IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0245145
(2002-09-16)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Ouellette, Richard P.
- Kutzmann, Aaron J.
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Harness Dickey & Pierce P.L.C.
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
8 인용 특허 :
6 |
초록
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A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft includes separate axial and vertical propulsion sources. The vertical propulsion source includes pulsejet engines located in separate augmentor bays having apertured walls to equalize pulsejet thrust. The pulsejet engine structure is integrated with ai
A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft includes separate axial and vertical propulsion sources. The vertical propulsion source includes pulsejet engines located in separate augmentor bays having apertured walls to equalize pulsejet thrust. The pulsejet engine structure is integrated with aircraft structure such that aircraft structural loads are partially carried by each pulsejet engine. Each pulsejet engine produces an aircraft vertical thrust component throttled or exhaust restricted to control aircraft ascent or descent separate from the axial propulsion source. One or more inlet cowls isolate the pulsejet engine bays. One or more outlet cowls at the exhaust bays assist in controlling pulsejet engine thrust. By using separate axial and vertical thrust sources and pulsejet engines for vertical thrust, aircraft speed, payload and operating range are improved and loss of one or more lift engines is mitigated compared to VTOL aircraft using a single propulsion source type for axial and vertical thrust.
대표청구항
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1. A mobile platform adapted for axial, vertical and transitional motion phases, comprising:an axial propulsion system; anda vertical propulsion system independent from said axial propulsion system;wherein said vertical propulsion system includes at least two pulsejet engines each supportably connec
1. A mobile platform adapted for axial, vertical and transitional motion phases, comprising:an axial propulsion system; anda vertical propulsion system independent from said axial propulsion system;wherein said vertical propulsion system includes at least two pulsejet engines each supportably connected to an augmentor bay having a plurality of discharge apertures, said discharge apertures substantially operably equalizing a pulsejet thrust from each of said pulsejet engines within said augmentor bay prior to the thrust exiting the bay. 2. The mobile platform of claim 1, wherein said at least two pulsejet engines are structurally integrated into said mobile platform such that a structural load of said mobile platform is supportable by at least one of said at least two pulsejet engines and said augmentor bay. 3. An aircraft adapted for axial, vertical and transitional flight phases, comprising:an axial propulsion system operable primarily during both said transitional flight phase and said axial flight phase; anda vertical propulsion system operable primarily during said transitional flight phase and said vertical flight phase;wherein said vertical propulsion system includes at least two pulsejet engines each having a power level throttling capability, each said pulsejet engine supportably connected to a multiply apertured augmentor bay substantially operable to equalize a thrust from each of said pulsejet engines within said augmentor bay prior to the thrust exiting the bay. 4. The aircraft of claim 3, wherein each said pulsejet engine is structurally integrated into said aircraft such that each said pulsejet engine and said augmentor bay supportably carries at least one of a plurality of structural loads of said aircraft. 5. The aircraft of claim 4, wherein each said pulsejet engine is integrally positioned in a fuselage of said aircraft. 6. A flight platform adapted for axial and vertical flight phases comprising:an axial flight propulsion system;a vertical flight propulsion system;said vertical flight propulsion system including at least two pulsejet engines for providing a vertical thrust;said body portion including at least one apertured wall operably separating said pulsejet engines, said apertured wall operable to equalize the vertical thrust;each said pulsejet engine being integrated with a body portion of said flight platform; andeach said pulsejet engine operatively acting as one of a plurality of flight platform structural load bearing members. 7. The flight platform of claim 6, wherein said axial flight propulsion system includes at least one axial thrust producing engine supportably received by at least one of said plurality of said flight platform structural load bearing members. 8. The flight platform of claim 7, wherein said at least two pulsejet engines further comprises at least four pulsejet engines being configurable into a plurality of engine banks. 9. The flight platform of claim 8, wherein said plurality of engine banks includes at least two engine banks each having an equivalent quantity of said pulsejet engines. 10. The flight platform of claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of engine banks includes a common structural member forming an individual on of said flight platform structural load bearing members. 11. The flight platform of claim 10, further comprising:each of said plurality of engine banks including a thrust discharge control device; andsaid thrust discharge control device including at least one displaceable cowl. 12. The flight platform of claim 11, further comprising:each of said plurality of engine banks including an air inlet control device; andsaid air inlet control device including at least one displaceable inlet cowl. 13. A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft comprising:an aircraft having both an axial propulsion source and a vertical propulsion source separate from said axial propulsion source;said vertical propulsion source including at least two engine banks each having a plura lity of pulsejet engines;each said pulsejet engine of said plurality of pulsejet engines being supportably connected to one of a plurality of augmentor bays, each of said augmentor bays having apertured walls;said apertured walls operably equalizing a pulsejet thrust from each of said pulsejet engines across said plurality of augmentor bays;each said augmentor bay being structurally combinable with an aircraft structure such that said aircraft structure is at least partially supportable by said pulsejet engine structure; andeach said pulsejet engine generating each of an ascent thrust and a descent thrust for said aircraft. 14. The aircraft of claim 13, further comprising:at least one inlet cowl; andsaid at least one inlet cowl isolating an air supply to said plurality of augmentor bays. 15. The aircraft of claim 13, further comprising at least one outlet cowl rotatably connectable to said augmentor bays to control each of said ascent thrust and said descent thrust of said aircraft. 16. The aircraft of claim 15, further comprising:each said outlet cowl being positionable to an augmentor isolation position; andin said augmentor isolation position each said outlet cowl thereby isolates a discharge portion of said plurality of said augmentor bays. 17. The aircraft of claim 13, wherein each said pulsejet engine is adaptable for operation with a plurality of fuels, each said fuel capable of being atomized for use by said plurality of pulsejet engines. 18. The aircraft of claim 13, further comprising:each of said plurality of said pulsejet engines having an air inlet diffuser; andat least one air injection point in each said augmentor bay surrounding each said air inlet diffuser for routing air external to each of said plurality of said pulsejet engines to increase each of said ascent thrust and said descent thrust of said aircraft. 19. The aircraft of claim 18, wherein an air supply surrounding each said air inlet diffuser cools each of said ascent thrust and said descent thrust of said aircraft. 20. A method to provide both vertical and axial propulsion for an aircraft, comprising the steps of:disposing at least one bank of pulsejet engines on said aircraft;generating a vertical thrust from said at least one bank of pulsejet engines for vertically propelling said aircraft;throttling said at least one bank of pulsejet engines to control each of a rate of ascent and a rate of descent of said aircraft;separating each engine of said at least one bank of pulsejet engines with a dividing plate to operably control a discharge thrust;disposing a plurality of apertures in each said dividing plate;controlling at least one axial thrust engine of said aircraft in concert with said at least one bank of pulsejet engines; andpropelling said aircraft in an axial flight path with said at least one axial thrust engine. 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:disposing a discharge flow augmentor on each pulsejet engine of said bank of pulsejet engines; andcontrolling the discharge thrust with said discharge flow augmentor. 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:selectively locating said at least one bank of pulsejet engines on said aircraft about a center of gravity of said aircraft; andbalancing the discharge thrust of each engine of said at least one bank of pulsejet engines about said center of gravity. 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:disposing at least two banks of said at least one bank of pulsejet engines on said aircraft; andthrottling a select one of said at least two banks of pulsejet engines to control an attitude of said aircraft. 24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:positioning said at least one bank of pulsejet engines within a surrounding structure of said aircraft; andacoustically damping said at least one bank of pulsejet engines on said aircraft using said surrounding structure. 25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:balancing said discharge thrust of each of said plurality of engines through said plurality of apertures; andvarying each of a quantity and a size of said plurality of apertures to optimize said discharge thrust. 26. The method of claim 20, further comprising:mounting said at least one bank of pulsejet engines from a common structure; andsupporting an aircraft structural load from said common structure. 27. A vertical takeoff and landing vehicle, comprising:a vehicle having at least a vertical propulsion source;at least two engine banks each having a plurality of pulsejet engines operatively forming said vertical propulsion source;a plurality of conjoined augmentor bays each operably supporting one of said pulsejet engines, said augmentor bays operably joined as sequential pairs, each said pair having a common apertured wall; anda pulsejet thrust of said pulsejet engines in each said engine bank being operably equalized across said common apertured wall of said sequential pairs. 28. The aircraft of claim 27, comprising a vehicle structure combinable with each said augmentor bay such that said vehicle structure is at least partially supportable by said augmentor bay. 29. The aircraft of claim 27, comprising both an ascent thrust and a descent thrust operably generated by each said pulsejet engine for said vehicle.
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