Electric aircraft

Abstract

Provided is an electric aircraft capable of reliably performing ice protection of a wing without providing a new device or the like on the wing. In an electric aircraft (10) that obtains a propulsive force by a propeller (12) driven by an electric motor (20), a plurality of controllers (30) that respectively control a plurality of electric motors (20) for driving the propeller (12) are respectively provided on an inner surface side of a leading edge portion (11a) of a wing (11). If so configured, ice protection of the wing (11) of the electric aircraft (10) can be reliably performed without providing a new device or the like on the wing (11).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an electric aircraft, and more particularly to an electric aircraft that obtains propulsion through a propeller driven by an electric motor. Background Technology

[0002] If ice adheres to the wings of an aircraft, it can reduce flight performance, such as increasing air resistance or decreasing lift, and in the worst case, it can lead to an accident.

[0003] To this end, various technologies are being developed to prevent icing on aircraft wings, namely anti-icing technologies.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for anti-icing: heating wire layers are respectively arranged on the inner and outer sides of the leading edge of the aircraft wing, and each heating wire layer is energized to generate heat, thereby preventing ice formation on the leading edge of the aircraft wing and removing the ice that has already adhered.

[0005] In addition, various technologies for de-icing the leading edge of wings have been developed, such as using compressed air to partially expand the leading edge of wings that are prone to ice adhesion or to deliver warm air to the leading edge of wings.

[0006] Existing technical documents

[0007] Patent documents

[0008] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-17878 Summary of the Invention

[0009] Technical issues

[0010] However, as mentioned above, if new devices such as heating wire layers, compressed air and / or warm air ducts are installed on the wings of aircraft for anti-icing purposes, it may lead to an increase in the weight of the wing section and a possible increase in the manufacturing cost of electric aircraft.

[0011] The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide an electric aircraft that can reliably perform wing anti-icing without installing new devices on the wings.

[0012] Technical solution

[0013] To address the aforementioned problem, the invention of the first approach is an electric aircraft characterized by obtaining propulsion through a propeller driven by an electric motor, wherein multiple controllers are respectively arranged on the inner surface of the leading edge of the wing to control the multiple electric motors used to drive the propeller.

[0014] The invention of the second aspect is based on the electric aircraft described in the first aspect, characterized in that the plurality of controllers are respectively arranged on the inner surface side of the leading edge of the wing along the extension direction of the wing.

[0015] The third invention is based on the electric aircraft described in the first or second embodiment, characterized in that the controller is mounted directly or via a thermally conductive clamp on the inner surface of a plate-like component constituting the leading edge of the wing.

[0016] The fourth invention is based on the electric aircraft described in any of the first to third embodiments, characterized in that an anti-icing coating is applied to the surface portion of the wing that is further rearward than the leading edge.

[0017] The fifth invention is based on the electric aircraft described in any of the first to fourth embodiments, characterized in that each controller is separated by a fireproof wall on the inner surface side of the leading edge of the wing.

[0018] The invention of the sixth method is based on the electric aircraft described in the fifth method, characterized in that the inner wall surfaces of each space separated by the fireproof wall are coated with fire-retardant paint.

[0019] Technical effect

[0020] According to the present invention, in electric aircraft, wing anti-icing can be reliably performed without the need for new devices or the like to be installed on the wings. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing an example of an electric aircraft.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an electric motor used to drive a propeller.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the wing of the electric aircraft of this embodiment viewed from below, illustrating a state where the lower surface of the wing and the propeller pod, etc., are removed.

[0024] Figure 4 (A) is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the controller is mounted on the inner surface side of the upper part of the plate-shaped component. Figure 4 (B) is a perspective view showing the state in which the controller is mounted on the inner surface side of the upper part of the plate-shaped component.

[0025] Symbol Explanation

[0026] 10 Electric aircraft

[0027] 11 Wings

[0028] 11a Leading edge

[0029] 11d surface portion

[0030] 12 propellers

[0031] 13 Plate-shaped components

[0032] 14 Fireproof wall

[0033] 20, 20A~20E Electric Motors

[0034] 30 Controllers

[0035] S Space Detailed Implementation

[0036] Hereinafter, embodiments of the electric aircraft of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing an example of an electric aircraft.

[0038] The electric aircraft 10 is configured such that a propeller 12 is mounted on the wing 11, and propulsion is obtained by driving the propeller 12 by an electric motor 20 (described later). It should be noted that... Figure 1 Although the image shows the propeller 12 mounted on a fixed wing, it is not limited to this; for example, the propeller 12 can also be mounted on a movable wing such as a tilting wing. Furthermore, the electric aircraft 10 can also be a drone.

[0039] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an electric motor used to drive a propeller.

[0040] In this embodiment, the configuration of the electric motor 20 for driving the propeller is set as a redundant system motor configuration, and the propeller 12 is driven by multiple electric motors 20A to 20E.

[0041] It should be noted that, in Figure 2 The illustrations of pods and other similar devices have been omitted. Additionally, in... Figure 2 The example shown depicts a propeller 12 driven by five electric motors 20A to 20E. While the following description focuses on five electric motors 20 for each propeller 12, the number of electric motors 20 can be any number other than five. Furthermore, the configuration of multiple electric motors 20 is not limited to... Figure 2 The situation.

[0042] exist Figure 2In the example, three electric motors 20A to 20C are arranged at the front, and two electric motors 20D and 20E are arranged at the rear. Furthermore, each electric motor 20 is configured such that a first gear 21 mounted on the output shaft of each electric motor 20 meshes with a second gear 22 respectively fixed to the front and rear sides of the propeller shaft 12a.

[0043] Furthermore, the propeller 12 is driven to rotate around the propeller shaft 12a by driving each electric motor 20.

[0044] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the wing of the electric aircraft of this embodiment viewed from below, illustrating a state where the lower surface of the wing and the propeller pod, etc., are removed.

[0045] In the electric aircraft 10 of this embodiment, multiple controllers 30 that control multiple electric motors 20 for driving the propeller 12 are respectively arranged on the inner surface side of the leading edge portion 11a of the wing 11 along the extension direction of the wing 11. It should be noted that, in this invention, the leading edge portion refers to the part of the wing 11 including the leading edge of the wing 11 and the area nearby.

[0046] Specifically, for example Figure 4 (A) Figure 4 As shown in (B), the controller 30 is mounted directly or via a clamp not shown on the inner surface of the upper part of a plate-like member 13, for example, made of aluminum, with a vertical cross-section in the shape of a "つ" (not shown), which constitutes the leading edge 11a of the wing 11.

[0047] It should be noted that when the controller 30 is mounted via a clamp, the clamp is configured to be thermally conductive. Additionally, Figure 4 In (A), 11c is the structural object that constitutes wing 11 (in Figure 3 (Illustrations omitted in the text) The surface portion 11d will be explained later.

[0048] And, as Figure 3 As shown, controllers 30 mounted on the inner surface of the upper part of the plate-shaped member 13 constituting the leading edge portion 11a of the wing 11 are respectively arranged on the leading edge portion 11a of the wing 11 along the extension direction of the wing 11.

[0049] It should be noted that, although in Figure 3 The diagram shows two controllers 30 positioned on the leading edge of the wing 11, closer to the propeller 12, and three controllers 30 positioned on the root side of the wing 11, closer to the propeller 12. However, the appropriate position of the controllers 30 in the extension direction of the wing 11 is determined by considering the heat of each controller 30, the anti-icing effect of the wing 11, and the weight of the wiring 31A and 31B, which will be described later.

[0050] Each controller 30 is connected to a battery (not shown) disposed in the main body and / or inside the main wing of the electric aircraft 10 via a wiring 31A that surrounds the main frame 11b of the wing 11, and is connected to the electric motor 20 of the propeller 12 via wiring 31B.

[0051] Furthermore, each controller 30 controls its own electric motor 20 based on power supplied from the battery, thereby driving the propeller 12 to rotate. It should be noted that in... Figure 3 In the diagram, although each controller 30 shows one wiring 31A and 31B respectively, wiring 31A and 31B are connected to the required number of wires.

[0052] According to the electric aircraft 10 of this embodiment, by distributing multiple controllers 30 that control multiple electric motors 20 for driving propellers 12 along the extension direction of wing 11 on the inner surface of the leading edge 11a of wing 11, the heat generated by each controller 30 when controlling the electric motors 20 is transferred to the plate-shaped member 13 constituting the leading edge 11a of wing 11, it is possible to prevent icing on the leading edge 11a of wing 11 or to melt and remove the ice adhering to the leading edge 11a of wing 11.

[0053] Therefore, in the electric aircraft 10 of this embodiment, by distributing multiple controllers 30 along the extension direction of the wing 11 on the inner surface of the leading edge 11a of the wing 11, each controller 30 can reliably perform anti-icing of the leading edge 11a of the wing 11 by utilizing the heat generated when controlling the electric motor 20.

[0054] It should be noted that if configured as described above, the plate-shaped component 13 constituting the leading edge portion 11a of the wing 11 functions as a heat sink for each controller 30, thus enabling efficient cooling of each controller 30.

[0055] Furthermore, since each controller 30 was originally mounted on the electric aircraft 10 to control each electric motor 20 of the propeller 12, and since these are used to achieve anti-icing of the leading edge 11a of the wing 11 in this embodiment, there is no need to configure a new device on the wing 11 of the electric aircraft 10 for anti-icing.

[0056] Therefore, the electric aircraft 10 according to this embodiment can perform anti-icing on the wing 11 without installing new devices or the like. Thus, it is possible to prevent situations where installing new devices or the like increases the weight of the wing 11 or raises the manufacturing cost of the electric aircraft.

[0057] As described above, according to the electric aircraft 10 of the present invention, by distributing multiple controllers 30 that generate heat when controlling the electric motor 20 that drives the propeller along the extension direction of the wing 11 on the inner surface of the leading edge 11a of the wing 11, the wing 11 can be reliably de-iced without the wing 11 being equipped with new devices or the like.

[0058] In addition, it can also efficiently cool each controller 30.

[0059] However, ice that melted at the leading edge 11a of the wing 11 flows over the surface portion 11d of the wing 11 that is further rearward than the leading edge 11a (see reference). Figure 4 During the period of (A)) refreezing, ice adheres to the surface portion 11d. Therefore, it is possible to configure the surface portion 11d of the wing 11 that is further rearward than the leading edge 11a to be coated with an anti-icing coating to prevent ice adhesion.

[0060] If configured in this way, even if the ice that melts at the leading edge 11a of the wing 11 freezes on the surface portion 11d of the wing 11 further rearward than the leading edge 11a, the hydrophobic anti-icing coating can be used to prevent the ice from adhering to the surface portion 11d, thus preventing problems such as reduced flight performance caused by ice adhesion.

[0061] On the other hand, since the controller 30 is a device that controls the large current flowing to the electric motor 20, it may catch fire if the controller 30 malfunctions due to a short circuit or open wire. In this case, if multiple controllers 30 are arranged in one place, if one controller 30 catches fire, the fire and heat effects may spread to the other controllers 30 in a chain reaction.

[0062] However, as Figure 3 As shown in this embodiment, if multiple controllers 30 are distributed along the extension direction of the wing 11, the likelihood of the effects of fire and heat spreading to other controllers 30 in a chain reaction when one controller 30 catches fire is reduced.

[0063] It should be noted that in this case, if one controller 30 catches fire, the effects of the fire and heat may spread to adjacent controllers 30, causing malfunctions in the adjacent controllers 30.

[0064] Therefore, in order to prevent the above situation, for example, Figure 3 As shown, it can be configured such that a fireproof wall 14 is provided on the inner surface of the leading edge 11a of the wing 11 in the form of a partition, and the fireproof wall 14 is used to separate each controller 30.

[0065] If configured in this way, even if one controller 30 catches fire, the fireproof wall 14 can prevent the spread of fire and heat to adjacent controllers 30.

[0066] Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the effects of fire and heat from spreading to the adjacent controller 30.

[0067] Additionally, at this time, for example, if in each space S (refer to) separated by the fireproof wall 14 Figure 3 That is, if the inner wall surface of each space S) of each controller 30, which is surrounded by the fireproof wall 14 and the plate-shaped component 13, is coated with a fireproof coating that foams when exposed to fire and / or heat or has self-extinguishing properties, it can more reliably prevent the spread of fire and the conduction of heat.

[0068] Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent the effects of fire and heat from spreading to the adjacent controller 30.

[0069] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and appropriate changes can be made as long as they do not depart from the spirit of the present invention.

[0070] For example, each controller 30 can also be configured to be more than Figure 4 (A) Figure 4 The position shown in (B) is closer to the leading edge of wing 11, and is configured in a suitable position for effective anti-icing.

[0071] Alternatively, it is also possible to configure a heat source other than the controller 30 to be located on the leading edge 11a of the wing 11.

[0072] Furthermore, it is also possible to configure a plurality of controllers 30 on the leading edge 11a of the wing 11 as in the present invention, and to configure the wing 11 with the aforementioned anti-icing device (i.e., to combine the configuration of the plurality of controllers 30 of the present invention with other anti-icing devices).

Claims

1. An electric aircraft, characterized in that, Propulsion is obtained through a propeller driven by an electric motor. Multiple controllers, each controlling a plurality of electric motors driving the propeller, are directly mounted on the inner surface of a plate-like component constituting the leading edge of the wing. These controllers are positioned closer to the leading edge of the wing than the main frame extending along the wing's extension direction. This allows the plate-like component to act as a heat sink for cooling the controllers and to prevent icing on the leading edge of the wing. The controller is a device that controls the large current flowing to the electric motor. The plurality of controllers are respectively disposed on the inner surface of the plate-shaped member constituting the leading edge of the wing along the extension direction of the wing, thereby utilizing only the heat generated by each controller when controlling the electric motor to de-ic the leading edge of the wing.

2. The electric aircraft according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surface portion of the wing further rearward than the leading edge is coated with an anti-icing coating.

3. The electric aircraft according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Each controller is separated by a fireproof wall on the inner surface of the leading edge of the wing.

4. The electric aircraft according to claim 3, characterized in that, The inner walls of each space separated by the fireproof wall are coated with fire-retardant paint.

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