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US 12,759,702 B2Granted
Vertical take-off and landing aircraft
AssigneeMethod Aeronautics, LLC
InventorsNeil Boertlein, Daniel Hatfield, Jeremy Novara
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft configuration and control system includes a plurality of turbojet or turbofan engines providing vertical lift and control at hover and low airspeeds. In higher-speed flight, a separate cruise propulsion system generates thrust. Lift during this higher-speed flight is provided by one or more wings. During transition between low- and high-speed flight, both systems provide forward thrust, control and lift.
Claims20
An aircraft comprising:
- a fuselage;
- a wing coupled to the fuselage, the wing including a first wing and a second wing, the first wing including a first inboard wing and a first outboard wing connected by a first pod, and the second wing including a second inboard wing and a second outboard wing connected by a second pod;
- a first engine coupled to the fuselage and configured to provide thrust to the aircraft in an axial direction;
- and
- a plurality of second engines, each second engine of the plurality of second engines being coupled to the first pod or the second pod such that each second engine of the plurality of second engines is configured to provide thrust to the aircraft in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction and to rotate toward the axial direction, each second engine of the plurality of second engines being coupled to one of the first pod or the second pod,
- wherein each second engine of the plurality of second engines includes an inlet and an exhaust nozzle,
- wherein the entirety of the exhaust nozzle is configured to rotate within an external profile of one of the first pod or the second pod, and
- wherein the exhaust nozzle is gimbaled.
5 more elements
An aircraft comprising:
- a fuselage;
- a first engine coupled to the fuselage and configured to provide thrust to the aircraft in an axial direction;
- a first pod;
- a second pod;
- and
- a plurality of second engines, each second engine of the plurality of second engines coupled to the first pod or the second pod such that each second engine of the plurality of second engines is configured to provide thrust to the aircraft in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction and to rotate toward the axial direction, and
- wherein each second engine of the plurality of second engines includes an inlet and an exhaust nozzle,
- wherein the entirety of the exhaust nozzle is configured to rotate within an external profile of the first pod or the second pod, and
- wherein the exhaust nozzle is gimbaled.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.