Apparatus and method for directing thrust from tilting cross-flow fan wings on an aircraft

1. A variable thrust cross-flow fan system for an aircraft comprising:

a rotatable wing member having a first housing member, the first housing member having an intake region, an exhaust region, and a fan region between the intake region and the exhaust region;

an actuator assembly operably coupled to the first housing member; and

a variable thrust cross-flow fan assembly disposed within the fan region of the rotatable wing member, the variable thrust cross-flow fan assembly having a longitudinal axis and including a first and second driver plates having a plurality of blades rotatably mounted therebetween,

the plurality of blades disposed radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis such that the plurality of blades has a generally circular path of travel when the cross-flow fan assembly rotates about the longitudinal axis, the plurality of blades moveable between a plurality of pitch angle configurations,

a control assembly coupled to the plurality of blades operable to change the pitch angle configuration of the plurality of blades to generate a variable thrust force, the control assembly includes:

a control cam that is substantially non-rotatable relative to the first and second driver plates, and

a hinge member that is fixedly connected to the control cam and to the first housing member at a hinge axis;

wherein rotation of the first housing member by the actuator assembly imparts rotation of the control cam about the hinge axis, thereby changing the direction of the variable thrust force.

2. The variable cross-flow fan system of claim 1 , wherein the first housing member further comprises an extended portion in the fan region configured to be fixedly connected to the hinge member.

3. The variable thrust cross-flow fan system of claim 1 , wherein the control assembly further comprises a plurality of linkages coupled to the control cam, the control cam coupled to the plurality of blades by the plurality of linkages wherein each of the plurality of linkages has an inner end and an outer end, the inner end of each of the plurality of linkages slidably coupled to the control cam, the outer end of each of the plurality of linkages fixedly coupled to one of the plurality of blades.

4. The variable thrust cross-flow fan system of claim 3 , wherein the control cam forms at least one follower slot;

wherein the inner end of each of the plurality of linkages includes a follower pin; and

wherein the follower pin of each of the plurality of linkages is slidably engaged with the at least one follower slot.

5. The variable thrust cross-flow fan system of claim 3 , wherein the control cam forms a continuous follower slot;

wherein the inner end of each of the plurality of linkages includes a follower pin; and

wherein the follower pin of each of the plurality of linkages is slidably engaged with the continuous follower slot.

6. The variable thrust cross-flow fan system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pitch angle configurations includes at least one right thrust configuration, a neutral configuration and at least one left thrust configuration.

7. The variable thrust cross-flow fan system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pitch angle configurations includes at least one upward thrust configuration, a neutral configuration and at least one downward thrust configuration.

8. The variable thrust cross-flow fan system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pitch angle configurations includes pitch angle configurations wherein each of the plurality of blades changes pitch angle during each revolution around the generally circular path of travel.

9. The variable thrust cross-flow fan system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pitch angle configurations includes pitch angle configurations wherein each of the plurality of blades fluctuates between a positive pitch angle and a negative pitch angle during each revolution around the generally circular path of travel.

10. The variable thrust cross-flow fan system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of pitch angle configurations includes pitch angle configurations wherein one or more blades of the plurality of blades has the negative pitch angle while one or more blades of the plurality of blades has the positive pitch angle.

11. The variable thrust cross-flow fan system of claim 1 , wherein the variable thrust is a reversible thrust.

12. The variable thrust cross-flow fan system of claim 1 , wherein the control assembly is operable to change the pitch angle configuration of the plurality of blades to selectively generate thrust in a plurality of directions including a first direction and a second direction, the first direction substantially opposite from the second direction.

13. The variable thrust cross-flow fan system of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable wing member further comprises a second housing member, the second member having an intake region, an exhaust region, and a fan region between the intake region and the exhaust region.

14. The variable thrust cross-flow fan system of claim 13 , wherein the variable thrust cross-flow fan assembly is disposed between the first housing member and the second housing member.

15. The variable thrust cross-flow fan system of claim 13 , wherein the first housing member and the second housing member are interconnected.

16. The variable thrust cross-flow fan system of claim 1 , wherein the direction of the thrust is generally parallel to the chord axis.

17. The variable thrust cross-flow fan system of claim 15 , wherein the direction of the variable thrust force is an anti-torque thrust force.

18. The variable thrust cross-flow fan system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator assembly comprises at least one of the following:

a linear actuator; and

a rotary actuator.

19. A method of directing the thrust of a variable cross flow fan system comprising the steps of:

providing an aircraft having at least one variable thrust cross-flow fan system disposed on the fuselage comprising:

a rotatable wing member having a first housing member, the first housing member having an intake region, an exhaust region, and a fan region between the intake region and the exhaust region;

an actuator assembly operably coupled to the first housing member; and

a variable thrust cross-flow fan assembly disposed within the fan region of the rotatable wing member, the variable thrust cross-flow fan assembly having a longitudinal axis and including a first and second driver plates having a plurality of blades rotatably mounted therebetween,

the plurality of blades disposed radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis such that the plurality of blades has a generally circular path of travel when the cross-flow fan assembly rotates about the longitudinal axis, the plurality of blades moveable between a plurality of pitch angle configurations,

a control assembly coupled to the plurality of blades operable to change the pitch angle configuration of the plurality of blades to generate a variable thrust force, the control assembly includes:

a control cam that is substantially non-rotatable relative to the first and second driver plates, and

a hinge member that is fixedly connected to the control cam and to the first housing member at a hinge axis;

rotating the wing member by the actuator assembly to impart rotation of the control cam about the hinge axis to change the direction of the variable thrust force.