aircraft

Abstract

The aircraft includes a fuselage having a first side and a second side, a first rotor located on the first side of the aircraft and including a plurality of blades, which is movable between a first position that provides thrust in a generally vertical direction and a second position that provides thrust in a generally horizontal direction, and a second rotor located on the second side of the aircraft and including a plurality of blades, which is movable between a first position that provides thrust in a generally vertical direction and a second position that provides thrust in a generally horizontal direction, wherein the first rotor is positioned generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the first rotor. The first rotor surface includes a surface, the first rotor surface coincides with a portion of the blades of the first rotor, and the second rotor includes a second rotor surface positioned substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the second rotor, the second rotor surface coincides with a portion of the blades of the second rotor, and when the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective first positions, the first rotor surface and the second rotor surface are nonparallel, so that the first rotor surface does not intersect with any portion of the blades of the second rotor, and the second rotor surface does not intersect with any portion of the blades of the first rotor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to aircraft, particularly tilt-rotor aircraft.

Background Art

[0002] Many types of aircraft utilize at least one rotor to generate thrust. Some types of aircraft may include rotors used primarily for horizontal flight or forward flight, rotors used primarily for vertical takeoff and landing maneuvers, or rotors that can be used in both types of flight conditions.

[0003] For any type of aircraft having at least one rotor, damage to the rotor, particularly catastrophic failure, can impede the aircraft's ability to hover in the air. In particularly tragic situations, such rotor failures can cause catastrophic failures in other parts of the aircraft, leading to aircraft failure or destruction and putting the lives of the aircraft's crew and people near the aircraft at risk. The present invention was devised to address these problems.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an aircraft, a fuselage having a first side portion and a second side portion, A first rotor positioned on the first side of an aircraft and including a plurality of blades, the first rotor being movable between a first position in which the first rotor provides thrust in a generally vertical direction and a second position in which the first rotor provides thrust in a generally horizontal direction, A second rotor positioned on the second side of an aircraft and comprising multiple blades, the second rotor being movable between a first position in which the second rotor provides thrust in a generally vertical direction and a second position in which the second rotor provides thrust in a generally horizontal direction. Includes, The first rotor includes a first rotor surface positioned substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the first rotor, the first rotor surface coinciding with a portion of the blades of the first rotor. The second rotor includes a second rotor surface positioned substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the second rotor, the second rotor surface coinciding with a portion of the blades of the second rotor. An aircraft is given in which, when the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective first positions, the first rotor surface and the second rotor surface are nonparallel, so that the first rotor surface does not intersect with any part of the blades of the second rotor, and the second rotor surface does not intersect with any part of the blades of the first rotor.

[0006] The first rotor may include an upper rotor surface and a lower rotor surface, each positioned approximately perpendicular to the rotation axis of the first rotor, with the upper rotor surface coinciding with the uppermost part of the blades of the first rotor and the lower rotor surface coinciding with the lowermost part of the blades of the first rotor. The second rotor may also include an upper rotor surface and a lower rotor surface, each positioned approximately perpendicular to the rotation axis of the second rotor, with the upper rotor surface coinciding with the uppermost part of the blades of the second rotor and the lower rotor surface coinciding with the lowermost part of the blades of the second rotor.

[0007] Since the upper rotor surface of the first rotor does not intersect with any part of the blades of the second rotor, the upper rotor surface of the second rotor does not intersect with any part of the blades of the first rotor.

[0008] The lower rotor surface of the first rotor does not intersect with any part of the blades of the second rotor, and as a result, the lower rotor surface of the second rotor does not intersect with any part of the blades of the first rotor.

[0009] The first rotor surface may coincide with the upper or lower rotor surface of the first rotor, and the second rotor surface may coincide with the upper or lower rotor surface of the second rotor.

[0010] When the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective first positions, the first rotor surface and the second rotor surface do not intersect with any part of the aircraft.

[0011] When the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective second positions, the rotor surfaces of the first rotor and the second rotor may be approximately parallel.

[0012] The aircraft may further include a first motion device connected to the first rotor for moving the first rotor between a first position and a second position, and a second motion device connected to the second rotor for moving the second rotor between a first position and a second position. The first motion device and the second motion device may be configured such that the first rotor surface and the second rotor surface are non-parallel when the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective first positions, and gradually become approximately parallel as the first rotor and the second rotor move from their respective first positions to their respective second positions.

[0013] The first rotor and the second rotor are each movable so as to be pivotable or rotatable relative to the fuselage.

[0014] The first rotor and the second rotor may be movable to a third position, which is between the first position and the second position.

[0015] When the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective first positions, the respective thrust vectors of the first rotor and the second rotor may be substantially perpendicular, and / or when the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective second positions, the respective thrust vectors of the first rotor and the second rotor may be substantially horizontal, and / or when the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective third positions, the respective thrust vectors of the first rotor and the second rotor may have a horizontal component and a vertical component.

[0016] The first rotor and the second rotor may be connected to a lift surface.

[0017] The lift surface may be airfoil-shaped and optionally may include at least one flight control surface.

[0018] The first rotor and the second rotor may be pivotally or rotatably connected to the lift surface.

[0019] The first rotor and the second rotor may rotate in opposite directions about their respective axes of rotation.

[0020] The aircraft may be a tilt-rotor aircraft.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] For the present disclosure to be readily understood, its preferred embodiments are described below by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] [Figure 1] A front view of an aircraft according to the present disclosure, in which the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective first positions. [Figure 2]Front view of the aircraft of FIG. 1, where the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective second positions. [Figure 3] Side view of the aircraft of FIG. 1, where the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective first positions. [Figure 4] Side view of the aircraft of FIG. 1, where the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective third positions. [Figure 5] Side view of the aircraft of FIG. 1, where the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective second positions. [Figure 6] Plan view of the aircraft of FIG. 1, where the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective second positions. [Figure 7] Plan view of the aircraft of FIG. 1, where the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective first positions.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] Referring to the drawings, an aircraft 10 is shown. The aircraft 10 includes a fuselage 100, a first rotor 20, and a second rotor 30. The aircraft 10 may include other features described below. The aircraft 10 may be a tilt-rotor type aircraft known in the art.

[0024] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 7, the fuselage 100 of the aircraft 10 may have a first side portion 110 and a second side portion 120. The first side portion 110 may be on the right side, and the second side portion 120 may be on the left side. In addition, the fuselage 100 of the aircraft 10 may have a front end 130 and a rear end 140. In flight, the front end 130 of the fuselage 100 extends in a direction generally coinciding with the traveling direction of the aircraft 10. As also shown in FIG. 1, a vertical plane Z may be disposed between the first side portion 110 and the second side portion 120 and may be disposed generally centrally with respect to the fuselage 100.

[0025] The aircraft 10 includes a first rotor 20 and a second rotor 30. The first rotor 20 may be located on a first side 110 of the aircraft 10 and may include a plurality of blades 22. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the first rotor 20 may include three blades 22a, 22b, and 22c. In other embodiments, the first rotor 20 may include two blades or more than three blades. In embodiments, the first rotor 20 may also include a first rotor hub 24 that helps connect the plurality of blades 22 to a rotating mast (not shown) and a drive source (not shown). The drive source may include an electric motor, a combustion engine, or any other suitable drive means, and may be configured as a hybrid drive system including any suitable combination of drive means. When driven by a suitable drive source, the first rotor 20 rotates around a rotation axis 26 and generates thrust in a direction substantially parallel to the rotation axis 26.

[0026] The second rotor 30 may be located on the second side 120 of the aircraft 10 and may include a plurality of blades 32. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the second rotor 30 may include three blades 32a, 32b, and 32c. In other embodiments, the second rotor 30 may include two blades or more than three blades. The second rotor 30 may also include other features such as a second rotor hub 34 that helps connect the plurality of blades 32 to a rotating mast (not shown) and a drive source (not shown). The drive source may include an electric motor, a combustion engine, or any other suitable drive means, and may be configured as a hybrid drive system including any suitable combination of drive means. When driven by a suitable drive source, the second rotor 30 rotates around a rotation axis 36 and generates thrust in a direction substantially parallel to the rotation axis 36. In the current embodiment of the aircraft 10, the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 may rotate in opposite directions around their respective rotation axes. For example, either the first rotor 20 or the second rotor 30 may rotate clockwise, and the other may rotate counterclockwise. In other words, the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 may be counter-rotating rotors.

[0027] The first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 may each be movable between a first position and a second position. When the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are in their respective first positions, the rotation axes 26, 36 of the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are oriented generally vertically, and the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 each provide thrust generally vertically, as shown in Figure 3 with respect to the second rotor 30. This first position allows the aircraft 10 to move generally vertically, such as when the aircraft 10 needs to perform vertical takeoff and landing operations.

[0028] When the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are in their respective second positions, the rotation axes 26 and 36 of the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are oriented generally horizontally, and the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 each provide thrust generally horizontally, as shown in Figure 5 with respect to the second rotor 30. This generally horizontal orientation of the rotation axes 26 and 36 of the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 is generally the same as the direction of travel of the aircraft 10, so that this second position allows the aircraft 10 to move generally horizontally for forward flight scenarios such as cruising.

[0029] The first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 may be movable between a first position and a second position relative to the fuselage 100. As a result, the fuselage 100 can be maintained in a generally fixed orientation, for example, regardless of whether the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are in the first position during vertical takeoff or in the second position during forward flight. The movement of the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 between the first and second positions can be achieved by the pivoting or rotational movement of the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 relative to the fuselage 100, as will be described in more detail below.

[0030] The first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 may also be movable to a third position relative to the fuselage 100, respectively, as shown in Figure 4 with respect to the second rotor 30. As described above, when the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are in their respective first positions, the thrusts generated by the rotors 20 and 30 are aligned, directed or oriented in a generally vertical direction. As shown in Figure 3, the direction of the thrusts provided by the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 can be represented as thrust vectors V, and when the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are in their respective first positions, their respective thrust vectors V may be aligned, directed or oriented in a generally vertical direction relative to the fuselage 100. As shown in Figure 5, when the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are in their respective second positions, their respective thrust vectors V may be aligned, directed or oriented in a generally horizontal direction relative to the fuselage 100. As shown in Figure 4, when the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are in their respective third positions, the thrust vector V may be aligned, directed or oriented in directions that are generally inclined with respect to the horizontal and vertical directions. In other words, when the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are in their respective third positions, the thrust vector V may include a generally horizontal thrust component Vx that may be aligned, directed or oriented generally horizontally with respect to the fuselage 100 and generally coincide with the direction of travel of the aircraft 10, and a generally vertical thrust component Vy that may be aligned, directed or oriented generally vertically with respect to the fuselage 100. This third position may correspond to any position that may result from the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 moving between the first and second positions. This third position allows the aircraft 10 to change altitude during flight while moving generally horizontally for forward flight scenarios.

[0031] As described above, the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 may be pivotable or rotatable relative to the fuselage 100. The first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 may each be pivotable or rotatable to a part of the aircraft 10, such as a lift surface 40 that forms part of the aircraft 10. For example, the first rotor 20 may be connected to the lift surface 40 by a first motion device 50a, and the second rotor 30 may be connected to the lift surface 40 by a second motion device 50b. The first motion device 50a and the second motion device 50b may each be provided as an electric motor or any suitable actuator capable of operating to pivot or rotate the respective first rotor 20 or second rotor 30 relative to the lift surface 40. The first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 may be connected to the respective first motion device 50a and the second motion device 50b via other features of the aircraft 10 such as a mast and a drive source, or they may be connected by mounting the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 in the respective nacelles 28, 38 which can support the respective first rotor 20 or the second rotor 30 and serve to house drive components, electric motors and actuators, and / or components that cooperate with electric motors and actuators. The first and second moving devices 50a and 50b, which provide a pivotable or rotatable connection between the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 and the (one or more) lift surfaces 40, can be configured such that the movement of the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 between the first, second, and third positions is substantially synchronized, and as a result the rotors 20 and 30 pivot or rotate at substantially the same speed relative to the fuselage 100 and the lift surfaces 40, and the first rotor 20 is always in substantially the same position or orientation as the second rotor 30 relative to the fuselage 100 and the (one or more) lift surfaces 40.

[0032] As shown in the drawings, the lift surface 40 may include a first lift surface 41 located on a first side 110 of the fuselage 100, with a first end 41a connected to the fuselage 100 and a second end 41b connected to the first rotor 20. The lift surface 40 may also include a second lift surface 42 located on a second side 120 of the fuselage 100, with a first end 42a connected to the fuselage 100 and a second end 42b connected to the second rotor 30. In other embodiments, the lift surface 40 may be a shared or common lift surface 40 extending outward from the center point of the fuselage 100, to which both the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 may be connected at opposite ends of the lift surface 40, for example, via first and second moving devices 50a and 50b, respectively. In embodiments, the lift surface 40, including the first lift surface 41 and the second lift surface 42, may be an airfoil of any suitable profile. The lift surface 40, including the first lift surface 41 and the second lift surface 42, may be fixedly connected to the fuselage 100 so that the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 do not rotate or pivot as they move between their respective first, second, and third positions. In embodiments, the aircraft 10 may include additional lift surfaces that do not support the first rotor 20 or the second rotor 30. These additional lift surfaces may be located in any suitable part of the aircraft 10. In addition, one or each of the lift surfaces 40, 41, 42 may include flight control surfaces such as flaps, ailerons, and other forms of flight control surfaces known to those skilled in the art.

[0033] When the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are in the second or third position, in addition to the thrust generated by the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30, the (one or more) lift surfaces 40 also contribute to the overall lift that keeps the aircraft 10 in the air during forward flight maneuvers. In some embodiments, the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 may be operated to provide a lower degree of thrust when they are in the second or third position compared to when they are in their respective first position.

[0034] As shown in Figure 1, the first rotor 20 may include a first rotor surface 200. The first rotor surface 200 may be positioned approximately perpendicular to the axis of rotation 26 of the first rotor 20, and may coincide with a portion of one of the multiple blades 22 of the first rotor 20. In the example shown in Figure 1, the first rotor surface 200 may coincide with the approximately central portion of one of the multiple blades 22. However, the first rotor surface 200 may coincide with any portion of one of the multiple blades 22, including the uppermost portion 23 or the lowermost portion 25, as will be described below.

[0035] The second rotor surface 300 may be positioned approximately perpendicular to the rotation axis 36 of the second rotor 30, and may coincide with a portion of one of the multiple blades 32 of the second rotor 30. In the example shown in Figure 1, the second rotor surface 300 may coincide with the approximately central portion of one of the multiple blades 32. However, the second rotor surface 300 may coincide with any portion of one of the multiple blades 32, including the uppermost portion 33 or the lowermost portion 35, as will be described below.

[0036] When the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are in their respective first positions, the first rotor surfaces 200 and the second rotor surfaces 300 are oriented so as to be non-parallel, that is, inclined with respect to a vertical plane Z located between the first side 110 and the second side 120 of the fuselage 100. As shown in Figure 1, the first rotor surfaces 200 and the second rotor surfaces 300 are oriented so that the direction of the thrust provided by their rotation axes 26, 36, and consequently by the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30, is inclined in a generally upward, generally vertical direction away from the fuselage. In this orientation, it should be understood that any horizontal thrust component directed away from the fuselage 100 due to the inclination of the thrust vector V may be minimal or negligible in magnitude compared to the vertical thrust generated by the rotors 20 and 30. As a result, the first rotor surface 200 and the second rotor surface 300 intersect each other at an intersection P1 above the fuselage 100 of the aircraft 10. In this embodiment, the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 may be oriented or inclined by approximately equal amounts with respect to the vertical plane Z, and may be positioned at approximately equal distances with respect to the vertical plane Z, so that the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are symmetrically positioned and oriented with respect to the vertical plane Z.

[0037] When the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are in their respective first positions, the first rotor surface 200 and the second rotor surface 300 are oriented nonparallel to such an extent that the first rotor surface 200 of the first rotor 20 does not intersect with any portion of any of the multiple blades 32 of the second rotor 30, and the second rotor surface 300 of the second rotor 30 does not intersect with any portion of any of the multiple blades 22 of the second rotor 22. In this embodiment, the first rotor surface 200 and the second rotor surface 300 are oriented nonparallel to such an extent that the first rotor surface 200 and the second rotor surface 300 do not intersect with any part of the aircraft 10, such as any part of the fuselage 100 and any part of the lift surface(s) 40.

[0038] In an embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the first rotor 20 may include upper rotor surfaces 202 and lower rotor surfaces 204. Each upper rotor surface 202 and lower rotor surface 204 may be positioned substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis 26 of the first rotor 20 and substantially parallel to the first rotor surface 200. The upper rotor surface 202 may coincide with the uppermost portion 23 of one or all of the multiple blades 22, and the lower rotor surface 204 may coincide with the lowermost portion 25 of one or all of the multiple blades 22 of the first rotor 20. As a result, one or all of the blades of the first rotor 20 may be positioned substantially between the upper rotor surface 202 and the lower rotor surface 204 of the first rotor 20.

[0039] The second rotor 30 may include an upper rotor surface 302 and a lower rotor surface 304. Each upper rotor surface 302 and lower rotor surface 304 may be positioned approximately perpendicular to the rotation axis 36 of the second rotor 30 and approximately parallel to the second rotor surface 300. The upper rotor surface 302 may coincide with the uppermost portion 33 of one or all of the multiple blades 32, and the lower rotor surface 304 may coincide with the lowermost portion 35 of one or all of the multiple blades 32 of the second rotor 30. As a result, one or all of the blades of the second rotor 30 may be positioned substantially between the upper rotor surface 302 and the lower rotor surface 304 of the second rotor 30.

[0040] In this embodiment, when the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are in their respective first positions, the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 can be oriented nonparallel to such an extent that the upper rotor surface 202 of the first rotor 20 does not intersect with any portion of any of the multiple blades 32 of the second rotor 30, and the upper rotor surface 304 of the second rotor 30 does not intersect with any portion of any of the multiple blades 22 of the first rotor 20. As a result, the upper rotor surface 202 of the first rotor 20 and the upper rotor surface 302 of the second rotor 30 can intersect each other at an intersection P2 above the fuselage 100 of the aircraft 10. In addition, in some embodiments, the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 may be oriented nonparallel so that the upper rotor surfaces 202, 302 of the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30, respectively, do not intersect with any part of the aircraft 10, such as any part of the fuselage 100 and any part of the (one or more) lift surfaces 40.

[0041] In another embodiment, when the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are in their respective first positions, the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 can be oriented nonparallel to such an extent that the lower rotor surface 204 of the first rotor 20 does not intersect with any portion of any of the multiple blades 32 of the second rotor 30, and the lower rotor surface 304 of the second rotor 30 does not intersect with any portion of any of the multiple blades 22 of the first rotor 30. As a result, the lower rotor surface 204 of the first rotor 20 and the lower rotor surface 304 of the second rotor 30 may intersect with each other at an intersection P3 above the fuselage 100 of the aircraft 10. In such embodiments, as shown in Figure 1, the lower rotor surfaces 204, 304 of the first and second rotors 20, 30 respectively do not intersect with the multiple blades 22, 32 of the other rotor 20, 30, so that no other rotor surfaces, such as the first rotor surface 200, the second rotor surface 300, the upper rotor surface 202 of the first rotor 20, and the upper rotor surface 302 of the second rotor 30, intersect with any portion of any of the multiple blades 22, 32 of the other rotor 20, 30. In addition, in some embodiments, the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 may be oriented nonparallel, so that the lower rotor surfaces 204, 304 of the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 respectively do not intersect with any part of the aircraft 10, such as any part of the fuselage 100 and any part of the (one or more) lift surfaces 40. As described above, in such embodiments, it is also true that no other rotor surfaces, such as the first rotor surface 200, the second rotor surface 300, the upper rotor surface 202 of the first rotor 20, and the upper rotor surface 302 of the second rotor 30, intersect with any part of the aircraft 10, such as any part of the fuselage 100 and any part of the (one or more) lift surfaces 40.

[0042] In this embodiment, the first rotor surface 200 and the second rotor surface 300 may coincide with the upper rotor surfaces 202, 302 or lower rotor surfaces 204, 304 of the respective first rotor 20 and second rotor 30.

[0043] The non-parallel orientation of the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30, such that any or all of the first rotor surface 200, the second rotor surface 300, the upper rotor surfaces 202, 302, and the lower rotor surfaces 204, 304 do not intersect with any portion of any of the multiple blades 22, 32 of adjacent rotors 20, 30, is particularly advantageous in the event of a failure of one of the rotors 20, 30. For example, if one of the first rotor 20 or the second rotor 30 is damaged to the extent that at least a portion of at least one of the multiple blades 22, 32 detaches or is ejected from that rotor 20, 30, the non-parallel orientation of the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 can reduce or completely eliminate the risk of the detached portion of rotor 20, 30 colliding with one or more of the multiple blades 22, 32 of the other rotor 20, 30. Therefore, in a scenario where rotors 20 and 30 lose one blade and the thrust provided by rotors 20 and 30 is reduced, the other undamaged rotor 20 and 30 can be controlled to provide approximately equal reduced thrust so that aircraft 10 can maintain vertical flight until it can perform a safe landing. Vertical takeoff and landing maneuvers are scenarios in which damage to rotors 20 and 30 can lead to catastrophic consequences, and they are often performed in the presence of other aircraft, vehicles, and people. Therefore, it is particularly desirable to reduce the risk of events in which a damaged rotor 20 or 30 could cause damage to the other rotor 20 or 30. This is because the amount of debris that could fall off rotors 20 and 30 can be reduced, thereby reducing the risk of aircraft 10 crashing into the ground due to a complete loss of thrust. Any of these could result in the loss of life not only of the crew of aircraft 10 but also of people in the vicinity of aircraft 10.

[0044] As shown in Figure 6, the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 and their associated surfaces 200, 202, 204, 300, 302, and 304 may be non-parallel in their respective first positions, but the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 may be positioned such that any or all of the first rotor surface 200, the second rotor surface 300, the upper rotor surfaces 202, 302, and the lower rotor surfaces 204, 304 are generally parallel when the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are in their respective second positions. When the aircraft 10 is in forward flight, such as during cruising, the consequences of a damaged blade detaching entirely or partially from one of the rotors 20, 30 and colliding with the other rotor 20, 30 may be less severe than in a vertical flight situation. For example, if one or both rotors 20, 30 are damaged or otherwise impaired, depending on the cause of the damage, the (one or more) flight surfaces 40 of the aircraft 10 are likely to remain intact. The aircraft 10 can be guided to a safe landing by using the (one or more) lift surfaces 40 and any associated flight control surfaces that may exist. In addition, the aircraft 10 may be designed such that, when the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are in their respective second positions, other parts of the aircraft 10, such as the fuselage 100, can function as a barrier between the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30.

[0045] In this embodiment, the orientation of the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 and the associated rotor surfaces 200, 202, 204, 300, 302, 304 may change as the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 move between their respective first, second, and third positions. Therefore, the first moving devices 50a and the second moving devices 50b, which pivotably or rotatably connect the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 to the lift surface 40, or to their respective lift surfaces 41, 42, may be configured such that the associated rotor surfaces 200, 202, 204, 300, 302, 304 gradually change from non-parallel to substantially parallel as the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 move from their respective first positions to their respective second positions. This can help reduce the complexity of the connection between the first rotor 20 and the second rotor and the (one or more) lift surfaces 40, 41, 42, because when the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are in their respective first positions, a secondary mechanism is not required to tilt the thrust vectors V of the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 away from the fuselage 100. In addition, when the first rotor 20 and the second rotor 30 are in their respective third positions, and the third positions are such that the rotation axes 26, 36 are still nearly vertical, the associated rotor surfaces 200, 202, 204, 300, 302, 304 can still be maintained in a generally non-parallel orientation.

[0046] As used herein and in the claims, the terms “includes” and “composes” and their variations mean that the specified feature, step, or integer is included. These terms should not be construed as excluding the presence of other features, steps, or components.

[0047] The present invention may also broadly exist in any combination of any two or more such parts, elements, steps, examples, and / or features, individually or collectively, as mentioned or indicated in the specification. In particular, one or more features in any embodiment described herein may be combined with one or more features from any other (one or more) embodiments described herein.

[0048] Protection may be sought for any feature disclosed in one or more public documents referenced herein in conjunction with this disclosure.

[0049] Although certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described, the appended claims are not intended to be limited to these embodiments only. The claims should be interpreted literally, intentionally, and / or to encompass equivalents.

Claims

1. It is an aircraft, A torso having a first side and a second side, A first rotor, positioned on the first side of the aircraft and including a plurality of blades, is movable between a first position that provides thrust in a generally vertical direction and a second position that provides thrust in a generally horizontal direction. A second rotor, positioned on the second side of the aircraft and including a plurality of blades, which is movable between a first position that provides thrust in a generally vertical direction and a second position that provides thrust in a generally horizontal direction. Includes, The first rotor includes a first rotor surface positioned substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the first rotor, and the first rotor surface coincides with a portion of the blades of the first rotor. The second rotor includes a second rotor surface positioned substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the second rotor, the second rotor surface coinciding with a portion of the blades of the second rotor. An aircraft in which, when the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective first positions, the first rotor surface and the second rotor surface are non-parallel, so that the first rotor surface does not intersect with any part of the blades of the second rotor, and the second rotor surface does not intersect with any part of the blades of the first rotor.

2. The first rotor includes an upper rotor surface and a lower rotor surface, each positioned substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis of the first rotor, wherein the upper rotor surface coincides with the uppermost portion of the blades of the first rotor, and the lower rotor surface coincides with the lowermost portion of the blades of the first rotor. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the second rotor includes an upper rotor surface and a lower rotor surface, each positioned substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the second rotor, the upper rotor surface coinciding with the uppermost portion of the blades of the second rotor, and the lower rotor surface coinciding with the lowermost portion of the blades of the second rotor.

3. The aircraft according to claim 2, wherein the upper rotor surface of the first rotor does not intersect with any part of any blade of the second rotor, so that the upper rotor surface of the second rotor does not intersect with any part of any blade of the first rotor.

4. The aircraft according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the lower rotor surface of the first rotor does not intersect with any part of the blades of the second rotor, so that the lower rotor surface of the second rotor does not intersect with any part of the blades of the first rotor.

5. The aircraft according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the first rotor surface coincides with the upper or lower rotor surface of the first rotor, and the second rotor surface coincides with the upper or lower rotor surface of the second rotor.

6. The aircraft according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein when the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective first positions, the first rotor surface and the second rotor surface do not intersect with any part of the aircraft.

7. The aircraft according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein when the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective second positions, the first rotor surface and the second rotor surface are substantially parallel.

8. The system further includes a first motion device connected to the first rotor for moving the first rotor between a first position and a second position, and a second motion device connected to the second rotor for moving the second rotor between a first position and a second position. The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the first and second moving devices are configured such that the first rotor surface and the second rotor surface are non-parallel when the first and second rotors are in their respective first positions, and gradually become approximately parallel as the first and second rotors move from their respective first positions to their respective second positions.

9. The aircraft according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first rotor and the second rotor are each pivotably or rotatably movable relative to the fuselage.

10. The aircraft according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the first rotor and the second rotor are movable to a third position, the third position being between the first position and the second position.

11. The aircraft according to claim 10, wherein when the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective first positions, the thrust vectors of the first rotor and the second rotor are approximately vertical, and / or when the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective second positions, the thrust vectors of the first rotor and the second rotor are approximately horizontal, and / or when the first rotor and the second rotor are in their respective third positions, the thrust vectors of the first rotor and the second rotor have a horizontal component and a vertical component.

12. The aircraft according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the first rotor and the second rotor are connected to a lift surface.

13. The aircraft according to claim 12, wherein the lift surface is airfoil and optionally includes at least one flight control surface.

14. The aircraft according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the first rotor and the second rotor are pivotably or rotatably connected to the lifting surface.

15. The aircraft according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the first rotor and the second rotor rotate in opposite directions around their respective axes of rotation.

16. The aircraft according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the aircraft is a tiltrotor aircraft.

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