Aircraft vertical stabilizer with air system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12466548-B2
Application number	US-202318512719-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2023
Priority date	Nov 17, 2023
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

A system is provided for an aircraft. This aircraft system includes an aircraft and an air system. The airframe includes a body and a vane connected to the body. The vane projects spanwise away from the body to a vane tip. The vane extends longitudinally between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The vane extends laterally between a first vane side and a second vane side. The air system includes a circuit inlet, a circuit outlet and an air circuit. The circuit inlet is arranged with the body and laterally offset from the vane. The circuit outlet is arranged with the vane. The air circuit extends within the airframe from the circuit inlet to the circuit outlet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for an aircraft, comprising:
an airframe including a body and a vane connected to the body, the vane projecting spanwise away from the body to a vane tip, the vane extending longitudinally between a leading edge and a trailing edge, and the vane extending laterally between a first vane side and a second vane side; and an air system including a circuit inlet, a circuit outlet and an air circuit, the circuit inlet arranged with the body and laterally offset from the vane, the circuit outlet arranged with the vane, and the air circuit extending within the airframe from the circuit inlet to the circuit outlet, wherein the circuit outlet is disposed along the second vane side.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the body is configured as a blended wing body.

3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a powerplant comprising a powerplant inlet, the powerplant disposed to the first vane side and connected to the body; and the circuit inlet disposed upstream of and laterally overlapping the powerplant inlet.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the powerplant is configured as a propulsion system for the aircraft.

5 . The system of claim 3 , further comprising a second powerplant disposed to the second vane side and connected to the body.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein
the second powerplant comprises a second powerplant inlet; and the air system further includes a second circuit inlet disposed upstream of and laterally overlapping the second powerplant inlet.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein
the vane projects spanwise out from an exterior surface of the body to the vane tip; and the circuit inlet comprises a recess projecting into the body from the exterior surface of the body.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the circuit inlet is disposed to the first vane side.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein
at least a first portion of the vane is angularly offset from a centerline of the airframe by a first portion stagger angle such that the second vane side along the first portion of the vane forms a suction side of the first portion of the vane; and the circuit outlet is disposed along the suction side of the first portion of the vane.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein
a second portion of the vane is angularly offset from the centerline of the airframe by a second portion stagger angle such that the first vane side along the second portion of the vane forms a suction side of the second portion of the vane; and the air system further includes a second circuit outlet disposed along the suction side of the second portion of the vane.

11 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a first rudder arranged along the first portion of the vane at the trailing edge; and a second rudder arranged along the second portion of the vane at the trailing edge; the first rudder configured to move independent of the second rudder.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the vane is located spanwise between the body and the second portion of the vane.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein
the circuit inlet is a first circuit inlet, the circuit outlet is a first circuit outlet, the air circuit is a first air circuit, and the air system further includes a second circuit inlet, a second circuit outlet and a second air circuit extending within the airframe from the second circuit inlet to the second circuit outlet; the vane is a first vane, and the airframe further includes a second vane connected to the body; the second vane projects spanwise away from the body to a vane tip of the second vane, the second vane extends longitudinally between a leading edge of the second vane and a trailing edge of the second vane, the second vane extends laterally between a first vane side of the second vane and a second vane side of the second vane, and the second vane side of the second vane laterally faces the first vane side of the first vane; and the second circuit inlet is arranged with the body and is laterally offset from the second vane, and the second circuit outlet is arranged with the second vane.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein
the first circuit outlet is arranged along the second vane side of the first vane; and the second circuit outlet is arranged along the first vane side of the second vane.

15 . A system for an aircraft, comprising:
a vertical stabilizer comprising a vane, the vane projecting spanwise out to a vane tip, the vane extending longitudinally between a leading edge and a trailing edge, and the vane extending laterally between a first vane side and a second vane side; and an air system including a first air circuit and a second air circuit; the first air circuit extending from a first circuit inlet to a first circuit outlet, the first circuit inlet located remote from the vane, and the first circuit outlet arranged along the second vane side; and the second air circuit extending from a second circuit inlet to a second circuit outlet, the second circuit inlet located remote from the vane, and the second circuit outlet arranged along the first vane side.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein
the first circuit inlet is disposed to and laterally spaced from the first vane side; and the second circuit inlet is disposed to and laterally spaced from the second vane side.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the second air circuit is fluidly decoupled from the first air circuit.

18 . The system of claim 15 , wherein
the vertical stabilizer further comprises a first rudder and a second rudder; the first rudder is located at the trailing edge and the spanwise overlaps the first circuit outlet; and the second rudder is located at the trailing edge and the spanwise overlaps the second circuit outlet.

19 . The system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a first propulsion system comprising a first airflow inlet, the first circuit inlet laterally aligned with and upstream of the first airflow inlet; and a second propulsion system comprising a second airflow inlet, the second circuit inlet laterally aligned with and upstream of the second airflow inlet; the vane located laterally between and longitudinally overlapping the first propulsion system and the second propulsion system.

20 . A system for an aircraft, comprising:
an airframe body comprising a centerline; a vane connected to the airframe body, the vane projecting spanwise out to a vane tip, the vane extending longitudinally between a leading edge and a trailing edge, and the vane extending laterally between a first vane side and a second vane side; a first portion of the vane having a first mean line extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge, the first mean line angularly offset from the centerline by a first stagger angle; a second portion of the vane having a second mean line extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge, the second mean line angularly offset from the centerline by a second stagger angle opposite the first stagger angle; a first rudder attached to the vane and spanwise overlapping the first portion of the vane; and a second rudder attached to the vane and spanwise overlapping the second portion of the vane, wherein the airframe body is configured as a blended wing body.

21 . The system of claim 20 , further comprising:
an air system including a first air circuit and a second air circuit; the first air circuit extending from a first circuit inlet to a first circui

Assignees

• Rtx Corp

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B64D27/02

  Aircraft characterised by the type or position of power plants · CPC title

• B64C39/10

  All-wing aircraft · CPC title

• B64C39/00

  Aircraft not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64C5/06

  Fins (B64C5/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B64C21/06 Primary

  for sucking (BLI propulsion B64C21/01) · CPC title