US 11,021,243 B1Granted

Tension airfoil assembly and implementation for power generation and aviation

OwnerAlfred Finnellinventor

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Abstract

A tension airfoil assembly includes an outer rim located concentrically with a hub supported by a plurality of spokes, each spoke extending therebetween. A series of airfoils, each airfoil having an aerodynamically lifting shape extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. Each airfoil of the series of airfoils is assembled to the tension airfoil assembly by coupling an area of the airfoil proximate the leading edge to a leading edge spoke and an area of the airfoil proximate the trailing edge to a trailing edge spoke. The airfoils are arranged having a gap provided between the trailing edge of each forward located airfoil and the leading edge of each trailing located airfoil. The tension airfoil assembly can be employed as a propulsion and/or lifting device integrated into a vehicle, such as an airplane, a helicopter, a tandem rotor helicopter, etc.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A tension airfoil assembly, comprising:

an outer rim;
a central hub assembly;
a plurality of spokes assembling the central hub assembly at a rotationally centralized position within the outer rim;
and
a series of airfoils, each airfoil having an aerodynamically lifting shape extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge,
wherein a first end of each spoke is assembled to the central hub assembly and a second end of each spoke is assembled to the outer rim, a first spoke of the plurality of spokes being assembled to the central hub assembly in an arrangement extending in an acute angular direction from a radial orientation in a first direction and a second spoke of the plurality of spokes being assembled to the central hub assembly in an arrangement extending in an acute angular direction from a radial orientation in a second, opposite direction, wherein one spoke of the plurality of spokes attached to the central hub assembly crosses at least one another spoke of the plurality of spokes attached to the central hub assembly,
wherein each airfoil of the series of airfoils is assembled to the tension airfoil assembly by coupling an area of the airfoil proximate the leading edge to a leading edge spoke of the plurality of spokes and an area of the airfoil proximate the trailing edge to a trailing edge spoke of the plurality of spokes.

4 more elements

A tension airfoil assembly, comprising:

an outer rim;
a central hub assembly having a first central hub flange spatially arranged from a second central hub flange by an axle bearing;
a plurality of spokes assembling the central hub assembly at a rotationally centralized position within the outer rim;
and
a series of airfoils, each airfoil having an aerodynamically lifting shape extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge,
wherein a first end of each spoke is assembled to a respective central hub flange and a second end of each spoke is assembled to the outer rim, a first spoke of the plurality of spokes being assembled to the respective central hub flange in an arrangement extending in an acute angular direction from a radial orientation in a first direction from a first side of the respective central hub flange and a second spoke of the plurality of spokes being assembled to the respective central hub flange in an arrangement extending in an acute angular direction from a radial orientation in a second direction from a second side of the respective central hub flange, wherein one spoke of the plurality of spokes attached to the respective central hub flange crosses at least one another spoke of the plurality of spokes attached to the same respective central hub flange, wherein each airfoil of the series of airfoils is assembled to the tension airfoil assembly by coupling an area of the airfoil proximate the leading edge to a leading edge spoke of the plurality of spokes and an area of the airfoil proximate the trailing edge to a trailing edge spoke of the plurality of spokes.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/595,428Filed 7 Oct 2019 · continuation in part
Priority: 2 Jul 2009
Granted: 1 Jun 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

B64C 27/473
Blades: constructional features
F03D 1/0625
Characterised by their aerodynamic shape: of the whole rotor, i.e. form features of the rotor unit
B64C 11/007
Propellers, e.g. of ducted type; Features common to propellers and rotors for rotorcraft: propulsive discs, i.e. discs having the surface…
B64C 27/32
Rotorcraft; Rotors peculiar thereto: rotors

Family

Application12/496,769Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 2 Jul 2009
Application12/825,857Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 29 Jun 2010
US 7,775,760 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 17 Aug 2010
Application14/204,931Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 11 Mar 2014
US 8,668,455 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 11 Mar 2014
Application15/469,542Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 26 Mar 2017
US 10,435,145 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 10,443,569 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2011/0012363 A1Published application
US 11,021,243 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.