Aircraft with tilting cross-flow fan wings
An aspect provides an aircraft including a fuselage and a cross-flow fan system attached to the fuselage. The cross-flow fan system including a cross-flow fan assembly associated with a rotatable wing member having an exterior aerodynamic surface. In one aspect, there is provided an aircraft with a fuselage having a forward portion and an aft portion; a first cross-flow fan system rotatably attached to the left side of the forward portion of the fuselage; a second cross-flow fan system rotatably attached to the right side of the forward portion of the fuselage; a third cross-flow fan system rotatably attached to the left side of the aft portion of the fuselage; and a fourth cross-flow fan system rotatably attached to the right side of the aft portion of the fuselage.
1. An aircraft comprising:
a fuselage having a forward portion and an aft portion;
a first cross-flow fan system rotatably attached to the left side of the forward portion of the fuselage;
a second cross-flow fan system rotatably attached to the right side of the forward portion of the fuselage;
a third cross-flow fan system rotatably attached to the left side of the aft portion of the fuselage; and
a fourth cross-flow fan system rotatably attached to the right side of the aft portion of the fuselage;
wherein the first and second cross-flow fan systems are each rotatable about a first axis that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage;
wherein the third and fourth cross-flow fan systems are each rotatable about a second axis that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage;
wherein the variable thrust cross-flow fan assembly has a longitudinal axis and comprises 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 have 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, and a control assembly coupled to the plurality of blades, the control assembly operable to change the pitch angle configuration of the plurality of blades to generate a variable thrust;
wherein the control assembly further comprises a control cam that is operable to rotate relative to the first and second driver plates.
2. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the aircraft is configured for flying in a vertical flight mode when the first, second, third, and fourth cross-flow fan systems are rotated to be in a generally vertical position.
3. The aircraft according to claim 2 , wherein the aircraft is configured to generate a yaw control by selectively differentiating a collective power in the first, second, third, and fourth cross-flow fan systems, in any combination so as to produce a desired differential in thrust angle between the left side and right side of the aircraft.
4. The aircraft according to claim 2 , wherein the aircraft is configured to generate a roll control by selectively differentiating a collective power in the first, second, third, and fourth cross-flow fan systems, in any combination so as to produce a desired differential in thrust between the left side and right side of the aircraft.
5. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the aircraft is configured to generate a pitching control of the aircraft by selectively differentiating a collective power in the first, second, third, and fourth cross-flow fan systems, in any combination so as to produce a desired differential in thrust between the forward portion and the aft portion of the aircraft.
6. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the aircraft is configured for flying in a forward flight mode when the first, second, third, and fourth cross-flow fan systems are rotated to be in a generally horizontal position.
7. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth cross-flow fan systems each comprises the variable thrust cross-flow fan assembly supported within a wing member.
8. The aircraft according to claim 7 , wherein the wing member comprises a first housing member and a second housing member, each of the first housing member and the second housing member having an exterior aerodynamic surface.
9. The aircraft according to claim 8 , wherein the exterior aerodynamic surface comprises at least one flap.
10. The aircraft according to claim 9 , wherein the aircraft is configured to generate a roll control by actuating the flap on the first, second, third, and fourth cross-flow fan systems in any combination so as to produce a desired differential of lift between the left side and the right side of the aircraft.
11. The aircraft according to claim 9 , wherein the aircraft is configured to generate a pitching control by actuating the flap on the third and fourth cross-flow fan systems in any combination so as to produce a desired differential of lift between the forward portion and the aft portion of the aircraft.
12. The aircraft according to 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.
13. The aircraft according to 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.
14. An aircraft comprising:
a fuselage having a forward portion and an aft portion;
a first cross-flow fan system rotatably attached to the left side of the forward portion of the fuselage;
a second cross-flow fan system rotatably attached to the right side of the forward portion of the fuselage;
a third cross-flow fan system rotatably attached to the left side of the aft portion of the fuselage; and
a fourth cross-flow fan system rotatably attached to the right side of the aft portion of the fuselage;
wherein the first and second cross-flow fan systems are each rotatable about a first axis that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage;
wherein the third and fourth cross-flow fan systems are each rotatable about a second axis that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage;
wherein the variable thrust cross-flow fan assembly has a longitudinal axis and comprises 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 have 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, and a control assembly coupled to the plurality of blades, the control assembly operable to change the pitch angle configuration of the plurality of blades to generate a variable thrust;
wherein the control assembly further comprises a control cam that is substantially non-rotatable relative to the first and second driver plates.
15. The aircraft according to claim 14 , wherein the aircraft is configured for flying in a vertical flight mode when the first, second, third, and fourth cross-flow fan systems are rotated to be in a generally vertical position.
16. The aircraft according to claim 15 , wherein the aircraft is configured to generate a yaw control by selectively differentiating a collective power in the first, second, third, and fourth cross-flow fan systems, in any combination so as to produce a desired differential in thrust angle between the left side and right side of the aircraft.
17. The aircraft according to claim 15 , wherein the aircraft is configured to generate a roll control by selectively differentiating a collective power in the first, second, third, and fourth cross-flow fan systems, in any combination so as to produce a desired differential in thrust between the left side and right side of the aircraft.
18. The aircraft according to claim 14 , wherein the aircraft is configured to generate a pitching control of the aircraft by selectively differentiating a collective power in the first, second, third, and fourth cross-flow fan systems, in any combination so as to produce a desired differential in thrust between the forward portion and the aft portion of the aircraft.
19. The aircraft according to claim 14 , wherein the plurality of pitch angle configurations includes at least one upward thrust configuration, a neutral configuration, and at least one downward thrust configuration.
20. The aircraft according to claim 14 , wherein the plurality of pitch angle configurations includes at least one right thrust configuration, a neutral configuration and at least one left thrust configuration.
21. The aircraft according to claim 14 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth cross-flow fan systems each comprises the variable thrust cross-flow fan assembly supported within a wing member.
22. The aircraft according to claim 21 , wherein the wing member comprises a first housing member and a second housing member, each of the first housing member and the second housing member having an exterior aerodynamic surface.
23. The aircraft according to claim 22 , wherein the exterior aerodynamic surface comprises at least one flap.