High-speed VTOL drive-shaft systems and methods
An aircraft includes a fuselage, a pylon, a wing positioned between the fuselage and the pylon, and a plurality of drive shafts located inside the wing and adapted to drive a rotor associated with the pylon.
1. An aircraft comprising:
a fuselage;
a pylon;
a wing positioned between the fuselage and the pylon;
a rotor associated with the pylon; and
a plurality of drive shafts located inside the wing;
wherein the plurality of drive shafts comprise a first drive shaft and a second drive shaft that are positioned alongside each other and extend along at least a portion of a longitudinal length of the wing between the fuselage and the pylon, and are separated by a gap that extends along at least a portion of the longitudinal length of the wing between the fuselage and the pylon.
2. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the pylon is a converting pylon.
3. The aircraft of claim 2 , comprising a wing gearbox interoperably coupled to the plurality of drive shafts and outputting torque to drive the rotor via a single shaft.
4. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the pylon is a fixed pylon.
5. The aircraft of claim 1 , comprising a convertible engine operable in a turboshaft mode and a turbofan mode.
6. The aircraft of claim 5 , wherein the convertible engine is located in the fuselage.
7. The aircraft of claim 1 , comprising:
a first engine adapted to drive the rotor; and
a second engine adapted to operate in a turbofan mode.
8. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft is a vertical-takeoff-and-landing (“VTOL”) aircraft.
9. The aircraft of claim 1 , comprising a gearbox located within the pylon.
10. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the wing is a straight wing.
11. The aircraft of claim 10 , wherein the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft of the plurality of drive shafts are parallel to one another.
12. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the wing is a swept wing.
13. The aircraft of claim 12 , wherein the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft of the plurality of drive shafts are non-parallel to one another.
14. An aircraft comprising:
a wing positioned between a fuselage and a pylon of the aircraft;
a convertible engine;
a rotor associated with the pylon; and
a plurality of drive shafts located in the wing;
wherein the plurality of drive shafts comprise a first drive shaft and a second drive shaft that are positioned alongside each other and extend along at least a portion of a longitudinal length of the wing between the fuselage and the pylon, and are separated by a gap that extends along at least a portion of the longitudinal length of the wing between the fuselage and the pylon.
15. The aircraft of claim 14 , wherein the convertible engine is operable in a turbofan mode and a turboshaft mode.
16. The aircraft of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of drive shafts are parallel to one another.
17. The aircraft of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of drive shafts are non-parallel to one another.
18. A method of powering an aircraft, the method comprising:
generating torque, via a convertible engine operable in a turbofan mode and a turboshaft mode;
a plurality of drive shafts located within a wing of the aircraft:
receiving the generated torque; and
transmitting torque to drive a rotor associated with a pylon of the aircraft;
wherein the plurality of drive shafts comprise a first drive shaft and a second drive shaft that are positioned alongside each other and extend along at least a portion of a longitudinal length of the wing between a fuselage and the pylon, and are separated by a gap that extends along at least a portion of the longitudinal length of the wing between the fuselage and the pylon.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein:
the transmitting is performed via a wing gearbox and a pylon gearbox; and
the pylon is a converting pylon.