US 6,648,270 B1Granted

Vehicle

AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation

InventorsEdward L. Burnett, John W. Vinson, Brian Quayle, Michael C. Carter, Kenneth Gousman, Scott Wan Weelden, Steven P. Ericson, Stephen G. Justice

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Abstract

A vehicle is disclosed having a hull with a longitudinal, vertical and lateral axis, the hull further having front end and rear ends and first and second sides. A turbofan engine mounted in said hull, said engine having an exhaust duct. First and second front exhaust nozzles are mounted on the first and second sides of the front end of the hull. First and second rear exhaust nozzles are coupled to the first and second sides of said hull at said rear. All of the exhaust nozzles are rotatable from a vertically downward position to at least a partially horizontal direction and incorporating shudders to adjust the flow rate of exhaust gas from said turbofan engine therethrough. A duct system for coupling the exhaust duct of the turbofan engine to all of the nozzles.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A vehicle comprising;

a hull having a longitudinal, vertical and lateral axis, said hull further having front end and rear ends and first and second sides;
a turbofan engine mounted in said hull, said engine having an exhaust duct;
a center plenum chamber mounted in said hull having a center portion coupled to said exhaust duct and first and second ends extending latterly to said first and second sides of said hull;
first and second side plenum chambers having front and rear extending along the first and second sides, said first and second side plenum chambers coupled to said first and second ends, respectively, of said center plenum;
and
first and second front exhaust nozzles coupled to said front ends of said first and second side plenum chambers and first and second rear exhaust nozzles coupled to said rear ends of said first and second side plenum chambers;
all of said exhaust nozzles rotatable from a vertically downward position to at least a partially horizontal direction and incorporating means to adjust the flow rate of exhaust gas from said turbofan engine therethrough.

4 more elements

A vehicle comprising;

a hull having a longitudinal, vertical and lateral axis, said hull further having front end and rear ends and first and second sides;
a turbofan engine mounted in said hull, said engine having an exhaust duct;
first and second front exhaust nozzles mounted on said first and second sides of said front end of said hull and first and second rear exhaust nozzles coupled to said first and second sides of said hull at said rear, all of said exhaust nozzles rotatable from a vertically downward position to at least a partially horizontal direction and incorporating means to adjust the flow rate of exhaust gas from said turbofan engine therethrough;
and
means coupling said exhaust duct of said turbofan engine to all of said nozzles.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.