IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0229928
(2008-08-28)
|
등록번호 |
US-8167233
(2012-05-01)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Brody, David E.
- Gaffey, Troy M.
- Rixen, Frank
- Murray, Richard F.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
7 인용 특허 :
9 |
초록
▼
A dual, coaxial rotor helicopter is provided that is relatively easy to fly. Thrust is provided by two ducted fans that are mounted at the rear of the aircraft and spaced apart laterally. Differential thrust generated by the fans provides yaw control for the aircraft, and forward thrust is provided
A dual, coaxial rotor helicopter is provided that is relatively easy to fly. Thrust is provided by two ducted fans that are mounted at the rear of the aircraft and spaced apart laterally. Differential thrust generated by the fans provides yaw control for the aircraft, and forward thrust is provided by the fans working in combination. The coaxial rotors are preferably utilized primarily for lift, and not for forward thrust, which simplifies the control requirements. The coaxial rotor with ducted fan configuration also results in lower vibratory loads being imposed on the helicopter, thereby increasing its speed capability. The fan ducts serve to protect the fans, augment the fan thrust at low airspeeds, increase the efficiency of the fans at cruise speeds, and provide horizontal and vertical stabilizing surfaces to ensure aircraft flight stability.
대표청구항
▼
1. An aircraft, comprising: a fuselage;a single engine powerplant;a rotor mounted on a mast and projecting above the fuselage, adjacent a longitudinal center of gravity of the aircraft, wherein the rotor is driven by the powerplant and generates lift for the aircraft; andleft and right ducted fans e
1. An aircraft, comprising: a fuselage;a single engine powerplant;a rotor mounted on a mast and projecting above the fuselage, adjacent a longitudinal center of gravity of the aircraft, wherein the rotor is driven by the powerplant and generates lift for the aircraft; andleft and right ducted fans each fan having a plurality of blades attached to the fuselage at a rear portion thereof, on left and right sides of an aircraft centerline, respectively, and spaced laterally from the centerline; anda stick control operatively coupled with a flight control computer such that movement of the stick control is translated by the flight control computer into mechanical operational control of at least the left and right ducted fans;the powerplant positioned closely adjacent the longitudinal center of gravity of the aircraft, between the mast and the first and second propulsion units; the powerplant including a main shaft that extends in a first direction and is operatively coupled with a main transmission associated with the mast; the powerplant further including an auxiliary shaft that extends in a second direction, away from the first direction, and is operatively coupled with an auxiliary transmission associated with the left and right ducted fans;wherein the first and second propulsion units provide forward thrust to the aircraft, and wherein each propulsion unit is separately controllable through rotation of the control stick, causing the flight control computer to initiate non-symmetrical thrust to the first and second propulsion units, whereby aircraft yaw control is provided by such non-symmetrical thrust. 2. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the rotor comprises two rotors, and wherein the two rotors are coaxial and counter-rotating. 3. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein each ducted fan utilizes a collective blade pitch control to control the amount of thrust provided by such fan. 4. The aircraft of claim 3, wherein the collective blade pitch of each ducted fan can be controlled to provide reverse pitch, whereby reverse thrust can be generated by each ducted fan independently of the other. 5. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the first ducted fan and second ducted fan both rotate about an axis in the same direction. 6. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the first and second propulsion units are further independently controllable to provide reverse thrust to the aircraft. 7. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein: a roll moment is generated when the control stick is pivoted to one side or another, causing the flight control computer to initiate movement of the rotors in a manner that roll the aircraft while in flight; anda pitch moment is generated when the control stick is pivoted forward or aft, causing the flight control computer to initiate movement of the rotors in a manner that pitches the aircraft while in flight. 8. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein rotor collective, first and second propulsion unit collective, and throttle control are simultaneously altered through movement of a second control stick. 9. An aircraft, comprising: a fuselage having a centerline extending in a forward/aft direction;a single engine powerplant connected to the fuselage;a mast projecting above the fuselage, adjacent a longitudinal center of gravity of the aircraft, and carrying coaxial, counter-rotating rotors driven by the powerplant;left and right ducted fans each having a plurality of blades, and connected to the fuselage at a rear thereof and driven by the powerplant, wherein the left and right ducted fans are spaced away from the aircraft centerline and provide thrust in a direction approximately parallel to the centerline; anda stick control operatively coupled with a flight control computer such that movement of the stick control is translated by the flight control computer into mechanical operational control of at least the left and right ducted fans;the powerplant positioned closely adjacent the longitudinal center of gravity of the aircraft, between the mast and the left and right ducted fans; the powerplant including a main shaft that extends in a first direction and is operatively coupled with a main transmission associated with the mast; the powerplant further including an auxiliary shaft that extends in a second direction, away from the first direction, and is operatively coupled with an auxiliary transmission associated with the left and right ducted fans;wherein the left and right ducted fans are independently controllable to generate thrust, whereby a yaw moment is generated when the control stick is rotated, causing the flight control computer to initiate differential thrust by the left and right ducted fans. 10. The aircraft of claim 9, wherein the thrust generated by the left and right ducted fans is controlled by controlling the pitch of their respective blades. 11. The aircraft of claim 10, wherein the thrust generated by the left and right ducted fans is controlled by controlling the collective pitch of their respective blades. 12. The aircraft of claim 10, wherein the pitch of the ducted fan blades can be controlled to provide reverse thrust. 13. The aircraft of claim 9, wherein the left and right ducted fans each rotate about an axis that is approximately parallel to the aircraft centerline. 14. The aircraft of claim 13, wherein the left and right ducted fans each rotate about an axis that is within approximately 3 degrees of parallel to the aircraft centerline. 15. The aircraft of claim 13, wherein the left and right ducted fans rotate in the same direction. 16. The aircraft of claim 13, wherein the left and right ducted fans rotate in opposite directions. 17. The aircraft of claim 9, further comprising: left and right power take-off assemblies connecting the auxiliary transmission to the left and right ducted fans, respectively.
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