IP Library Granted Patent US 10,981,648
Granted Patent B2
US 10,981,648 · App. 16/530,782 · Granted Apr 20, 2021

Fixed wing aircraft with trailing rotors and T-tail

Inventors: Pranay Sinha (Sunnyvale, CA); Damon Vander Lind (Alameda, CA)
Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
B64C29/0033B64C5/02B64C11/46B64C39/12
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,981,648
App. No.
16/530,782
Granted
Apr 20, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An aircraft includes a canard having a trailing edge, a forward swept and fixed wing having a horizontal plane and a trailing edge, and a plurality of tilt rotors. At least one of the plurality of tilt rotors is attached to the trailing edge of the canard and at least one of the plurality of tilt rotors is attached to the trailing edge of the forward swept and fixed wing. The aircraft also includes a T-tail having a horizontal plane, where the horizontal plane of the T-tail is at a height that is higher than the horizontal plane of the forward swept and fixed wing.

Claims (69)

1. An aircraft, comprising:

a canard having a distal end;

a forward swept and fixed wing having a horizontal plane and a trailing edge, wherein an outboard section of the forward swept and fixed wing stalls after the canard, after the rest of the forward swept and fixed wing, and after a T-tail;

a plurality of tilt rotors, wherein:

at least one of the plurality of tilt rotors is attached to the distal end of the canard; and

at least one of the plurality of tilt rotors is attached to the trailing edge of the forward swept and fixed wing; and

the T-tail having a horizontal plane, wherein the horizontal plane of the T-tail is at a height that is higher than the horizontal plane of the forward swept and fixed wing.

2. The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein a leading edge of the canard is at a position within a range of 40% to 60%, inclusive, relative to a front tip of a pylon.

3. The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein the canard further includes a trailing edge and the trailing edge of the canard is at a position within a range of 55% to 80%, inclusive, relative to a front tip of a pylon.

4. The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein the horizontal plane of the forward swept and fixed wing is at a height that is higher than a horizontal plane of the canard.

5. The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one tilt rotor is attached to the distal end of the canard via a pylon.

6. The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one tilt rotor is attached to the trailing edge of the forward swept and fixed wing via a pylon.

7. The aircraft recited in claim 1 , further comprising a dovetail strake attached to an underside of a fuselage.

8. The aircraft recited in claim 1 , further comprising a strake attached to an underside of a fuselage, wherein the strake pushes a nose of the aircraft down during a deep stall.

9. The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein the aircraft has two tilt rotors attached to the distal end of the canard and six tilt rotors attached to the trailing edge of the forward swept and fixed wing.

10. The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein the trailing edge of the forward swept and fixed wing includes a curved section that is parallel to a curve of one of the plurality of tilt rotors when said one of the plurality of tilt rotors is in a hovering position.

11. The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein the canard stalls before the forward swept and fixed wing and before the T-tail.

12. The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein the forward swept and fixed wing has a relative lifting force within a range of 80% to 100%, inclusive, during a cruise mode.

13. The aircraft recited in claim 1 , wherein:

the forward swept and fixed wing has a relative lifting force within a range of 80% to 100%, inclusive, during a cruise mode; and

the horizontal plane of the T-tail and the canard have relative lifting forces that are greater than or equal to 0%.

14. A method, comprising:

providing a canard having a distal end;

providing a forward swept and fixed wing having a horizontal plane and a trailing edge, wherein an outboard section of the forward swept and fixed wing stalls after the canard, after the rest of the forward swept and fixed wing, and after a T-tail;

providing a plurality of tilt rotors, wherein:

at least one of the plurality of tilt rotors is attached to the distal end of the canard; and

at least one of the plurality of tilt rotors is attached to the trailing edge of the forward swept and fixed wing; and

providing the T-tail having a horizontal plane, wherein the horizontal plane of the T-tail is at a height that is higher than the horizontal plane of the forward swept and fixed wing.

15. The method recited in claim 14 , wherein the canard stalls before the forward swept and fixed wing and before the T-tail.

16. An aircraft, comprising:

a canard having a distal end;

a forward swept and fixed wing having a horizontal plane and a trailing edge;

a plurality of tilt rotors, wherein:

at least one of the plurality of tilt rotors is attached to the distal end of the canard; and

at least one of the plurality of tilt rotors is attached to the trailing edge of the forward swept and fixed wing;

a T-tail having a horizontal plane, wherein the horizontal plane of the T-tail is at a height that is higher than the horizontal plane of the forward swept and fixed wing; and

a strake attached to an underside of a fuselage, wherein:

the strake pushes a nose of the aircraft down during a deep stall; and

the fuselage rests on the strake when the aircraft is on ground.

17. An aircraft, comprising:

a canard having a distal end;

a forward swept and fixed wing having a horizontal plane and a trailing edge, wherein:

an inboard section of the forward swept and fixed wing has a twist angle within a range of −5° to 0°, inclusive;

a middle section of the forward swept and fixed wing has a twist angle within a range of 0° to 5°, inclusive; and

an outboard section of the forward swept and fixed wing has a twist angle within a range of −5° to 0°, inclusive;

a plurality of tilt rotors, wherein:

at least one of the plurality of tilt rotors is attached to the distal end of the canard; and

at least one of the plurality of tilt rotors is attached to the trailing edge of the forward swept and fixed wing; and

a T-tail having a horizontal plane, wherein the horizontal plane of the T-tail is at a height that is higher than the horizontal plane of the forward swept and fixed wing.

18. A method, comprising:

providing a canard having a distal end;

providing a forward swept and fixed wing having a horizontal plane and a trailing edge;

providing a plurality of tilt rotors, wherein:

at least one of the plurality of tilt rotors is attached to the distal end of the canard; and

at least one of the plurality of tilt rotors is attached to the trailing edge of the forward swept and fixed wing;

providing a T-tail having a horizontal plane, wherein the horizontal plane of the T-tail is at a height that is higher than the horizontal plane of the forward swept and fixed wing; and

providing a strake attached to an underside of a fuselage, wherein:

the strake pushes a nose of an aircraft down during a deep stall; and

the fuselage rests on the strake when the aircraft is on ground.

19. A method, comprising:

providing a canard having a distal end;

providing a forward swept and fixed wing having a horizontal plane and a trailing edge, wherein:

an inboard section of the forward swept and fixed wing has a twist angle within a range of −5° to 0°, inclusive;

a middle section of the forward swept and fixed wing has a twist angle within a range of 0° to 5°, inclusive; and

an outboard section of the forward swept and fixed wing has a twist angle within a range of −5° to 0°, inclusive;

providing a plurality of tilt rotors, wherein:

at least one of the plurality of tilt rotors is attached to the distal end of the canard; and

at least one of the plurality of tilt rotors is attached to the trailing edge of the forward swept and fixed wing; and

providing a T-tail having a horizontal plane, wherein the horizontal plane of the T-tail is at a height that is higher than the horizontal plane of the forward swept and fixed wing.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2023
From: ONE AERO, LLC
To: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063713/0367 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2022
From: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
To: ONE AERO, LLC
Reel/Frame 059503/0382 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2021
From: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
To: ONE AERO, LLC
Reel/Frame 058029/0610 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 22, 2020
From: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
To: ONE AERO, LLC
Reel/Frame 054206/0714 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 6, 2019
From: SINHA, PRANAY; VANDER LIND, DAMON
To: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051202/0989 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210031911A1 · Feb 4, 2021
Cited By (3)
US 12,263,942 US 12,420,920 US 12,709,387