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US 5,492,494 AGranted
Toy aircraft with vertical flight dynamics
OwnerMatthew Keennoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hobby aircraft arranged for vertical flight aerodynamics. A substantially-planar body is symmetrical about a central axis. An upper blade is fixed to the bottom of the body. An elastic band is aligned with the central axis for powering a lower blade that is in spaced relation to the upper blade. Rotation of the second blade is controlled by means of a locking mechanism to assure that gravity alone powers the final stage of aircraft flight.
Claims11
An aircraft comprising, in combination:
- a) a body, said body being symmetrical about a central axis that extends between a top and a bottom,
- b) a first blade symmetrical with respect to said central axis comprising a pair of planar first blade members of opposite pitch inclined upwardly from horizontal at a predetermined dihedral angle, said first blade being fixed adjacent the bottom of said body and substantially orthogonal to said central axis;
- c) a second blade symmetrical with respect to said central axis comprising a pair of second blade members of opposite pitch;
- d) means for mounting said second blade so that said second blade is spaced from said first blade along said central axis and rotatable with respect thereto;
- e) an elastic band aligned with said central axis for storing torsional energy;
- f) means for selectively restraining rotation of said second blade;
- and
- g) means fixed to said second blade for stabilizing said body so that said central axis is oriented in a substantially vertical plane when said aircraft is on the ground.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.