Lift generating method and apparatus for aircraft
OwnerBernard P. Kunzinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lift generating method and apparatus for aircraft is provided which generates lift in forward flight, in vertical flight or while hovering. A disk (24) is positioned between first and second counterrotating blade assemblies (22 and 36). The disk (24) generates lift in vertical flight or while hovering due to radial flow of air over an upper surface (28) thereof. In forward flight, the disk (24) functions as a fixed wing to generate lift. The assemblies (22 and 36) may be rotated to provide equal and opposite torques so that a torque compensating tail rotor is unnecessary.
Claims47
An apparatus for generating lift in forward and vertical flight, comprising:
- blade means, rotatable about a substantially vertical axis, for imparting motion to air in a downward direction;
- and
- disk means, disposed beneath and operatively separated from said blade means, formed in the shape of a circular airfoil such that said disk means functions as a wing to generate lift in forward flight, said disk means having a vertical depth which is between about 5 to 20 percent of the diameter of the disk means and including a convex upper surface defined by an outer, circular edge, wherein lift is generated in vertical flight due to radial airflowover said upper surface towards said circular edge, said apparatus capable of generating lift sufficient to support both vertical and forward flight.
An aircraft, comprising:
- a first counterrotating blade assembly rotating in a first direction to produce a first downward airflow and a second counterrotating blade assembly rotating in a second direction opposite said first direction to produce a second downward airflow;
- and
- disk means for generating lift disposed between and free from rotational interconnection with said assemblies, said disk means positioned downstream from said first assembly to provide lift to the aircraft in vertical flight due to radial airflow over said disk means and functioning as a wing to provide lift in forward flight wherein said second assembly extends radially beyond an edge of said disk means to interact with said radial airflow flowing over said edge.
A lift generating apparatus for an aircraft, comprising:
- means for moving air downwardly;
- disk means for generating lift positioned beneath said means for moving air downwardly, said disk means generating lift in vertical flight due to radial airflow thereover resulting from downwardly directed airflow against said disk means and in forward flight due to airflow about said disk means from a leading to a trailing edge thereof;
- a rotary wing assembly, disposed beneath said disk means, including a plurality of rotors each having an airfoil cross-section and a radius of rotation greater than a radius of said disk means;
- and
- a pivotable stabilizer for selectively generating a pitching moment, wherein said stabilizer is capable of compensating for movement of a center of lift of said disk means as said aircraft goes between vertical and forward flight.
A method for generating lift in forward or vertical flight, comprising the steps of:
- rotating a first counterrotating blade assembly about a substantially vertical axis;
- rotating a second counterrotating blade assembly about said axis so that said first and second assemblies generate substantially equal and opposite torques;
- and
- positioning a disk means, formed in the shape of a circular airfoil, beneath said first assembly and above said second assembly so that said disk means generates lift in vertical flight due to radial airflow thereover and generates lift in forward flight due to airflow thereabout from a leading to a trailing edge thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.