopped, wherein the plurality of rotors, including an inner front rotor, an inner middle rotor, an inner back rotor, and an outer rotor;
in response to a determination that the plurality of rotors are stopped:
rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor to be positioned tip-to-tip;
rotating the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor; and
after rotating the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, simultaneously rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor.

7. The method recited in claim 6 , wherein the inner middle rotor is surrounded by the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, the outer rotor, and a fuselage.

8. The method recited in claim 6 , wherein the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates.

9. The method recited in claim 6 , wherein:
prior to the rotating of the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor, the rotating of the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor to be positioned tip-to-tip occurs at an end of a first flight; and
the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates during a second flight, wherein the second flight occurs after the first flight.

10. The method recited in claim 6 , wherein:
the method further includes: prior to rotating the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor, rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor to be positioned tip-to-tip; and
the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates during a same flight as when the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are rotated to be positioned tip-to-tip.

11. A computer program product, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:
determining that a plurality of rotors are stopped, wherein the plurality of rotors, including an inner front rotor, an inner middle rotor, an inner back rotor, and an outer rotor;
in response to a determination that the plurality of rotors are stopped:
rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor to be positioned tip-to-tip;
rotating the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor; and
after rotating the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, simultaneously rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor.

12. The computer program product recited in claim 11 , wherein the inner middle rotor is surrounded by the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, the outer rotor, and a fuselage.

13. The computer program product recited in claim 11 , wherein the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates.

14. The computer program product recited in claim 11 , wherein:
prior to the rotating of the inner middle rotor while not rotating the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor, the rotating of the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor to be positioned tip-to-tip occurs at an end of a first flight; and
the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates during a second flight, wherein the second flight occurs after the first flight.

15. The computer program product recited in claim 11 , wherein the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are positioned tip-to-tip while not rotating and while the inner middle rotor rotates during a same flight as when the inner front rotor, the inner back rotor, and the outer rotor are rotated to be positioned tip-to-tip.

Assignees

• Kitty Hawk Corp

Inventors

• Reichert Todd
• Robertson Cameron
• Cutler Mark Johnson

Classifications

• B64C27/08 Primary

  with two or more rotors · CPC title

• B64C25/54 Primary

  Floats · CPC title

• B64C27/001

  Vibration damping devices · CPC title

• B64C29/0025

  the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage · CPC title