Aircraft with a weight element controlling the center of gravity thereof

Abstract

The invention pertains to a remote-controlled miniature aircraft with at least one lift surface (17), with at least one pair of propeller drives (12, 13) and with a weight element (20), the position of which can be varied in the longitudinal direction of the miniature aircraft (10) in order to change the center of gravity of the miniature aircraft (10). In order to realize a more compact construction with improved flying characteristics, the lift surface (17) of the miniature aircraft (10) is arranged above a plane defined by the rotational axes of the propeller drives (12, 13) in order to generate a lifting force for taking off and/or landing from a standstill.

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising: an upper lift surface and a lower lift surface, at least one pair of propeller drives, and a weight element, a position of the weight element can be displaced in a longitudinal direction of the aircraft in order to change a center of gravity of the aircraft, wherein the upper lift surface is arranged between a plane comprising respective rotational axes of the at least one pair of propeller drives and a maximum wingspan of propellers of the at least one pair of propeller drives, and wherein the upper lift surface is arranged above a plane defined by rotational axes of the propeller drives of the at least one pair of propeller drives in order to generate a lifting force, the upper lift surface is arranged above the lower lift surface, in that the aircraft is in a form of a flying wing, and a flight attitude about a longitudinal axis or a vertical axis of the aircraft is adjusted by a difference between rotational speeds of the at least one pair of propeller drives whereby control of the propeller drives cause roll and yaw movements.

2. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the upper lift surface and the lower lift surface are integrated into a single closed wing in order to realize an aircraft without a fuselage.

3. The aircraft according to claim 2, wherein the closed wing is a ring wing or a box wing.

4. The aircraft according to claim 3, wherein the upper lift surface, the lower lift surface or the closed wing are rigid, of a film construction or inflatable.

5. The aircraft according to claim 1, further comprising propellers on the at least one pair of propeller drives arranged in front of or behind the upper and the lower lift surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft in order to generate an air flow over the upper lift surface or the lower lift surface.

6. The aircraft according to claim 5, wherein the at least one pair of propeller drives are arranged between the upper lift surface and the lower lift surface.

7. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the propellers of the at least one pair of propeller drives are at least partially shrouded by at least one propeller guard in a region of a propeller circumference.

8. The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the weight element protrudes forward beyond the propeller guard in an intended direction of flight.

9. The aircraft according to claim 7, further comprising an antenna for receiving control signals for remotely controlling the aircraft.

10. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the weight element is centrally arranged on the upper lift surface, between the at least one pair of propeller drives spaced a distance from one another, wherein the weight element is connected to the upper lift surface underneath the upper lift surface such that the weight element can be pivoted about a lateral axis of the aircraft.

11. The aircraft according to claim 10, wherein the control means or an energy supply means is integrated or imprinted into the upper or the lower lift surface or into a closed wing.

12. The aircraft according to claim 1 wherein the weight element is linearly displaced in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft along the center line of the weight element or pivoted about a lateral axis of the aircraft by a servomotor or an ultrasonic motor.

13. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the upper lift surface further comprises a V-shaped section that is tapered in the direction of the weight element and a smallest width of the V-shaped section corresponds to a width of the weight element in order to enable the weight element to protrude beyond the upper lift surface when the weight element is pivoted about a lateral axis of the aircraft.

Description

IN THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic front view of an inventive aircraft,

(2) FIG. 2 shows a partially sectioned schematic side view of the inventive aircraft according to FIG. 1, and

(3) FIG. 3 shows a partially sectioned schematic top view of the inventive aircraft according to FIGS. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(4) FIG. 1 shows a schematic front view of an inventive aircraft or miniature aircraft 10. The aircraft 10 is constructed axially symmetrical about a vertical axis 11 and provided with two propeller drives 12, 13 that respectively each feature a propeller 14. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the propellers 14 are surrounded by a propeller guard 15 in the region of the outer circumference of the propellers 14. A single propeller guard 15 is provided for the propellers 14 of both propeller drives 12, 13 in this case. Alternatively, it would also be conceivable to provide separate propeller guard elements for the propellers 14 of the propeller drives 12, 13, wherein these propeller guard elements may be connected to one another in order to stabilize the construction.

(5) A closed wing 16 is arranged behind the propeller guard 15 in the front view according to FIG. 1 or referred to the intended direction of flight of the aircraft 10, respectively. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the closed wing 16 is realized in the form of a ring wing 16. The aircraft 10 is constructed without an additional fuselage. The closed wing 16 features an upper lift surface 17 that is arranged above a lower lift surface 18. The height of the closed wing 16 is smaller than the height of the propeller guard 15. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the height of the wing 16 is approximately smaller than the height of the propeller guard 15. In addition, the closed wing 16 is offset downward relative to the propeller guard 15 in comparison with a central, symmetrical arrangement. However, the closed wing 16 does not protrude over the circumference of the propeller guard 15 in this case, but rather remains within this circumference.

(6) The propeller drives 12, 13 are mounted on an underside 19 of the upper lift surface 17 at a distance from one another and axially symmetrical to the central vertical axis 11. Furthermore, a weight element 20 is centrally arranged on the underside 19. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the weight element 20 is mounted on the underside 19 by means of a pivot joint 21. In this case, the pivot joint 21 makes it possible to pivot the weight element 20 about a lateral axis 22.

(7) FIG. 2 shows a partially sectioned schematic side view of the inventive aircraft 10 according to FIG. 1. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the weight element 20 protrudes forward beyond the propeller guard 15 in the intended direction of flight in this exemplary embodiment. A lateral surface 27 is respectively arranged on the lift surface ends that face away from one another and extends over the entire chord of the upper and lower lift surfaces 17, 18.

(8) A schematically illustrated control means 23 is arranged in an exemplary fashion on the lateral surface 27 of the propeller guard 15. In this case, the control means 23 is realized in the form of an antenna 23 that is integrated into the propeller guard 15 and serves for receiving control signals for remotely controlling the unmanned aircraft 10.

(9) FIG. 3 shows a partially sectioned schematic top view of the inventive aircraft 10 according to FIGS. 1 and 2. A schematically illustrated energy supply means 24 is arranged in an exemplary fashion on the upper lift surface 17. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the energy supply means 24 is realized in this form of a solar module 24.

(10) The aircraft 10 is axially symmetrical to a longitudinal axis 25. Furthermore, the upper lift surface 17 features a section 26 that is realized axially symmetrical to the longitudinal axis 25. The section 26 is essentially realized in a V-shaped fashion and tapered in the direction of the weight element 20. The smallest width of the section 26 corresponds to the width of the weight element 20 in order to enable the weight element 20 to protrude beyond the upper lift surface 17 when the weight element 20 is pivoted about the lateral axis 22. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the lower lift surface 18 also features a not-shown section 26 in order to enable the weight element 20 to protrude beyond the lower lift surface 18 when the weight element 20 is pivoted about the lateral axis 22.

(11) The function of the aircraft 10 is elucidated below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3:

(12) For example, if the unmanned aircraft 10 should be utilized as a reconnaissance drone, the aircraft is equipped with suitable monitoring means. These monitoring means may form integral components of the weight element 20. The energy required for the operation of the monitoring means, as well as for the control of the aircraft 10, is supplied by accumulators and/or one or more energy supply means 24.

(13) The aircraft 10 has such dimensions and such a weight that the miniature aircraft 10 can be transported by a single person, for example, in a backpack. The aircraft 10 is controlled by means of a remote control that can be operated by one person. The signals of the remote control are detected by the control means 23 and forwarded.

(14) In this case, the control is realized in such a way that the aircraft 10 is pivoted about the longitudinal axis 25 and/or the vertical axis 11 by operating the propeller drives 12, 13 with different rotational speeds. Due to the different rotational speeds of the propeller drives 12, 13, these propeller drives generate a different propulsive force such that the aircraft 10 is turned about its longitudinal axis 25 and/or its vertical axis 11. The direction of flight of the aircraft 10 can be controlled in this fashion.

(15) The weight element 20 is pivoted about the lateral axis 22 of the aircraft 10 in order to control the flying height of the aircraft 10. This causes the center of gravity of the aircraft 10 to shift and the aircraft 10 assumes an ascending position or a descending position in dependence on the pivoting direction.

(16) Consequently, no control surfaces are required for the control of the aircraft 10 such that the aircraft 10 is particularly robust and a high ground readiness is promoted. Furthermore, it is not required to provide a tail boom such that a compact construction is ensured.

(17) The propellers 14 that are arranged in front of or, according to an alternative embodiment, behind the lift surfaces 17, 18 and the propellers 14 already conduct air over the lift surfaces 17, 18 with high speed at a standstill. This results in a very slow take-off speed such that the aircraft 10 is able to take off from and land in the hand of a person.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

(18) 10 Aircraft or miniature aircraft 11 Vertical axis 12 Propeller drive 13 Propeller drive 14 Propeller 15 Propeller guard 16 Wing 17 Upper lift surface 18 Lower lift surface 19 Underside 20 Weight element 21 Pivot joint 22 Lateral axis 23 Control means 24 Energy supply means 25 Longitudinal axis 26 Section 27 Lateral surface