IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0458142
(2003-06-10)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Stephenson, Jon
- Bayer, John C.
- Froeschner, James G.
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대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
3 인용 특허 :
3 |
초록
▼
A lifting body aircraft suitable for atmospheric flight and/or as a reentry vehicle. The craft has a substantially flat upper surface, a lower surface with a doubly convex first section and a flat sloping second section. The doubly convex first section allows the craft to have its center of gravity
A lifting body aircraft suitable for atmospheric flight and/or as a reentry vehicle. The craft has a substantially flat upper surface, a lower surface with a doubly convex first section and a flat sloping second section. The doubly convex first section allows the craft to have its center of gravity forward of its longitudinal center line. The flat sloping second half of the lower surface and the substantially flat upper surface form the aft end of an airfoil. A pair of vertical stabilizers enhance stability and include rudders which, along with a pair of elevons, provide steerage. The craft may glide or it may have an engine or rockets for thrust. The result is an extremely stable lifting body design that is well suited for launch or conventional take off, insertion, orbital operations, reentry, atmospheric flight, and conventional landings.
대표청구항
▼
1. A lifting body aircraft having a length, a width, a depth, and a longitudinal center line, said aircraft comprising:a substantially flat upper surface having a nose end and a tail end and edges extending therebetween; a lower surface having a first section and a second section, said first section
1. A lifting body aircraft having a length, a width, a depth, and a longitudinal center line, said aircraft comprising:a substantially flat upper surface having a nose end and a tail end and edges extending therebetween; a lower surface having a first section and a second section, said first section extending from said nose end and said edges of said upper surface to about said longitudinal center line of said aircraft, said first section being convex between said nose end and said longitudinal center line and between said edges of said upper surface, said second section extending from said tail end of said upper surface to about said longitudinal center line of said aircraft, said second section having a substantially flat central section, whereby said second section of said lower surface and said tail end of said upper surface form a drag reducing airfoil; and a plurality of vertical stabilizers extending from said craft proximate to said tail end, wherein at least one of said vertical stabilizers extends from said lower surface. 2. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 1 having a center of gravity forward of said longitudinal center line.3. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 2 wherein said center of gravity is forward of said longitudinal center line by a distance of about five percent of said length of said aircraft.4. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 1 wherein the ratio of said length to said width is about 4:2.5. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 1 wherein the ratio of said length to said depth is about 4:1.6. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 1 wherein the ratio of said length to said width and to said depth is about 4:2:1.7. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said vertical stabilizers is proximate to each of said edges of said upper surface.8. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 1 wherein two of said vertical stabilizers extend from said upper surface.9. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 8 wherein each of said two vertical stabilizers are proximate to one of said edges of said upper surface.10. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 8 wherein each of said two vertical stabilizers extend from said upper surface at opposite angles, wherein the angle of each of said two vertical stabilizers are opposite in direction with respect to the other.11. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 1 wherein said at least two of said vertical stabilizers extend from said lower surface.12. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 1 wherein said at least two of said vertical stabilizers have a retracted position wherein said at least two vertical stabilizers are contained within said aircraft and a deployed position in which said at least two vertical stabilizers extend from said lower surface.13. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 12 wherein said at least two of said vertical stabilizers further comprise landing gear.14. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 11 wherein said at least two of said vertical stabilizers further comprise landing gear.15. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 1 further comprising an elevon at said tail end of said upper surface.16. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 1 wherein said lower surface further comprises an elevon proximate to said tail end of said upper surface.17. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of elevons at said tail end of said upper surface.18. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 1 wherein said lower surface further comprises a plurality of elevons proximate to said tail end of said upper surface.19. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 1 further comprising a cargo bay door in said upper surface, said cargo bay door configured to provide access the interior of said aircraft when said cargo bay door is open.20. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 19 further comprising at least one module within said aircraft, said module sized to be removed from said aircraft via said cargo bay door.21. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 1 further comprising an ejectable control module sized to house at least one crew member and containing instruments and controls necessary to operate said aircraft, said control module configured to be ejected from said aircraft in the event of failure of said aircraft.22. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 1 further comprising a thrust source configured to provide thrust to said aircraft.23. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 22 wherein said thrust source is a jet engine.24. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 22 wherein said thrust source is a rocket.25. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 1 wherein said aircraft further comprises a robotic arm.26. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 1 wherein said aircraft further comprises a ventral body flap configured to provide pitch control to said aircraft.27. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 1 wherein said upper surface has an aft end, and wherein said aft end is angled toward said lower surface.28. A lifting body aircraft having a length, a width, a depth, and a longitudinal center line, said aircraft comprising:a substantially flat upper surface having a nose end and a tail end and edges extending therebetween; a lower surface having a first section and a second section, said first section extending from said nose end and said edges of said upper surface to about said longitudinal center line of said aircraft, said first section being convex between said nose end and said longitudinal center line and between said edges of said upper surface, said first section of said lower surface containing substantially no flat portions between said edges, said second section extending from said tail end of said upper surface to about said longitudinal center line of said aircraft, said second section having a substantially flat central section, whereby said second section of said lower surface and said tail end of said upper surface form a drag reducing airfoil; and having a center of gravity forward of said longitudinal center line. 29. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 28 wherein said center of gravity is forward of said longitudinal center line by a distance of about five percent of said length of said aircraft.30. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 28 wherein the ratio of said length to said width is about 4:2.31. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 28 wherein the ratio of said length to said depth is about 4:1.32. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 28 wherein the ratio of said length to said width and to said depth is about 4:2:1.33. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 28 further comprising a plurality of vertical stabilizers extending from said craft proximate to said tail end, wherein said vertical stabilizers have a leading edge and a trailing edge and at least one of said vertical stabilizers has a rudder attached to said trailing edge.34. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 33 wherein two of said vertical stabilizers extend from said upper surface.35. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 34 wherein each of said two vertical stabilizers are proximate to one of said edges of said upper surface.36. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 28 wherein each of said two vertical stabilizers extend from said upper surface at opposite angles, wherein the angle of each of said two vertical stabilizers are opposite in direction with respect to the other.37. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 33 wherein at least one of said vertical stabilizers extends from said lower surface.38. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 33 wherein at least two of said vertical stabilizers extend from said lower surface.39. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 38 wherein said at least two of said vertical stabilizers have a retracted position wherein said at least two vertical stabilizers are contained within said aircraft and a deployed position in which said at least two vertical stabilizers extend from said lower surface.40. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 39 wherein said at least two of said vertical stabilizers further comprise landing gear.41. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 38 wherein said at least two of said vertical stabilizers further comprise landing gear.42. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 28 further comprising an elevon at said tail end of said upper surface.43. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 28 wherein said lower surface further comprises an elevon proximate to said tail end of said upper surface.44. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 28 wherein said lower surface further comprises a plurality of elevons proximate to said tail end of said upper surface.45. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 28 further comprising a cargo bay door in said upper surface, said cargo bay door configured to provide access the interior of said aircraft when said cargo bay door is open.46. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 45 further comprising at least one module within said aircraft, said module sized to be removed from said aircraft via said cargo bay door.47. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 28 further comprising an ejectable control module sized to house at least one crew member and containing instruments and controls necessary to operate said aircraft, said control module configured to be ejected from said aircraft in the event of failure of said aircraft.48. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 28 further comprising a thrust source configured to provide thrust to said aircraft.49. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 48 wherein said thrust source is a jet engine.50. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 48 wherein said thrust source is a rocket.51. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 28 wherein said aircraft further comprises a robotic arm.52. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 28 wherein said aircraft further comprises a ventral body flap configured to provide pitch control to said aircraft.53. A lifting body aircraft according to claim 28 wherein said upper surface has an aft end, and wherein said aft end is angled toward said lower surface.
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