Aircraft having VTOL, translational and traverse flight
AssigneeAmerican Aviation Technologies, LLC
InventorRussell Randall
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aircraft capable of Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) and traverse flight. The aircraft generally includes a fixed outer structure including at least a generally cylindrical wing having an internal body situated within the fixed outer structure. A space is defined between the internal body and the fixed outer structure. Within this space are one or more rotatable ring impellers that create(s) thrust sufficient to achieve lift for the aircraft.
Claims20
A powered-lift aircraft capable of vertical take-off and vertical landing, hovering and translational and traverse flight, comprising:
- a continuous wing defining a cavity;
- one or more propulsion impeller rings rotatably supported within the cavity of the continuous wing;
- a cockpit or payload enclosure disposed within a portion of the cavity and pivotally mounted to and at least partially surrounded by the continuous wing;
- and
- an attitude control system configured to maintain a longitudinal axis for the cockpit or payload enclosure in a generally constant level attitude independent of an attitude of the continuous wing;
- wherein during vertical takeoff of the aircraft the one or more propulsion impeller rings rotate at rotational speeds that are sufficient to provide enough thrust force to overcome a weight amount of the aircraft;
- wherein the continuous wing is substantially axially horizontally oriented during level flight of the aircraft.
A powered-lift aircraft, comprising:
- a continuous wing defining a central open space area;
- one or more propulsion impeller rings rotatably supported within the central open space area of the continuous wing;
- a cockpit or payload enclosure disposed within a portion of the central open space area and pivotally mounted to and at least partially surrounded by the continuous wing;
- and
- an attitude control system configured to maintain a longitudinal axis for the cockpit or payload enclosure in a generally constant level attitude independent of an attitude of the continuous wing;
- wherein during vertical takeoff of the aircraft the one or more propulsion impeller rings rotate at rotational speeds that are sufficient to provide enough thrust force to overcome a weight amount of the aircraft;
- wherein the continuous wing is axially substantially horizontally oriented during level flight of the aircraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.