Ducted oblique-rotor VTOL vehicle

Abstract

The present invention is a winged VTOL aircraft of novel configuration that utilizes a single-axis rotor mounted at an oblique angle within a forward-facing, bifurcating duct, that is controlled by a plurality of servo driven vanes, producing a mechanically simple, redundantly controlled vehicle that can carry cargo, people, or otherwise, directly from point to point. The configuration uses sets of vanes to produce both moments and forces referenced around the vehicle's center of gravity, thereby, allowing the vehicle to translate in a level position, or stay stationary relative to the ground while at a slight pitch or roll attitude. This feature is very important for autonomous vehicles to accurately pick up and drop off payloads on unlevel terrain or in windy conditions. Other rotor vehicles require pitch or roll attitude to translate or compensate for wind. Complementing this vehicle's mechanically simple rotor system is a novel mechanism that collectively drives the pitch of the rotor blades by combining the input from three separate servos. Each servo can be controlled by redundant fight control systems.

Claims

1. A vertical takeoff and landing vehicle, comprising: a. a rotor with a plurality of radial blades mounted to said vehicle with spin axis at oblique angle between said vehicle's longitudinal axis and vertical axis as means of accelerating air to provide lift and propulsion; b. a duct with an inlet facing forward to direct air into said rotor and direct air downward and aft; c. a plurality of vertical exit vanes near the bottom of said vehicle to control said vehicle; d. wherein each vertical exit vane of said plurality of vertical exit vanes has a rotational axis along its length about which it rotates independently to restrict and direct airflow; e. a plurality of aft exit vanes near the aft end of said vehicle to control said vehicle during, and transition to and from, horizontal flight mode; f. wherein said duct contains a left-hand vertical duct exit and a right-hand vertical duct exit, separated laterally and both extending longitudinally along the bottom of said vehicle; g. wherein said duct contains an aft duct exit that faces to the rear of said vehicle.

2. A vertical takeoff and landing vehicle of claim 1, further including a wing as primary means of providing lift when said vehicle is in horizontal flight mode.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention showing the duct intake, rotor, wings, and cargo container.

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention showing the aft duct exit vanes, vertical stabilizer, wings and cargo container.

(3) FIG. 3 is a side view of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the present invention illustrating air flow, the rotor and powerplant placement, and lower and aft duct exits.

(5) FIG. 5 is a front view of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 6 is a plan view from the bottom of the present invention showing longitudinal and lateral vane placements and location of the cargo container.

(7) FIG. 7 is a plan view from the above of the present invention.

(8) FIG. 8 is an aft view of the present invention illustrating the aft duct exit and vane placements.

(9) FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the control vanes, aerodynamic surface and rotor.

(10) FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the left-hand-side longitudinal control vanesneutral lift positions.

(11) FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the left-hand-side longitudinal control vanesreduced lift positions.

(12) FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the left-hand-side longitudinal control vanesincreased lift positions.

(13) FIG. 13 is a sectional view of the left-hand-side longitudinal control vanesaft force (+F.sub.x) positions.

(14) FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the left-hand-side longitudinal control vanesnose-down pitching moment (+M.sub.y) positions.

(15) FIG. 15 is a sectional view of the left-hand-side longitudinal control vanesforward force (F.sub.x) positions.

(16) FIG. 16 is a sectional view of the left-hand-side longitudinal control vanesno force or moment, stowed for horizontal flight mode.

(17) FIG. 17 is a sectional view of the horizontal control vanesno force or moment, stowed for vertical flight mode.

(18) FIG. 18 is a sectional view of the horizontal control vanespartially open positions.

(19) FIG. 19 is a sectional view of the horizontal control vanesnose-down pitching moment (+M.sub.y) positions.

(20) FIG. 20 is a sectional view of the horizontal control vanesnose-up pitching moment (M.sub.y) positions.

(21) FIG. 21 is a sectional view of the horizontal control vanesfully open positions.

(22) FIG. 22 is a sectional view of the lateral control vanesstowed positions for horizontal flight mode.

(23) FIG. 23 is a sectional view of the lateral control vanesneutral lift position.

(24) FIG. 24 is a sectional view of the lateral control vaneslateral force (+F.sub.y) positions.

(25) FIG. 25 is a sectional view of the lateral control vanesreduced lift and pitch up positions.

(26) FIG. 26 is a sectional view of the lateral control vaneslateral force (+F.sub.y) and roll force (M.sub.x) positions.

(27) FIG. 27 is a sectional view of the lateral control vanesincrease lift force (F.sub.z) positions.

(28) FIG. 28 is a side view of the voting rotor pitch control systemtwo-bladed rotor shown.

(29) FIG. 29 is a side view of a stowed vane with on-center control linkage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(30) The preferred embodiment of the present invention is a ducted, single-rotor, vane-controlled, vertical takeoff and landing, autonomously controlled, hybrid-electric, winged, vehicle with triple-redundant propulsion and control systems. The plane of the rotor is fixed relative to the vehicle in a position inclined approximately halfway between the vehicle's longitudinal and vertical axis. The vehicle has two predominant flight modes, vertical and horizontal. It carries a cargo pod 11, passenger compartment or otherwise between each vertical duct exit.

(31) During vertical flight, lift is create by ingesting air into the inlet 17, accelerating it across the rotor 401, separating it at the bifurcation duct 15 and directing it downward through left-hand 201 and right-hand 203 vertical duct exits. Control in the vertical flight mode is achieved by using the vertical exit vanes to create forces and moments in all six degrees of freedom about the vehicle's center of gravity. The vanes are moved by servos that are directed by a plurality of flight computers or controllers. The vertical exit vanes are further broken down into longitudinal and lateral sets consisting of the left-hand longitudinal vanes 25, left-hand lateral vanes 21, the right-hand longitudinal vanes 27, and the right-hand lateral vanes 23. Longitudinal vanes are used to create longitudinal force, instantaneous lift change and moments to adjust the pitch, roll and yaw attitudes. Lateral vanes are used to create lateral force, instantaneous lift change and moments to adjust pitch, roll and yaw attitudes. Longitudinal and lateral forces are created on the vehicle by directing the flow of air away from vertically downward using a majority of the vanes. Since the center of gravity of the vehicle is above the plane of the vertical duct exit, moments will accompany any longitudinal or lateral force input unless local changes in lift occur simultaneously. Pitch, roll and yaw attitude is maintained or changed by balancing or modifying net moments that are created by all longitudinal and lateral vane forces and changes in local pressure distributions internal and external to the vehicle caused by deflecting said vanes in similar or opposing directions, in pairs or more. Vanes may move from partially deflected positions (FIGS. 10 and 23) to those more aligned to the ducted airflow (FIGS. 12 and 27), creating a local increase in lift.

(32) Some possible longitudinal vane 25 positions of the left-hand vertical duct exit 201 are shown in FIGS. 10 through 16. FIGS. 10 and 12 depict the vanes in neutral and net increased lift (F.sub.z) positions, respectively. FIG. 11 shows vane positions that produce balanced longitudinal forces while still decreasing local lift (+F.sub.z), creating a left roll moment (+M.sub.x) about the vehicle's center of gravity. To produce an aft force (+F.sub.x), and lift distribution to offset a pitching moment, vanes can be positioned similarly to those shown in FIG. 13. FIG. 14 shows vane positions that will produce a pitching moment about the vehicle's center of gravity without any net longitudinal force. To produce a forward force and translation of the vehicle with no pitch change, the vanes could be positioned as shown in FIG. 15. This would initiate forward velocity and a translation to horizontal flight. FIG. 16 shows the vanes 25 in the left-hand lower exit duct fully close as they would be in the horizontal flight mode.

(33) Lateral forces are generated by moving the left-hand lateral vanes 21 and right-hand lateral vanes 23 located in the left-hand vertical duct exit 201 and right-hand vertical duct exit 203, respectively. Since the lateral vanes are located aft of the vehicle's center of gravity in the preferred embodiment, pitch attitude can be controlled by decreasing or increasing local lift forces through the deflection of vanes in opposite directions in pairs or more. FIG. 25 shows the defection of vanes to produce a decrease in local lift. This decrease would cause a nose-up pitching moment (M.sub.y) if other vanes on the vehicle were not adjusted. Alternatively, vane positions shown in FIG. 27 would cause a nose-down pitching moment (+M.sub.y) if the lateral vanes were to move independently from all others. FIG. 23 shows lateral vane neutral positions, being able to be straightened for increase lift or opposed in pairs or more to decrease local lift. FIG. 24 will produce a net force to the vehicle's left-hand side (+F.sub.y) while modifying the local lift distribution to balance any roll moments caused from the lateral load. Positioning vanes like those in FIG. 26 will produce a large lateral force (+F.sub.y) and an associated rolling moment (M.sub.y). When the vehicle is in purely horizontal flight mode the vanes are rotated to completely block the airflow (FIG. 22), redirecting air to the aft duct exit 205.

(34) To control the vehicle's pitch attitude in the horizontal flight mode, movable aft exit vanes 29 are deflected at the aft duct exit 205. FIGS. 17 through 21 depicted the vanes in possible positions from stowed (FIG. 17) to trimmed horizontal flight (FIG. 21). FIG. 18 depicts the vane position in transition from vertical to horizontal or horizontal to vertical flight. FIGS. 19 and 20 show aft exit vane 29 positions producing pitch down (+M.sub.y) and pitch up (M.sub.y) moments, respectively. Roll attitude is controlled by the three redundant left-hand ailerons 35 and three redundant right-hand ailerons 37, mounted to the left wing 31 and right wing 33, respectively. Yaw control is maintained by the three redundant rudders 53 mounted on the vertical stabilizer 51.

(35) Control of the vehicle in transition from vertical to horizontal, and horizontal to vertical flight is maintained by moving all the vanes and aerodynamic surfaces, together, in a similar manner as described above.

(36) Figures and descriptions for producing forces and moments on the vehicle described here are considered building blocks and used to illustrate the method of control. Actual vane positioning may differ from those described here and will require other combinations that produce the forces and moments required to maintain vehicle control. This method of controlling the vehicle has many combinations of vane positions that will produce the same sets of net forces and moments, albeit, some more efficient than others. The control method described here, therefore, has redundant means of vehicle control in the event one or more vanes stop functioning properly, through the failure of a servo or complete control system. By dividing the vanes into dispersed groups and controlling each group of vanes using a separate control system, complete failure of one control system would not mean complete loss of control of the vehicle.

(37) Addition embodiments of the vehicle are similar to what is described here but with the relocation of the lateral control vanes to near or forward of the vehicle's longitudinal center of gravity. Other possibilities include a differing number of vanes than are described here, but are still used in pairs or more to affect the lift distribution. An alternate embodiment may use vanes, movable or immovable, in addition to those at the vertical and aft duct exits to control airflow internal to the duct, in front of or aft of the rotor. An additional embodiment may have a different shape of the duct, duct exits, vanes or aerodynamic covers but that functions in a similar manor. The alternate embodiment may contain a duct inlet that changes sectional area as needed to improve propulsion efficiency or decrease aerodynamic drag. Still other embodiments may have different lifting surface configurations than described, including but not limited to, a conventional wing and aft tail, a canard and rear mounted wing, tandem wings, or a tri-surface configuration. A vertical stabilizer may also be in the form of vee-tail, multiple vertical stabilizers, inverted vee-tail, or otherwise, or be absent all together. Aerodynamic control surfaces described in present embodiment such as the ailerons and rudders may vary in quantity or may be in different form such as spoilers. Also, one or more elevators may be used, either fully moving or as part of stabilizer or canard.

(38) When the vanes of the preferred embodiment are stowed in a position that blocks the duct exit, constant and varying aerodynamic forces are imposed on them (FIG. 29). If conventional, reversing servos are used to actuate the vanes, power would be required to maintain position when under load. Energy would not only be wasted but servo would wear and their reliability reduced. To alleviate this issue, the preferred embodiment arranges the vane 25, vane bell crank arm 133, rotary actuator or servo 125 and servo bell crank arm 127, so that when the vane is in the stowed position, the joint centers 137 and 135 between the control rod 123 and servo bell crank arm 127 and vane bell crank arm 133 are aligned along the servo output shaft 139 axis of rotation 129. All servo and vanes in the preferred embodiment are arranged in a similar configuration to prevent aerodynamic or inertial forces from loading the servos when the vanes are stowed. Other embodiments may have differing geometric configurations of the servo or actuator connecting to the vane, but use the same principle of decoupling the rotation of the vane to servo when in the stowed position.

(39) The preferred embodiment uses an internal combustion engine to power horizontal flight and to recharge the batteries of the electric propulsion systems. Take off, landing, and vertical flight is done using power from two electric motors and associated batteries and control units, and the internal combustion engine. This propulsion system 301 lends itself to redundancy if the power available from two of the three component systems is greater than the power needed to maintain altitude in vertical flight mode. Other possibilities include one or more engines of different type such as turboshafts or otherwise, either in concert with hybrid-electric systems or other propulsion types. Another embodiment may use one or more purely electric power plants using one or multiple electric motors or multiple electric windings within a single motor case. Multiple parallel powerplants not only work well for hybrid-electric propulsion systems but provide a means to implement redundant control systems.

(40) The preferred embodiment uses a single rotor 401 consisting of primary components such as the hub 43, six blades 41, and spinner or hub cover 45. Additional embodiment of the present invention may use a different number of blades 41 and may or may not implement the use of a spinner 45 to direct air around the hub and provide impact protection to the rotor mechanism.

(41) Pitch control of the preferred embodiment of the present invention uses a mechanical voting system that allows averaging from three irreversible servo 89 or actuator inputs to drive the rotor blade 41 pitch positions (FIG. 28). In the event one or more servos 89 or control systems stop functioning, the other servo or servos can drive the pitch system. FIG. 28 depicts a side view of the present invention's rotor system, showing only two of the six blades and associated linkages for clarity. Rotor blades 41 and control arms 103 have pitch positions controlled by movement of three irreversible servos 89. The servos 89 are connected to a swivel plate 93 that pivots around a spherical bearing that is part of the slider 101. The three servo connections define a plane that determines the position of the slider 101 along the rotor shaft 85. The swivel plate 93 and the slider 101 do not rotate with the rotor shaft. Bearings 107 allow rotational isolation of the rotor shaft 85 and the slider 101 while still maintaining lateral continuity. The slider 101 is connected to a rotating collective fitting 91 through a rotational bearing 105 that is captured by a retaining clip 97 that resides in a machined groove. The rotational bearing 105 isolates the rotational movement of the collective fitting 91 to that of the slider 101 while still maintaining lateral and axial positioning. The collective fitting 91 translates along the rotor shaft and moves the each rotor link 87 the same axial distance the slider 101 moves. Each rotor link 87 is attached to a blade pitch arm 103, which is rigidly attached to a blade. The rotor pitch arms 103 convert linear motion of the links 87 to rotation of the blade 41 about the blade pitch axis. A set of links 99 is attached between the collective fitting 91 and the rotor hub 43. These maintain rotational position between the rotor head 43 and collective fitting 91 without impeding relative axial movement. Similarly, another set of links 109 attaches the swivel plate 93 to a rigid component on the airframe. These links 109 keep the swivel plate 93 from rotating with the rotor shaft 85 while still allowing the swivel plate to pivot freely about the its spherical bearing center. Another spherical bearing is required to attach the inner link 109 to the swivel plate 93 to allow independent rotation.

(42) Other embodiments of the present invention may control the rotors pitch in a similar manner using different geometry and components but maintaining the ability to mechanically vote using a swivel plate 93 and multiple servos or actuators. The preferred embodiment uses three irreversible actuators to determine the swivel plate 93 orientation and position. Other embodiments of the present invention may use more than three reversible servos or actuators to vote and provide control redundancy to the rotor pitch system. A reversible servo or actuator is one that does not maintain position when power or commanded signal is lost. Still another embodiment of this invention is a system that contains multiple parallel pitch mechanisms that controls pairs of rotor blades attached opposite to each other on the rotor hub 43. Each system is driven by a servo 89, actuator or sets of either to independently control the pitch of pairs of rotor blades. For instants, a rotor hub containing six rotor blades could be controlled by three independent pitch mechanisms. Loads from the paired blades would be balanced across the rotor hub 43 even if they were commanded at different pitch angles from the other blade sets, or if they were inoperative.

(43) The forgoing is considered as illustrative only to the principal of the invention. Further, since numerous changes and modification will occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described above, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the invention.