Aircraft and aircraft cluster thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to an aircraft and an aircraft cluster thereof, and belongs to the technical field of aircrafts, the aircraft comprises an aircraft body, a tiltable duct, an engine mechanism and a connecting device, the connecting device comprises a male buckle and a female buckle which are arranged on a frame, and the male buckle and the female buckle on adjacent aircrafts are buckled to realize butt joint of the adjacent aircrafts; through the tiltable duct arranged on the aircraft body and the engine mechanism on the duct, efficient conversion between vertical take-off and landing and horizontal cruising of the aircraft is achieved, and the aircraft has the maneuverability and flexibility of a helicopter and the high-speed cruising ability of a fixed-wing aircraft; meanwhile, through a connecting device formed by matching a male buckle and a female buckle which are arranged on the aircraft body, the adjacent aircrafts can be mechanically butted quickly and stably, so that marshalling connection and separation during multi-aircraft collaborative operation are facilitated, a combined flight mode can be formed, and the loading capacity, the voyage and the task adaptability are effectively improved; and a reliable structure basis is provided for modular extension and cluster application.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of aircraft technology, and specifically relates to an aircraft and its cluster. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of aviation technology, aircraft forms are becoming increasingly diversified. Especially in the field of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, how to balance hovering efficiency and high-speed cruise performance has always been one of the core issues of concern to those skilled in the art. Traditional helicopters, while possessing excellent vertical takeoff and landing and hovering capabilities, have limited forward speed, low aerodynamic efficiency, and range and endurance that cannot meet the requirements of rapid response and long-distance operations. Fixed-wing aircraft, while having the advantages of high speed and long endurance, rely on runways for takeoff and landing, making them unable to be flexibly deployed in complex terrain or confined spaces. To address this, tiltrotor and tilt-ducted rotor configurations have emerged, aiming to achieve a balance between vertical takeoff and landing and efficient cruise by switching the power system between vertical lift and horizontal thrust modes.

[0003] However, with the rapid development of UAV swarm technology and collaborative control strategies, multi-aircraft collaborative operations have shown broad application prospects. By coordinating multiple aircraft, overall mission capabilities can be significantly improved. For example, in cargo transportation, multiple aircraft working together can share loads, act as backups for each other, and improve transportation efficiency and system redundancy. In reconnaissance and surveillance missions, multi-aircraft collaboration can expand coverage and build a three-dimensional perception network. However, current multi-aircraft collaboration mostly adopts formation flight, with aircraft maintaining a certain safe distance and relying on wireless communication for information exchange and task allocation. While this method offers high flexibility, the lack of physical connection between aircraft prevents structural integration and power consolidation. Therefore, in scenarios requiring concentrated power and joint load-bearing capacity, such as heavy cargo transportation or long-endurance escort flights, it is difficult to fully leverage the integrated advantages of multi-aircraft systems.

[0004] Furthermore, while some existing technologies attempt to achieve multi-aircraft combination using mechanical connections, the connection structures are often complex in design, require high docking precision, and involve cumbersome separation processes. Moreover, the combined aircraft presents significant challenges in terms of aerodynamic characteristics, center of gravity distribution, and flight control. Particularly in the design of the connection devices, the lack of a unified and reliable interface makes rapid interchangeability and modular combination between different aircraft difficult, limiting the flexibility and practicality of multi-aircraft collaboration. Some solutions employ a unidirectional docking structure, which is prone to loosening during flight due to uneven stress or vibration, affecting flight safety.

[0005] In summary, achieving rapid, stable, and reliable mechanical docking between multiple aircraft while ensuring that each individual aircraft possesses vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and efficient cruise capabilities, and thereby enhancing overall payload capacity, range, and mission adaptability through combined flight, while simultaneously considering the simplicity, interchangeability, and ease of separation of the connection structure, has become a pressing technical challenge in this field. Based on this, an improved aircraft design scheme is proposed, aiming to provide a more reliable structural foundation and scalability for multi-aircraft collaborative operations through a rational power layout and docking device design. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides an aircraft and its cluster, achieving stable and convenient docking of the aircraft.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution: An aircraft includes a fuselage, a tiltable duct disposed on the fuselage, an engine assembly disposed on the duct, and a connection device disposed on the fuselage for docking with an adjacent aircraft. The connection device includes a male and a female fastener disposed on the frame, and the male and female fasteners on the adjacent aircraft achieve docking of the adjacent aircraft by fastening together.

[0008] Preferably, the body includes side boxes arranged at relatively intervals, the side boxes are connected by at least two sets of connecting rods, the side boxes and the connecting rods enclose an installation cavity for installing the duct, and at least one set of male and female buckles are provided on the side of the side box, and the male and female buckles are respectively provided at the ends of the two side boxes in the same direction.

[0009] Preferably, the male buckle is a protrusion with an arc-shaped end, and a snap-fit ​​hole is provided on the side wall of the protrusion. The female buckle is a groove for inserting the protrusion. A receiving chamber is provided on the side wall of the groove. A drive motor and a spring buckle are provided in the receiving chamber. A baffle is provided on the spring buckle. The baffle can move in and out of the groove and snap into the snap-fit ​​hole. The side of the baffle that contacts the protrusion is a wedge-shaped surface. The drive motor is used to drive the baffle to disengage from the snap-fit ​​hole and completely disengage from the groove.

[0010] Preferably, the culvert includes a culvert body, a tilting shaft with both ends respectively disposed on the side box and passing through the culvert body, a transmission mechanism disposed in the side box and pulsatorically connected to the tilting shaft, and a drive mechanism for driving the transmission mechanism and causing the tilting shaft to rotate.

[0011] Preferably, the driving mechanism is a stepper motor, which can realize the rotation angle control of the tilt axis.

[0012] Preferably, the engine mechanism includes an engine nacelle, a counter-rotating rotor and a clockwise rotor disposed outside the engine nacelle, and an engine disposed inside the engine nacelle for driving the counter-rotating rotor and the clockwise rotor to rotate, wherein the tilt shaft passes through the engine nacelle.

[0013] Preferably, two engines are provided, one for controlling the counter-rotating rotor and the other for controlling the clockwise rotor, with the counter-rotating rotor located above the clockwise rotor.

[0014] Preferably, a fairing is provided on the top of the engine compartment.

[0015] Preferably, the machine body is equipped with a positioning sensor.

[0016] An aircraft cluster includes a control system and at least two aircraft, the control system being used to control the connection and separation of the aircraft.

[0017] The present invention achieves the following technical effects compared to the prior art: This invention achieves efficient switching between vertical takeoff and landing and horizontal cruise by using a tiltable duct and an engine mechanism mounted on the fuselage, combining the maneuverability of a helicopter with the high-speed cruise capability of a fixed-wing aircraft. Simultaneously, a connection device consisting of male and female fasteners on the fuselage enables adjacent aircraft to quickly and stably achieve mechanical docking. This not only facilitates the grouping and separation of multiple aircraft in collaborative operations but also allows for the formation of combined flight modes, effectively improving payload capacity, range, and mission adaptability, providing a reliable structural foundation for modular expansion and swarm applications. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the aircraft of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the tilted state structure of the aircraft of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the aircraft cluster structure before tilting according to the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the tilted aircraft cluster structure of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the male fastener structure of the present invention; Figure 6This is a schematic diagram of the female buckle structure of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the container of the present invention; The components are as follows: 1. Airframe; 2. Ductwork; 3. Tilting shaft; 4. Engine nacelle; 5. Fairing; 6. Reverse rotor; 7. Forward rotor; 8. Male latch; 9. Female latch; 10. Aircraft; 11. Tilting ductwork; 12. Protrusion; 13. Snap-fit ​​hole; 14. Baffle; 15. Drive motor; 16. Spring latch; 17. Storage compartment. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] This invention provides an aircraft and its cluster, achieving stable and convenient docking of the aircraft.

[0022] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0023] refer to Figures 1 to 2 An aircraft includes a fuselage 1, a tiltable duct 11 mounted on the fuselage 1, an engine mechanism mounted on the duct, and a connection device mounted on the fuselage 1 for docking with adjacent aircraft. The connection device includes a male buckle 8 and a female buckle 9 mounted on a frame. The male buckle 8 and female buckle 9 on adjacent aircraft dock together to achieve docking. This invention achieves efficient switching between vertical takeoff and landing and horizontal cruise by using the tiltable duct 11 mounted on the fuselage 1 and the engine mechanism mounted on the duct, combining the maneuverability of a helicopter with the high-speed cruise capability of a fixed-wing aircraft. At the same time, the connection device formed by the male buckle 8 and female buckle 9 mounted on the fuselage 1 enables adjacent aircraft to achieve rapid and stable mechanical docking. This not only facilitates the grouping and separation of multiple aircraft in collaborative operations, but also allows for the formation of combined flight modes, effectively improving payload capacity, range, and mission adaptability, and providing a reliable structural foundation for modular expansion and cluster applications.

[0024] refer to Figure 1The body 1 includes side boxes arranged at relatively intervals. The side boxes are connected by at least two sets of connecting rods. The side boxes and connecting rods together form an installation cavity for installing ducts. At least one set of male buckles 8 and female buckles 9 are provided on the side of the side box. Male buckles 8 and female buckles 9 are respectively provided at the ends of the two side boxes in the same direction. Specifically, the male buckles 8 and female buckles 9 on the splicing surfaces of adjacent body 1 are arranged opposite each other. The male buckles 8 and female buckles 9 on the side boxes realize the splicing of the side of the body 1. The male buckles 8 and female buckles 9 at the ends of the side boxes realize the splicing of the front and rear ends of the body 1.

[0025] refer to Figures 5 to 7 The male buckle 8 is a protrusion 12 with an arc-shaped end. A snap-fit ​​hole 13 is provided on the side wall of the protrusion 12. The female buckle 9 is a groove for inserting the protrusion 12. A receiving chamber 17 is provided on the side wall of the groove. A drive motor 15 and a spring snap 16 are provided inside the receiving chamber 17. A baffle 14 is provided on the spring snap 16. The baffle 14 can move in and out of the groove and snap into the snap-fit ​​hole 13. The side of the baffle 14 that contacts the protrusion 12 is a wedge-shaped surface. The drive motor 15 is used to drive the baffle 14 to disengage from the snap-fit ​​hole 13 and completely disengage from the groove. Specifically, as the aircraft continues to approach, the male buckle 8 is fully inserted into the female buckle 9. During the insertion process, the arc-shaped surface of the male buckle 8... The protrusion 12 contacts the wedge-shaped surface of the baffle 14, pushing the baffle 14 into the receiving compartment 17. When it reaches the engagement hole 13 of the protrusion 12, the baffle 14 is pushed into the engagement hole 13 by the elastic force of the spring latch 16, thus locking the male latch 8 and connecting the two aircraft units into a whole. When the aircraft cluster arrives at the target airspace and needs to disintegrate into individual units to perform tasks, the control system sends a separation command to the male latch 8 and the female latch 9. The drive motor 15 inside the female latch 9 drives the baffle 14 to retract into the receiving compartment 17. After losing the constraint of the baffle 14, the two aircraft automatically release the lock of the male latch 8 and unlock. After unlocking, the two aircraft return to independent aircraft units and can continue to perform subsequent dispersed tasks.

[0026] refer to Figure 1The duct includes a duct body 2, a tilt shaft 3 with both ends mounted on side boxes and passing through the duct body 2, a transmission mechanism located inside the side boxes and connected to the tilt shaft 3, and a drive mechanism for driving the transmission mechanism and rotating the tilt shaft 3. Through the coordinated operation of the drive mechanism, transmission mechanism, tilt shaft 3, and side boxes, a complete power transmission path is formed. The power generated by the drive mechanism is transmitted to the tilt shaft 3 via the transmission mechanism. Since the tilt shaft 3 has both ends mounted on the side boxes and passes through the duct body 2, this structure provides stable rotational support for the duct. This arrangement ensures smooth tilting, precise angle positioning, and good synchronicity between the two sides when switching between vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and horizontal cruise modes, avoiding aerodynamic asymmetry caused by asynchronous tilting, thereby improving the stability and handling quality of the aircraft during transitional flight phases.

[0027] Specifically, the transmission mechanism is located inside the side box cavity, with one end connected to the tilting shaft 3 and the other end connected to the drive mechanism. The specific form of the transmission mechanism can be varied depending on design requirements, including but not limited to gear transmission mechanisms, worm gear transmission mechanisms, synchronous belt transmission mechanisms, or chain transmission mechanisms.

[0028] As a preferred embodiment, the transmission mechanism adopts a worm gear drive. The worm gear is fixedly mounted at the end of the tilting shaft 3, and the worm is connected to the output shaft of the drive mechanism, with the worm and worm gear meshing with each other. The advantages of this transmission method are: the worm gear drive has a self-locking characteristic; when the drive mechanism stops working, the self-locking effect of the worm gear maintains the current tilt angle of the duct without the need for an additional braking device, thus simplifying the structure and improving reliability; simultaneously, the worm gear drive has a large reduction ratio, which can convert the high-speed rotation of the drive mechanism into low-speed, high-torque rotation of the tilting shaft 3, achieving smooth and precise control of the duct tilting action.

[0029] As another preferred embodiment, the transmission mechanism can adopt a gear transmission form, including a driving gear, a driven gear, and an intermediate idler gear, etc., to achieve torque amplification and speed matching through multi-stage gear reduction. This transmission form has high transmission efficiency and fast response speed, and is suitable for application scenarios with high requirements for tilt response speed.

[0030] Torque transmission between the transmission mechanism and the tilting shaft 3 can be achieved through key connections, spline connections, or couplings. To reduce friction loss and improve transmission efficiency, rolling bearings or sliding bearings can be installed at each rotating part of the transmission mechanism, and lubricated with lubricating oil or grease.

[0031] The drive mechanism is also housed within the side box cavity, providing the power required for the rotation of the tilt axis 3. The drive mechanism can be electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic. Considering the aircraft's requirements for energy efficiency and control precision, an electric drive is preferred; that is, the drive mechanism includes a servo motor, a reducer, and a motor controller.

[0032] Servo motors have advantages such as small size, light weight, high control precision, and fast response speed. They can adjust the output speed and torque in real time according to the instructions of the flight control system to achieve precise closed-loop control of the duct tilt angle. The motor controller receives the tilt angle command sent by the flight control system and controls the rotation direction, speed, and angle of the motor by adjusting the current, voltage, or pulse width modulation (PWM) signal of the servo motor. In turn, the transmission mechanism drives the tilt shaft 3 to rotate to the target angle.

[0033] When using a hydraulic drive system, the drive mechanism may include a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic motor, a control valve assembly, and hydraulic lines, with the hydraulic motor driving the transmission mechanism. Hydraulic drives are characterized by high power density and strong shock resistance, making them suitable for large aircraft or applications requiring high tilting torque.

[0034] refer to Figure 1 The engine mechanism includes an engine nacelle 4, a counter-rotor 6 and a clockwise rotor 7 located outside the engine nacelle 4, and an engine located inside the engine nacelle 4 for driving the counter-rotor 6 and the clockwise rotor 7 to rotate. A tilting shaft 3 passes through the engine nacelle 4. The counter-rotor 6 can provide lift for the aircraft. The clockwise rotor 7 can provide lift for the aircraft while balancing the anti-torque generated by the counter-rotor 6.

[0035] refer to Figure 1 There are two engines, one for controlling the counter-rotating rotor 6 and the other for controlling the clockwise rotor 7. The counter-rotating rotor 6 is located above the clockwise rotor 7.

[0036] refer to Figure 1 The top of the engine compartment 4 is equipped with a fairing 5 to reduce rotor hub drag.

[0037] Furthermore, a positioning sensor is installed on the body 1.

[0038] refer to Figures 3 to 4 An aircraft cluster includes a control system and at least two aircraft, the control system being used to control the connection and separation of the aircraft.

[0039] The specific connection and separation process is as follows: Step 1: Long-distance positioning When two or more individual aircraft in a cluster need to perform a combined task, they first perform long-range relative positioning using onboard GPS / BeiDou modules. Each aircraft's flight control system then adjusts its flight attitude and speed according to preset assembly commands, closing the distance to within visual or near-range sensor range (approximately 1 meter) and maintaining the same hovering altitude.

[0040] Step 2: Close-range synchronization After completing step one, the airborne ultrasonic radar array calculates the precise distance and relative azimuth angle between itself and nearby aircraft by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic pulses. Based on this high-precision data, the flight control system controls the aircraft to make minute speed and attitude adjustments, so that the aircraft's target docking surface (i.e., the side of the side box with male buckle 8 and female buckle 9) gradually aligns with and remains relatively stationary.

[0041] Step 3: Mechanical Locking As the aircraft continues to approach, the male buckle 8 is fully inserted into the female buckle 9. During the insertion process, the arc-shaped protrusion 12 of the male buckle 8 will contact the wedge-shaped surface of the baffle 14 and push the baffle 14 into the receiving compartment 17. When it reaches the locking hole 13 of the protrusion 12, the baffle 14 will be pushed into the locking hole 13 under the elastic force of the spring buckle 16, thereby locking the male buckle 8 and connecting the two aircraft units into a whole.

[0042] Step 4: Unlocking and Separating When the aircraft cluster arrives at the target airspace and needs to break down into individual units to perform tasks, the control system sends a separation command to male latch 8 and female latch 9. The drive motor 15 inside female latch 9 drives the baffle 14 to retract into the receiving compartment 17. After being released from the constraint of the baffle 14, the two aircraft automatically release the lock on male latch 8, thus unlocking. After unlocking, the two aircraft revert to independent individual aircraft and can continue to perform subsequent distributed tasks.

[0043] Any adaptive changes made according to actual needs are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0044] It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, it is obvious that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An aircraft, characterized in that, It includes an airframe, a tiltable duct on the airframe, an engine mechanism on the duct, and a connection device on the airframe for docking with adjacent aircraft. The connection device includes a male and a female buckle on the frame. The male and female buckles on adjacent aircraft dock with each other by fastening.

2. The aircraft according to claim 1, characterized in that, The body includes side boxes arranged at relatively intervals. The side boxes are connected by at least two sets of connecting rods. The side boxes and the connecting rods enclose an installation cavity for installing the duct. At least one set of male and female buckles is provided on the side of each side box. The ends of the two side boxes in the same direction are respectively provided with the male and female buckles.

3. The aircraft according to claim 1, characterized in that, The male buckle is a protrusion with an arc-shaped end. A snap-fit ​​hole is provided on the side wall of the protrusion. The female buckle is a groove for inserting the protrusion. A receiving chamber is provided on the side wall of the groove. A drive motor and a spring buckle are provided in the receiving chamber. A baffle is provided on the spring buckle. The baffle can move in and out of the groove and snap into the snap-fit ​​hole. The side of the baffle that contacts the protrusion is a wedge-shaped surface. The drive motor is used to drive the baffle to disengage from the snap-fit ​​hole and completely disengage from the groove.

4. The aircraft according to claim 2, characterized in that, The culvert includes a culvert body, a tilting shaft with both ends respectively disposed on the side box and passing through the culvert body, a transmission mechanism disposed in the side box and pulsatorically connected to the tilting shaft, and a drive mechanism for driving the transmission mechanism and driving the tilting shaft to rotate.

5. The aircraft according to claim 4, characterized in that, The drive mechanism is a stepper motor, which can control the rotation angle of the tilt axis.

6. The aircraft according to claim 4, characterized in that, The engine mechanism includes an engine nacelle, a counter-rotating rotor and a clockwise rotor disposed outside the engine nacelle, and an engine disposed inside the engine nacelle for driving the counter-rotating rotor and the clockwise rotor to rotate, wherein the tilt shaft passes through the engine nacelle.

7. The aircraft according to claim 6, characterized in that, Two engines are provided, one for controlling the counter-rotating rotor and the other for controlling the clockwise rotor, with the counter-rotating rotor located above the clockwise rotor.

8. The aircraft according to claim 6, characterized in that, The top of the engine compartment is equipped with a fairing.

9. The aircraft according to claim 1, characterized in that, The machine body is equipped with a positioning sensor.

10. A cluster of aircraft, characterized in that, An aircraft according to any one of claims 1 to 9 includes a control system and at least two aircraft, the control system being used to control the connection and separation of the aircraft.

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