AIRCRAFT

Abstract

The invention relates to an aircraft with a longitudinal central axis, comprising: a fuselage structure (2) which is designed to accommodate persons and/or payload; a wing structure (3) which has at least two wing halves (3.1) which are attached to the fuselage structure (2) and which have a fuselage-side main region (H) and a tip region (S); at least one forward propulsion unit (4) which is designed to generate a forward force, acting in the direction of the central axis, on the aircraft; at least four lifting propulsion units (5) which are designed to generate a lift force, acting in the direction of the central axis, on the aircraft.

Claims

1. An aircraft (1) having a longitudinal central axis (X), comprising: a fuselage structure (2) which is designed to accommodate persons and/or payload; a wing structure (3) which has at least two wing halves (3.1, 3.2) which are attached to the fuselage structure (2) and which have a fuselage-side main region (H) and a tip region (S); at least one forward propulsion unit (4) which is designed to generate a forward force upon the aircraft (1) acting in the direction of the central axis (X); at least four lifting propulsion units (5) which are designed to generate an uplift force upon the aircraft (1) acting in the vertical direction of the central axis (X); wherein the lifting propulsion units (5) are attached in a directionally fixed manner below the wing halves (3.1, 3.2) in the main region (H) and spaced from the surface of the wing halves (3.1, 3.2).

2. The aircraft (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the forward propulsion unit (4) and the lifting propulsion units (5) are able to be controlled and/or operated independently from one another.

3. The aircraft (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the lifting propulsion units (5) each have a rotor (6) with at least two rotor blades (8), wherein the rotor blades (8) of the rotor (6) rotate in operation over a circular rotor surface (F).

4. The aircraft (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that several of the circular rotor surfaces (F) are oriented in parallel to the central axis (X) and/or in parallel to a transverse axis (Y) of the aircraft (1).

5. The aircraft (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that several of the circular rotor surfaces (F) have an angle of pitch of up to 15°, in particular of up to 10°, preferably of up to 5° to the central axis (X) and/or to the transverse axis (Y).

6. The aircraft (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the circular rotor surfaces (F) are at least in part, in particular half or more covered by the wing halves and/or by the fuselage structure (2).

7. The aircraft (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that supporting elements (7) are arranged on a lower surface area (O) of the wing halves (3.1, 3.2) to which the lifting propulsion units (5) are attachable at a distance (d) and spaced from the lower surface of the wing halves (3.1, 3.2).

8. The aircraft (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance (d) corresponds at least to a factor of 0.1 or larger, in particular a factor of 0.20 or larger, preferably exactly a factor of 0.25 of the length (1) of the rotor blades (8).

9. The aircraft (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the lifting propulsion units (5) have an arresting device by means of which the rotor blades (8) of the rotors (6) are arrestable in a preferential position when the lifting propulsion units (5) are not operated.

10. The aircraft (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the lifting propulsion units (5) are controlled so that the lifting propulsion units (5) maintain their preferential position when the lifting propulsion units (5) are not operated.

11. The aircraft (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotor blades (8) extend in the preferential position in parallel to the central axis (X) when the rotor (6) has two rotor blades (8).

12. The aircraft (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the lifting propulsion units (5) are driven by electric motors.

13. The aircraft (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the lifting propulsion units (5) are supplied by rechargeable batteries in a decentral manner, wherein the respective rechargeable battery is accommodated in a lifting propulsion unit housing of the respective lifting propulsion unit (5) and/or in the respective supporting element (7).

14. The aircraft (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that several, in particular two, preferably three lifting propulsion units (5) are arranged symmetrically to one another in a front edge region (VK) below each wing half (3.1, 3.2), and at least one lifting propulsion unit (5) is arranged symmetrically to one another in a rear edge region (HK) below each wing half (3.1, 3.2).

15. The aircraft (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a transition between the fuselage structure (2) and the wing structure (3) is formed to be continuous.

16. A method for stabilizing the aircraft (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the lifting propulsion units (5) preferably are controlled automatically when the aircraft (1) is in an uncontrolled flight situation so that a controlled flight situation is achieved.

17. A method for starting the aircraft (1) according to claim 1, comprising the following steps: a starting step in which the lifting propulsion units (5) are controlled so that the aircraft (1) rises vertically until a predetermined height of flight is exceeded, and a transition step in which the forward propulsion unit (4) is operated so that a forward force acting upon the aircraft (1) in the direction of the central axis (X) is generated, and the aircraft (1) is accelerated, wherein the lifting propulsion units (5) are stopped and brought into a preferential position as soon as a predetermined flight velocity is exceeded.

18. The method for starting the aircraft (1) according to claim 17, characterized in that during the starting step, a wind direction is detected, and the lifting propulsion units (5) are controlled such that the aircraft (1) is automatically oriented on the basis of the detected wind direction, wherein the forward propulsion unit (4) is controlled so that the aircraft (1) maintains a current position along the central axis (X).

19. The method for starting the aircraft (1) according to claim 17, characterized in that during the transition step and/or after the transition step, the aircraft (1) is controlled by a vertical rudder, elevator, aileron and/or a combination of elevator and aileron (9).

20. A method for landing the aircraft (1) according to claim 1, comprising the following steps: a transition step in which the forward propulsion unit (4) is operated so that a forward force acting upon the aircraft (1) in the direction of the central axis (X) against a previous flight direction is generated, and the aircraft (1) is decelerated, wherein the lifting propulsion units (5) are controlled as soon as a predetermined flight velocity is fallen below, in a landing step, the lifting propulsion units (5) are controlled so that the aircraft (1) descends vertically until the aircraft (1) has landed.

21. The method for landing the aircraft (1) according to claim 20, characterized in that during the landing step, a wind direction is detected, and the lifting propulsion units (5) are controlled such that the aircraft is automatically oriented on the basis of the detected wind direction, wherein the forward propulsion unit (4) is controlled so that the aircraft (1) maintains a current position along the central axis (X).

22. The method for landing the aircraft (1) according to claim 20, characterized in that during the transition step and/or after the transition step, the aircraft (1) is controlled by a vertical rudder, elevator, aileron and/or a combination of elevator and aileron (9).

Description

[0058] The invention will be described hereinafter on the basis of nonrestrictive exemplary embodiments and will be further explained with reference to the attached drawings. Shown are in:

[0059] FIG. 1 a schematic view of a bottom side of an aircraft according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0060] FIG. 2 a schematic front view of the aircraft according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0061] FIG. 3 a detailed view of a lifting propulsion unit of the aircraft attached in a front edge region of the wing half according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

[0062] FIG. 4 a detailed view of a lifting propulsion unit of the aircraft attached in a rear edge region of the wing half according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0063] In FIG. 1, a schematic view of the bottom side of an aircraft 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. The aircraft 1 has a fuselage structure 2. Furthermore, a longitudinal central axis X forming an axis of symmetry of the aircraft is illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0064] FIG. 1 moreover shows a wing structure 3 having two wing halves 3.1 and 3.2 attached to the fuselage structure. The wing halves 3.1 and 3.2 extend symmetrically to the central axis X at an angle of about 65° between the central axis X and the wing halves. It is in particular conceivable for the angle to adopt another value in the range of 25° to 90°. Orthogonally to the central axis, a transverse axis Y is plotted. The transverse axis Y runs through the center of gravity of the aircraft 1.

[0065] Each of the wing halves 3.1 and 3.2 illustrated in FIG. 1 has two different regions, namely a tip region S and a fuselage-side main region H. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the tip region S of the wing half 3.1 or 3.2 extends from the wing tip in the direction of the fuselage-wing transition over a fourth of the entire length of the wing half 3.1 or 3.2. At the rear wing edge of the two wing halves 3.1 and 3.2, so-called elevons 9 forming a combination of elevator and aileron are attached in the tip region S.

[0066] The fuselage-side main region H of the wing half 3.1 or 3.2 illustrated in FIG. 1 extends from the fuselage-wing transition in the direction of the wing tip over three fourths of the entire length of the wing half.

[0067] The aircraft 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 moreover has a forward propulsion unit 4, which is configured here as a propeller drive 4. Propulsion types other than the forward propulsion unit 4 are conceivable. The forward propulsion unit 4 is attached to the nose of the fuselage structure 2 so that the forward propulsion unit 4 is able to generate a forward force along the central axis X. Other positions at the fuselage structure 2 or the wing structure 3, at which the forward propulsion unit 4 or several forward propulsion units are attached, are not illustrated but possible.

[0068] The aircraft 1 of FIG. 1 in total has eight lifting propulsion units 5, which are arranged symmetrically to one another with respect to the central axis X at the bottom side of the wing halves 3.1 and 3.2 in a main region H. Thus, four lifting propulsion units 5 are assigned to each wing half 3.1 or 3.2. In a front edge region VK extending along a front edge of the respective wing half 3.1 or 3.2, in each case three of the four assigned lifting propulsion units 5 are situated spaced from one another. In a rear edge region HK of the wing halves extending along a rear edge of the respective wing half 3.1 or 3.2, in each case one lifting propulsion unit 5 is situated in the illustrated exemplary embodiment.

[0069] The lifting propulsion units 5 are designed as rotors 6, which have two rotor blades 8 spaced by 180°. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the lifting rotors 6 are in the preferential position. The rotor blades 8 of the lifting rotors 6 are oriented in parallel to the central axis X. Furthermore, the circular rotor surfaces F are illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0070] FIG. 2 shows a schematic front view of the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 of the aircraft 1 according to the invention. In FIG. 2, the fuselage structure 2 is shown which merges continuously into the wing structure 3. The wing structure has two wing halves 3.1 and 3.2. Moreover, the forward propulsion unit 4 at the nose of the fuselage structure 2 is shown.

[0071] At the wing halves 3.1 and 3.2, in each case three of the lifting propulsion units 5 attached to the front edge region VK are shown from the front. The lifting propulsion units 5 are attached to the wing halves 3.1 and 3.2 directionally fixed by the supporting elements 7 so that the lifting propulsion units 5 are held at the wing halves 3.1 and 3.2 and spaced from the lower surface O. Furthermore, the circular rotor surfaces F of the lifting propulsion units are schematically illustrated in FIG. 2. The circular rotor surfaces F of the outer four lifting propulsion units 5 run in parallel to the central axis (not illustrated), as well as in parallel to the transverse axis Y. The circular rotor surfaces F.sub.I of the four lifting propulsion units 5 (only two of the lifting propulsion units 5 are illustrated for perspective reasons), which are arranged closer to the fuselage-wing transition, have an angle of pitch of 10° to the transverse axis Y. These four pitched lifting propulsion units 5 each are pitched in the direction of the fuselage structure 2.

[0072] FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of a lifting propulsion unit 5 attached to one wing half 3.1 or 3.2. A cross-section of the wing half 3.1 or 3.2 is shown, to which a supporting element 7 is attached at the wing in the front edge region VK. In FIG. 3, no lifting propulsion unit 5 is shown in the rear edge region HK. The lifting propulsion unit 5 is fixed to the supporting element 7, wherein the lifting propulsion unit 5 depicts a rotor 6 having two rotor blades 8. The rotor 6 is shown in a preferential position.

[0073] Furthermore, the length of the rotor blades 8 is shown in FIG. 3. The lifting propulsion unit 5 is spaced from the lower surface O of the wing half 3.1 or 3.2 by the distance d. The distance d is the shortest distance between the lower surface O and the lifting propulsion unit 5, wherein the lifting propulsion unit 5 has a rotor 6 having two rotor blades 8, as described above.

[0074] FIG. 4 likewise shows a detailed view of a lifting propulsion unit 5 attached to one wing half 3.1 or 3.2. In FIG. 4, a cross-section of the wing half 3.1 or 3.2 is shown, to which a supporting element 7 is fixed to the wing in the rear edge region HK. No lifting propulsion unit 5 is shown in FIG. 4 in the front edge region VK. The lifting propulsion unit 5 is fixed to the supporting element 7, wherein the lifting propulsion unit 5 depicts a rotor 6 having two rotor blades 8. In FIG. 4 as well, the rotor 6 is shown in a preferential position.

[0075] Furthermore, FIG. 4 shows the length of the rotor blades 8. The lifting propulsion unit 5 is spaced from the lower surface O of the wing half 3.1 or 3.2 by the distance d, wherein the distance d is the shortest distance between the lower surface O and the lifting propulsion unit 5.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0076] 1 aircraft [0077] 2 fuselage structure [0078] 3 wing structure [0079] 3.1 first wing half [0080] 3.2 second wing half [0081] 4 forward propulsion unit [0082] 5 lifting propulsion unit [0083] 6 rotor [0084] 7 supporting element/attachment structure [0085] 8 rotor blade [0086] 9 elevator, aileron and/or a combination thereof (elevon) [0087] d distance [0088] F circular rotor surface [0089] F.sub.I pitched circular rotor surface [0090] H fuselage-side main region of the wing halves [0091] HK rear edge region of the wing halves [0092] I rotor blade length [0093] O lower surface portion of the wing halves [0094] S tip region of the wing halves [0095] VK front edge region of the wing halves [0096] X longitudinal central axis of the aircraft [0097] Y transverse axis of the aircraft