AIRCRAFT

Abstract

The invention relates to an aircraft comprising a fuselage (1), a plurality of propeller units (3) that can pivot in relation to the fuselage (1), and wings (5) that can pivot at least partially in relation to the fuselage (1) and independently of the propeller units (3).

Claims

1. An aircraft having an aircraft fuselage and multiple propeller units, which are arranged so they are pivotable in relation to the aircraft fuselage, and having airfoils, which are at least partially pivotable in relation to the aircraft fuselage and independently of the propeller units, wherein the propeller units are provided within airfoils or within the aircraft fuselage.

2. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein 3 to 10 propeller units are provided.

3. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the propeller units each have a protective frame.

4. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the propeller units are pivotable in relation to the aircraft fuselage about a pivot angle which is approximately 90 in both directions starting from a middle position.

5. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the propeller units are pivotable in relation to the aircraft fuselage about a pivot axis, which is arranged in parallel to the transverse axis of the aircraft.

6. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the propeller units are gimbal mounted in relation to the aircraft fuselage.

7. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the propeller units are electrically driven, and preferably solar cells are provided for generating electrical energy.

8. The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein a hybrid power supply is provided, consisting of fuel cells or internal combustion engine and generator for generating electrical energy.

9. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the propeller units are driven by at least one internal combustion engine.

10. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the airfoils are pivotable in relation to the aircraft fuselage about an axis which is arranged in parallel or at an acute angle in relation to the transverse axis of the aircraft.

11. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the airfoils are arranged in a collapsible manner.

12. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the airfoils can be moved into a helical pivoted position, in which lift is generated during a rotation of the aircraft about its vertical axis.

13. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the event of a failure of individual drive units, the aircraft is put into autorotation by mutual pivoting of the airfoils and vertical sinking of the aircraft and an impact on the ground can be moderated in that the airfoils are adjusted in a timely manner opposite to the first pivot and a lift can be generated by the rotational energy.

14. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein propeller units can be arranged in a rigid or movable manner on the airfoil.

15. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the aircraft can assume a stable stand on the ground by means of the airfoil.

16. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein aircraft can take off vertically having collapsed airfoils and can unfold the airfoils in the hovering state, wherein the aircraft can preferably transition from the hovering state into stable forward flight and can assume a high flight velocity with extremely minimal flow resistance.

Description

[0051] The invention will be described in greater detail hereafter on the basis of Figures 1 to 5:

[0052] FIG. 1 shows an aircraft according to the invention, consisting of an aircraft fuselage 1, an outer protective frame 2 (not absolutely required), multiple, preferably 4 propeller units 3, a pivot unit 4 for each propeller unit 3, the flight direction 6, which is definable by the position of the propeller units and the possible rotational movements of the aircraft about the vertical axis 7, transverse axis 8, and longitudinal axis 9.

[0053] FIG. 2 shows the aircraft according to the invention, having the pivot unit 4 and the pivot movement 4 of the propeller unit 3, wherein the pivot angle can be greater than +180.

[0054] FIG. 3 shows the aircraft according to the invention in a view from above in an embodiment variant having airfoils 5, which are rigid or, according to a further embodiment variant, can be pivoted along a pivot axis 5 about a pivot angle 5, preferably in the range +/90. The aircraft is located in the flight direction 6 in forward travel and the propeller units 3 are aligned in the flight direction.

[0055] FIG. 4 shows the aircraft according to the invention according to FIG. 3 in a side view. The airfoils 5 are adjusted by the adjustment angle 5 opposite to the flight direction for optimum lift generation.

[0056] FIG. 5 shows the aircraft according to the invention in optimum forward flight having adjusted airfoils 5, which are arranged on the aircraft fuselage 1. The propeller units 3 and the pivot unit 4 can be protected by a protective frame 2. The aircraft fuselage 1 and the protective frame 2 can have an aerodynamic shape.

[0057] FIG. 6 shows the aircraft according to the invention having laterally collapsed airfoils for particularly small external dimensions, for example, as can be required for a landing maneuver in an extremely small space.

[0058] FIG. 7 shows the aircraft according to the invention having airfoils adjusted in opposite directions, so that the aircraft can be set into a rotation about the vertical axis, to be moved vertically similarly to a propeller or, in the event of a failure of the propeller units, can simultaneously be set into rotation about the vertical axis in the freefall downward 6 in the vertical direction and can absorb an impact by counter action in a timely manner of the airfoil inclination while utilizing the rotational energy.

[0059] FIG. 8 shows the aircraft according to the invention in a further embodiment variant, in which individual propeller units 3 are arranged directly on the airfoil, having collapsed airfoil for stable standing on the ground, for example, during a takeoff procedure or during a safe landing in a small space.

[0060] FIG. 9 shows the aircraft according to the invention in the further embodiment variant according to FIG. 8, in which individual propeller units 3 are arranged directly on the airfoil and the airfoils have been unfolded after the takeoff procedure.

[0061] FIG. 10 shows the aircraft according to the invention in the further embodiment variant according to FIG. 8, in which individual propeller units 3 are arranged directly on the airfoil and the airfoils have been unfolded after the takeoff procedure, in forward flight, wherein the aircraft behaves in this flight phase similarly to a classical planar aircraft (for example, powered glider) having low flow resistance.

[0062] An essential aspect of the invention is also that the aircraft can be embodied free of tails or stabilization surfaces.