Flying apparatus

Abstract

Provided is a flying apparatus capable of effectively cooling an engine during flight.　A flying apparatus 10 comprises an airframe 19, a rotor 14, an engine 20, a cooling portion 11, and an airflow guide portion 15. The cooling portion 11 comprises an engine-side heat exchanging portion 111, an outer-side heat exchanging portion 112, and a medium transporting portion 113. The engine-side heat exchanging portion 111 is configured to exchange heat with the engine 20. The outer-side heat exchanging portion 112 is configured to exchange heat with the outside. The medium transporting portion 113 is configured to transport a heat transport medium 114 between the engine-side heat exchanging portion 111 and the outer-side heat exchanging portion 112. The wind guide portion 15 is disposed between the rotor 14 and the outer-side heat exchanging portion 112.

Description

Flying device

[0001] The present invention relates to a flying device, and particularly to a flying device that drives a rotor by an engine.

[0002] Conventionally, flying devices capable of flying unmanned in the air have been known. Such flying devices can fly in the air by the thrust of a rotor rotating around a vertical axis.

[0003] Examples of the application fields of such flying devices include the transportation field, the surveying field, and the photography field. When applying a flying device to such fields, surveying equipment or photographic equipment is installed on the flying device. By applying the flying device to such fields, the flying device can be flown in areas where people cannot enter, and transportation, photography, and surveying of such areas can be performed. Inventions related to such flying devices are described in, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2.

[0004] In a general flying device, the above-mentioned rotor rotates by the power supplied from a battery mounted on the flying device. However, since the amount of energy supplied by the battery is not always sufficient, in order to achieve continuous flight over a long period of time, flying devices equipped with an engine have also emerged. In such a flying device, the driving force of the engine rotates a generator, and the power generated by the generator rotationally drives the rotor. Since the engine and the generator are connected in series in the path through which energy is supplied from the power source to the rotor in a flying device having such a configuration, it is also referred to as a series-type hybrid drone. By using such a flying device for photography or surveying, extensive photography and surveying can be performed. A flying device equipped with an engine is described in, for example, Patent Document 3. In addition, a parallel-type hybrid drone that mechanically rotates the main rotor by the driving force of the engine and rotates the sub-rotor by a motor is also gradually emerging.

[0005] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-51545, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-24,0242, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-251,678

[0006] However, in the conventional flying devices described above, there was room for improvement in the engine cooling mechanism.

[0007] Specifically, when an aircraft is equipped with an engine, a cooling mechanism is required to cool the engine. Due to its high cooling efficiency, a water-cooled cooling system is often used. This water-cooled system includes a radiator that exchanges heat with the outside air.

[0008] On the other hand, since flying devices float and move in the air, it was not easy to determine the ideal placement of radiators in such devices. For example, if the radiator is placed directly below the rotor, the airflow generated by the rotor's rotation will be obstructed by the radiator, potentially reducing the thrust obtained from the rotor's rotation. Furthermore, since the airflow generated by the rotor's rotation is a swirling flow, if this swirling flow enters the radiator at an incline, the efficiency of heat exchange in the radiator may decrease.

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide an aircraft that can effectively cool a water-cooled engine during flight.

[0010] The present invention provides an aircraft body, a rotor, an engine, and a cooling unit, wherein the cooling unit includes an engine-side heat exchange unit that exchanges heat with the engine, an external-side heat exchange unit that exchanges heat with the outside by passing through the airflow generated by the rotation of the rotor, and a medium transport unit that transports a heat transport medium between the engine-side heat exchange unit and the external-side heat exchange unit, and the external-side heat exchange unit is disposed above the rotor. According to the present invention, because the external-side heat exchange unit is disposed above the rotor, the external-side heat exchange unit does not obstruct the airflow generated by the rotation of the rotor, so that more thrust can be obtained from the rotor, energy consumption during flight can be reduced, and continuous flight time can be extended.

[0011] Furthermore, in the flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the external heat exchange unit is arranged upstream of the rotor in the airflow generated by the rotation of the rotor. According to the flying device of the present invention, the thrust generated by the rotation of the rotor can be further increased.

[0012] Furthermore, in an embodiment of the present invention, the aircraft is further provided with an air guide, the air guide is disposed between the rotor and the external heat exchange section, and the air guide has an air guide body, a first opening, and a second opening, the air guide body is a wind tunnel extending from the external heat exchange section toward the upper surface of the rotor, the first opening is opened so as to face the external heat exchange section, and the second opening is opened so as to face the upper surface of the rotor. According to the aircraft of the present invention, the air guide is disposed between the external heat exchange section and the rotor, the first opening of the air guide is opened so as to face the external heat exchange section, and the second opening is opened so as to face the rotor, so that the airflow generated by the rotation of the rotor can effectively cool the external heat exchange section. Furthermore, since the external heat exchange section does not obstruct the airflow generated by the rotor, a large thrust can be obtained as the rotor rotates.

[0013] Furthermore, in the flying device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the external heat exchange unit is characterized in that it is attached to the side of the aircraft. According to the flying device of the present invention, by attaching the external heat exchange unit to the side of the aircraft, the adverse effects of the heavy external heat exchange unit on the weight distribution and flight operation of the flying device can be reduced.

[0014] Furthermore, in the flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the second opening is characterized in that it is located near the outer edge of the rotor. According to the flying device of the present invention, since the airflow rate generated by the rotation of the rotor is large near the outer edge of the rotor, the external heat exchange section can be effectively cooled by the large airflow rate.

[0015] Furthermore, in the flying device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the opening area of ​​the second opening is smaller than the opening area of ​​the first opening. According to the flying device of the present invention, by reducing the opening area of ​​the second opening provided above the rotor, it is possible to effectively suppress obstruction of the airflow generated by the rotation of the rotor near the top of the rotor.

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an aircraft that can effectively cool a water-cooled engine during flight.

[0017] This is a top view showing a flight device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a perspective view showing a flight device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a perspective view showing a flight device according to an embodiment of the present invention from a different angle. This is a side view showing a flight device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a perspective view showing the air guide section of a flight device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a side view and a bottom view showing the air guide section of a flight device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a block diagram showing the connection configuration the cooling section of a flight device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a top view showing a flight device according to another embodiment of the present invention. This is a top view showing a flight device according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] The configuration of this flying device will be described below with reference to the diagram. In the following description, the same reference numerals will be used for parts having the same configuration, and repeated explanations will be omitted. In the following description, the directions of up, down, front, back, left, and right will be used, but these directions are used for the convenience of explanation. The flying device 10 is also called a drone, and more specifically, a hybrid drone. Furthermore, in the following description, "front" refers to the front side in the direction of travel of the flying device 10, and "rear" refers to the rear side in the direction of travel of the flying device 10. Furthermore, in the following description, the side away from the aircraft 19 may be called the "outside," and the side approaching the aircraft 19 may be called the "inside."

[0019] Figure 1 is a top view of the flying device 10. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the flying device 10. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the flying device 10 from a different angle. Figure 4 is a side view of the flying device 10.

[0020] The flight device 10 comprises an airframe 19, a rotor 14, an engine 20, a cooling unit 11, and an air guide unit 15.

[0021] Specifically, the flight device 10 is an engine-powered drone equipped with an engine 20, which flies using the energy generated when the engine 20 is running. The flight device 10 can be a series hybrid drone or a parallel hybrid drone. In a series hybrid drone, the engine 20 drives a generator 21 (described later), and a motor 25 (described later), powered by the generator 21, rotates a rotor 14 (described later). In a parallel hybrid drone, in addition to the electrical drive system that rotates the rotor 14 with the motor 25, there is a mechanical drive system that mechanically rotates another rotor 14 with the engine 20.

[0022] The airframe 19 is the main body that supports the engine 20 and other equipment that make up the flight device 10, and is made of synthetic resin, metal, or a composite material thereof. Here, the airframe 19 is constructed by assembling pipe-shaped members into a frame. When the flight device 10 is viewed from above, the outer edge of the airframe 19 has a roughly octagonal shape.

[0023] The rotor 14 generates thrust for the aircraft body 19 to float by rotating. The rotor 14 has a first rotor 141 and a second rotor 142. The first rotor 141 is located on the left side of the aircraft body 19. The second rotor 142 is located on the right side of the aircraft body 19. The first rotor 141 and the second rotor 142 are rotors that are mechanically driven to rotate by, for example, an engine 20. The rotor 14 may also be rotated by a generator driven by the engine 20 or a motor powered by a battery. In this embodiment, the rotation range of the first rotor 141 is referred to as the first rotation range 281, and the rotation range of the second rotor 142 is referred to as the second rotation range 282.

[0024] The engine 20 generates power for the first rotor 141 and the second rotor 142 to rotate. The engine 20 is built into the aircraft body 19. In this embodiment, the engine 20 is a water-cooled engine that uses water as a heat exchange medium.

[0025] Multiple arms 12 extend outwards from the aircraft body 19. The arms 12 include a first arm 121 and a second arm 122. The first arm 121 extends to the left from the aircraft body 19. The second arm 122 extends to the right from the aircraft body 19. Although not shown here, the arms 12 may also include arms extending to the front left, front right, rear left, and rear right from the aircraft body 19. Furthermore, rotors may be provided at the outer ends of these arms 12, which are rotationally driven by motors to control the position and attitude of the flight device 10 in the air.

[0026] The cooling unit 11 is a component that cools the engine 20. Specifically, the cooling unit 11 is a water-cooled cooling mechanism that exchanges heat between the engine 20, which is built into the aircraft body 19, and the external atmosphere by circulating a heat transport medium such as water. This prevents the engine 20 from overheating during flight and allows the flight device 10 to fly stably. The specific configuration of the cooling unit 11 will be described later with reference to Figures 2 and subsequent figures.

[0027] The external heat exchanger 112 is a component of the cooling unit 11 and is configured to exchange heat with the external atmosphere. The external heat exchanger 112 is also called a radiator. The external heat exchanger 112 is a heat exchanger with a fin-and-tube mechanism. The fins constituting the external heat exchanger 112 are made of steel plates such as aluminum and are arranged at equal intervals along the left-right direction. The tubes constituting the external heat exchanger 112 extend along the left-right direction so as to penetrate these fins. The external heat exchanger 112 is also located outside the first rotation range 281. Therefore, the airflow generated by the rotation of the first rotor 141 passes through the fins and tubes constituting the external heat exchanger 112, and is not directly obstructed by the external heat exchanger 112. Furthermore, the external heat exchanger 112 is located upstream of the rotor 14 in the airflow generated by the rotation of the rotor 14. Furthermore, the external heat exchange section 112 is not subjected to the downwash generated by the rotation of the rotor 14. Therefore, the external heat exchange section 112 does not hinder the thrust generated from the first rotor 141.

[0028] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the external heat exchange unit 112 is installed on the outward-facing surface of the aircraft body 19. Specifically, the side surface of the external heat exchange unit 112 is positioned on a surface that intersects with the rotation plane of the rotor 14. More specifically, the side surface of the external heat exchange unit 112 is positioned on a surface that is substantially perpendicular to the rotation plane of the rotor 14. This allows for a further increase in the airflow in the air passage formed between the rotor 14 and the external heat exchange unit 112. It also allows for further miniaturization of the external heat exchange unit 112. The upper and lower ends of the external heat exchange unit 112 are provided with connection ports for connecting to the engine-side heat exchange unit 111, which will be described later, via pipes. During flight of the aircraft 10, water is introduced from one connection port, and the water that has undergone heat exchange in the external heat exchange unit 112 is discharged to the outside from the other connection port.

[0029] Referring to Figure 1, the flight device 10 has external heat exchange units 112 located on the front left side and the front right side, respectively.

[0030] The air guide section 15 is a wind tunnel disposed between the rotor 14 and the external heat exchange section 112. The air guide section 15 is disposed in the front left portion and the front right portion of the machine body 19, respectively, corresponding to the external heat exchange section 112. The inner end of the air guide section 15 in the width direction is connected to the external heat exchange section 112. On the other hand, the outer end of the air guide section 15 in the width direction is disposed inside the first rotation range 281 and the second rotation range 282. By distributing the air guide section 15 between the rotor 14 and the external heat exchange section 112, the rotational air generated by the rotation of the rotor 14 can promote heat exchange in the external heat exchange section 112.

[0031] In a top view, the air guide section 15 extends along the rotational direction of the rotor 14. Specifically, the first rotation range 281 rotates counterclockwise in a top view. The air guide section 15 extends along the counterclockwise rotational direction of the first rotation range 281. More specifically, the orientation of the air tunnel of the air guide section 15 is along the tangent to the vicinity of the outer edge of the first rotation range 281 in the area where the air guide section 15 is installed. With this configuration, the airflow generated by the rotation of the first rotor 141 passes smoothly through the inside of the air guide section 15, promoting heat exchange in the external heat exchange section 112. The same applies to the air guide section 15 installed on the right side.

[0032] Referring to Figure 4, the air guide section 15 and the external heat exchange section 112 are arranged above the first rotor 141 and the first rotation range 281. With this configuration, the suction air generated by the rotation of the first rotor 141 passes through the air guide section 15 and the external heat exchange section 112. As the first rotor 141 rotates, a downwash is generated below the first rotor 141, and this downwash is a swirling flow corresponding to the rotation of the first rotor 141. Therefore, if the external heat exchange section 112 were arranged below the first rotor 141, the swirling downwash would be blown onto the external heat exchange section 112, potentially reducing the efficiency of heat exchange in the external heat exchange section 112. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the external heat exchange section 112 is arranged above the first rotor 141. In other words, in the airflow generated by the rotation of the first rotor 141, the external heat exchange section 112 is located upstream of the first rotor 141. Therefore, the suction air generated by the rotation of the first rotor 141 passes through the external heat exchange section 112. Thus, the suction air generated by the rotation of the first rotor 141 passes through the external heat exchange section 112, thereby promoting heat exchange in the external heat exchange section 112.

[0033] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the external heat exchange unit 112 is provided on the aircraft body 19. Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the external heat exchange unit 112 is arranged on the side facing outward from the engine 20. By providing the heavy external heat exchange unit 112 on the aircraft body 19, the inertia generated from the external heat exchange unit 112 during flight can be reduced. Moreover, the airflow generated by the rotation of the first rotor 141 flows in the following order: outside the aircraft body 19, inside the aircraft body 19, external heat exchange unit 112, air guide 15, and below the first rotor 141. Therefore, the external heat exchange unit 112 is located upstream of the airflow generated by the rotation of the first rotor 141. Thus, the external heat exchange unit 112 can be effectively cooled by the airflow generated by the rotation of the first rotor 141 without reducing the thrust of the first rotor 141.

[0034] Figure 5A is a perspective view showing the air guide section 15 of the flight device 10. Figure 5B is a side view and a bottom view showing the air guide section 15 of the flight device 10.

[0035] Referring to Figures 5A and 5B, the air guide section 15 is a wind tunnel having a first opening 151, a second opening 152, and an air guide section body 153. The air guide section body 153 is a curved wind tunnel in both top and side views. In a top view, as shown in Figure 1, the air guide section body 153 curves along the vicinity of the outer edge of the first rotation range 281. Also, as shown in Figure 5A, in a side view, the air guide section body 153 curves smoothly downward toward the left. Furthermore, in a side view, the air guide section body 153 curves so that the left side is more inclined downward. This shape facilitates the generation of downwash in the first rotor 141 as described above.

[0036] The first opening 151 is a roughly rectangular opening. As shown in Figure 1, the first opening 151 is positioned to face the internal space of the aircraft body 19. The external heat exchange section 112 is attached to the first opening 151. That is, the first opening 151 has an area approximately the same as that of the external heat exchange section 112. In other words, the air guide section 15 communicates with the internal space of the aircraft body 19 through the external heat exchange section 112 at the first opening 151.

[0037] The second opening 152 is a substantially rectangular opening. As shown in Figure 4, the second opening 152 opens downward on the upper surface of the first rotor 141 and the first rotation range 281. Furthermore, the second opening 152 opens so as to face the upper surface of the first rotor 141, that is, the first rotation range 281, which is a virtual surface formed by the rotation of the first rotor 141. The opening surface forming the second opening 152 is substantially parallel to the first rotation range 281. With this configuration, during the flight of the aircraft 10, the air expelled from the second opening 152 can be effectively guided towards the first rotor 141.

[0038] Furthermore, the opening area of ​​the second opening 152 is smaller than the opening area of ​​the first opening 151. Specifically, the opening area of ​​the second opening 152 is 1 / 2 or less of the opening area of ​​the first opening 151, and preferably 1 / 4 or less. By doing so, the area occupied by the second opening 152 above the first rotor 141 is reduced, and the influence of the air guide section 15 on the airflow generated by the rotation of the first rotor 141 can be reduced. In addition, because the opening area of ​​the second opening 152 is smaller than that of the first opening 151, the flow velocity of the air blown downward from the second opening 152 can be increased, thereby strengthening the downwash generated by the rotation of the first rotor 141.

[0039] The air guide body 153 is a wind tunnel that curves from the external heat exchange section 112 to the upper surface of the first rotor 141. As shown in Figure 1, the air guide body 153 of the air guide section 15 curves from the side of the machine body 19 toward the outer circumference of the first rotation range 281. The air guide section 15 also curves along the outer edge of the first rotation range 281. With this configuration, the swirling air generated by the rotation of the first rotation range 281 is actively directed into the air guide section 15, enabling effective heat exchange in the external heat exchange section 112. Furthermore, the air guide body 153 in the portion immediately adjacent to the first opening 151 extends substantially horizontally. This allows for the formation of a flow substantially perpendicular to the surface of the external heat exchange section 112 attached to the first opening 151. In addition, the air guide body 153 in the portion immediately adjacent to the second opening 152 extends substantially vertically. In this way, the air that has passed through the air guide body 153 can be effectively supplied to the first rotor 141 as described above.

[0040] With the above configuration, the external heat exchange unit 112, which is a radiator, can be positioned upstream of the first rotor 141 in the airflow generated by the rotation of the first rotor 141. That is, the airflow generated by the rotation of the first rotor 141 flows in the following order: outside, inside the aircraft body 19, external heat exchange unit 112, first opening 151, air guide unit 15, second opening 152, first rotor 141, and below the first rotor 141. Therefore, this airflow first cools the engine, battery, and various electrical components located inside the aircraft body 19. Next, this airflow passes through the external heat exchange unit 112, and through the pipes and fins that constitute the external heat exchange unit 112, cools the water, which is the heat transport medium, and thereby cools the engine. Next, this airflow passes through the first opening 151, the air guide unit body 153, and the second opening 152, and is discharged above the first rotor 141. This airflow effectively cools the heat-generating components of the aircraft 10, such as the engine, without significantly affecting the thrust generated by the rotation of the first rotor 141.

[0041] Figure 6 is a block diagram showing the connection configuration of the flying device 10.

[0042] The flying device 10 mainly includes an arithmetic control unit 23, an engine 20, a generator 21, a battery 18, a power conversion unit 24, a motor 25, a rotor 14, and a cooling unit 11. Here, the rotor 14 is for controlling the position and attitude of the flying device 10 in the air and is not shown in FIG. 1 and the like.

[0043] The arithmetic control unit 23 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc., and controls the behavior of each device constituting the flying device 10 based on inputs from various sensors and controllers not shown here. Further, the arithmetic control unit 23 also includes a flight controller that controls the rotational speed of each rotor 14 based on inputs from various sensors.

[0044] The engine 20 operates based on an input signal from the arithmetic control unit 23 and generates energy for the flying device 10 to fly.

[0045] The generator 21 is a device that generates electric power using the driving force of the engine 20.

[0046] The battery 18 is interposed between the generator 21 and the power conversion unit 24. The battery 18 is charged by the generator 21. The electric power discharged from the battery 18 is supplied to the power conversion unit 24 described later.

[0047] The power conversion unit 24 is provided corresponding to each rotor 14. As the power conversion unit 24, a converter and an inverter that convert the AC power supplied from the generator 21 into AC power of a predetermined frequency after once converting it into DC power can be adopted. Further, as the power conversion unit 24, an inverter that converts the DC power supplied from the battery 18 into a predetermined frequency can be adopted.

[0048] The motor 25 is provided corresponding to each rotor 14. The rotor 14 rotates at a predetermined speed by the electric power supplied from the power conversion unit 24. The motor 25 rotates the rotor 14.

[0049] The cooling unit 11 is a component device that cools the engine 20. The cooling unit 11 includes an engine-side heat exchanger 111, an external-side heat exchanger 112, and a medium transport unit 113.

[0050] The engine-side heat exchange unit 111 is a device that exchanges heat with the engine 20. The engine-side heat exchange unit 111 is, for example, a water jacket formed around a piston formed inside the engine-side heat exchange unit 111.

[0051] The external heat exchange unit 112 is a device that exchanges heat between the heat transport medium 114 and the external atmosphere. The configuration of the external heat exchange unit 112 is as described in Figure 1, etc.

[0052] The media transport unit 113 transports the heat transport medium 114 between the engine-side heat exchange unit 111 and the external-side heat exchange unit 112. For example, water can be used as the heat transport medium 114. The media transport unit 113 can be, for example, a PVC pipe.

[0053] The cooling unit 11 allows for effective cooling of the engine 20, which generates heat during flight, and prevents overheating of the engine 20 during flight.

[0054] Figure 7 is a block diagram showing the connection configuration of the cooling unit 11 of the flight device 10.

[0055] The cooling unit 11 includes an engine-side heat exchange unit 111, a medium transport unit 113, an external-side heat exchange unit 112, and a water pump 17, and is a circulation path for circulating the heat transport medium 114.

[0056] The configurations of the engine-side heat exchange unit 111, the medium transport unit 113, and the external-side heat exchange unit 112 are as described above.

[0057] The water pump 17 is the part that generates pressure for the circulation of cooling water, which acts as a heat transport medium 114, between the various components that make up the cooling unit 11.

[0058] When the engine 20 is operating during flight of the aircraft 10, the cooling water is circulated between the engine-side heat exchange unit 111, the medium transport unit 113, the external heat exchange unit 112, and the water pump 17 by the driving force of the water pump 17. As the cooling water passes through the engine-side heat exchange unit 111, it is heated by exchanging heat with the engine 20. As the cooling water passes through the external heat exchange unit 112, it is cooled by exchanging heat with the outside air. In this way, overheating of the engine 20 during flight of the aircraft 10 is prevented.

[0059] Figure 8 is a top view showing another embodiment of the present invention, a flight device 10.

[0060] The basic configuration of the aircraft 10 shown in Figure 8 is, in principle, the same as that of the aircraft 10 shown in Figure 1, except for the configuration of the external heat exchange unit 112, which is a radiator. Here, the external heat exchange unit 112 is positioned above the first rotation range 281. That is, focusing on the first rotation range 281 on the left side of the paper, the external heat exchange unit 112 is positioned so as to protrude to the left from the left side of the aircraft body 19. The external heat exchange unit 112 also extends toward the rotation center of the first rotor 141. Here, the entire external heat exchange unit 112 may be positioned inside the outer edge of the first rotation range 281, or only a part of it may be positioned inside the outer edge of the first rotation range 281.

[0061] Furthermore, the largest surface of the external heat exchange section 112 (the surface through which air passes) is approximately parallel to the surface constituting the first rotation range 281. Therefore, the external heat exchange section 112 is positioned above the outer peripheral end of the first rotation range 281. As a result, the airflow generated by the rotation of the first rotor 141 passes through the external heat exchange section 112, thereby promoting heat exchange in the external heat exchange section 112. Here again, since the external heat exchange section 112 is not positioned below the first rotor 141, the thrust generated by the rotation of the first rotor 141 is suppressed from being reduced by the external heat exchange section 112. In addition, the aforementioned air guide section 15 may be positioned below the external heat exchange section 112, that is, between the external heat exchange section 112 and the first rotation range 281. In this case, the air guide section 15 is approximately the same size as the external heat exchange section 112, has a roughly box-like shape with openings on both its upper and lower surfaces, and is attached to the lower surface of the external heat exchange section 112.

[0062] The above-described configuration is also the same for the right portion of the flight device 10. Specifically, the external heat exchange unit 112 is arranged to protrude to the right from the right side of the aircraft body 19. Furthermore, the external heat exchange unit 112 is arranged above the outer edge of the second rotation range 282.

[0063] If the external heat exchange unit 112 were positioned below the first rotor 141, the airflow generated downwards by the rotation of the first rotor 141 would contain a swirling component, resulting in a highly turbulent flow. Therefore, if the external heat exchange unit 112 were to be cooled by the airflow generated downwards by the rotation of the first rotor 141, heat exchange in the external heat exchange unit 112 would not be efficient. In other words, a large pressure loss would occur in the external heat exchange unit 112, hindering the upward thrust generated by the rotation of the first rotor 141. For example, approximately 5% of the thrust generated by the rotation of the first rotor 141 would be reduced by the presence of the external heat exchange unit 112 below the first rotor 141. Furthermore, because the airflow generated downwards by the rotation of the first rotor 141 is a turbulent swirling flow, effective heat exchange cannot occur in the external heat exchange unit 112.

[0064] On the other hand, in the present invention, the external heat exchange section 112 is arranged above the first rotor 141, that is, upstream of the first rotor 141 in the airflow. Therefore, the airflow drawn into the first rotor 141 passes through the external heat exchange section 112. This airflow is aligned toward the first rotor 141 and is a non-swirling or slightly swirling flow. Therefore, as this airflow passes through the external heat exchange section 112, heat exchange in the external heat exchange section 112 can be performed effectively.

[0065] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the external heat exchange section 112 is a fin-and-tube type heat exchanger. Therefore, the external heat exchange section 112 has many small gaps in a matrix shape through which the airflow generated by the rotation of the first rotor 141 passes. Thus, in order to cool the external heat exchange section 112, the airflow formed on the upper side of the first rotor 141, that is, on the upstream side of the airflow, is preferable. By doing so, the pressure loss that occurs when the airflow passes through the external heat exchange section 112 can be reduced, the heat exchange efficiency can be improved, and the noise generated when the air passes through the external heat exchange section 112 can be reduced.

[0066] Figure 9 is a top view showing a flight device 10 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0067] The configuration of the flying device 10 shown in Figure 9 is substantially the same as the configuration of the flying device 10 shown in Figure 1. Here, the external heat exchange section 112 extends linearly toward the first rotor 141.

[0068] Specifically, first, an external heat exchange unit 112 is installed on the left side of the aircraft body 19. The largest surface of the external heat exchange unit 112 is approximately perpendicular to the surface that constitutes the first rotation range 281. An air guide unit 15 is provided on the external heat exchange unit 112.

[0069] As described above, the air guide section 15 is a wind tunnel having a first opening 151 and a second opening 152. The first opening 151 is an opening facing to the right, into which the external heat exchange section 112 is fitted. The second opening 152 is an opening facing downward and is located above the first rotation range 281. With this configuration, the rotation of the first rotor 141 generates airflow, which flows out above the first rotation range 281 after passing through the inside of the machine body 19, the external heat exchange section 112, the first opening 151, the inside of the air guide section 15, and the second opening 152. As a result, heat exchange in the external heat exchange section 112 is promoted, and the engine 20 can be effectively cooled.

[0070] The same configuration applies to the external heat exchange section 112 and the air guide section 15, which are located on the right side of the aircraft body 19.

[0071] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0072] For example, referring to Figure 8, the flight device 10 can be constructed by omitting the air guide section 15. By doing so, the number of parts required for the flight device 10 can be reduced, thereby lowering costs.

[0073] The inventions that can be understood from the embodiments described above, along with their effects, are described below.

[0074] An embodiment of the present invention comprises an airframe, a rotor, an engine, a cooling unit, and an air guide unit, wherein the cooling unit includes an engine-side heat exchange unit that exchanges heat with the engine, an external-side heat exchange unit that exchanges heat with the outside, and a medium transport unit that transports a heat transport medium between the engine-side heat exchange unit and the external-side heat exchange unit, and the air guide unit is disposed between the rotor and the external-side heat exchange unit. According to the present invention, by arranging the air guide unit between the rotor and the external-side heat exchange unit, the rotational air generated by the rotation of the rotor can promote heat exchange in the external-side heat exchange unit. Therefore, the engine can be effectively cooled.

[0075] Furthermore, in the flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the air guide is characterized in that it is disposed between the upper side of the rotor and the external heat exchange section. According to the flying device of the present invention, the stable suction force generated by the rotation of the rotor can be used to ventilate the external heat exchange section, thereby promoting heat exchange in the external heat exchange section.

[0076] Furthermore, in the flying device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the side surface of the external heat exchanger is arranged on a surface that intersects with the rotational surface of the rotor. According to the flying device of the present invention, the airflow in the air passage formed between the rotor and the external heat exchanger can be increased. In addition, the external heat exchanger can be made smaller.

[0077] Furthermore, in the flying device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the side surface of the external heat exchanger is arranged on a plane substantially perpendicular to the rotation plane of the rotor. According to the flying device of the present invention, the airflow in the air passage formed between the rotor and the external heat exchanger can be further increased. In addition, the external heat exchanger can be further miniaturized.

[0078] Furthermore, in the flying device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the air guide section is characterized in that, in a top view, it extends along the direction of rotation of the rotor. According to the flying device of the present invention, the suction force generated by the rotation of the rotor can increase the airflow inside the air guide section.

[0079] Furthermore, in the flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the air guide is characterized in that it is a wind tunnel having a first opening on the side of the external heat exchanger and a second opening on the side of the rotor. According to the flying device of the present invention, since a wind tunnel is formed between the external heat exchanger and the rotor, the air for heat exchange with the external heat exchanger flows well through the wind tunnel, thereby promoting heat exchange in the external heat exchanger.

[0080] Furthermore, in the flying device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the external heat exchange unit is provided on the aircraft body. According to the flying device of the present invention, by providing the heavy external heat exchange unit on the aircraft body, the inertia generated from the external heat exchange unit during flight can be reduced.

[0081] Furthermore, in the flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the external heat exchange unit is positioned upstream of the rotor in the airflow generated by the rotor's rotation. According to the flying device of the present invention, by positioning the external heat exchange unit upstream of the rotor in the airflow, air can be stably supplied to the external heat exchange unit.

[0082] 10 Flight device 11 Cooling unit 111 Engine-side heat exchange unit 112 External-side heat exchange unit 113 Medium transport unit 114 Heat transport medium 12 Arm 121 First arm 122 Second arm 14 Rotor 141 First rotor 142 Second rotor 15 Air guide unit 151 First opening 152 Second opening 153 Air guide unit body 17 Water pump 18 Battery 19 Airframe 20 Engine 21 Generator 23 Calculation control unit 24 Power conversion unit 25 Motor 281 First rotation range 282 Second rotation range

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising an airframe, a rotor, an engine, and a cooling unit, wherein the cooling unit comprises an engine-side heat exchange unit that exchanges heat with the engine, an external-side heat exchange unit that exchanges heat with the outside by passing through an airflow generated by the rotation of the rotor, and a medium transport unit that transports a heat transport medium between the engine-side heat exchange unit and the external-side heat exchange unit, and the external-side heat exchange unit is disposed above the rotor.

2. The aircraft according to claim 1, characterized in that the external heat exchange unit is disposed on the upstream side of the rotor in the airflow generated by the rotation of the rotor.

3. The aircraft according to claim 1, further comprising an air guide section, the air guide section being disposed between the rotor and the external heat exchange section, the air guide section having an air guide section body, a first opening, and a second opening, the air guide section body being a wind tunnel extending from the external heat exchange section toward the upper surface of the rotor, the first opening opening so as to face the external heat exchange section, and the second opening opening so as to face the upper surface of the rotor.

4. The flight device according to claim 3, characterized in that the external heat exchange unit is attached to the side of the aircraft body.

5. The flight device according to claim 3, characterized in that the second opening is disposed near the outer edge of the rotor.

6. The flight device according to claim 3, characterized in that the opening area of ​​the second opening is smaller than the opening area of ​​the first opening.

7. An aircraft comprising an airframe, a rotor, an engine, a cooling section, and an air guide section, wherein the cooling section includes an engine-side heat exchange section for exchanging heat with the engine, an external-side heat exchange section for exchanging heat with the outside, and a medium transport section for transporting a heat transport medium between the engine-side heat exchange section and the external-side heat exchange section, and the air guide section is disposed between the upper side of the rotor and the external-side heat exchange section, and is configured to extend along the rotational direction of the rotor in a top view, and is a wind tunnel having a first opening on the side of the external-side heat exchange section and a second opening on the side of the rotor.

8. The aircraft device according to claim 7, characterized in that the side surface of the external heat exchanger is arranged on a surface that intersects with the rotational surface of the rotor.

9. The aircraft device according to claim 7, characterized in that the side surface of the external heat exchanger is arranged on a plane substantially perpendicular to the rotation plane of the rotor.

10. The flight device according to claim 7, characterized in that the external heat exchange unit is provided in the aircraft body.

11. The aircraft device according to claim 7, characterized in that the external heat exchange section is disposed upstream of the rotor in the airflow generated by the rotation of the rotor.

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