A combined power vertical take-off and landing autogyro aircraft and its control method
The combined power system of high-pressure gas driving the rotation of the jet rotor and the engine driving the propeller solves the problem that autogyro aircraft cannot take off and land vertically, realizes low-cost, reliable vertical take-off and landing and hovering functions, and expands the application scenarios.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202210632562.2
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2022-06-06
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-12
- Estimated Expiration
- 2042-06-06
AI Technical Summary
Traditional autogyro aircraft cannot achieve vertical take-off and landing or hover in the air, and the existing jet engine/rocket engine solutions are costly, fuel-intensive, and noisy, making them difficult to promote and apply.
High-pressure gas is provided by a high-pressure gas storage tank, which drives the jet rotor to rotate through an air duct to generate lift. The engine drives the propeller to achieve vertical take-off and landing and hovering. An air compressor is used for air replenishment in the air to simplify the control system.
It achieves low-cost, reliable vertical take-off and landing and hovering functions, reduces system complexity and cost, improves safety and flight time, reduces noise pollution, and expands application scenarios.
Smart Images

Figure CN115009512B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of aircraft, and in particular relates to a combined-power vertical take-off and landing autogyro aircraft and a control method thereof. Background Art
[0002] An autogyro uses an engine to drive a propeller to propel itself forward. The relative airflow during forward movement causes the rotor to rotate, generating the upward lift needed to maintain aloft. Because the torque transmitted to the aircraft by the autogyro is very small, it does not require a tail rotor like a helicopter for torque balancing. This also makes the power and control systems of an autogyro very simple. A large-displacement motorcycle engine combined with simple mechanical rudders and pitch rudders is sufficient to power a small autogyro for manned flight. As a result, autogyro aircraft are simple, compact, and inexpensive, costing only one-fifth to one-tenth of the price of a helicopter of the same class. Some have even built a fully operational autogyro for less than 10,000 RMB. Furthermore, compared to fixed-wing aircraft, autogyro aircraft offer advantages such as short-distance taxiing and landing, no stall resistance, and superior fuel efficiency and longer airtime than helicopters. These advantages have led to the increasing application of autogyro in military, social security, agriculture, and logistics applications.
[0003] However, traditional autogyro aircraft also have a significant drawback: as gyroplanes, they cannot achieve vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) or hovering in the air like helicopters. This makes them difficult to use in urban and mountainous environments without open takeoff and landing conditions, and they are even more incapable of performing tasks requiring hovering, significantly limiting their application. To address this shortcoming of autogyro aircraft, a series of design improvements have been attempted both domestically and internationally. The main technical approach involves adding jets to the rotor tips, using the jets to propel the rotors at high speeds. This creates lift, even when the autogyro is stationary. Conventional wingtip jets use high-temperature combustion gases generated by jet / rocket engines. While these systems enable VTOLs to take off and land vertically, jet / rocket engines are expensive, fuel-intensive, and noisy. The high-temperature combustion gases also place extremely high demands on the overall structure and rotor's high-temperature resistance, making this solution difficult to implement.
[0004] In summary, there is an urgent need to provide a vertical take-off and landing autogyro aircraft that is simple to implement, more reliable, and low-cost. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The purpose of this specification is to provide a combined-power vertical take-off and landing autogyro aircraft and a control method thereof, so as to solve the problems of traditional autogyro aircraft in achieving vertical take-off and landing with complex systems and high costs.
[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this specification adopts the following technical solutions:
[0007] In a first aspect, this specification provides a combined power vertical take-off and landing autogyroplane, comprising: a fuselage and an engine mounted on the fuselage, a high-pressure gas storage tank, and a jet rotor, wherein:
[0008] The gas outlet of the high-pressure gas storage tank is connected to the air inlet of the jet rotor via an air guide pipe;
[0009] The high-pressure gas storage tank stores and provides high-pressure gas to the outside. The high-pressure gas is ejected at high speed from the jet outlet at the end of the jet rotor through the air duct. The jet rotor rotates at high speed driven by the high-pressure gas to generate the lift required for the aircraft to hover or take off and land vertically.
[0010] The engine is equipped with a propeller. During flight, the engine drives the propeller to rotate and drive the fuselage forward. The oncoming airflow drives the jet rotor to rotate to generate the lift required for flight.
[0011] Optionally, the aircraft further comprises: a column, a tilt support rod, and a tilt mechanism, wherein:
[0012] The column is placed in the middle of the fuselage, the tilt mechanism is installed at the top of the column and is connected to the column for rotation along the longitudinal pitch direction of the fuselage, and the tilt support rod is connected to the tilt mechanism for rotation along the longitudinal pitch direction of the fuselage;
[0013] The jet rotor is mounted on the tilting mechanism;
[0014] The engine, the high-pressure gas storage tank, and the air compressor are all installed in the middle of the fuselage and meet the dynamic balance requirements required for the aircraft to fly.
[0015] Optionally, the aircraft further includes: an air compressor; the high-pressure gas storage tank includes a high-pressure gas storage tank body and an air supply valve, an air charging valve, an air replenishing valve, and a pressure gauge pressure relief valve assembly installed on the high-pressure gas storage tank body, wherein:
[0016] The exhaust port of the air compressor is connected to the air supply valve of the high-pressure gas storage tank via an air guide pipe;
[0017] Among them, the air supply valve refers to the interface for providing high-pressure gas output to the outside; the inflation valve refers to the interface for inflating the high-pressure gas storage tank with an external high-pressure air compressor on the ground; the air replenishment valve refers to the inflation interface for temporarily replenishing air through a carried air compressor when the gas pressure in the high-pressure gas storage tank is too low during flight in the air; the pressure gauge pressure relief valve combination is used to indicate the gas pressure in the high-pressure gas storage tank, and to automatically relieve pressure when the gas pressure in the high-pressure gas storage tank exceeds the threshold.
[0018] Optionally, the jet rotor includes: a hub and rotor blades evenly distributed and installed along the circumference of the hub, wherein:
[0019] The jet rotor is mounted on the tilt mechanism via the wing hub, and the jet rotor can rotate in a circle around the mounting axis of the wing hub;
[0020] The interior of the tilting mechanism is hollow and an air duct is buried therein. The air supply valve is connected through the air duct and passes through the tilting mechanism into the internal space of the wing hub. The interior of the wing hub is hollow and communicates with the air duct inlet at the root of the rotor blade. The air duct is buried in the rotor blade and extends from the root of the rotor blade to the jet outlet at the end of the rotor blade. The jet outlet is in the rotation plane of the rotor and perpendicular to the rotor. The high-pressure gas provided by the high-pressure gas storage tank is ejected at high speed from the jet outlet through the air duct.
[0021] Optionally, the aircraft further includes: an operating rod and an electrically controlled valve, wherein:
[0022] The joystick is installed in the cockpit at the front of the fuselage. The joystick is connected to the electric control valve by a cable. The joystick is connected to the tilt support rod and the tilt mechanism to control the jet rotor tilt angle.
[0023] The electrically controlled valve is in a normally closed state when no power is supplied, and is used to adjust the size of the valve opening according to the instruction issued by the joystick to control the amount of air passing through the air duct.
[0024] Optionally, the joystick is used to drive the tilt support rod to control the tilt angle of the jet rotor, control the movement of the electronically controlled valve through instructions, and control the direction angle and pitch angle of the aircraft through other rotations in the fuselage and the actuator transmitted to the final execution link.
[0025] In a second aspect, this specification also provides a method for controlling a combined-power vertical take-off and landing autogyroplane, comprising:
[0026] The control joystick drives the tilt mechanism to move via the tilt support rod, adjusts the jet rotor's rotating surface to a horizontal state, and controls the opening of the high-pressure gas storage tank, which provides high-pressure gas to the outside. The high-pressure gas is ejected at high speed from the jet outlet at the end of the jet rotor through the air duct. The thrust generated acts on the jet rotor, driving the jet rotor to rotate at high speed in the horizontal plane, and the lift generated causes the aircraft to take off vertically.
[0027] When it is detected that the aircraft has reached a preset altitude, the engine is controlled to start, and the engine drives the propeller to rotate at high speed, pushing the aircraft forward; the joystick slowly drives the tilt support rod to adjust the angle of the tilt mechanism so that the rotating surface of the jet rotor forms an upward angle with the horizontal direction. When the relative airflow formed by the current can maintain the rotation of the jet rotor and generate the lift required for the aircraft to fly, the electronically controlled valve is slowly closed to stop the jet rotor from ejecting air.
[0028] Optionally, after completing the takeoff operation, the method further includes:
[0029] The electronically controlled valve is slowly opened, and high-pressure gas is ejected at high speed from the jet outlet at the end of the jet rotor through the air duct. The thrust generated acts on the jet rotor, driving the jet rotor to rotate at high speed in the horizontal plane.
[0030] The joystick slowly drives the tilt support rod to adjust the angle of the tilt mechanism so that the rotating surface of the jet rotor gradually approaches the horizontal plane, and at the same time controls the output power of the engine until it stops, so that the jet rotor relies on the reaction force formed by the high-pressure gas ejected from the jet outlet to drive high-speed rotation, and the lift generated keeps the aircraft hovering in the air.
[0031] Optionally, the method further includes:
[0032] In the aforementioned hovering state, the electronically controlled valve is gradually closed to reduce the supply of high-pressure gas. The jet rotor gradually slows down under the action of air resistance, the lift generated gradually decreases, and the aircraft slowly descends until it lands safely.
[0033] Optionally, the method further includes:
[0034] During the flight, if it is detected that the remaining gas amount in the high-pressure gas storage tank is less than the gas amount required for a safe vertical landing, the air replenishment valve of the high-pressure gas storage tank is controlled to open, and the air compressor is turned on so that the power of the engine is coupled to the air compressor. The air compressor works and inflates the high-pressure gas storage tank until the gas amount in the high-pressure gas storage tank meets the gas amount required for a safe vertical landing.
[0035] Any of the above technical solutions provided in this specification achieves the following significant beneficial effects:
[0036] High-pressure gas storage tanks are used to fill high-pressure air on the ground as a power source for vertical take-off and landing and hovering. The reaction force of the jet at the end of the jet rotor blade is used to drive the jet rotor to rotate at high speed to form lift to achieve vertical take-off and landing and hovering in the air. Compared with jet engines / rocket engines, the system has fewer components and simpler operation procedures. There is no complex, high-cost, high-temperature resistant, high-strength turbine device, no complex piping and control system, which greatly reduces costs and significantly enhances reliability. Since the high-pressure gas jet expands and absorbs heat, the rotor strength will not be reduced or deformed due to high temperature. It offers enhanced safety by preventing collateral damage to surrounding areas caused by jet flames or liquids. High-pressure gas cylinders offer higher energy density and efficiency, enabling longer vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and hovering times compared to jet / rocket engines of comparable size and weight. Air compressors are provided for mid-flight refill, effectively eliminating the risk of VTOL / hover failures due to insufficient gas in the high-pressure gas tank. Compared to jet / rocket engines, compressed air injection offers lower noise levels and more precise injection volume control, effectively minimizing noise nuisance in urban environments. This effectively addresses the shortcomings of gyrocopters in VTOL and hovering, allowing them to retain their inherent advantages of simplicity, compactness, ease of operation, long flight time, and low price while incorporating the unique VTOL and hovering capabilities of helicopters. Future applications could expand to more complex scenarios, such as urban logistics, field rescue, and border patrols, with advantages such as lower cost, simpler implementation, improved safety, and easier use and maintenance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0037] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of this specification and constitute a part of this specification. The exemplary embodiments and descriptions of this specification are used to explain this specification and do not constitute an improper limitation of this specification. In the drawings:
[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a combined-power vertical take-off and landing autogyroplane from the left rear view provided in one embodiment of this specification;
[0039] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a right rear view of a combined-power vertical take-off and landing autogyroplane provided in one embodiment of this specification;
[0040] Figure 3 This is a partially enlarged structural diagram of a power system of a combined-power vertical take-off and landing autogyroplane aircraft provided in one embodiment of this specification;
[0041] Figure 4 This is a partially enlarged structural diagram of the top of a column of a combined-power vertical take-off and landing autogyroplane aircraft provided in one embodiment of this specification;
[0042] Figure 5 This is a partially enlarged structural diagram of a high-pressure gas storage tank of a combined-power vertical take-off and landing autogyroplane provided in one embodiment of this specification;
[0043] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a bottom view of a horizontal cross-section of a jet rotor of a combined-power vertical take-off and landing autogyroplane provided in one embodiment of this specification;
[0044] Figure 7 The present invention provides a flowchart of a control method for a combined-power vertical take-off and landing autogyroplane according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0045] Among them, 1 is the fuselage; 11 is the joystick; 12 is the column; 13 is the tilt support rod; 14 is the tilt mechanism; 15 is the electronically controlled valve; 2 is the engine; 21 is the propeller; 3 is the air compressor; 4 is the high-pressure gas storage tank; 41 is the air supply valve; 42 is the inflation valve; 43 is the air supply valve; 44 is the pressure gauge and pressure relief valve combination; 45 is the high-pressure gas storage tank body; 5 is the jet rotor; 51 is the hub; 52 is the rotor blade; 53 is the jet outlet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0046] To make the purpose, technical solutions, and advantages of this specification more clear, the technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the specific embodiments of this application and their corresponding drawings. It is obvious that the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this specification, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this document.
[0047] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this specification are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0048] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the left rear view of a combined power vertical take-off and landing autogyroplane provided in one embodiment of this specification, see Figure 1 The aircraft is characterized in that it comprises: a fuselage and an engine mounted on the fuselage, a high-pressure gas storage tank, and a jet rotor, wherein:
[0049] The gas outlet of the high-pressure gas storage tank is connected to the air inlet of the jet rotor via an air guide pipe;
[0050] The high-pressure gas storage tank stores and provides high-pressure gas to the outside. The high-pressure gas is ejected at high speed from the jet outlet at the end of the jet rotor through the air duct. The jet rotor rotates at high speed driven by the high-pressure gas to generate the lift required for the aircraft to hover or take off and land vertically.
[0051] The engine is equipped with a propeller. During flight, the engine drives the propeller to rotate and drive the fuselage forward. The oncoming airflow drives the jet rotor to rotate to generate the lift required for flight.
[0052] Optionally, it further includes: a column, an inclination support rod, and a tilting mechanism, wherein:
[0053] The column is placed in the middle of the fuselage, the tilt mechanism is installed at the top of the column and is connected to the column for rotation along the longitudinal pitch direction of the fuselage, and the tilt support rod is connected to the tilt mechanism for rotation along the longitudinal pitch direction of the fuselage;
[0054] The jet rotor is mounted on the tilting mechanism;
[0055] The engine, the high-pressure gas storage tank, and the air compressor are all installed in the middle of the fuselage and meet the dynamic balance requirements required for the aircraft to fly.
[0056] Optionally, it also includes: an air compressor; the high-pressure gas storage tank includes: a high-pressure gas storage tank body and an air supply valve, an air charging valve, an air replenishment valve, and a pressure gauge pressure relief valve assembly installed on the high-pressure gas storage tank body, see Figure 5 ,in:
[0057] The air supply valve, the air charging valve, the air supply valve, and the pressure gauge pressure relief valve are arranged on the top of the high-pressure gas storage tank body and can be arranged in a line. The exhaust port of the air compressor and the air supply valve of the high-pressure gas storage tank are connected by an air guide pipe.
[0058] Among them, the air supply valve refers to the interface for providing high-pressure gas output to the outside; the inflation valve refers to the interface for inflating the high-pressure gas storage tank with an external high-pressure air compressor on the ground; the air replenishment valve refers to the inflation interface for temporarily replenishing air through a carried air compressor when the gas pressure in the high-pressure gas storage tank is too low during flight in the air; the pressure gauge pressure relief valve combination is used to indicate the gas pressure in the high-pressure gas storage tank, and to automatically relieve pressure when the gas pressure in the high-pressure gas storage tank exceeds the threshold.
[0059] Based on this, by providing an air compressor for mid-air air replenishment, the risk of being unable to achieve vertical take-off and landing / hovering due to insufficient gas in the high-pressure gas storage tank is effectively avoided.
[0060] Optional, see Figure 1-2 and Figure 6 The jet rotor comprises a hub and rotor blades evenly distributed along the circumference of the hub, wherein:
[0061] The jet rotor is mounted on the tilt mechanism via the wing hub, and the jet rotor can rotate in a circle around the mounting axis of the wing hub;
[0062] The interior of the tilting mechanism is hollow and an air duct is buried therein. The air supply valve is connected through the air duct and passes through the tilting mechanism into the internal space of the wing hub. The interior of the wing hub is hollow and communicates with the air duct inlet at the root of the rotor blade. The air duct is buried in the rotor blade and extends from the root of the rotor blade to the jet outlet at the end of the rotor blade. The jet outlet is in the rotation plane of the rotor and perpendicular to the rotor. The high-pressure gas provided by the high-pressure gas storage tank is ejected at high speed from the jet outlet through the air duct.
[0063] Optional, see Figure 1 and Figure 2 The aircraft further comprises: an operating lever and an electrically controlled valve, wherein:
[0064] The joystick is installed in the cockpit at the front of the fuselage. The joystick is connected to the electric control valve by a cable. The joystick is connected to the tilt support rod and the tilt mechanism to control the jet rotor tilt angle.
[0065] The electrically controlled valve is in a normally closed state when no power is supplied, and the opening size of the valve can be adjusted according to the instruction issued by the joystick to control the amount of air passing through the air duct.
[0066] Optionally, the joystick is used to drive the tilt support rod to control the tilt angle of the jet rotor, control the movement of the electronically controlled valve through instructions, and control the direction angle and pitch angle of the aircraft through other rotations in the fuselage and the actuator transmitted to the final execution link.
[0067] The following combination Figures 1 to 6 , describe the structure of the aircraft in detail:
[0068] The aircraft includes: a fuselage 1, an engine 2, an air compressor 3, a high-pressure gas storage tank 4, and a jet rotor 5; it also includes a joystick 11, a column 12, a tilt support rod 13, a tilt mechanism 14, an electronically controlled valve 15, a propeller 21, an air supply valve 41, an air charging valve 42, an air supply valve 43, a pressure gauge pressure relief valve assembly 44, a high-pressure gas storage tank body 45, a wing hub 51, rotor blades 52, and a jet outlet 53.
[0069] The joystick 11 is installed at the front of the fuselage 1, the column 12 is installed in the middle of the fuselage 1, the tilt mechanism 14 is installed at the top of the column 12, and is connected to the column 12 for rotation along the longitudinal pitch direction of the fuselage 1. The tilt support rod 13 is connected to the tilt mechanism 14 for rotation along the longitudinal pitch direction of the fuselage 1, and the electric control valve 15 is installed on the column 12.
[0070] The high-pressure gas storage tank 4 includes a high-pressure gas storage tank body 45 and a gas supply valve 41, a gas charging valve 42, a gas replenishing valve 43, and a pressure gauge pressure relief valve assembly 44 installed thereon.
[0071] The jet rotor 5 includes a hub 51, rotor blades 52 evenly distributed along the circumference of the hub 51, and a jet outlet 53 at the end of the rotor blades 52. The jet rotor 5 is mounted on the tilt mechanism 14 through the hub 51, and the jet rotor 5 can rotate around its mounting axis.
[0072] An engine 2 and an air compressor 3 are installed in the middle of the fuselage 1. Part of the power of the engine 2 is used to drive the propeller 21, and the other part can be coupled to drive the air compressor 3. The exhaust port of the air compressor 3 is connected to the air supply valve 41 of the high-pressure gas storage tank 4 by an air duct. The air supply valve 41 is connected to the electric control valve 15 through the air duct. The electric control valve 15 passes through the tilt mechanism 14 through the air duct and enters the internal space of the wing hub 51.
[0073] Furthermore, the fuselage 1 is a structure, aerodynamic shape and transmission, actuator and structure required for carrying upper equipment.
[0074] Furthermore, the joystick 11 is a human-machine interactive operation device used to perform aircraft-related control actions, including but not limited to connecting the tilt support rod 13 to control the tilt angle of the jet rotor 5, controlling the action of the electronically controlled valve 15 through instructions, and controlling the direction angle and pitch angle of the aircraft through other rotations in the fuselage and the transmission of the actuator to the final execution link.
[0075] Furthermore, an air duct is embedded in the rotor blade 52 , extending from the root of the rotor blade 52 to the air jet outlet 53 .
[0076] Furthermore, the wing hub 51 is used to evenly distribute and fix the rotor blades 52 along the circumferential direction, and the internal hollow space of the wing hub 51 is connected to the air duct inlet at the root of the rotor blade 52.
[0077] Furthermore, the tilt mechanism 14 serves as the mounting base of the jet rotor 5. Firstly, it provides a constraint for the jet rotor 5 to rotate in a circular motion around the mounting axis. Secondly, it is controlled by the tilt support rod 13 to adjust the inclination angle of the rotation plane of the jet rotor 5. Thirdly, an air duct is buried in the hollow interior of the tilt mechanism 14. The air duct is connected to the hollow wing hub 51. After the wing hub 51 is mounted on the tilt mechanism 14, the wing hub 51 and the rotor blades 52 can rotate freely in a circular motion around the mounting axis on the tilt mechanism 14. At the same time, there is a good seal between the rotating gaps, which can ensure that the air duct passes through the tilt mechanism 14 and connects the internal space of the wing hub 51 and the internal air duct of the rotor blades 52 without significant gas leakage.
[0078] Furthermore, the electrically controlled valve 15 is in a normally closed state when no power is supplied, and the opening size of the valve can be adjusted according to the instruction issued by the joystick 11, thereby controlling the amount of air passing therethrough.
[0079] Furthermore, the engine 2 is an internal combustion engine with a propeller 21 that can rotate to generate thrust to drive the aircraft forward, and can be started and stopped and the output power can be adjusted according to the instructions of the joystick 11.
[0080] Furthermore, the air compressor 3 can be coupled with the power of the engine 2 to compress the air and output high-pressure gas to the outside.
[0081] Furthermore, the high-pressure gas storage tank 4 is used to store and provide high-pressure gas to the outside. The high-pressure gas storage tank body 45 can withstand a pressure of not less than 40Mpa. The inflation valve 42 is an interface for inflating the high-pressure gas storage tank 4 using an external high-pressure air compressor on the ground. The air replenishment valve 43 is an inflation interface for temporarily replenishing air through the carried air compressor 3 when the gas pressure in the high-pressure gas storage tank 4 is too low during flight in the air. The air supply valve 41 is an interface for providing high-pressure gas output to the outside. The pressure gauge pressure relief valve assembly 44 is used to indicate the gas pressure in the high-pressure gas storage tank 4 and automatically relieve pressure when the air pressure exceeds the threshold to ensure the safety of the high-pressure gas storage tank 4.
[0082] It can be seen that the aircraft provided by this embodiment has fewer system components and a simpler operating process compared to those using gas engines / rocket engines. It does not have a complex, high-cost, high-temperature-resistant, high-strength turbine device, and does not have complex piping and control systems, which greatly reduces costs and significantly enhances reliability. Since the high-pressure gas jet expands and absorbs heat, the rotor strength will not be reduced or deformed due to high temperature, and the jet flame or jet liquid will not cause collateral damage to the surrounding area, resulting in better safety. The high-pressure gas cylinder has a higher energy density and efficiency. Compared with jet engines / rocket engines, it can provide longer vertical take-off and landing and hovering working time under the premise of the same volume and weight. An air compressor is provided for in-flight air replenishment, which effectively avoids the risk of being unable to achieve vertical take-off and landing / hovering due to insufficient gas in the high-pressure gas storage tank. Compared with jet engines / rocket engines, compressed air jet has the characteristics of lower noise and more precise injection volume control, and its use in urban environments can effectively avoid noise nuisance.
[0083] Figure 7 This is a flow chart of a control method for a combined power vertical take-off and landing autogyroplane provided in one embodiment of this specification. The method can be executed by a processor on board the aircraft. Figure 7 , the method may specifically include the following steps:
[0084] Step 702: The jet rotor's rotating surface is adjusted to a horizontal state, and the high-pressure gas storage tank is controlled to be opened. The high-pressure gas storage tank provides high-pressure gas to the outside, and the high-pressure gas is ejected at high speed from the jet outlet at the end of the jet rotor through the air duct. The thrust generated acts on the jet rotor, driving the jet rotor to rotate at high speed in the horizontal plane, and the generated lift causes the aircraft to take off vertically.
[0085] Step 704: When it is detected that the aircraft has reached a preset altitude, the engine is controlled to start, and the engine drives the propeller to rotate at high speed to propel the aircraft forward; the rotating surface of the jet rotor is controlled to form an upward angle with the horizontal direction. When the relative airflow formed by the forward movement can maintain the rotation of the jet rotor and generate the lift required for the aircraft to fly, the electronically controlled valve is slowly closed to stop the jet rotor from ejecting air, completing the takeoff operation.
[0086] After the takeoff operation is completed, the aircraft is generally powered solely by the engine during flight, and the high-pressure gas provided by the high-pressure gas storage tank stops functioning. However, in one feasible embodiment, in order to improve the flight maneuverability of the aircraft, a solution is provided in which the high-pressure gas storage tank participates in the aircraft's ascent and descent control during flight. The specific implementation method can be:
[0087] When rapid ascent and descent are required, the electrically controlled valve can be slowly opened, and high-pressure gas is ejected at high speed from the jet outlet at the end of the jet rotor through the air duct. The thrust generated acts on the jet rotor, driving the jet rotor to rotate at high speed, thereby providing auxiliary lift, which acts on the aircraft together with the main lift provided by the engine drive, achieving rapid ascent of the aircraft and thereby improving the flight maneuverability of the aircraft.
[0088] In another feasible embodiment, a control step for the aircraft to hover is also provided, which can be specifically implemented as follows:
[0089] The electronically controlled valve is slowly opened, and high-pressure gas is ejected at high speed from the jet outlet at the end of the jet rotor through the air duct. The thrust generated acts on the jet rotor, driving the jet rotor to rotate at high speed in the horizontal plane.
[0090] The rotating surface of the jet rotor is synchronously driven to gradually approach the horizontal plane, and the output power of the engine is controlled until it stops, so that the jet rotor is driven to rotate at high speed by the reaction force formed by the high-pressure gas ejected from the jet outlet, and the lift generated keeps the aircraft hovering in the air.
[0091] In another feasible embodiment, a control step for landing the aircraft is also provided, which can be specifically implemented as follows:
[0092] In the aforementioned hovering state, the electronically controlled valve is gradually closed to reduce the supply of high-pressure gas. The jet rotor gradually slows down under the action of air resistance, the lift generated gradually decreases, and the aircraft slowly descends until it lands safely.
[0093] In another feasible embodiment, a control step for inflating the high-pressure gas storage tank during the flight of the aircraft is also provided, which can be specifically implemented as follows:
[0094] During the flight, if it is detected that the remaining gas amount in the high-pressure gas storage tank is less than the gas amount required for a safe vertical landing, the air replenishment valve of the high-pressure gas storage tank is controlled to open, and the air compressor is turned on, so that the power of the engine is coupled to the air compressor, and the air compressor works and replenishes the high-pressure gas storage tank until the gas amount in the high-pressure gas storage tank meets the gas amount required for a safe vertical landing.
[0095] The following is combined Figures 1 to 6 The above control steps are described in detail:
[0096] First, close the air supply valve 41 and the air replenishment valve 43, open the inflation valve 42, use an external high-pressure air compressor or gas cylinder on the ground to connect the inflation valve 42 through the air pipe, and fill the high-pressure gas storage tank 4 with high-pressure gas. The inflation amount is preferably sufficient to meet the pressure of the high-pressure gas storage tank reaching 30Mpa. Close the inflation valve 42 and disconnect the ground air pipe.
[0097] To perform the take-off operation, control the joystick 11, drive the tilt mechanism 14 to move through the tilt support rod 13, and adjust the rotating surface of the jet rotor 5 to a horizontal state; open the air supply valve 41, and control the electric control valve 15 to slowly open through the joystick 11. The high-pressure gas in the high-pressure gas storage tank 4 enters the hollow wing hub 51 through the air duct, the air supply valve 41, and the electric control valve 15, and then passes through the air duct inlet at the root of the rotor blade 52, passes through the rotor, and is ejected at high speed from the jet outlet 53 at the end of the rotor blade 52. The thrust generated acts on the rotor blade 52, driving the jet rotor 5 to rotate at high speed in the horizontal plane. The lift generated makes the aircraft vertically rotate. Take off directly; when the aircraft reaches a certain height, the engine 2 is started by controlling the joystick 11, and the engine 2 drives the propeller 21 to rotate at high speed, pushing the aircraft forward. The tilt support rod 13 is slowly driven by the joystick 11 to adjust the angle of the tilt mechanism 14 so that the rotating surface of the jet rotor 5 forms an upward angle with the horizontal direction. When the relative airflow formed by the forward movement can maintain the rotation of the jet rotor 5 and form the lift required for the aircraft to fly, the electric control valve 15 is slowly closed, the jet rotor 5 stops jetting, and the aircraft works in the autorotating rotor state, relying entirely on the relative airflow in the forward direction to drive the jet rotor 5 to rotate to form the lift required for flight.
[0098] To perform the hovering operation, the electronically controlled valve 15 is slowly opened by controlling the joystick 11, and the high-pressure gas in the high-pressure gas storage tank 4 enters the hollow wing hub 51 through the air duct, the air supply valve 41, and the electronically controlled valve 15, and then passes through the rotor through the air duct inlet at the root of the rotor blade 52 until it is ejected at high speed from the jet outlet 53 at the end of the rotor blade 52. The thrust generated acts on the rotor blade 52, driving the jet rotor 5 to rotate at high speed; synchronously, the tilt support rod 13 is slowly driven by the joystick 11 to adjust the angle of the tilt mechanism 14 so that the rotating surface of the jet rotor 5 gradually approaches the horizontal plane. At the same time, the output power of the engine 2 is reduced by the joystick 11 until it stops. At this time, the jet rotor 5 is driven to rotate at high speed by the reaction force formed by the high-pressure gas ejected from the jet outlet 53, and the lift generated keeps the aircraft hovering in the air.
[0099] To perform the landing operation, in the aforementioned hovering state, the joystick 11 is used to control the electronically controlled valve 15 to gradually close and reduce the supply of high-pressure gas. The jet rotor 5 gradually slows down under the action of air resistance, and the lift generated gradually decreases. The aircraft slowly descends until it lands safely.
[0100] In special circumstances, when the amount of gas in the high-pressure gas storage tank 4 of the aircraft is insufficient during flight due to excessively long hovering time or insufficient ground inflation, which may affect the safety of vertical landing, the aircraft can open the air replenishment valve 43 during flight, and turn on the air compressor 3 through the joystick 11 to couple the power of the engine 2 to the air compressor 3. The air compressor 3 works and inflates the high-pressure gas storage tank 4 until the amount of gas in the high-pressure gas storage tank 4 meets the amount required for a safe vertical landing. The vertical landing can then be performed according to the aforementioned landing operation process.
[0101] When there is an open area, the aircraft can still perform take-off and landing operations in the same manner as traditional autogyro aircraft.
[0102] As can be seen, the control method provided by this embodiment effectively addresses the shortcomings of gyrocopters in vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and hovering. This allows gyrocopters to retain their advantages of simplicity, compactness, ease of operation, long flight time, and low cost, while also incorporating the unique VTOL and hovering capabilities of helicopters. This method can be applied to more complex scenarios such as urban logistics, field rescue, and border patrols. Compared with existing methods, it offers lower costs, simpler implementation, improved safety, and easier use and maintenance.
[0103] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this specification and is not intended to limit this specification. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that this specification is susceptible to various modifications and variations. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of this specification shall be within the scope of protection of this specification.
Claims
1. A combined power vertical take-off and landing autogyroplane, characterized in that: include: Airframe and engines, high-pressure gas storage tanks, and jet rotors mounted thereon, including: The high-pressure gas storage tank is installed in the middle of the fuselage, and the gas outlet of the high-pressure gas storage tank is connected to the air inlet of the jet rotor through an air guide pipe; The high-pressure gas storage tank stores and provides high-pressure gas to the outside. The high-pressure gas is ejected at high speed from the jet outlet at the end of the jet rotor through the air duct. The jet rotor rotates at high speed driven by the high-pressure gas to generate the lift required for the aircraft to hover or take off and land vertically. The engine is equipped with a propeller. During flight, the engine drives the propeller to rotate and drive the fuselage forward. The oncoming airflow drives the jet rotor to rotate to generate the lift required for flight. It also includes: an air compressor; the high-pressure gas storage tank includes: a high-pressure gas storage tank body and a gas supply valve, a gas charging valve, a gas replenishment valve, and a pressure gauge pressure relief valve assembly installed on the high-pressure gas storage tank body, wherein: The exhaust port of the air compressor is connected to the air supply valve of the high-pressure gas storage tank via an air guide pipe; Among them, the air supply valve refers to the interface for providing high-pressure gas output to the outside; the inflation valve refers to the interface for inflating the high-pressure gas storage tank with an external high-pressure air compressor on the ground; the air replenishment valve refers to the inflation interface for temporarily replenishing air through a carried air compressor when the gas pressure in the high-pressure gas storage tank is too low during flight in the air; the pressure gauge pressure relief valve combination is used to indicate the gas pressure in the high-pressure gas storage tank, and to automatically relieve pressure when the gas pressure in the high-pressure gas storage tank exceeds the threshold.
2. The aircraft according to claim 1, characterized in that Also includes: Column, tilt support rod and tilt mechanism, wherein: The column is placed in the middle of the fuselage, the tilt mechanism is installed at the top of the column and is connected to the column for rotation along the longitudinal pitch direction of the fuselage, and the tilt support rod is connected to the tilt mechanism for rotation along the longitudinal pitch direction of the fuselage; The jet rotor is mounted on the tilting mechanism; The engine and the air compressor are both installed in the middle of the fuselage and meet the dynamic balance requirements required for the aircraft to fly.
3. The aircraft according to claim 2, characterized in that The jet rotor comprises a hub and rotor blades evenly distributed and installed along the circumference of the hub, wherein: The jet rotor is mounted on the tilt mechanism via the wing hub, and the jet rotor can rotate in a circle around the mounting axis of the wing hub; The interior of the tilting mechanism is hollow and an air duct is buried therein. The air supply valve is connected through the air duct and passes through the tilting mechanism into the internal space of the wing hub. The interior of the wing hub is hollow and communicates with the air duct inlet at the root of the rotor blade. The air duct is buried in the rotor blade and extends from the root of the rotor blade to the jet outlet at the end of the rotor blade. The jet outlet is in the rotation plane of the rotor and perpendicular to the rotor. The high-pressure gas provided by the high-pressure gas storage tank is ejected at high speed from the jet outlet through the air duct.
4. The aircraft according to claim 3, characterized in that Also includes: Joysticks and electrically controlled valves, including: The joystick is installed in the cockpit at the front of the fuselage. The joystick is connected to the electric control valve by a cable. The joystick is connected to the tilt support rod and the tilt mechanism to control the jet rotor tilt angle. The electrically controlled valve is in a normally closed state when no power is supplied, and the opening size of the valve can be adjusted according to the instruction issued by the joystick to control the amount of air passing through the air duct.
5. The aircraft according to claim 4, characterized in that The joystick is used to drive the tilt support rod to control the tilt angle of the jet rotor, control the action of the electronically controlled valve through instructions, and control the direction angle and pitch angle of the aircraft through other rotations in the fuselage and the actuator transmitted to the final execution link.
6. A control method for a combined power vertical take-off and landing autogyroplane, characterized in that: An aircraft according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising: The control joystick drives the tilt mechanism to move via the tilt support rod, adjusts the jet rotor's rotating surface to a horizontal state, and controls the opening of the high-pressure gas storage tank, which provides high-pressure gas to the outside. The high-pressure gas is ejected at high speed from the jet outlet at the end of the jet rotor through the air duct. The thrust generated acts on the jet rotor, driving the jet rotor to rotate at high speed in the horizontal plane, and the lift generated causes the aircraft to take off vertically. When it is detected that the aircraft has reached a preset altitude, the engine is controlled to start, and the engine drives the propeller to rotate at high speed, propelling the aircraft forward; the joystick slowly drives the tilt support rod to adjust the angle of the tilt mechanism so that the rotating plane of the jet rotor forms an upward angle with the horizontal direction. When the relative airflow formed by the forward movement can maintain the rotation of the jet rotor and generate the lift required for the aircraft to fly, the electronically controlled valve is slowly closed to stop the jet rotor from ejecting air, completing the takeoff operation; During flight, when the gas pressure in the high-pressure gas storage tank is too low, the air compressor carried by the user can be used to temporarily replenish the gas.
7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that After the takeoff operation is completed, the method further includes: The electronically controlled valve is slowly opened, and high-pressure gas is ejected at high speed from the jet outlet at the end of the jet rotor through the air duct. The thrust generated acts on the jet rotor, driving the jet rotor to rotate at high speed in the horizontal plane. The joystick slowly drives the tilt support rod to adjust the angle of the tilt mechanism so that the rotating surface of the jet rotor gradually approaches the horizontal plane. At the same time, the output power of the engine is controlled until it stops, so that the jet rotor is driven by the reaction force formed by the high-pressure gas ejected from the jet outlet to rotate at high speed, and the lift generated keeps the aircraft hovering in the air.
8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that Also includes: In the aforementioned hovering state, the electronically controlled valve is gradually closed to reduce the supply of high-pressure gas. The jet rotor gradually slows down under the action of air resistance, the lift generated gradually decreases, and the aircraft slowly descends until it lands safely.
9. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that Also includes: During the flight, if it is detected that the remaining gas amount in the high-pressure gas storage tank is less than the gas amount required for a safe vertical landing, the air replenishment valve of the high-pressure gas storage tank is controlled to open, and the air compressor is turned on so that the power of the engine is coupled to the air compressor. The air compressor works and inflates the high-pressure gas storage tank until the gas amount in the high-pressure gas storage tank meets the gas amount required for a safe vertical landing.
Citation Information
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