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US 10,246,184 B2Granted
Aircraft with internally housed propellor units
OwnerJon M. Raglandinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A VTOL aircraft, preferably of the swept wing design. An arrangement of propellors and motors are individually housed within ducts which are mounted within a wing. Each individual motor support arm will run from the motor it is supporting, through the duct wall and into the wing and will be attached to a central frame structure housed in the fuselage. Covers are provided over the ducts, operable by motor means such as a servo. When the aircraft is relying on the internally housed propellors to provide lift, the covers will be open to allow air to pass through the ducts. When the aircraft is relying on airflow over the wings to provide lift these covers can be closed to provide uninterrupted airflow over the wings. The covers are designed to match the surface contour of the wing when closed.
Claims12
A vertical take-off aircraft, comprising:
- an airframe having two sides;
- a pair of wings, each said wing extending from one of said sides, each said wing having a top surface and lower surface,
- a central frame structure within each said wing, said central frame structure defining at least one duct wall, wherein a height of said duct wall is equal to a distance between said top surface and said bottom surface such that at least one duct is formed within said central frame having a volume entirely within one of said wings;
- at least one support member having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end attached to said central frame structure, said distal end extending into said duct;
- a motor disposed at said distal end of said support member;
- a propeller operable by said motor, said propeller entirely within said duct;
- and,
- at least one cover operable along said top surface to open and close over said duct, each said cover matching a contour of said top surface, wherein when said cover is in an open position air is allowed to pass through said duct, and wherein when said cover is in a closed position, the integrity of said top surface of said wing is maintained;
- wherein said at least one duct further comprises three ducts within each wing forming a respective triangular arrangement;
- and
- wherein each triangular arrangement is covered by a shared lid.
8 more elements
A vertical take-off aircraft, comprising:
- an airframe having two sides;
- a pair of wings, each said wing extending from one of said sides, each said wing having a top surface and lower surface,
- a central frame structure within each said wing, said central frame structure defining at least one duct wall, wherein a height of said duct wall is equal to a distance between said top surface and said bottom surface such that at least one duct is formed within said central frame having a volume entirely within one of said wings;
- at least one support member having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end attached to said central frame structure, said distal end extending into said duct;
- a motor disposed at said distal end of said support member;
- a propeller operable by said motor, said propeller entirely within said duct;
- and,
- at least one cover operable along said top surface to open and close over said duct, each said cover matching a contour of said top surface, wherein when said cover is in an open position air is allowed to pass through said duct, and wherein when said cover is in a closed position, the integrity of said top surface of said wing is maintained;
- wherein said at least one duct further comprises three ducts within each wing forming a respective triangular arrangement;
- and
- wherein each triangular arrangement is covered by a shared louver system, wherein said shared louver system is a fan-like arrangement to mimic a plan of said wing.
8 more elements
A tail-less, vertical take-off aircraft, comprising:
- an airframe having two sides;
- a pair of swept wings, each said wing extending along one of said sides, each said wing having a top surface and lower surface,
- six ducts defined within said airframe, wherein a height of each of said ducts is equal to a distance between said top surface and said bottom surface;
- a motor and propeller disposed within each of said ducts;
- and,
- wherein three of said ducts are triangularly arranged within one of said wings with two of said ducts inboard, and the other three of said ducts are triangularly arranged within the other of said wings with two of said ducts inboard, such that a weight and lift of said aircraft is optimized;
- and
- wherein said triangular arrangement is covered by a shared lid.
5 more elements
A tail-less, vertical take-off aircraft, comprising:
- an airframe having two sides;
- a pair of swept wings, each said wing extending along one of said sides, each said wing having a top surface and lower surface,
- six ducts defined within said airframe, wherein a height of each of said ducts is equal to a distance between said top surface and said bottom surface;
- a motor and propeller disposed within each of said ducts;
- and,
- wherein three of said ducts are triangularly arranged within one of said wings with two of said ducts inboard, and the other three of said ducts are triangularly arranged within the other of said wings with two of said ducts inboard, such that a weight and lift of said aircraft is optimized;
- and
- wherein said triangular arrangement is covered by a shared louver system, wherein said shared louver system is a fan-like arrangement to mimic a plan of said wing.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.