Aircraft vertical stabilizer with moveable propulsion system(s)

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12459631-B2
Application number	US-202418437801-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 9, 2024
Priority date	Feb 9, 2024
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

An assembly is provided for an aircraft. This assembly includes a vertical stabilizer, a first turbine engine, a second turbine engine and an actuation system. The vertical stabilizer extends spanwise from a stabilizer base to a stabilizer tip. The vertical stabilizer extends longitudinally from a stabilizer leading edge to a stabilizer trailing edge. The vertical stabilizer extends laterally between a stabilizer first side and a stabilizer second side. The first turbine engine is movably mounted to the vertical stabilizer at the stabilizer first side. The second turbine engine is moveably mounted to the vertical stabilizer at the stabilizer second side. The actuation system is configured to move the first turbine engine and the second turbine engine relative to the vertical stabilizer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An assembly for an aircraft, comprising:
an aircraft body extending along a centerline between a body forward end and a body aft end; a vertical stabilizer extending spanwise from a stabilizer base to a stabilizer tip, the vertical stabilizer extending longitudinally from a stabilizer leading edge to a stabilizer trailing edge, and the vertical stabilizer extending laterally between a stabilizer first side and a stabilizer second side, the vertical stabilizer connected to the aircraft body at the body aft end, and the vertical stabilizer projecting vertically out from a gravitational top side of the aircraft body; a first turbine engine movably mounted to the vertical stabilizer at the stabilizer first side; a second turbine engine moveably mounted to the vertical stabilizer at the stabilizer second side; an actuation system configured to move the first turbine engine and the second turbine engine relative to the vertical stabilizer; a first aircraft propulsion system mounted to the aircraft body at the gravitational top side of the aircraft body; and a second aircraft propulsion system mounted to the aircraft body at the gravitational top side of the aircraft body with the vertical stabilizer located laterally between the first aircraft propulsion system and the second aircraft propulsion system.

2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuation system is configured to move the first turbine engine and the second turbine engine together.

3 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first turbine engine and the second turbine engine are each pivotally mounted to the vertical stabilizer.

4 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuation system is configured to
pivot the first turbine engine about a first pivot axis; and pivot the second turbine engine about a second pivot axis that is concentric with the first pivot axis.

5 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
the first turbine engine comprising a first engine rotating assembly rotatable about a first engine axis, the first engine rotating assembly comprising a first engine turbine rotor, and the actuation system configured to change an angle between the first engine axis and the centerline by moving the first turbine engine relative to the vertical stabilizer; and the second turbine engine comprising a second engine rotating assembly rotatable about a second engine axis, the second engine rotating assembly comprising a second engine turbine rotor, and the actuation system configured to change an angle between the second engine axis and the centerline by moving the second turbine engine relative to the vertical stabilizer.

6 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first horizontal stabilizer projecting out from the stabilizer first side to the first turbine engine; and a second horizontal stabilizer projecting out from the stabilizer second side to the second turbine engine.

7 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first horizontal stabilizer moveably mounted to the vertical stabilizer at the stabilizer first side, and the first turbine engine fixedly mounted to the first horizontal stabilizer; and a second horizontal stabilizer moveably mounted to the vertical stabilizer at the stabilizer second side, and the second turbine engine fixedly mounted to the second horizontal stabilizer.

8 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the actuation system comprises a linear actuator in the vertical stabilizer; and the linear actuator is configured to move the first turbine engine and the second turbine engine together relative to the vertical stabilizer.

9 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft body comprises a fuselage.

10 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft body is configured as a blended wing body.

11 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the first turbine engine comprises a first turbofan engine; and the second turbine engine comprises a second turbofan engine.

12 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a control system configured to control operation of the first turbine engine and the second turbine engine to concurrently provide equal levels of thrust.

13 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a control system configured to control operation of the first turbine engine and the second turbine engine to concurrently provide different levels of thrust.

14 . An assembly for an aircraft, comprising:
a vertical stabilizer extending spanwise from a stabilizer base to a stabilizer tip, the vertical stabilizer extending longitudinally from a stabilizer leading edge to a stabilizer trailing edge, and the vertical stabilizer extending laterally between a stabilizer first side and a stabilizer second side; a first propulsion system comprising a first ducted propulsor rotor rotatable about a first axis, the first propulsion system movably coupled to the vertical stabilizer at the stabilizer first side; a second propulsion system comprising a second ducted propulsor rotor rotatable about a second axis, the second propulsion system movably coupled to the vertical stabilizer at the stabilizer second side; and an actuation system configured to move the first axis and the second axis relative to the vertical stabilizer.

15 . The assembly of claim 14 , wherein
the first propulsion system comprises a first turbine engine; and the second propulsion system comprises a second turbine engine.

16 . An assembly for an aircraft, comprising:
an aircraft body extending along a centerline from a body forward end to a body aft end, the aircraft body comprising a fuselage; a vertical stabilizer projecting vertically out from the aircraft body; a first turbine engine movably mounted with the vertical stabilizer, the first turbine engine comprising a first engine rotating assembly rotatable about a first engine axis, and the first engine rotating assembly comprising a first engine turbine rotor; and an actuation system configured to change an angle between the first engine axis and the centerline by moving the first turbine engine relative to the vertical stabilizer; and a first aircraft propulsion system mounted to the aircraft body at a gravitational top side of the aircraft body.

17 . The assembly of claim 16 , further comprising:
a second turbine engine movably mounted with the vertical stabilizer, the second turbine engine comprising a second engine rotating assembly rotatable about a second engine axis that is offset from the first engine axis, and the second engine rotating assembly comprising a second engine turbine rotor; and the actuation system further configured to change an angle between the second engine axis and the centerline by moving the second turbine engine relative to the vertical stabilizer.

Assignees

• Rtx Corp

Inventors

• Kupratis Daniel B
• Mylrea Benjamin T
• Hanrahan Paul R

Classifications

• B64D27/20

  within, or attached to, fuselages · CPC title

• B64C2039/105

  of blended wing body type · CPC title

• B64C39/10

  All-wing aircraft · CPC title

• B64D27/10

  of gas-turbine type  (jet aircraft B64D27/16) · CPC title

• B64C5/02

  Tailplanes · CPC title