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US 12,673,770 B2Granted
Blended wing body tanker and method of use
AssigneeJetZero, Inc.
InventorsThomas James O'Leary, Mark Allan Page
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Aspects relate to blended wing body tankers and methods of use. An exemplary blended wing body tanker includes a blended wing body, a first fuel store located within the blended wing body and configured to store a first fuel, a fuel offloading system operatively connected to the first fuel store and configured to offload the first fuel to another aircraft in flight, a second fuel store located within the blended wing body and configured to store a second fuel different from the first fuel, and a propulsion system powered by the second fuel and configured to propel the blended wing body.
Claims30
A blended wing body tanker comprising:
- an aircraft having a blended wing body, the blended wing body comprising:
- a fuselage comprising a semi-monocoque construction, wherein the fuselage comprises:
- formers disposed along a length of an interior of the fuselage and forming a shape of the fuselage, wherein the formers are orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft;
- and
- stringers coupled to the formers;
- an aircraft skin coupled to the stringers and the formers, wherein aerodynamic forces exerted on the aircraft skin are transferred to the stringers and wherein a volume of the aircraft is encapsulated by the formers and the stringers and comprise a same shape as the aircraft;
- and
- vertical supports integral to the aircraft skin and a frame of the aircraft;
- a first fuel store disposed within an interior cavity of the fuselage of the aircraft and configured to store a first fuel;
- a fuel offloading system operatively connected to the first fuel store and configured to offload the first fuel to a second aircraft in flight, wherein the fuel offloading system comprises:
- a fuel supply connection laterally aligned with a point along at least one wing, wherein the fuel supply connection comprises a flying boom, and wherein the flying boom comprises one or more flight control surfaces;
- and
- a valve located at a distal end configured to automatically open when the flying boom is to mate with a receiving aircraft;
- a second fuel store disposed within the interior cavity of the fuselage of the aircraft and configured to store a second fuel;
- wherein each of the first fuel store and the second fuel store comprises at least one temperature sensor;
- wherein the first fuel store and the second fuel store are positioned adjacent to one another;
- a hybrid propulsion system mechanically affixed to the aircraft and comprising a fuel cell configured to combine the first fuel with oxygen to produce electricity and charge an electricity source as a function of excess produced power and the electricity, wherein the hybrid propulsion system is:
- operatively connected to the first fuel store and the second fuel store;
- configured to be powered by the first fuel and the second fuel;
- configured to propel the blended wing body;
- and
- such that the first fuel store is configured to be used by both the fuel offloading system for refueling the second aircraft in flight, and for powering the hybrid propulsion system;
- and
- an auxiliary power system operatively connected with the fuel cell, wherein the fuel cell is configured to power the auxiliary power system, wherein the auxiliary power system is configured to power control surfaces.
21 more elements
A method of use for a blended wing body tanker, the method comprising:
- receiving an aircraft comprising a blended wing body, wherein the blended wing body comprises:
- a fuselage comprising a semi-monocoque construction, wherein the fuselage comprises:
- formers disposed along a length of an interior of the fuselage and forming a shape of the fuselage, wherein the formers are orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft;
- and
- stringers coupled to the formers;
- an aircraft skin serving coupled to the stringers and the formers, wherein aerodynamic forces exerted on the aircraft skin are transferred to the stringers and wherein a volume of the aircraft is encapsulated by the formers and the stringers and comprise a same shape as the aircraft;
- and
- vertical supports integral to the aircraft skin and a frame of the aircraft;
- storing, using a first fuel store disposed within an interior cavity of the fuselage of the aircraft, a first fuel;
- offloading, using a fuel offloading system operatively connected to the first fuel store, the first fuel to a second aircraft in flight, wherein the fuel offloading system comprises a fuel supply connection laterally aligned with a point along at least one wing, wherein the fuel supply connection comprises a flying boom wherein the flying boom comprises one or more flight control surfaces, and a valve located at a distal end configured to automatically open when the flying boom is to mate with a receiving aircraft;
- storing, using a second fuel store disposed within the interior cavity of the fuselage of the aircraft, a second fuel;
- wherein each of the first fuel store and the second fuel store comprises at least one temperature sensor;
- wherein the first fuel store and the second fuel store are positioned adjacent to one another;
- propelling, using a hybrid propulsion system mechanically affixed to the aircraft and comprising a fuel cell configured to combine the first fuel with oxygen to produce electricity, wherein the hybrid propulsion system configured to charge an electricity source as a function of excess produced power and the electricity, the blended wing body, wherein the hybrid propulsion system is:
- operatively connected to the first fuel store and the second fuel store;
- configured to be powered by the first fuel and the second fuel;
- and
- such that the first fuel store is configured to be used by both the fuel offloading system for refueling the second aircraft in flight, and for powering the hybrid propulsion system;
- and
- powering, using an auxiliary power system operatively connected with the fuel cell, control surfaces.
17 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.