US 2012/0068020 A1Published application

Stol and/or vtol aircraft

AssigneeJeffrey A. Matos

InventorKARL F. MILDE, JR.

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Abstract

An STOL and/or VTOL aircraft comprises (1) a fuselage having a front end, a rear end and two lateral sides, the fuselage defining a substantially horizontal central longitudinal axis of the aircraft; (2) an aircraft tail arranged at the rear end of the fuselage and including a rudder and an elevator on each side of the fuselage with movable surfaces for controlling the aircraft; and (3) a wing on each side of the fuselage having a front edge, a trailing edge and an upper surface extending from the front edge to the trailing edge. According to the invention, a device is provided for increasing the speed of an airstream flowing over the upper surfaces of the wings as compared to the speed of the airstream flowing over the lower surfaces thereof. Such means comprise openings in the upper surfaces of the wings for the egress of air from interior spaces within the wings and air pump apparatus for pressurizing such interior spaces. The openings are designed to direct airflow over the upper surfaces of the wings in a direction toward the trailing edges thereof.

Claims17

Dependent claims

An aircraft comprising, in combination:

(a) a fuselage having a front end, a rear end and two lateral sides, said fuselage defining a substantially horizontal central longitudinal axis of the aircraft;
(b) an aircraft tail arranged at the rear end of the fuselage and including a rudder and an elevator on each side of the fuselage, said rudder and elevator having movable surfaces for control of the aircraft;
(c) a wing on each side of the fuselage, each wing having a front edge, a rear edge and an upper surface extending from the front edge to the rear edge thereof;
and
(d) a device for increasing the speed of an air stream flowing over the upper surface of each wing as compared to the speed of an air stream flowing over the lower surface thereof, said air speed increasing device comprising:
(1) a plurality of openings in the material forming the upper surface of each wing for the egress of air from at least one interior space within the respective wing to said upper surface thereof, said openings being disposed in said upper surface in a region between the leading edge and trailing edge thereof;
and
(2) air pump apparatus for pressurizing said at least one interior space within each wing adjacent said openings,
wherein said openings are configured to direct airflow over the upper surface of each wing in a direction toward said trailing edges thereof.

6 more elements

A personal aircraft (PAC) capable of short take-off and landing (STOL) or vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) and having a center of gravity, said aircraft comprising, in combination:

(a) an elongate fuselage having two lateral sides and forming a passenger compartment, said fuselage being arranged along a longitudinal axis of said aircraft;
(b) an elongate fixed wing having a leading edge and a trailing edge and a longitudinal wing axis between them, said fixed wing being attached to the fuselage and extending outward from the two lateral sides thereof with the wing axis substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said aircraft, the center of gravity of said aircraft being located in a region between the leading edge and the trailing edge of said wing, said wing having a first wing component extending outward from one lateral side of said fuselage and second wing component extending outward from an opposite lateral side of said fuselage;
(c) at least one shaft mounted for rotation in each respective wing component and extending substantially parallel to said wing axis;
and
(d) a plurality of fan blades attached to each shaft for movement of air in a direction toward the trailing edge of said wing upon rotation of the respective shaft;
(e) a device for increasing the speed of an air stream flowing over the upper surface of each wing as compared to the speed of an air stream flowing over the lower surface thereof, said air speed increasing device comprising:
(1) a plurality of openings in the material forming the upper surface of each wing for the egress of air from at least one interior space within the respective wing to said upper surface thereof, said openings being disposed in said upper surface in a region between the leading edge and trailing edge thereof;
and
(2) air pump apparatus for pressurizing said at least one interior space within each wing adjacent said openings,
wherein said openings are configured to direct airflow over the upper surface of each wing in a direction toward said trailing edges thereof.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/951,146Filed 22 Nov 2010
Priority: 17 Sep 2010
Published: 22 Mar 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

B64C 23/02
Influencing air flow over aircraft surfaces, not otherwise provided for: by means of rotating members of cylindrical or similar form
B64C 21/04
By use of slot, ducts, porous areas or the like: for blowing
B64C 2230/04
Boundary layer controls: by actively generating fluid flow
Y02T 50/10
Aeronautics or air transport: drag reduction