Double-Blown Wing Vertical Takeoff and Landing Aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018162525-A1
Application number	US-201615372644-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 8, 2016
Priority date	Dec 8, 2016
Publication date	Jun 14, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vertical or short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aerial vehicle comprising: a wing having a leading edge and a trailing edge; a thrust rotor operatively coupled with the wing; and a lift rotor operatively coupled with the wing. The thrust rotor may comprise a first propeller having a first fixed axis of rotation that is substantially horizontal. The first propeller may be positioned forward of the leading edge. The lift rotor may comprise a second propeller having a second fixed axis of rotation that is substantially perpendicular to said first fixed axis of rotation. The wing may be operatively coupled with a fuselage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vertical or short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aerial vehicle comprising:
a wing having a leading edge and a trailing edge; a thrust rotor operatively coupled with the wing,
wherein the thrust rotor comprises a first propeller having a first fixed axis of rotation that is substantially horizontal, and
wherein the first propeller is positioned forward of the leading edge; and
a lift rotor operatively coupled with the wing,
wherein the lift rotor comprises a second propeller having a second fixed axis of rotation that is substantially perpendicular to said first fixed axis of rotation.

2 . The V/STOL aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the wing includes a trailing edge flap.

3 . The V/STOL aerial vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the thrust rotor is configured to generate a horizontal thrust force.

4 . The V/STOL aerial vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the lift rotor is configured to generate a vertical thrust force.

5 . The V/STOL aerial vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the trailing edge flap is configured to redirect at least a portion of the horizontal thrust force to generate a vertical force.

6 . The V/STOL aerial vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the trailing edge flap is configured to pivot between a horizontal position and a substantially vertical position.

7 . The V/STOL aerial vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the trailing edge flap is configured to interact with the flow through the lift rotor and the thrust rotor to produce a suction force that increases the vertical force.

8 . The V/STOL aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the thrust rotor and the lift rotor are coupled to a common structural component.

9 . The V/STOL aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the trailing edge flap deflects downwardly between 75 degrees and 90 degrees when in the substantially vertical position.

10 . The V/STOL aerial vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a second lift rotor to generate a vertical thrust force to provide pitching moment control forces.

11 . The V/STOL aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a normal pitching moment from the lift rotor is trimmed by an upload that adds to the vertical force.

12 . The V/STOL aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the lift rotor is only driven while the V/STOL aerial vehicle is in hover mode or traveling at a horizontal airspeed below the wing's stall speed.

13 . The V/STOL aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the second propeller is oriented to minimize drag when the V/STOL aerial vehicle is in wing-borne flight mode.

14 . The V/STOL aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the wing comprises four lift rotors and four thrust rotors.

15 . The V/STOL aerial vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a horizontal stabilizer surface configured to provide control while the V/STOL aerial vehicle is a horizontal flight mode.

16 . The V/STOL aerial vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the horizontal stabilizer surface is aft of the wing.

17 . The V/STOL aerial vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the horizontal stabilizer surface is positioned higher than the wing, thereby minimizing a downwash effect of the lift rotor.

18 . The V/STOL aerial vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the horizontal stabilizer surface pivots as a single unit.

19 . The V/STOL aerial vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the horizontal stabilizer surface is configured to align with an airflow resulting from a downwash effect.

20 . The V/STOL aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the horizontal thrust force is approximately aligned with the direction of flight.

Assignees

• Aurora Flight Sciences Corp

Inventors

• St Clair Ran D
• Parks Robert W
• Ormiston Robert

Classifications

• B64C5/02

  Tailplanes · CPC title

• B64C9/16

  at the rear of the wing · CPC title

• B64C29/0025 Primary

  the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage · CPC title

• Y02T50/30

  Wing lift efficiency · CPC title

• Y02T50/40

  Weight reduction · CPC title