An amphibious morphing aircraft based on floats and a propulsion system

Abstract

This invention discloses an amphibious variable aircraft based on a float and propulsion system, relating to the field of aircraft technology. It includes a main fuselage and wings connected to both sides of the main fuselage. A power nacelle is located in the middle section of the wings, and a float mechanism is located at the end of the wings away from the main fuselage. The float mechanism includes floats, a tilting component on the outside of the floats, and a water intake / discharge component inside the floats. A tail fin is located at the tail of the main fuselage, and a horizontal stabilizing plate is mounted on the tail fin. This invention employs the aforementioned amphibious variable aircraft based on a float and propulsion system, using a tilting float design. The float mechanism's shape is identical to the aircraft's airfoil, reducing ineffective weight while ensuring the aircraft can quickly complete water intake / discharge operations, and its simple structure facilitates maintenance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aircraft technology, and in particular to an amphibious morphing aircraft based on floats and a power system. Background Technology

[0002] Existing cross-medium aircraft can be broadly categorized into two types. One type, represented by fixed-wing aircraft and underwater loitering munitions, splashes down into water and ejects from the water, utilizing foldable and retractable wings to switch between different modes. The other type, represented by multi-rotor aircraft, carries floats and other equipment to land on the water and uses sealed water tanks to draw water in for submersion. These aircraft typically employ dual-purpose propellers to meet the needs of different conditions.

[0003] Currently, for the two mainstream types of aircraft, traditional fixed-wing retraction and deployment mechanisms occupy a large volume and weight, severely impacting aircraft performance. They are typically subject to high sea state requirements during switching and also exhibit a degree of uncontrollability. For multi-rotor aircraft using amphibious propellers, however, amphibious propellers are not the optimal choice in either operating mode. Instead, they represent a compromise between two different modes, resulting in significantly reduced efficiency. Furthermore, the non-fluid shape of multi-rotor aircraft is unsuitable for underwater navigation, leading to substantial drag.

[0004] To address these shortcomings, this patent proposes and designs a variable amphibious aircraft that can intelligently transform according to both air and underwater operating environments and flexibly change its working mode. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an amphibious morphing aircraft based on floats and a power system, which solves the problems of low efficiency, difficult switching, and non-repeatability of existing aircraft in different states.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an amphibious morphing aircraft based on a float and a power system, including a main fuselage and wings connected to both sides of the main fuselage. A power nacelle mechanism is provided at the middle section of the wings, and a float mechanism is provided at the end of the wings away from the main fuselage. The float mechanism includes floats, a tilting component is provided on the outside of the floats, and a water intake and drainage component is provided inside the floats.

[0007] The main body is provided with a tail fin at the rear, and a horizontal stabilizer is provided on the tail fin;

[0008] The suction and drainage assembly is provided in two sets. Each set of the suction and drainage assembly includes a first stepper motor, a pump, and a suction manifold. One end of the suction manifold extends to the outside of the float mechanism, and the other end extends to the inside of the pump. A lead screw is also provided inside the pump, and a piston is sleeved on the lead screw. The end of the lead screw is connected to the first stepper motor, which is located at one end of the pump.

[0009] The tiltable assembly includes a second stepper motor, a gear set, and a rotating shaft. The gear set includes two meshing drive gears and driven gears. The driven gear is sleeved on the rotating shaft, which is connected to the float mechanism. The drive gear is sleeved on the output end of the second stepper motor, which is fixedly connected to the wing.

[0010] The shape of the float mechanism is the same as that of an aircraft wing.

[0011] Preferably, both sets of the power nacelle mechanisms are equipped with small propellers at their tails, one set of the power nacelle mechanisms is equipped with a forward-facing rotor at its head, and the other set of the power nacelle mechanisms is equipped with a reverse-facing rotor at its head.

[0012] Preferably, the power nacelle mechanism includes a nacelle, and a dual-output shaft motor is installed inside the nacelle. One end of the dual-output shaft motor is connected to one end of the front power output shaft through a front gear set, and the other end of the front power output shaft is connected to a forward rotor or a reverse rotor.

[0013] The other end of the dual-output shaft motor is connected to one end of the rear power output shaft via a rear gear set, and the other end of the rear power output shaft is connected to the small propeller.

[0014] Preferably, the front gear set includes a front drive gear and a front transmission gear, the front transmission gear is sleeved on the front power output shaft, and the front drive gear is sleeved on one output end of the dual output shaft motor through a front one-way bearing.

[0015] The rear gear set includes a rear drive gear and a rear transmission gear. The rear transmission gear is sleeved on the rear power output shaft, and the rear drive gear is sleeved on the other output end of the dual-output shaft motor through a rear one-way bearing.

[0016] Preferably, the gear ratio between the driving gear and the driven gear is 1:4.

[0017] Preferably, the main body is equipped with a control device and a battery.

[0018] Therefore, the present invention employs the above-mentioned amphibious morphing aircraft based on floats and a propulsion system, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0019] (1) The present invention adopts a tilting ballast tank float design, and the float shape is the same as the aircraft airfoil. While reducing the ineffective weight, it ensures that the aircraft can quickly complete the water intake and drainage operation, and the structure is simple and easy to maintain.

[0020] (2) The present invention adopts a power cabin design and uses two blades to correspond to different environments, which makes the product highly efficient in both flight and underwater submersion modes. Compared with other products on the market, it greatly reduces the ineffective weight. Moreover, due to the adoption of the flying wing design, the product has a large lifting area, which effectively improves the load.

[0021] (3) The present invention designs a cross-medium attitude conversion method with fast switching speed, simple and repeatable switching control, and can complete multiple repeatable switching of three attitudes: dynamic submarine flight, vertical take-off and landing, and fixed-wing level flight. It also has strong self-sustaining ability (maximum endurance time) and can complete tasks such as reconnaissance, search and rescue, and covert approach and continuous positioning of high-value enemy units.

[0022] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of an amphibious morphing aircraft based on floats and a propulsion system according to the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating the process of the aircraft's flight attitude transitioning from fixed-wing to vertical take-off and landing to submerged attitude according to the present invention.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the float and fuselage in a horizontal position according to the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the float being perpendicular to the fuselage of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the float mechanism of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the tiltable component of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a left perspective view of the power nacelle mechanism of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the power nacelle mechanism of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the front gear set and the rear gear set of the present invention;

[0032] Reference numerals: 1. Main fuselage; 11. Tail fin; 12. Horizontal stabilizer; 2. Wing; 3. Power nacelle mechanism; 31. Small propeller; 32. Forward rotor; 33. Reverse rotor; 34. Nacelle; 35. Dual output shaft motor; 36. Front gear set; 361. Front drive gear; 362. Front transmission gear; 363. Front one-way bearing; 37. Front power take-off shaft; 38. Rear gear set; 381. Rear drive gear; 382. Rear transmission gear; 383. Rear one-way bearing; 39. Rear power take-off shaft; 4. Float mechanism; 41. Float; 42. First stepper motor; 43. Pump; 44. Water intake manifold; 45. Lead screw; 46. Piston; 47. Second stepper motor; 48. Gear set; 481. Drive gear; 482. Driven gear; 49. Shaft. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0034] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this invention shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this invention do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0035] Example

[0036] Please see Figure 1-9 This invention provides an amphibious variable aircraft based on floats and a propulsion system, capable of transforming into level flight mode, vertical takeoff mode, and dynamic submersible mode to adapt to different mission environments. It includes a main fuselage 1 and wings 2 connected to both sides of the main fuselage. A power nacelle mechanism 3 is located in the middle section of the wing 2, which provides a single power unit to drive two propeller blades for different purposes. A float mechanism 4 is located at the end of the wing 2 away from the main fuselage. The float mechanism 4 can simultaneously function as a ballast tank, a water landing gear float, and contributes lift during flight to balance its own weight. The float mechanism includes floats 41, with a tilting component on the outside and a water intake / discharge component inside.

[0037] The main fuselage 1 has a tail fin 11 at its rear, which is responsible for directional stability during flight and underwater heading control. A horizontal stabilizing plate 12 is mounted on the tail fin 11, which provides auxiliary pitch stabilization during flight and acts as landing gear to support the aircraft's weight in vertical takeoff and landing and when parked on the ground. The main fuselage 1 houses the control equipment and batteries.

[0038] Both sets of power nacelles 3 are equipped with small propellers 31 at their tails, arranged in pairs to provide propulsion during underwater navigation. One set of power nacelles 3 has a forward-rotating rotor 32 at its nose, while the other set has a counter-rotating rotor 33. The counter-rotation of the rotors counteracts torque, thus eliminating adverse effects on flight. During underwater navigation, the rotors are locked to the fuselage plane by a one-way bearing to reduce drag.

[0039] The power nacelle mechanism 3 includes a nacelle 34, inside which is a dual-output shaft motor 35. One end of the dual-output shaft motor 35 is connected to one end of a front power output shaft 37 via a front gear set 36. The other end of the front power output shaft 37 is connected to either a forward rotor 32 or a reverse rotor 33. The other end of the dual-output shaft motor 35 is connected to one end of a rear power output shaft 39 via a rear gear set 38. The other end of the rear power output shaft 39 is connected to a small propeller 31.

[0040] The front gear set 36 includes a front drive gear 361 and a front transmission gear 362. The front transmission gear 362 is mounted on the front power output shaft 37, and the front drive gear 361 is mounted on one output end of the dual-output shaft motor 35 via a front one-way bearing 363. The rear gear set 38 includes a rear drive gear 381 and a rear transmission gear 382. The rear transmission gear 382 is mounted on the rear power output shaft 39, and the rear drive gear 381 is mounted on the other output end of the dual-output shaft motor 35 via a rear one-way bearing 383.

[0041] This design employs a dual-output-shaft motor 35, with two shafts driving a front gear set 36 and a rear gear set 38 with different gear ratios in opposite directions. By installing front one-way bearings 363 and rear one-way bearings 383 with opposite rotation directions on the gears, the design achieves the effect of driving the two rotors and the small propeller 31 separately when the dual-output-shaft motor 35 rotates in different directions. When the dual-output-shaft motor 35 rotates in a certain direction, the inner and outer rings of the front one-way bearings 363 and rear one-way bearings 383 mesh to drive the outer ring; otherwise, they slip. When the three-phase AC power output from the ESC reverses, the dual-output-shaft motor 35 rotates in reverse. One set of one-way bearings changes from driving to slipping, while the other set changes from slipping to engaging the external gears for power output. This achieves the goal of using the same power system to drive two separate propulsion systems—one for air and one for underwater—without interference.

[0042] The suction and drainage assembly consists of two sets, each including a first stepper motor 42, a pump 43, and a suction manifold 44. One end of the suction manifold 44 extends to the outside of the float mechanism 4, and the other end extends to the inside of the pump 43. A lead screw 45 is also installed inside the pump 43, and a piston 46 is fitted onto the lead screw 45. The end of the lead screw 45 is connected to the first stepper motor 42, which is located at one end of the pump 43. Driven by the first stepper motor 42, the piston 46 moves back and forth, pushing water flow into or out of the suction manifold 44.

[0043] The tilting assembly includes a second stepper motor 47, a gear set 48, and a rotating shaft 49. The gear set 48 includes two meshing drive gears 481 and driven gears 482. The driven gear 482 is mounted on the rotating shaft 49, which is connected to the float mechanism 4. The drive gear 481 is mounted on the output end of the second stepper motor 47, which is fixedly connected to the wing. The second stepper motor 47 drives the float 41 to tilt via the gear set 48. The gear ratio between the drive gear 481 and the driven gear 482 is 1:4.

[0044] Using a second stepper motor 47 mounted on the wing and a gear set 48 with a known transmission ratio, the angle between the current position of the float 41 and the installation position 0 (i.e., horizontal with the main fuselage 1) is calculated, thus accurately determining the position of the float 41. Inside the float 41, a first stepper motor 42 drives a lead screw to move a piston. The first stepper motor 42 can accurately calculate the current position of the piston 46 based on its own number of rotations, thus roughly estimating the amount of water drawn in. When the piston 46 moves backward, a vacuum is created inside the pump 43, and water is drawn into the pump 43 under pressure, causing the aircraft to gain weight and sink underwater. When it moves forward, the water is forced out of the cabin, causing the aircraft to float to the surface.

[0045] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, further illustrates this embodiment.

[0046] Through variable airfoil, propulsion system and intelligent flight attitude conversion, an amphibious aircraft with no structural dead weight that can adapt to both air and water environments has been formed.

[0047] like Figure 1 The overall shape of the aircraft was displayed, such as Figure 2 The demonstration showcased the aircraft's switching process. First, near the water surface, the aircraft decelerated and rose into a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) hovering posture under the action of control surfaces. At this time, the floats 41 located on both sides of wing 2 were driven by the second stepper motors 47 mounted on wing 2 to rotate to be perpendicular to the fuselage. Figure 3As shown. The aircraft then slowly descends into the water, with the floats 41 on both sides providing additional stabilizing torque and buoyancy to ensure that the part above the main spars of the wing 2 remains above the water surface. Subsequently, the first stepper motor 42 inside the float 41 drives the lead screw 45 to push the piston 46 backward, drawing water into the pump 43, increasing the weight so that the total buoyancy of the aircraft is slightly less than its total weight. The aircraft then slowly sinks into the water, and the floats 41 rotate underwater to be level with the main fuselage 1. The power system activates the rear-mounted small propeller 31, propelling the aircraft upside down (i.e., the wing 2 now acts as a hydrofoil, pressing the aircraft into the water). At this point, the aircraft's transformation is complete. When taking off from the water, the aircraft first adjusts to a perpendicular attitude to the water surface under the combined action of the engine and control surfaces, with the floats 41 rotating to be perpendicular to the fuselage. Then, the pump 43 drains water, causing the rotors on both sides of the aircraft to emerge from the water. Subsequently, the forward rotor 32 and the counter-rotating rotor 33 begin to operate, vertically lifting the aircraft off the water and entering vertical takeoff and landing mode. Then, pump 43 rotates back to a horizontal position with the fuselage, and the aircraft executes the tail-seat vertical takeoff switching logic, that is, the fuselage accelerates forward and switches to level flight after reaching a safe switching speed.

[0048] Therefore, the present invention adopts the above-mentioned amphibious morphing aircraft based on floats and a power system, which adopts a tiltable float design and the shape of the float mechanism is the same as that of the aircraft airfoil. While reducing the ineffective weight, it ensures that the aircraft can quickly complete the water intake and drainage operation, and the structure is simple and easy to maintain.

[0049] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can still be made to the technical solutions of the present invention, and these modifications or equivalent substitutions cannot cause the modified technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. An amphibious morphing aircraft based on floats and a propulsion system, characterized in that: It includes a main fuselage and wings connected to both sides of the main fuselage. A power nacelle mechanism is provided at the middle section of the wing, and a float mechanism is provided at the end of the wing away from the main fuselage. The float mechanism includes a float, a tilting component is provided on the outside of the float, and a water intake and drainage component is provided inside the float. The main body is provided with a tail fin at the rear, and a horizontal stabilizer is provided on the tail fin; The suction and drainage assembly is provided in two sets. Each set of the suction and drainage assembly includes a first stepper motor, a pump, and a suction manifold. One end of the suction manifold extends to the outside of the float mechanism, and the other end extends to the inside of the pump. A lead screw is also provided inside the pump, and a piston is sleeved on the lead screw. The end of the lead screw is connected to the first stepper motor, which is located at one end of the pump. The tiltable assembly includes a second stepper motor, a gear set, and a rotating shaft. The gear set includes two meshing drive gears and driven gears. The driven gear is sleeved on the rotating shaft, which is connected to the float mechanism. The drive gear is sleeved on the output end of the second stepper motor, which is fixedly connected to the wing. The shape of the float mechanism is the same as that of an aircraft wing.

2. An amphibious morphing aircraft based on floats and a propulsion system according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both sets of power nacelle mechanisms are equipped with small propellers at their tails. One set of power nacelle mechanisms has a forward-facing rotor at its head, while the other set has a reverse-facing rotor at its head.

3. An amphibious morphing aircraft based on floats and a propulsion system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The power nacelle mechanism includes a nacelle, inside which a dual-output shaft motor is installed. One end of the dual-output shaft motor is connected to one end of the front power output shaft via a front gear set, and the other end of the front power output shaft is connected to a forward rotor or a reverse rotor. The other end of the dual-output shaft motor is connected to one end of the rear power output shaft via a rear gear set, and the other end of the rear power output shaft is connected to the small propeller.

4. An amphibious morphing aircraft based on floats and a propulsion system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The front gear set includes a front drive gear and a front transmission gear. The front transmission gear is sleeved on the front power output shaft, and the front drive gear is sleeved on one output end of the dual output shaft motor through a front one-way bearing. The rear gear set includes a rear drive gear and a rear transmission gear. The rear transmission gear is sleeved on the rear power output shaft, and the rear drive gear is sleeved on the other output end of the dual-output shaft motor through a rear one-way bearing.

5. An amphibious morphing aircraft based on floats and a propulsion system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The gear ratio between the driving gear and the driven gear is 1:

4.

6. An amphibious morphing aircraft based on floats and a propulsion system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The main unit contains control equipment and a battery.

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