Power distribution circuits for electrically powered aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026084810-A1
Application number	US-202418890095-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 19, 2024
Priority date	Oct 27, 2020
Publication date	Mar 26, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

A power distribution circuit for an electrically powered aircraft includes a plurality of batteries and a plurality of electric propulsion systems. A plurality of isolated power distribution circuits each couple a battery of the plurality of batteries to two or more electric propulsion systems. The plurality of electric propulsion systems are positioned on the aircraft to apply balanced forces to the aircraft such that in the event of a failure, the aircraft remains stable and only experiences a loss in altitude or speed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electrically powered aircraft comprising:
a first propulsion system comprising a first propeller, a first drive shaft drivingly coupled to the first propeller, a first primary winding configured for rotating the first drive shaft, and a first redundant winding configured for rotating the first drive shaft; a second propulsion system comprising a second propeller, a second drive shaft drivingly coupled to the second propeller, a second primary winding configured for rotating the second drive shaft, and a second redundant winding configured for rotating the second drive shaft; a third propulsion system comprising a third propeller, a third drive shaft drivingly coupled to the third propeller, a third primary winding configured for rotating the third drive shaft, and a third redundant winding configured for rotating the third drive shaft; a fourth propulsion system comprising a fourth propeller, a fourth drive shaft drivingly coupled to the fourth propeller, a fourth primary winding configured for rotating the fourth drive shaft, and a fourth redundant winding configured for rotating the fourth drive shaft; a first battery; a second battery; a first power distribution circuit configured to transfer electrical power from the first battery to the first primary winding and the fourth primary winding; a second power distribution circuit configured to transfer electrical power from the second battery to the second primary winding and the third primary winding; a third power distribution circuit configured to transfer electrical power from the first battery to the second redundant winding and the third redundant winding; and a fourth power distribution circuit configured to transfer electrical power from the second battery to the first redundant winding and the fourth redundant winding.

2 . The electrically powered aircraft of claim 1 configured for vertical takeoff and landing.

3 . The electrically powered aircraft of claim 2 , comprising a fuselage, a left wing, a right wing, a left wing boom attached to the left wing, and a right wing boom attached to the right wing, and wherein:
the first propulsion system is mounted to the left wing boom forward of the left wing; the second propulsion system is mounted to the right wing boom forward of the right wing; the third propulsion system is mounted to the left wing boom aft of the left wing; and the fourth propulsion system is mounted to the right wing boom aft of the right wing.

4 . The electrically powered aircraft of claim 3 , wherein each of the first propulsion system, the second propulsion system, the third propulsion system, and the fourth propulsion system is operable to tilt between a vertical takeoff configuration and a forward flight configuration.

5 . The electrically powered aircraft of claim 2 , wherein:
the first propulsion system and the fourth propulsion system are diametrically opposed from one another with respect to a reference point and equal distant from the reference point; and the second propulsion system and the third propulsion system are diametrically opposed from one another with respect to the reference point and equal distant from the reference point.

6 . The electrically powered aircraft of claim 1 , wherein:
the first propulsion system comprises a first primary controller connected between the first power distribution circuit and the first primary winding and a first redundant controller is connected between the fourth power distribution circuit and the first redundant winding; the second propulsion system comprises a second primary controller connected between the second power distribution circuit and the second primary winding and a second redundant controller is connected between the third power distribution circuit and the second redundant winding; the third propulsion system comprises a third primary controller connected between the second power distribution circuit and the third primary winding and a third redundant controller is connected between the third power distribution circuit and the third redundant winding; and the fourth propulsion system comprises a fourth primary controller connected between the first power distribution circuit and the fourth primary winding and a fourth redundant controller is connected between the fourth power distribution circuit and the fourth redundant winding.

7 . The electrically powered aircraft of claim 6 , further comprising a control system configured to control operation of one or more of the first primary controller, the first redundant controller, the second primary controller, the second redundant controller, the third primary controller, the third redundant controller, the fourth primary controller, and the fourth redundant controller to maintain the first battery and the second battery at a similar state of charge.

8 . The electrically powered aircraft of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first contactor connected between the first battery and the first power distribution circuit and operable to block transfer of electrical power between the first battery and the first power distribution circuit; a second contactor connected between the second battery and the second power distribution circuit and operable to block transfer of electrical power between the second battery and the second power distribution circuit; a third contactor connected between the first battery and the third power distribution circuit and operable to block transfer of electrical power between the first battery and the third power distribution circuit; and a fourth contactor connected between the second battery and the fourth power distribution circuit and operable to block transfer of electrical power between the second battery and the fourth power distribution circuit.

9 . The electrically powered aircraft of claim 8 , further comprising a control system configured to:
control operation of the first contactor to isolate the first battery from the first power distribution circuit in response to a failure of the first power distribution circuit, the first propulsion system, and/or the fourth propulsion system; control operation of the second contactor to isolate the second battery from the second power distribution circuit in response to a failure of the second power distribution circuit, the second propulsion system, and/or the third propulsion system; control operation of the third contactor to isolate the first battery from the third power distribution circuit in response to a failure of the third power distribution circuit, the second propulsion system, and/or the third propulsion system; and control operation of the fourth contactor to isolate the second battery from the fourth power distribution circuit in response to a failure of the fourth power distribution circuit, the first propulsion system, and/or the fourth propulsion system.

10 . The electrically powered aircraft of claim 8 , wherein each of the first contactor, the second contactor, the third contactor, and the fourth contactor is configured to reconfigure from a conducting state to a non-conducting state in response to a current flowing through the contactor exceeding a predetermined threshold.

11 . The electrically powered aircraft of claim 8 , further comprising:
a first current sensing circuit configured to measure current passing through the first contactor and open the first contactor when current passing through the first contactor exceeds a first predetermined threshold; a second current sensing circuit configured to measure current passing through the second contactor and open the second contactor when current passing through the second contactor exceeds

Assignees

• Wisk Aero Llc

Inventors

• Long Geoffrey Alan
• Hom Lewis Romeo

Classifications

• B64D27/24

  using steam or spring force (jet aircraft B64D27/16) · CPC title

• H02J2105/32

  for aircrafts · CPC title

• B64D27/34

  All-electric aircraft · CPC title

• B64D27/31

  within, or attached to, wings · CPC title

• B60L3/0092

  with use of redundant elements for safety purposes · CPC title