Rapidly convertible hybrid aircraft and manufacturing method
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B64C-037/00
B64C-027/24
B64C-003/56
B64C-009/34
출원번호
US-0846882
(2010-07-30)
등록번호
US-8371520
(2013-02-12)
발명자
/ 주소
Easter, William Craig
출원인 / 주소
Easter, William Craig
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
16인용 특허 :
35
초록▼
A hybrid fixed wing aircraft converts into a roadworthy vehicle in a matter of seconds therefore operating efficiently in both air and ground transportation systems. The single piece wing is mounted on a skewed pivot that is on the lower portion of the fuselage and is operated by a pushbutton operat
A hybrid fixed wing aircraft converts into a roadworthy vehicle in a matter of seconds therefore operating efficiently in both air and ground transportation systems. The single piece wing is mounted on a skewed pivot that is on the lower portion of the fuselage and is operated by a pushbutton operating system. The aircraft includes telescopic twin boom tail design that when extended allows good pitch stability and damping. The aircraft's wing area may be increased with additional telescopic wing tip segments. This allows an increase in aspect ratio, hence improving efficiency at high loads. This feature also creates a reduction in induced drag at cruise speed by simply retracting the tips in flight. The vehicle has a unique synchronized control system that switches from flight to ground mode without input from the operator, thereby providing a natural interface for the operator.
대표청구항▼
1. An aircraft, comprising: a fuselage having a longitudinal axis and a vertical axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;a wing having a predetermined dihedral angle, the wing having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion inclined relative to the second portion by the dihedral a
1. An aircraft, comprising: a fuselage having a longitudinal axis and a vertical axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;a wing having a predetermined dihedral angle, the wing having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion inclined relative to the second portion by the dihedral angle, the wing rotatably attached to a bottom portion of the fuselage at a center point of the wing between the first portion and the second portion, through a rotatable coupling, the wing rotatable from a first, extended position wherein each of the first portion and the second portion are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage to a second, stowed position where the first portion of the wing lies parallel to the longitudinal axis and bottom portion of the fuselage, and the second portion of the wing lies in a plane inclined from the longitudinal axis and bottom portion of the fuselage by the dihedral angle,wherein the rotatable coupling is mounted at an angle skewed from the vertical axis of the fuselage by an amount substantially equal to the dihederal angle of the wing, such that when the wing rotates from the first, extended position to the second, stowed position, the first portion of the wing lies parallel to the longitudinal axis and bottom portion of the fuselage while the second portion of the wing lies in a plane inclined from the longitudinal axis and bottom portion of the fuselage by the dihedral angle. 2. The aircraft of claim 1, further comprising: a pusher propeller, mounted to an aft portion of the fuselage,wherein when the wing is rotated to the second, stowed position, the second portion of the wing lies aft of the fuselage underneath the pusher propeller, to prevent debris from entering the propeller during ground operation. 3. The aircraft of claim 2, further comprising: at least one pair of landing gear wheels;at least one electric wheel motor mounted in each of the at least one pair of landing gear wheels, the electric motor comprising a fixed stator and a plurality of magnets mounted to thelanding gear wheels, such that when a pulsed DC current is applied to the fixed stator, the landing gear wheels rotate. 4. The aircraft of claim 3, further comprising: a primary engine, coupled to the propeller, generating rotational power;a generator, coupled to the primary engine, generating electrical power;at least one battery, coupled, the generator and the electric motor, storing electrical power to power the electric motor and receiving electrical power from the electric motor in a regenerative mode providing braking to the at least one pair of landing gear wheels. 5. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the wing further comprises: a main tubular spar providing primary wing structure;extendable and retractable wing tips, attached to each end of the wing, each wing tip comprising:a skin portion riding over the surface of the wing such that the skin portion of the wing tip transfers torsional loads to the wing through an overlapping arrangement, anda telescopic tubular spar sliding over the main tubular spar, transferring bending loads from the wing tip to the main tubular spar,wherein when the wing tips are retracted, the skin portion telescopes around the surface of the wing. 6. The aircraft of claim 5, wherein the wing further comprises: a first plurality of rollers mounted to corresponding end portions of the main spar and engaging corresponding portions of the telescopic tubular spar of each wing tip, anda second plurality of rollers on each telescopic tubular spar, engaging a corresponding end portion of the main spar,wherein the first and second plurality of rollers provides resistance to bending loads, andwherein the rollers are arranged at an angle from a surface of the wing to allow the rollers to have a predetermined diameter reducing load and increasing safety. 7. An aircraft of claim 6, wherein each wing tip further includes two split flaps, one mounted to and laying on a top surface of the wing tip and one mounted to and laying on the bottom surface of the wing tip, to provide roll control for the aircraft, while not penetrating the wing tip structure so as to allow the wing tip to retract over the surface of the wing. 8. The aircraft of claim 7, further including a control mechanism for controlling the two split flaps, the control mechanism including: a torque tube, for receiving a rotary input control for the split flaps;a lever arm, coupled to the torque tube, for converting the rotary motion to linear motion;a guide plate, slidably mounted to the wing tip and coupled to the lever arm, moving in a linear direction, in response to movement of the lever arm,a pair of guide channels, formed in the guide plate, each coupled to a corresponding one of the two split flaps, such that when the guide plate it moved aft, one of the two split flaps extends, while the other of the two split flaps is retracted, when the guide plate is moved forward, another of the two split flaps extends, the one of the two split flaps is retracted, and when the guide plate is in a neutral position, both of the two split flaps are retracted. 9. The aircraft of claim 8, wherein the torque tube is rotatably mounted to the telescopic tubular spar and slidably coupled to a receiving tube coupled to the main spar, such that when the wing tips extend and retract, the control mechanism for controlling the two split flaps remains functional. 10. The aircraft of claim 7, further comprising: a pair of airfoils, each pair retractably mounted to each wing tip, each of pair of airfoils being set at a predetermined angle, wherein roll control of the aircraft along the longitudinal axis of the aircraft is achieved by selectively extending and retracting each of the pair of airfoils on each wing tip, alone or in combination. 11. The aircraft of claim 10, wherein each of the pair of airfoils mounted to each wing tip is mounted along an aerodynamic center axis of the wing, such that the airfoils, when extended, provide roll control while minimizing wing-twisting moments from control movements. 12. The aircraft of claim 1, further comprising a dual control system for converting user controls from aircraft use to ground vehicle use, the control system comprising: a set of aircraft pedals, for controlling rudder movement of the aircraft when in aircraft use and also controlling nosewheel steering when in aircraft use, the aircraft pedals hingably mounted to an interior portion of the aircraft fuselage;a set of ground control pedals, including a throttle and brake pedal, for controlling throttle and braking when in ground vehicle use, the set of ground control pedals hingably mounted to an interior portion of the aircraft fuselage;a mixer, coupled to control linkages from the aircraft pedals and the ground control pedals, for selectively tightening and loosening control cables from the aircraft pedals and the ground control pedals, to selectively enable the aircraft pedals while disengaging the ground control pedals and vice-versa. 13. The aircraft of claim 12, wherein the mixer selectively engages control cables allowing a control wheel to control nosewheel steering when in ground vehicle use. 14. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the wing further comprises: a main tubular spar passing through an entire length of the wing and providing primary wing structure;a pair of extendable and retractable wing tips, one of each of the pair of extendable and retractable wing tips attached to a corresponding one of an outer end of the first and second portion of the wing, each wing tip comprising:a skin portion overlapping and riding over the surface of the wing such that the skin portion of the wing tip transfers torsional loads to the wing through an overlapping arrangement, anda telescopic tubular spar sliding over the main tubular spar, transferring bending loads from the wing tip to the main tubular spar,wherein when the wing tips are retracted, the skin portion telescopes around the surface of the wing. 15. The aircraft of claim 14, wherein the wing further comprises: a first plurality of rollers mounted to corresponding end portions of the main spar and engaging corresponding portions of the telescopic tubular spar of each wing tip, and a second plurality of rollers on each telescopic tubular spar, engaging a corresponding end portion of the main spar,wherein the first and second plurality of rollers provides resistance to bending loads, and wherein the rollers are arranged at an angle from a surface of the wing to allow the rollers to have a predetermined diameter therefore reducing load and increasing safety. 16. The aircraft of claim 15, wherein each wing tip further includes two split flaps, one on a top side of the wing tip and one on the bottom side of the wing tip, to provide roll control for the aircraft, while not penetrating the wing structure so as to allow the wing tip to retract over the surface of the wing. 17. The aircraft of claim 16, further including a control mechanism for controlling the two split flaps, the control mechanism including: a torque tube, for receiving a rotary input control for the split flaps;a lever arm, coupled to the torque tube, for converting the rotary motion to linear motion;a guide plate, slidably mounted to the wing tip and coupled to the lever arm, moving in a linear direction in response to movement of the lever arm,a pair of guide channels, formed in the guide plate, each coupled to a corresponding one of the two split flaps, such that when the guide plate it moved aft, one of the two split flaps extends, while the other of the two split flaps is retracted, when the guide plate is moved forward, another of the two split flaps extends, the one of the two split flaps is retracted, and when the guide plate is in a neutral position, both of the two split flaps are retracted,wherein the torque tube is rotatably mounted to the telescopic tubular spar and slidably coupled to a receiving tube coupled to the main spar, such that when the wing tips extend and retract, the control mechanism for controlling the two split flaps remains functional. 18. An aircraft, comprising: a fuselage having a longitudinal axis and a vertical axis perpendicular so the longitudinal axis;a wing having a predetermined dihedral angle, rotatably attached to a bottom portion of the fuselage at a center point of the wing through a rotatable coupling, the wing rotatable from a first, extended position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage to a second, stowed position parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage,wherein the rotatable coupling is mounted at an angle skewed from the vertical axis of the fuselage by an amount substantially equal to the dihederal angle of the wing, such that when the wing rotates from the first, extended position to the second, stowed position, a first portion of the wing lies parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, anda main wing spar extending through a major portion of the wing and through the rotatable coupling;wherein the rotatable coupling comprises a box section having at least one tapered inner portion and the main wing spar has at least one tapered portion mating the at least one tapered portion of the rotatable coupling such that when the wing rotates into an extended position principle to the principle axis of the fuselage, the at least one tapered portion of the main wing spar fits into the at least one tapered portion of the rotatable coupling, such that the main wing spar is locked into place and loads from the main wing spar are transferred through the rotatable coupling to the fuselage. 19. The aircraft of claim 18, comprising: at least one pair of landing gear wheels;at least one electric wheel motor mounted in each of the at least one pair of landing gear wheels, the electric motor comprising a fixed stator and a plurality of magnets mounted to the landing gear wheels, such that when a pulsed DC current is applied to the fixed stator, the landing gear wheels rotate;a primary engine, coupled to the propeller, generating rotational power;a generator, coupled to the primary engine, generating electrical power; andat least one battery coupled to the generator and the electric motor, storing electrical power to power the electric motor and receiving electrical power from the electric motor in a regenerative mode providing braking to the at least one pair of landing gear wheels. 20. The aircraft of claim 19, further comprising: a controller, coupled to the at least one electric motor, for controlling the at least one electric motor to control movement of the aircraft and direction of the aircraft, wherein the controller further comprises a wireless controller for controlling movement of the aircraft from a position external from the fuselage of the aircraft.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (35)
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