DEVICE FOR BLOCKING OUTFLOW FOR AIR MOBILITY

Abstract

Device for blocking downdrafts in such a way that passengers are not hindered when boarding and disembarking, for an airmobile (100), wherein the device for blocking the downdraft comprises: a rotor guide (130) on which a rotor (140) of a missile for the airmobile (100) is rotatably mounted; a plurality of guide plates (150) which are attached to the rotor guide (130) in such a way that they are slidably connected to one another and are arranged to be moved upwards and downwards with respect to the rotor guide (130), wherein the plurality of guide plates (150) are arranged to block downdrafts blown from the rotor (140) towards a vertiport (200);and drive devices attached to the rotor guide (130) and the plurality of guide shells (150) and coupled to the plurality of guide shells (150), wherein the drive devices are configured to move the plurality of guide shells (150) upwards and downwards relative to the rotor guide (130).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONField of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a downwash blocking device for air mobility, and more particularly to a downwash blocking device for air mobility capable of blocking the downwash generated at the time of takeoff and landing of an air mobility aircraft, thus avoiding inconveniences for passengers at the time of boarding and disembarking. Description of the state of the art

[0002] Urban air mobility (UAM) is currently being developed for future transport and traffic systems.

[0003] One of the most important points in the development of urban air mobility is the development of an aircraft (hereinafter also referred to as an aircraft or flying vehicle) that can take off and land vertically, and a vertiport, i.e. a take-off and landing site for the flying vehicle.

[0004] Fig. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of a flying car for urban air mobility and a vertiport.

[0005] As in Fig. 1, the flying car 100 for urban air mobility may include a body portion 110 for passengers, wing portions 120 formed on opposite sides of the body portion 110, a rotor guide 130 attached to the end of each wing portion 120, and a propeller-like rotor 140 rotatably mounted in the rotor guide 130 to generate substantial lift.

[0006] In addition, the vertiport, a vertical takeoff and landing area for the flying car, can be manufactured to have various structures that facilitate takeoff and landing.

[0007] During takeoff and landing of the urban air mobility flying car 100, a strong airflow generated by the rotational force of the rotor 140 is blown toward the vertiport 200. This strong airflow is referred to as downwash.

[0008] When boarding and disembarking, passengers are therefore hindered by the downdraft, a type of air turbulence.

[0009] The information disclosed in this "Background of the Invention" section is provided solely to enhance the general background understanding of the invention and should not be construed as an acknowledgment or indication that this information constitutes prior art already known to those skilled in the art. BRIEF OVERVIEW

[0010] Various aspects of the invention are directed to providing a downwash blocking device configured such that multi-stage guide bowls configured to block downwash and guide the downwash to an outlet portion of a vertiport are mounted on a rotor guide of an urban air mobility aircraft so as to be movable upward and downward, whereby it is possible to prevent the downwash from affecting passengers at the time of boarding and disembarking, whereby it is possible to avoid inconveniences for the passengers at the time of boarding and disembarking.

[0011] The objects of the present invention are not limited to those described above, and other objects of the present invention not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art (hereinafter referred to as "person skilled in the art") from the following description.

[0012] To achieve the object, various aspects of the present invention are directed to providing a downwash blocking device in air mobility, the downwash blocking device comprising a rotor guide to which a rotor of an air mobility vehicle is rotatably mounted, a plurality of vanes mounted on the rotor guide in such a way that they are slidably connected to one another and configured to be movable upwardly and downwardly with respect to the rotor guide, the vanes being configured to block the downwash blown by the rotor to a vertiport, and a drive device mounted on the rotor guide and the vanes and coupled to the vanes, the drive device being configured to move the vanes upwardly and downwardly.

[0013] The rotor guide can be provided with a downwardly open receiving space for the guide shell and with three or more installation spaces for the drive device, which are separated from the receiving space for the guide shell and are convexly curved outwards at regular intervals in the circumferential direction of the rotor guide.

[0014] The majority of the guide shells can be arranged in a multi-stage structure in which at least three guide shells are slidably connected to each other.

[0015] The plurality of guide cups may include a first guide cup connected to the rotor guide to be movable upwards and downwards, a second guide cup having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the first guide cup, the second guide cup being connected to the first guide cup to be movable upwards and downwards, and a third guide cup having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the second guide cup, the third guide cup being connected to the second guide cup and being movable upwards and downwards with respect to the second guide cup by actuating one of the drive devices.

[0016] A bottom coupler configured to be brought into airtight contact with the surface of the vertiport may be attached to the lower end portion of the third guide shell located at the lowest position among the plurality of guide shells.

[0017] The driving device may include a first motor mounted in each driving device mounting space of the rotor guide, a first screw shaft connected to an output shaft of the first motor, the first screw shaft being arranged in a downward direction of the output shaft of the first motor, and a first up / down guide bracket having a female screw portion to which the first screw shaft is screwed, the first up / down guide bracket being mounted on the upper end portion of the first guide shell among the plurality of guide shells to protrude outward from an axis of the rotor guide.

[0018] A first stopper, which is engaged by a lower part of the first up / down guide bracket to limit the maximum downward movement distance of the first guide cup, may be attached to the lower end part of the first screw shaft.

[0019] The drive device may further include a first motor mount fixed to the upper end portion of the first guide shell of a plurality of guide shells to protrude inward, a second motor fixed to the first motor mount, a second screw shaft connected to an output shaft of the second motor, and a second up / down guide mount having a female screw portion to which the second screw shaft is screwed, wherein the second up / down guide mount is fixed to the upper end portion of the second guide shell to protrude outward from an axis of the rotor guide.

[0020] A second stopper selectively engaged by a lower part of the second guide bracket for upward / downward movement to limit the maximum downward movement distance of the second guide bowl may be attached to the lower end part of the second screw shaft.

[0021] The drive device may further include a second motor mount attached to the upper end portion of the second guide housing so as to protrude inward, a third motor attached to the second motor mount, a third screw shaft rotatably connected to an output shaft of the third motor, and a third up / down guide mount having a female screw portion to which the third screw shaft is screwed, wherein the third up / down guide mount is attached to the upper end portion of the third guide housing so as to protrude outward from an axis of the rotor guide.

[0022] A third stopper, which is engaged by a lower part of the third up / down movement guide bracket to limit the maximum downward movement distance of the third guide cup, may be attached to the lower end part of the third screw shaft.

[0023] The downwash blocking device may further comprise a distance sensor mounted at a predetermined position of the lower part of the rotor guide, the distance sensor being configured to detect the distance from the surface of the vertiport, and a controller configured to apply a drive signal to the drive device when the distance detected by the distance sensor is less than the vertical length of the plurality of guide shells after deployment of the plurality of guide shells.

[0024] When the plurality of guide cups are moved downward to be deployed as a result of the drive of the drive device according to the drive signal of the controller, the flow of the downwash blown from the rotor to the vertiport can be guided into the guide cups at the time of takeoff and landing of the flying vehicle.

[0025] The controller may apply a reset signal to the drive device such that the deployment length of each guide shell is reduced proportionally to the distance detected by the distance sensor until the flying vehicle lands on the vertiport after the deployment of the plurality of guide shells.

[0026] The vertiport may be provided with a downdraft outlet opening designed to divert the downdraft blown by the rotor into the guide shells.

[0027] Further aspects and exemplary embodiments of the present invention are explained below.

[0028] The methods and apparatus of the present invention have additional features and advantages which will be apparent from or further explained in the accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and the following detailed description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention. Character list Fig. Figure 1 is a schematic view showing that downdrafts are generated when a conventional air mobility vehicle takes off from a vertiport and lands on the vertiport; Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an air mobility downwash blocking device according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the air mobility downwash blocking device according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, showing the state of the vanes before deployment; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the air mobility downwash blocking device according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, showing the state of the vanes after deployment; Fig. 5, Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 are schematic views sequentially showing the operation of the air mobility downwash blocking device according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention; Fig. 8 is a schematic control diagram for the air mobility downwash blocking device according to various exemplary embodiments of the invention; and Fig. 9 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the air mobility downwash blocking apparatus according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0029] The accompanying drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and present a somewhat simplified representation of various exemplary features illustrating the basic principles of the present invention. The specific design features of the present invention as contained herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, positions, and shapes, will be determined in part by the particular intended application and environment of use.

[0030] In the figures, reference numerals refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention in the different figures of the drawing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures and described below. While the invention(s) will be described in connection with exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to these exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention(s) are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and other embodiments which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0032] The accompanying drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and present a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrating the basic principles of the present invention. The specific design features of the present invention as contained herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, positions, and shapes, will be determined in part by the particular intended application and environment of use.

[0033] In the drawing figures, reference numerals refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention in the different figures of the drawing.

[0034] An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing figures.

[0035] Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an air mobility downwash blocking device according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 are sectional views showing the state of the guide shells according to various exemplary embodiments of the invention before and after use, respectively, wherein reference numeral 130 denotes a rotor guide.

[0036] A propeller-like rotor configured to generate significant lift at the time of takeoff and landing of a flying vehicle for air mobility is rotatably mounted in an inner diameter portion of the rotor guide 130.

[0037] As in Fig. 2, a downwardly open guide shell receiving space 132 is defined in the rotor guide 130, and the guide shell receiving space 132 is formed as a space with a circular ring cross section such that a plurality of cylindrical guide shells are received therein in a state of mutual overlap.

[0038] The plurality of vanes 150 are arranged in the vane receiving space 132 of the rotor guide 130 so that they overlap each other and can be moved up and down. When the vanes 150 are moved downward to be deployed while forming a long cylinder extending upward and downward, a function of blocking the downwash blown from the rotor to a vertiport is performed.

[0039] For this purpose, the majority of the guide shells 150 are formed in a multi-stage structure in which at least three guide shells are slidably connected to one another.

[0040] The plurality of guide shells 150 includes a first guide shell 151 connected to the rotor guide 130 for upward and downward movement, a second guide shell 152 having a smaller diameter than the first guide shell 151, the second guide shell 152 being connected to the first guide shell 151 for upward and downward movement, and a third guide shell 153 having a smaller diameter than the second guide shell 152, the third guide shell 153 being connected to the second guide shell 152 for upward and downward movement.

[0041] When the first, second and third guide shells 151, 152 and 153 are arranged in the guide shell accommodation space 132 of the rotor guide shell 130 in the state in which they overlap each other, the second guide shell 152 is located in an inner diameter portion of the first guide shell 151 and the third guide shell 153 is located in an inner diameter portion of the second guide shell 152, as shown in Fig. 4 shown.

[0042] A bottom coupler 154, which is a kind of airtight member adapted to be brought into airtight contact with the surface of the vertiport 200, is attached to the lower end portion of the third guide bowl 153 located at the lowest position among the plurality of guide bowls 150.

[0043] A drive device is attached to the rotor guide 130 and the guide shells 150, with which the guide shells can be moved up and down.

[0044] The drive device may have a structure configured to connect the first guide shell 151 to the rotor guide 130 so as to be movable upwards and downwards, to connect the second guide shell 152 to the first guide shell 151 so as to be movable upwards and downwards, and to connect the third guide shell 153 to the second guide shell 152 so as to be movable upwards and downwards.

[0045] For this purpose, the rotor guide 130 is further provided with three or more installation spaces 134 for the drive device, which are curved outwards from the receiving space 132 of the guide housing at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the rotor guide.

[0046] As a configuration of the drive device, a first motor 161 configured to move the first guide cup up and down is mounted in each drive device mounting space 134 of the rotor guide 130, and a first screw shaft 162 is rotatably connected to an output shaft of the first motor 161. These elements are arranged in an up-down direction.

[0047] In addition, a first up / down movement guide bracket 151-1 having a female screw portion to which the first screw shaft 162 is screwed is attached to the upper end portion of the first guide cup 151 among the plurality of guide cups 150 to protrude outward.

[0048] A first stopper 163, which is held by a lower part of the first up / down guide bracket 151-1 to limit the maximum downward movement distance of the first guide bowl 151 and prevent its separation, is attached to the lower end part of the first screw shaft 162.

[0049] In another configuration of the drive device, a first motor mount 151-2 is mounted on the upper end portion of the first guide housing 151 so as to protrude inward, a second motor 164 is mounted on the first motor mount 151-2, and a second screw shaft 165 is rotatably connected to an output shaft of the second motor 164. These elements are arranged in the up-down direction.

[0050] In addition, a second up / down movement guide bracket 152-1 having a female screw portion to which the second screw shaft 165 is screwed is attached to the upper end portion of the second guide shell 152 so as to protrude outward.

[0051] A second stopper 166, which is held by a lower part of the second up / down guide bracket 152-1 to limit the maximum downward movement distance of the second guide bowl 152 and prevent its separation, is attached to the lower end part of the second screw shaft 165.

[0052] Another configuration of the drive device is that a second motor mount 152-2 is mounted on the upper end portion of the second guide housing 152 so as to protrude inward, a third motor 167 is mounted on the second motor mount 152-2, and a third screw shaft 168 is rotatably connected to an output shaft of the third motor 167. These elements are arranged in the up-down direction.

[0053] In addition, a third up / down movement guide bracket 153-1 having a female screw portion to which the third screw shaft 168 is screwed is attached to the upper end portion of the third guide housing 153 and projects outward.

[0054] A third stopper 169, which is held by a lower part of the third guide bracket 153-1 for upward / downward movement to limit the maximum downward movement distance of the third guide bowl 153 and prevent its separation, is attached to the lower end part of the third screw shaft 168.

[0055] As in Fig. 8, the downwash blocking device according to various exemplary embodiments of the invention further comprises a distance sensor 170 mounted at a predetermined position of the lower portion of the rotor guide 130 to detect the distance from the surface of the vertiport, and a controller 180 configured to apply a drive signal to each of the motors 161, 164, and 167 of the drive device in the event that the distance detected by the distance sensor 160 is less than the vertical length of the plurality of vanes 150 after full deployment.

[0056] When the motors 161, 164 and 167 of the propulsion device are driven and thus the plurality of guide cups 150 are moved downward to be extended, the downwash flow blown from the rotor 140 to the vertiport 200 during takeoff and landing of an aircraft can be directed into the guide cups 150.

[0057] When the first lead screw 162 is rotated according to the unidirectional rotation of the first motor 161, the first guide bowl 151 is moved downward because the first lead screw 162 is screw-engaged with the first up / down movement guide bracket 151-1 formed on the first guide bowl 151.

[0058] At the same time, when the second screw shaft 165 is rotated according to the unidirectional rotation of the second motor 164, the second guide bowl 152 is moved downward because the second screw shaft 165 is screw-engaged with the second up / down movement guide bracket 152-1 formed on the second guide bowl 152.

[0059] When the third lead screw 168 is rotated according to the unidirectional rotation of the third motor 167, the third guide bowl 153 is moved downward because the third lead screw 168 is screwed to the third up / down movement guide bracket 153-1 formed on the third guide bowl 153.

[0060] At this time, the bottom coupler 154 attached to the lower end portion of the third guide shell 153 is brought into airtight contact with the surface of the vertiport 200.

[0061] When the first, second and third guide shells 151, 152 and 153 are moved downward to be deployed as described above, the first, second and third guide shells 151, 152 and 153 are arranged vertically between the rotor 140 and the vertiport 200, as shown in Fig. 6 shown.

[0062] A downdraft exhaust port 202 configured to exhaust the downdraft blown from the rotor 140 into the vanes 150 is formed in the vertiport 200, and the bottom coupling 154 is brought into close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the downdraft exhaust port 202.

[0063] Consequently, the downdraft blown by the rotor is guided through the inside of the first, second, and third guide shells 151, 152, and 153 employed as described above and discharged through the downdraft outlet port 202, whereby passengers are not disturbed by the downdraft when boarding and disembarking, making it possible to greatly improve the comfort of passengers when boarding and disembarking.

[0064] The following describes an example of the takeoff and landing of the aircraft for air mobility and the use of the guidance dishes.

[0065] Fig. 5, Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 are views sequentially showing the operation of the air mobility downwash blocking device according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and Fig. 9 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the air mobility downwash blocking apparatus according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0066] First, if the aircraft 100 is above the vertiport 200 to land after the flight, as in Fig. 5, the distance sensor 170 detects the distance to the vertiport 200 (S101), and a detected signal is transmitted to the controller 180.

[0067] Subsequently, the controller 180 compares the distance detected by the distance sensor 160 with the vertical length of the plurality of guide shells 150 in the fully deployed state (S102).

[0068] In the case where the distance detected by the distance sensor 160 is less than the vertical length of the plurality of guide shells 150 when they are fully deployed, the deployment of the plurality of guide shells 150 is performed as described above (S103).

[0069] For this purpose, the controller 18 controls the motors 161, 164, and 167 with drive signals, whereby the drive of the first motor 161 and the downward movement of the first guide housing 151 are carried out due to the rotation of the first screw shaft 162, the drive of the second motor 164 and the downward movement of the second guide housing 152 are carried out due to the rotation of the second screw shaft 165, and the drive of the third motor 167 and the downward movement of the third guide housing 153 are carried out due to the rotation of the third screw shaft 168, as described above. As in Fig.6, the first, second and third guide shells 151, 152 and 153, while connected to the rotor 140 and the vertiport 200, are therefore arranged vertically.

[0070] Consequently, the downdrafts blown out by the rotor 140 are guided through the interior of the first, second and third guide shells 151, 152 and 153, which are used as described above, and discharged through the downdraft outlet opening 202 of the vertiport 200, whereby passengers are not exposed to downdrafts when boarding and disembarking.

[0071] After the plurality of guide cups 150 are fully extended, the aircraft 100 begins to move downward to land on the vertiport 200.

[0072] When the aircraft 100 moves downward to land on the vertiport 200, the vertical deployment length of the first, second, and third guide shells 151, 152, and 153 deployed as described above may be reduced to prevent damage thereto.

[0073] That is, the vertical deployment length of the first, second and third guide shells 151, 152 and 153 can be reduced proportionally until the aircraft 100 lands on the vertiport 200.

[0074] For this purpose, the controller 180 outputs a recovery drive signal to the drive device so that the deployment length of each guide shell 150 is reduced in proportion to the distance detected by the distance sensor 170 until the flying vehicle 100 lands on the vertiport 200 after the deployment of the plurality of guide shells 150.

[0075] In other words, when the distance sensor 170 detects that the distance to the vertiport 200 is gradually decreasing due to the downward movement of the flying vehicle 100 and transmits this to the controller 180, the controller 180 outputs reverse drive signals to the first, second, and third motors 161, 164, and 167 so that the deployment length of each guide shell 150 is reduced (S104).

[0076] As the flying vehicle 100 moves downward until the flying vehicle 100 lands on the vertiport 200, the distance to the vertiport 200 detected by the distance sensor 170 is proportionally reduced, and therefore the controller 180 may apply reversed drive signals to the first, second, and third motors 161, 164, and 167 such that the deployment length of each vane 150 is proportionally reduced.

[0077] Therefore, even when the aircraft 100 lands on the vertiport 200, only the vertical extension length of the first, second and third guide shells 151, 152 and 153 is reduced, and the first, second and third guide shells 151, 152 and 153 are configured to continuously guide the downwash from the rotor 140 to the downwash outlet opening 202 of the vertiport 200.

[0078] After the flying vehicle 100 has landed on the vertiport 200, the passengers can board and disembark (S105).

[0079] At this time, the downdraft blown by the rotor 140 through the first, second, and third vanes 151, 152, and 153 is continuously discharged through the downdraft outlet 202 of the vertiport 200. As a result, the downdraft does not reach the passengers at the time of boarding and disembarking, thereby eliminating the inconvenience to the passengers due to the downdraft at the time of boarding and disembarking and improving the comfort of the passengers at the time of boarding and disembarking.

[0080] Meanwhile, when the flying vehicle 100 is ready for takeoff after passengers have boarded and disembarked, a switch operation by a driver or a wireless operation signal from a smart device can be transmitted to the controller 180 such that the guide shells 150 return to their original positions and overlap each other.

[0081] Accordingly, the controller 180 outputs such reverse drive signals (reverse drive signals) to the first, second, and third motors 161, 164, and 167 that the guide cups 150 are moved upward to be accommodated in the guide cup accommodating space 132 of the rotor guide 130 in an overlapped state (S106).

[0082] After the guide cups 150 are received in the guide cup receiving space 132 of the rotor guide 130 in an overlapping state as described above, the flying vehicle 100 can take off (S107).

[0083] As described above, the multi-stage guide vanes are mounted on the rotor guide of the air mobility vehicle so that they can move upwards and downwards. During takeoff and landing, the downwash blown from the rotor to the vertiport is directed into the interior of the guide vanes, preventing the downwash from affecting passengers during boarding and disembarkation. Consequently, it is possible to eliminate the inconvenience caused by downwash during boarding and disembarkation and improve passenger comfort during boarding and disembarkation, making it possible to utilize the future standard technology of the UAM hub now.

[0084] As apparent from the above, the present invention can have the following effects.

[0085] First, the multi-stage guide vanes are mounted on the rotor guide of the air mobility vehicle so that they can move upwards and downwards. The downwash blown from the rotor to the vertiport during takeoff and landing of the air vehicle is directed into the interior of the guide vanes, thus preventing the downwash from interfering with passengers boarding and disembarking. Consequently, it is possible to eliminate the inconvenience caused by downwash to passengers during boarding and disembarking.

[0086] Secondly, the vanes easily prevent downdrafts from being blown to the vertiport and spreading outwards, which can prevent downdrafts, which are a type of turbulent air that reaches passengers during boarding and disembarking, and improve passenger comfort during boarding and disembarking, thus making it possible to adopt future standard technology for UAM hubs.

[0087] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art from the above description.

[0088] Furthermore, the term "control device," "controller," "control unit," or "control module," etc., refers to a hardware device having a memory and a processor configured to execute one or more steps interpreted as an algorithm structure. The memory stores algorithm steps, and the processor executes the algorithm steps to perform one or more processes of a method according to various exemplary embodiments of the invention. The control device according to exemplary embodiments of the invention may be implemented by a non-volatile memory configured to store algorithms for controlling the operation of various components of a vehicle or data via software instructions for executing the algorithms, and a processor configured to perform the process described above using the data stored in the memory.The memory and processor may be separate chips. Alternatively, the memory and processor may be integrated into a single chip. The processor may be implemented as one or more processors. The processor may include various logic and operational circuits, may process data according to a program provided from the memory, and may generate a control signal based on the processing result.

[0089] The control device may be at least one microprocessor controlled by a predetermined program which may contain a series of instructions for carrying out the method included in the above-mentioned various embodiments of the present invention.

[0090] The aforementioned invention may also be embodied as computer-readable code on a computer-readable recording medium. A computer-readable recording medium is any data storage device capable of storing data that can subsequently be read by a computer system. Examples of computer-readable recording media include hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state disks (SSDs), silicon floppy disk drives (SDDs), read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, etc., as well as transmission via carrier waves (e.g., via the Internet).

[0091] In various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, each operation described above may be performed by one control device, and the control device may be implemented by a plurality of control devices or an integrated single control device.

[0092] In various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the control device may be implemented in the form of hardware or software or in a combination of hardware and software.

[0093] For ease of explanation and for precise definition in the appended claims, the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "high," "down," "upward," "downward," "front," "backward," "rearward," "inside," "outside," "inward," "outside," "inside," "outside," "internal," "external," "forward," and "backward" are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of those features illustrated in the figures. The term "connect" or its derivatives refer to both direct and indirect connection.

[0094] Furthermore, the term "fixed" means that fixedly connected elements always rotate at the same speed. Furthermore, the term "selectively connectable" means that "selectively connectable elements rotate separately if the selectively connectable elements are not connected to each other, rotate at the same speed if the selectively connectable elements are connected to each other, and are stationary if at least one of the selectively connectable elements is a stationary element and the remaining selectively connectable elements are connected to the stationary element."

[0095] The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and, of course, many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the present invention and their practical application to enable others skilled in the art to make and use various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

[1] A downdraft blocking device for an airmobile, the downdraft blocking device comprising: a rotor guide on which a rotor of a missile for the airmobile is rotatably mounted; a plurality of vanes mounted on the rotor guide so as to be slidably connected to one another and adapted to be moved upwardly and downwardly with respect to the rotor guide, the plurality of vanes being adapted to block downdrafts blown by the rotor to a vertiport; and Drive devices mounted on the rotor guide and the plurality of guide shells and coupled to the plurality of guide shells, the drive devices being configured to move the plurality of guide shells up and down with respect to the rotor guide. [2] The downdraft blocking device according to claim 1, wherein the rotor guide is provided with a vane receiving space open in a downward direction of the rotor guide. [3] A downdraft blocking device according to claim 2, wherein the rotor guide is provided with three or more installation spaces for the drive device, which are separated from the receiving space of the guide housing and are curved outwards at regular intervals in the circumferential direction of the rotor guide. [4] A downdraft blocking device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of guide shells are telescopically coupled to one another and displaceable relative to one another. [5] The downdraft blocking device of claim 4, wherein the plurality of vanes comprises: a first guide shell connected to the rotor guide and movable up and down relative to the rotor guide by actuation of one of the drive devices; a second guide shell having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the first guide shell, the second guide shell being connected to the first guide shell and being movable up and down relative to the first guide shell by actuation of one of the drive devices; and a third guide shell having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the second guide shell, the third guide shell being connected to the second guide shell and being movable upwards and downwards relative to the second guide shell by actuation of one of the drive devices. [6] The downdraft blocking device according to claim 5, wherein a bottom coupler adapted to be brought into airtight contact with a surface of the vertiport is attached to a lower end portion of the third guide bowl located at a lowest position among the plurality of guide bowls. [7] The downdraft blocking device according to claim 1, wherein a bottom coupler adapted to be brought into airtight contact with a surface of the vertiport is attached to a lower end portion of a guide cup located at a lowest position among the plurality of guide cups. [8] A downdraft blocking device according to claim 1, wherein the drive means comprise a first drive means comprising: a first motor attached to the rotor guide; a first propeller shaft connected to an output shaft of the first motor; a first up / down guide bracket having a female screw portion to which the first screw shaft is screwed, the first up / down guide bracket being attached to an upper end portion of a guide cup located at a highest position among the plurality of guide cups; and a stopper attached to a lower end portion of the first screw shaft and selectively engaged by a lower portion of the first up / down guide bracket to limit a maximum downward movement distance of the guide cup located at the highest position among the plurality of guide cups. [9] Downdraft blocking device according to claim 8, wherein the drive devices further comprise at least one second drive device, and wherein each of the at least one second drive device comprises: a second motor mount attached to an upper end portion of one of the plurality of guide bowls, except for the guide bowl located at the highest position; a second motor mounted on a first motor mount of one of the at least second drive devices; a second propeller shaft connected to an output shaft of the second motor; a second up / down guide bracket having a female screw portion to which the second screw shaft is screwed, the second up / down guide bracket being attached to an upper end portion of another of the plurality of guide shells; and a second stopper attached to a lower end portion of the second screw shaft and engaged by a lower portion of the second guide bracket for upward and downward movement. [10] A downdraft blocking device according to claim 1, wherein the drive means comprise: a first motor mounted in the drive installation space of the rotor guide; a first screw shaft connected to an output shaft of the first motor, the first screw shaft being arranged in a downward direction of the output shaft of the first motor; and a first up / down guide bracket having a female screw portion to which the first screw shaft is screwed, the first up / down guide bracket being attached to an upper end portion of a first guide cup among the plurality of guide cups to protrude outward from an axis of the rotor guide. [11] The downdraft blocking device according to claim 10, wherein a first stopper, which is engaged by a lower portion of the first up-down guide bracket to limit a maximum downward movement distance of the first guide cup, is attached to a lower end portion of the first screw shaft. [12] A downdraft blocking device according to claim 10, wherein the drive means further comprise: a first motor mounting bracket mounted on the upper end portion of the first guide housing among the plurality of guide housings to protrude into the rotor guide; a second motor mounted on the first motor mount; a second propeller shaft connected to an output shaft of the second motor; and a second up / down guide bracket having an internally threaded portion to which the second threaded shaft is screwed, the second up / down guide bracket being attached to an upper end portion of a second guide housing among the plurality of guide housings so as to protrude outwardly from an axis of the rotor guide. [13] The downdraft blocking device according to claim 12, wherein a second stopper selectively engaged by a lower portion of the second up / down guide bracket to limit a maximum downward movement distance of the second guide cup is attached to a lower end portion of the second screw shaft. [14] A downdraft blocking device according to claim 12, wherein the drive devices further comprise: a second motor mount attached to the upper end portion of the second guide housing so as to protrude into the rotor guide; a third motor mounted on the second motor mount; a third propeller shaft rotatably connected to an output shaft of the third motor; and a third up / down guide bracket having a female screw portion to which the third screw shaft is screwed, the third up / down guide bracket being attached to an upper end portion of a third guide cup among the plurality of guide cups to protrude outward from an axis of the rotor guide. [15] The downdraft blocking device according to claim 14, wherein a third stopper, which is engaged by a lower portion of the third up-down movement guide bracket to limit a maximum downward movement distance of the third guide cup, is attached to a lower end portion of the third screw shaft. [16] The downdraft blocking device of claim 1, further comprising: a distance sensor mounted at a predetermined position of a lower part of the rotor guide, the distance sensor being configured to detect a distance from a surface of the vertiport to the distance sensor; and a controller electrically connected to the drive devices and the distance sensor and configured to apply a drive signal to the drive devices when the distance detected by the distance sensor is less than a vertical length of the plurality of guide shells after deployment of the plurality of guide shells. [17] The downwash blocking device according to claim 16, wherein, when the plurality of vanes are moved downward to be deployed as a result of driving the driving devices according to the driving signal of the controller, a downwash flow blown from the rotor to the vertiport at the time of takeoff and landing of the flying vehicle is guided into the plurality of vanes. [18] The downdraft blocking device according to claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to, after the plurality of vanes are deployed, apply a recovery drive signal to the drive devices such that a deployment length of each vane is reduced in proportion to the distance detected by the distance sensor until the flying vehicle lands on the vertiport. [19] The downdraft blocking device according to claim 1, wherein the vertiport is provided with a downdraft outlet opening configured to discharge the downdraft blown by the rotor in the plurality of vanes into the downdraft outlet opening.

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