Vertical take-off aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016347447-A1
Application number	US-201615164405-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 25, 2016
Priority date	May 26, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An aircraft is provided, which comprises a support structure and at least four lift rotors. Each of the lift rotors is attached to the support structure and comprises at least one propeller. The lift rotors are constituted such that a rotational plane, in which the at least one propeller of the lift rotor rotates, is tilted with respect to a plane formed by the support structure.

First claim

1 . An aircraft, comprising:
a support structure; and at least four lift rotors; wherein each of the lift rotors is attached to the support structure and comprises at least one propeller, and wherein the lift rotors are formed such that a rotational plane, in which the at least one propeller of the lift rotor rotates, is tilted with respect to a plane formed by the support structure.

2 . The aircraft of claim 1 ,
wherein the rotational plane of the propeller is tilted inwards or outwards with respect to the plane formed by the support structure.

3 . The aircraft of claim 2 ,
wherein the rotational plane of the propeller is tilted inwards or outwards normal to a longitudinal axis in a main flight direction of the aircraft.

4 . The aircraft of claim 1 wherein a sum of the lifting forces generated by the lift rotors runs essentially through a centre of gravity of the aircraft.

5 . The aircraft of claim 1 ,
wherein a torque around the vertical axis of the aircraft can be generated by a change in rotational speed of at least two lift rotors lying diagonally opposite to each other with respect to the centre of gravity of the aircraft.

6 . The aircraft of claim 5 ,
wherein the sum of the torques generated by the lift rotors in hover flight is almost zero.

7 . The aircraft of claim 5 ,
wherein the aircraft, with a sum of the torques generated by the lift rotors that is not equal to zero, can be rotated around the yawing axis.

8 . The aircraft of claim 1 ,
wherein two diagonally opposite lift rotors have in each case an opposite rotational direction with respect to the at least two other diagonally opposite lift rotors.

9 . The aircraft of claim 1 ,
wherein a thrust component normal to the lift component is present due to the tilting of the rotational plane of the lift rotors.

10 . The aircraft of claim 9 ,
wherein the torque of the lift rotor increased by the thrust component is greater accordingly as the lift rotor is more distant from the centre of gravity of the aircraft in the direction of the longitudinal axis of aircraft.

11 . The aircraft of claim 1 ,
wherein the lift rotors are formed such that the rotational plane is stationary in relation to a rotor shaft of the lift rotor, said rotor shaft being driven by a motor.

12 . The aircraft of claim 1 ,
wherein propeller blades of the lift rotor are rigidly connected to the rotor shaft.

13 . The aircraft of claim 1 ,
wherein each of the lift rotors is driven by an electric motor.

14 . The aircraft of claim 1 ,
wherein the aircraft is a VTOL.

15 . The aircraft of claim 1 ,
wherein the aircraft is a manned or unmanned aircraft.

16 . An aircraft comprising:
a support structure, at least for lift rotors; and wherein each of the lift rotors is attached to the support structure and comprises at least one propeller, wherein the rotational plane of the propeller is tilted inwards or outwards with respect to the plane formed by the support structure, and wherein a sum of the lifting forces generated by the lift rotors runs essentially through a centre of gravity of the aircraft.

17 . The aircraft of claim 16 wherein a torque around a vertical axis of the aircraft can be generated by a change in rotational speed of at least lift rotors lying diagonally opposite to each other with respect to the centre of gravity of the aircraft; and wherein the sum of the torques generated by the lift rotors in hover flight is substantially zero.

18 . The aircraft of claim 1 ,
wherein two diagonally opposite lift rotors have in each case an opposite rotational direction with respect to the at least two other diagonally opposite lift rotors; and wherein a thrust component normal to the lift component is present due to the tilting of the rotational plane of the lift rotors.

19 . The aircraft of claim 1 wherein the lift rotors are formed are formed such that the rotational plane is stationary in relation to a rotor shaft of the lift rotor, the rotor shaft being driven by a motor; wherein the propeller blades of the lift rotor are rigidly connected to the rotor shaft; and wherein each of the lift rotors is driven by an electric motor.

Assignees

• Airbus Defence & Space Gmbh

Inventors

• Judas Michael
• Gerlach Clemens
• Krauss Thomas
• Karrais Berthold

Classifications

• B64C27/52 Primary

  Tilting of rotor bodily relative to fuselage (of see-saw type construction B64C27/43) · CPC title

• B64C29/0033 Primary

  the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage · CPC title

• B64C29/0025

  the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage · CPC title

• B64C2201/128

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64C2201/108

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic