IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,669,020

Granted Patent B2

US 10,669,020 · App. 15/943,516 · Granted Jun 2, 2020

Rotorcraft with counter-rotating rotor blades capable of simultaneously generating upward lift and forward thrust

Inventor: Anh Vuong (Garland, TX)

B64C27/10 B64C27/20 B64C27/467 B64C27/82 B64C2027/8245 B64C2027/8281

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 10,669,020
App. No.: 15/943,516
Granted: Jun 2, 2020
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

A rotorcraft with counter-rotating rotor blades can hover in place, translate forwards, backwards, or side-to-side irrespective of the airspeed over the rotorcraft. The rotorcraft includes a fuselage, a first axial-flow rotor, a radial-flow rotor, a propulsion funnel, and a plurality of lift funnels. The fuselage is used to house passengers, cargo, flight electronics, and or fuel. The first axial-flow rotor rotates independent of the radial-flow rotor and generates forward thrust for propelling the rotorcraft. The radial-flow rotor in the opposite direction of the first axial-flow rotor and generates upward thrust for lifting the rotorcraft. The airflow generated by the first axial-flow rotor travels through the propulsion funnel and exits out of the back of the rotorcraft. The airflow generated by the radial-flow rotor travels through the plurality of lift funnels which gradually directs the airflow downwards.

Claims (150)

1. A rotorcraft with counter-rotating rotor blades comprises:

a fuselage;

a first axial-flow rotor;

a radial-flow rotor;

a propulsion funnel;

a plurality of lift funnels;

the propulsion funnel comprises a propulsion inlet and a propulsion outlet;

each of the plurality of lift funnels comprises a lift inlet and a lift outlet;

the first axial-flow rotor and the radial-flow rotor being rotatably and laterally mounted to the fuselage;

the first axial-flow rotor being encircled by the radial-flow rotor;

a rotation axis of the first axial-flow rotor and a rotation axis of the radial-flow rotor being coaxially positioned to a yaw axis of the fuselage;

the first axial-flow rotor being in fluid communication with the propulsion inlet;

the propulsion outlet being positioned adjacent to the fuselage;

the propulsion outlet being concentrically positioned around a roll axis of the fuselage;

the radial-flow rotor being in fluid communication with the lift inlet for each of the plurality of lift funnels;

the lift outlet for each of the plurality of lift funnels being positioned around the fuselage; and

the lift outlet for each of the plurality of lift funnels being positioned parallel to the yaw axis of the fuselage.

2. The rotorcraft with counter-rotating rotor blades as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

a first motor;

the first motor being operatively coupled to the first axial-flow rotor wherein the first motor is used to rotate the first axial-flow rotor in a first rotational direction;

the first motor being operatively coupled to the radial-flow rotor, wherein the first motor is used to rotate the first axial-flow rotor in a second rotational direction; and

the first rotational direction being opposite to the second rotational direction.

3. The rotorcraft with counter-rotating rotor blades as claimed in claim 2 comprises:

the first motor comprises a rotational output, a transmission, a drive shaft, a drive tube, and a plurality of spokes;

the rotational output being operatively coupled to the drive shaft through the transmission, wherein the transmission is used to transfer rotation motion at a desired gear ratio from the rotational output to the drive shaft;

the drive shaft being positioned through the drive tube;

the drive tube being counter-rotatably mounted around the drive shaft;

the plurality of spokes and the drive tube being positioned offset from each other along the drive shaft;

the first axial-flow rotor being torsionally connected around the drive tube; and

the radial-flow rotor being torsionally connected to the drive shaft by the plurality of spokes.

4. The rotorcraft with counter-rotating rotor blades as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

an aerodynamic housing;

an intake port;

the aerodynamic housing being mounted adjacent to the fuselage;

the intake port being integrated into the aerodynamic housing;

the first axial-flow rotor and the radial-flow rotor being positioned in between the aerodynamic housing and the fuselage; and

the intake port being in fluid communication with the first axial-flow rotor and the radial-flow rotor.

5. The rotorcraft with counter-rotating rotor blades as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the propulsion funnel being positioned through the fuselage; and

the propulsion funnel tapering from the propulsion inlet to the propulsion outlet.

6. The rotorcraft with counter-rotating rotor blades as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

each of the plurality of lift funnels being mounted about the fuselage;

the plurality of lift funnels being radially mounted around the yaw axis of the fuselage; and

each of the plurality of lift funnels tapering from the lift inlet to the lift outlet.

7. The rotorcraft with counter-rotating rotor blades as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

a second axial-flow rotor;

a tail port;

the tail port being integrated through the fuselage;

the tail port being terminally positioned along the fuselage;

the second axial-flow rotor being rotatably mounted within the fuselage; and

a rotation axis of the second axial-flow rotor being positioned perpendicular and coincident with the pitch axis of the fuselage.

8. The rotorcraft with counter-rotating rotor blades as claimed in claim 7 comprises:

a second motor; and

the second motor being operatively coupled to the second axial-flow rotor, wherein the second motor is used to rotate the second axial-flow rotor.

9. The rotorcraft with counter-rotating rotor blades as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

a pair of horizontal stabilizers;

the pair of horizontal stabilizers being mounted adjacent to the fuselage; and

the pair of horizontal stabilizers being positioned opposite to each other about the fuselage.

10. The rotorcraft with counter-rotating rotor blades as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

a pair of vertical stabilizers;

the pair of vertical stabilizers being mounted adjacent to the fuselage; and

the pair of vertical stabilizers being positioned opposite to each other about the fuselage.

11. The rotorcraft with counter-rotating rotor blades as claimed in claim 10 comprises:

a pair of rudders; and

the pair of rudders being operatively integrated into a corresponding stabilizer from the pair of vertical stabilizers, wherein the pair of rudders is used to selectively guide air flow across the pair of vertical stabilizers.

12. The rotorcraft with counter-rotating rotor blades as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

a tri-wheeled landing gear; and

the tri-wheeled landing gear being laterally mounted to the fuselage, opposite to the first axial-flow rotor and the radial-flow rotor.

13. The rotorcraft with counter-rotating rotor blades as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

a ballast assembly;

a first linear-movement mechanism;

the first linear-movement mechanism being mounted adjacent to the fuselage;

the first linear-movement mechanism being aligned parallel the roll axis of the fuselage; and

the ballast assembly being operatively coupled to the first linear-movement mechanism, wherein the first linear-movement mechanism is used to translate the ballast assembly across the fuselage.

14. The rotorcraft with counter-rotating rotor blades as claimed in claim 13 comprises:

the ballast assembly comprises a ballast weight, a ballast frame, and a second linear-movement mechanism;

the second linear-movement mechanism being mounted onto the ballast frame;

the second linear-movement mechanism being aligned parallel to the pitch axis of the fuselage; and

the ballast weight being operatively coupled to the second linear-movement mechanism, wherein the second linear-movement mechanism is used to translate the ballast assembly across the fuselage.

15. A rotorcraft with counter-rotating rotor blades comprises: