Blended wing body aircraft with landing gear aft of a rear spar

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025236385-A1
Application number	US-202418416205-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 18, 2024
Priority date	Jan 18, 2024
Publication date	Jul 24, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An aircraft including a blended wing body aircraft (BWB) having a main body and wings with no clear demarcation between the wings and the main body along a leading edge of the aircraft, a rear spar located within the main body, one or more gear wells located on a lower surface of the rear spar, a landing gear system having at least a main gear the at least a main gear situated in one of the one or more gear wells, and one or more propulsors located directly above the one or more gear wells, wherein at least one propulsor is located over the at least one gear well of the one or more gear wells.

First claim

1 . An aircraft comprising:
a blended wing body (BWB) having a main body and wings with no clear demarcation between the wings and the main body along a leading edge of the aircraft; a rear spar located within the main body and configured to form a portion of a pressure vessel; one or more ribs, wherein the one or more ribs are connected to the rear spar; one or more gear wells located aft of the rear spar and on a lower surface of the aircraft; a landing gear system comprising at least a main gear, the at least a main gear situated in one of the one or more gear wells; one or more propulsors located directly above the one or more gear wells, wherein at least one propulsor of the one or more propulsors is located over the at least one gear well of the one or more gear wells; and at least one engine support structure each configured to mount one of the one or more propulsors on the BWB, wherein each engine support structure comprises one or more horseshoe structures each comprising a first half and a second half and a beam connecting each first half and each second half, wherein the one or more propulsors each are suspended from corresponding beams.

2 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the at least a main gear is connected to fittings on the rear spar.

3 . The aircraft of claim 1 , further comprising:
a convergent aft centerbody located aft of the rear spar, wherein the one or more propulsors are located on an upper surface of the convergent aft centerbody.

4 . (canceled)

5 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the landing gear system further comprises:
a nose gear disposed proximate a front of the aircraft, the nose gear controllably movable between a first position in which the nose gear is at an upper limit, and a second position in which the nose gear is at a lower limit; and the main gear disposed proximate a rear of the aircraft, the main gear controllably movable between a third position, in which the main gear is at a lower limit, and a fourth position, in which the main gear is at an upper limit; wherein, in a ground position, the nose gear is in the first position and main gear is in the third position and a fuselage of the aircraft is substantially level with the ground; and wherein, in a high lift position, the nose gear is in the second position and the main gear is in the fourth position and the fuselage of the aircraft is rotated to a positive deck angle with respect to the ground.

6 . The aircraft of claim 5 , wherein in the third position and in the fourth position the main gear is extended outside one gear well of the one or more gear wells.

7 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the main body comprises one or more cabin bays.

8 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein an outer mold line of the BWB is formed by a carbon fiber material.

9 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein:
the aircraft further comprises a convergent aft centerbody; and the one or more gear wells are located on at least a lower surface of the convergent aft centerbody and extend in a direction of an upper surface of the convergent aft centerbody.

10 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the main gear is connected to the one or more ribs within a convergent aft centerbody of the aircraft, wherein the one or more ribs are substantially orthogonal to the rear spar.

11 . An aircraft comprising:
a blended wing body (BWB) having a main body and wings with no clear demarcation between the wings and the main body along a leading edge of the aircraft; a rear spar located within the main body; one or more gear wells located aft of the rear spar, wherein at least one gear well of the one or more gear wells comprise a through hole extending from a lower surface of the BWB aircraft and in a direction of the upper surface of the BWB aircraft; a landing gear system comprising at least a main gear, the at least a main gear situated in at least one of the one or more gear wells; at least a propulsor situated aft of the rear spar and on an upper surface of aircraft, wherein the at least a propulsor is located over at the least one gear well of the one or more gear wells; and at least one engine support structure each configured to mount one of the one or more propulsors on the BWB, wherein each engine support structure comprises one or more horseshoe structures each comprising a first half and a second half and a beam connecting each first half and each second half, wherein the one or more propulsors each are suspended from corresponding beams.

12 . The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein the engine support structure is constructed from additively manufactured polymer material with a carbon fiber exterior.

13 . (canceled)

14 . The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein:
the aircraft further comprises a convergent aft centerbody aft of the rear spar; and the at least a main gear is connected to a rib of the convergent aft centerbody.

15 . The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein the landing gear system further comprises:
a nose gear disposed proximate a front of the aircraft, the nose gear controllably movable between a first position in which the nose gear is at an upper limit, and a second position in which the nose gear is at a lower limit; and the main gear disposed proximate a rear of the aircraft, the main gear controllably movable between a third position, in which the main gear is at a lower limit, and a fourth position, in which the main gear is at an upper limit; wherein, in a ground position, the nose gear is in the first position and main gear is in the third position and a fuselage of the aircraft is substantially level with the ground; and wherein, in a high lift position, the nose gear is in the second position and the main gear is in the fourth position and the fuselage of the aircraft is rotated to a positive deck angle with respect to the ground.

16 . The aircraft of claim 15 , wherein at a lower limit, the at least one propulsor may pass through the through hole of the at least one gear well.

17 . The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein an outer mold line of the BWB is formed by a carbon fiber material.

18 . The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein the BWB comprises a single deck wherein passengers and cargo are located on or above the single deck.

19 . The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein the rear spar comprises a pressure bulkhead for a pressure vessel.

20 . The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein the main body comprises one or more cabin bays.

Assignees

• Jetzero Inc

Inventors

• Page Mark Allan

Classifications

• B64C3/10

  Shape of wings · CPC title

• B64C2025/008

  Comprising means for modifying their length, e.g. for kneeling, for jumping, or for leveling the aircraft · CPC title

• B64C2039/105

  of blended wing body type · CPC title

• B64C39/10

  All-wing aircraft · CPC title

• B64C25/04 Primary

  Arrangement or disposition on aircraft · CPC title