179 results about "Vertical stabilizer" patented technology

A vertical take-off and landing aircraft includes a fuselage, a left wing, a right wing, at least one forward thruster, a horizontal stabilizer and a vertical stabilizer. The left and right wings extend from substantially a middle of the fuselage on left and right sides, respectively. The at least one forward thruster is preferably mounted to the fuselage, substantially behind the left and right wings. The horizontal stabilizer extends from a rear of the fuselage. The vertical stabilizer extends from a top of the fuselage at a rear thereof. At least two left lift rotors are retained in the left wing and at least two right lift rotors are retained in the right wing. A second embodiment of the VTOL aircraft includes a fuselage truncated behind the left and right wings with a twin tail empennage.

The present invention provides a method whereby the spatial relationship and orientations of one or more three-dimensional objects being illuminated by an optical projector, and the optical projector itself, can be very accurately defined both quickly and easily. The present invention also provides a novel computerized optical projection system whereby three dimensional data when viewed by the human eye projected onto three dimensional objects is not deformed as a result of the non-planar projection surface. The present invention could have many applications in many industries that include entertainment, apparel, marketing, and many others. In one embodiment, the invention provides computerized optical assembly or manufacturing guidance systems, and related methods, that provide step-by-step assembly or manufacturing instructions for instructing technicians how to assemble or manufacture three-dimensional objects or systems, or parts thereof, which may be extremely complex, such as an aircraft, or a part thereof (a vertical stabilizer, or the like), in a very efficient, rapid and accurate manner. The assembly instructions are in the form of calibrated three-dimensional text, images and / or symbols, and are projected by one or a plurality of optical projectors that are in operable communication with one or a plurality of computers onto the three-dimensional objects or systems, or component parts or skins thereof.

A combined submersible vessel and unmanned aerial vehicle preferably includes a body structure, at least one wing structure coupled to the body structure, at least one vertical stabilizer structure coupled to the body structure, and at least one horizontal stabilizer structure coupled to the body structure. A propulsion system is coupled to the body structure and is configured to propel the flying submarine in both airborne flight and underwater operation. Preferably, the propulsion system includes a motor, a gearbox coupled to the motor and configured to receive power generated by the motor and provide variable output power, a drive shaft coupled to the gearbox and configured to transfer the variable output power provided by the gearbox, and a propeller coupled to the drive shaft and configured to accept power transferred to it from the drive shaft. The propeller is further configured to rotate and propel the flying submarine in both an airborne environment and in an underwater environment.

A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft having at least three wings and at least six propulsion units, each of which are located radially from two adjacent propulsion units, by equal or substantially equal angles. The at least six propulsion units together being located symmetrically, or at substantially symmetric positions, about the approximate center of gravity of the aircraft, when viewed from above. A vertical stabilizer may or may not be employed. If no vertical stabilizer is employed, yaw control during horizontal flight may be achieved through differential thrust using the at least six propulsion units. Yaw control during vertical flight may be provided by a plurality of yaw control panels. Absent yaw control panels, yaw control during vertical flight may be provided using differential propulsion unit tilt angles.

A VTOL vehicle including a fuselage with two foldable wings, two tiltable nacelles attached to the wings, a vertical stabilizer, a horizontal stabilizer, and two auxiliary thrusters. Each nacelle contains a system of vanes located at the rear opening thereof, and actuators are provided for extending and retracting the vanes in conjunction with nacelle tilting mechanisms to deflect the airflow over a predetermined range of angles from the horizontal. Each nacelle also contains two rotary engines, each of which directly drives a fan. The fans face each other and operate in counter-rotating directions at the same rotational speed. An alternative embodiment includes two additional nacelles attached to the fuselage instead of having the auxiliary thrusters. A redundant computerized flight control system maintains stability of the vehicle as it transitions from one flight mode to another.

A vertically stabilized shelf bracket assembly having at least two support strips on which a plurality of shelf brackets are mounted. The shelving is stabilized in several ways. First, the brackets are provided with a shelf engaging recess. The recess is either designed to provide a tight fit for the shelf, or the recess is provided with a shim for tightening the fit. Second, the brackets are provided with a vertical member which engages the shelves. Preferably, the recess and the vertical member will engage the shelf at opposite ends of the shelf, securing the shelf to the bracket. When the shelf is attached to multiple brackets, the shelf will be prevented from pivoting on the bracket. The shelves can be further stabilized by securing the brackets against vertical displacement. This can be accomplished by securing the shelf brackets to the support strip with a locking pin. With the locking pin in place, the shelf bracket cannot be moved upward. Another way of securing the brackets is to provide a vertical stabilizer, comprising an elongated member, preferably of steel or aluminum, having an arm extending perpendicularly therefrom. The arm will fit tightly into a slot in a support strip. When the arm is in place, the elongated member will be positioned over and in contact with the base of the shelf bracket, so that the bracket cannot be moved upward. The vertical stabilizer will be held in place by the cover which fits over the support strips.

An improved method and means for transforming kinetic energy into mechanical energy to generate hydroelectric power. A submersible scoop-like composite structure (10) with a hollow, tapered, inner chamber to funnel moving water through a turbine (22). The structure (10) has a hydrodynamically clean outer hull with cambered surfaces to increase the velocity of moving water to enhance the turbine's (22) efficiency. The structure (10) has a large orifice with a protective grill (14). The body of the structure (10) contains a vertical stabilizer petition (13) to keep the structure (10) parallel with the direction of the moving water. The detachable turbine (22) is housed in a tube (11) attached aft of the structure (10). The detachable generator (25A, 25B, 25C) is housed in a protective housing (12A, 12B, 12C) and attached to the turbine housing (11). The turbine (22) is coupled to the generator (25A, 25B, 25C) by a turbine drive shaft (24) through a gear box (23) to a generator drive shaft (26A, 26B, 26C). The turbine drive shaft (24) is supported by a front vertical support (27) and a rear vertical support (28). The generator drive shaft (26A, 26B, 26C) is protected by a generator drive shaft housing (29A, 29B, 29C). The entire structure is attached to an anchor base (16A, 16B, 18A, 18B, 21) by legs (15A, 15B, 17A, 19A, 19B, 20) The anchor base is fixed to a submerged medium. The scoop-like composite structure is formed from rigid material and submerged, whereby it cannot be seen from the surface. The structure is cost effective, efficient, produces no known pollution, and is not susceptible to weather related damage.

An aircraft configuration that may reduce the level of noise, infrared radiation, or combination thereof directed towards the ground from an aircraft in flight. An embodiment of an aircraft includes a fuselage, two forward swept wings, at least one engine mounted to the aircraft and higher than the wings, and vertical stabilizers mounted on each wing outboard of the outermost engine. The leading edge of the wing may extend forward of the leading end of the engine, and the trailing edge of the aft deck may extend aft of the trailing end of the engine. The aft deck may include an upwardly rotatable pitch control surface at the trailing edge of the deck. Engine types may vary, including but not limited to turbofans, prop-fans, and turbo-props. Main wings may be mounted above the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, and canards may likewise be mounted above or below the axis.

A blended wing aircraft reduces forward, aft, and sideline flyover noise and heat energy by reflecting it upward using the wing and vertical stabilizers positioned just outboard of the engines. The engines are located on top of the wing and forward of the trailing edge of the wing with the aft portion of the engines located over the wing. The nozzle exit perimeter is increased and shaped to increase shear and create vortices to move noise generation over the wing to cause the noise to be reflected upward off the wing and upward off of the canted vertical stabilizers. Engine thrust reversers cause the forwardly mounted engine's thrust to be directed toward the front of the aircraft in such a way as to create a download forward of the main landing gear to also secure the front landing gear.

The present invention provides an unmanned airborne reconnaissance vehicle having a fuselage, a forward wing pair and a rearward wing pair vertically separated by a gap and staggered fore and aft therebetween such that a general biplane configuration is formed. The present invention provides a pair of wing tip plates for joining the wing tips of the forward and rearward wings. The unmanned airborne reconnaissance vehicle of the present invention includes a power plant to propel the vehicle through the air and a generally T-shaped tail having a vertical stabilizer including a rudder and a full span elevator.

An aircraft features a source of forward thrust on a fuselage having a helicopter rotor assembly and an asymmetric primary wing configuration providing more wing-generated lift on one side of the fuselage than the other. The primary wing configuration counteracts the rotor's dissymmetry of lift during forward cruising, and reliance on the separate thrust source for such cruising reduces demand on the main rotor, keeping the angle of attack on the rotor blades low to avoid the stalling and violent vibration experienced by conventional helicopters at relatively high speeds. In some embodiments, an oppositely asymmetric tail wing or horizontal stabilizer acts alone, or together with an offset vertical stabilizer laterally outward from the tail, to counteract yaw-inducing drag of the primary wing.

Mechanical separators and screening machines, and methods for flexible sieve mat screening and flexible mat conveying are disclosed. In an example configuration, a flexible mat screening apparatus is provided with geometrically optimized guiding edge seals at lateral sides. One preferred configuration includes an assembly wherein a sieve mat has upwardly curved lateral sides forming a non-vertical, gradually curved shape. In another configuration, a movable support section is supported on a main frame section via a plurality of shear blocks, each arranged with its compression axis disposed horizontally. In yet another configuration, the movable support section is further connected to the main frame section via vertical stabilizers or leaf springs, the vertical stabilizers permitting longitudinal movement between the movable support section and the main frame section, but inhibiting vertical and / or lateral movement therebetween.

A system support assembly comprises a pair of substantially parallel footer forms, insulated concrete forms, footer form base saddles, a poly form saddle assembly and first and second vertical stabilizers. The footer form base saddle may be generally u-shaped and is driven into the ground forming two substantially parallel areas. Each footer form is placed within the row formed by the footer form base saddles such that a cavity is defined therebetween which will ultimately form the footer of the foundation. The poly form saddle assemble comprises a poly form saddle and fasteners. The poly form saddle may also be generally u-shaped and is placed over both footer forms, thus straddling the same. The poly form saddle may then be secured with corresponding fasteners. The insulated concrete forms are placed side by side and are stacked upward, such that a wall is formed. A first poly form vertical stabilizer is placed over the wall and operatively connected to the footer form base saddle. More insulated concrete forms are stacked to complete the wall. The second poly form vertical stabilizer may then be placed, preferably laterally spaced from the first poly from vertical stabilizer. The second poly form vertical stabilizer is also operatively connected to the footer form base saddle. Then, the concrete is poured into the insulated concrete forms such that the foundation wall and footers are poured and cured at one time.

Disclosed is a spacecraft carrying a number of pods, each containing an aircraft that has been folded to fit in the pod. Each aircraft has a vertical stabilizer and outboard wing-portions that fold around fore-and-aft axes. Each aircraft also has a fuselage that folds around a lateral axis. The spacecraft releases one or more of the pods into an atmosphere. Each of the pods is configured with an ablative heat shield and parachutes to protect its aircraft when the pod descends through the atmosphere. The pod releases its aircraft at a desired altitude or location, and the aircraft unfolds while free-falling. The aircraft then acquires and follows a flight path, and activates scientific experiments and instruments that it carries. The aircraft relays results and readings from the experiments and instruments to the spacecraft, which in turn relays the results and readings to a mission command center.

A combined submersible vessel and unmanned aerial vehicle preferably includes a body structure, at least one wing structure, at least one vertical stabilizer structure, and at least one horizontal stabilizer structure. A propulsion system is coupled to the body structure and is configured to propel the flying submarine in both airborne flight and underwater operation. Preferably, the propulsion system includes a motor, a gearbox coupled to the motor and configured to receive power generated by the motor and provide variable output power, a drive shaft coupled to the gearbox and configured to transfer the variable output power provided by the gearbox, and a propeller coupled to the drive shaft and configured to accept power transferred to it from the drive shaft. The propeller is further configured to rotate and propel the flying submarine in both an airborne environment and in an underwater environment.

A remotely controlled model airplane includes a receiver responsive to signals from a transmitter to control the direction of flight of the model airplane. The receiver, powered by a battery, demodulates the signal transmitted by the transmitter to selectively energize an electrical coil to generate a magnetic field of a first or second polarity. A rudder pivotally attached to the vertical stabilizer includes a magnet responsive to the magnetic fields generated and is urged in one direction or the other resulting in commensurate pivotal movement of the rudder. A hinge interconnecting the rudder and vertical stabilizer urges return to center of the rudder after it has been deflected left or right by the magnet responding to the magnetic field created as a result of a signal transmitted by the transmitter. An electric motor also under control of the transmitter and receiver may be incorporated to rotate a propeller to provide thrust and forward motion of the model airplane. By employing a transmitter to selectively transmit a plurality of signals, control surfaces of the model airplane can be deflected to provide 2-axis control to selectively alter the direction and pitch of the model airplane.

This disclosure pertains to the field of small-unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The delta wing vehicle consists of an isosceles triangular shaped lifting body milled from Styrofoam. The longitudinal axis is approximately 65% of the lateral axis. The horizontal wing projections, or tiplets, are attached to the main lifting body at an approximately 10 degree upward angle from horizontal, have a 30 degree sweep back leading edge, and each one comprises 5% of the total wing area. The airfoil is a rhomboid or diamond shape. The chord is swept back at a 45-degree angle from the longitudinal centerline. The airfoil is symmetrical about the longitudinal center. The aircraft is controlled by a set of combined elevator / aileron surfaces (elevons) at the rear as well as a vertical stabilizer / rudder combination. This resulting lightweight UAV can make flat (unbanked) unbanked turns, fly in high winds, and has superior flexibility in payload capability.

The present invention as disclosed herein is an improved vehicle parking structure and method for using the same. The vehicle parking structure provides for the automated storage and retrieval of vehicles in response to user inputs. In one aspect, the vehicle parking structure comprises one or more transfer rooms in which a vehicle operator may deposit and later retrieve a vehicle, a plurality of parking spaces of either fixed or variable dimensions, and one or more vehicle transporters used to move vehicles from the one or more transfer rooms to the plurality of parking spaces. The one or more vehicle transporters are in turn each preferably comprised of one or more vertical stabilizers, one or more tractors, one or more lifts, a lifting platform, and a dolly. The vehicle transporters move the lifting platform and dolly so that the dolly may be positioned to access a vehicle located in a transfer room or parking space.

The invention concerns a method for manufacturing a shell, in particular a fuselage shell, a wing shell, a horizontal stabilizer shell or a vertical stabilizer shell, that is reinforced with a plurality of stiffening elements, for forming component parts for aircraft with high dimensional stability, wherein the stiffening elements and a shell skin are made with epoxy resin from at least partially cured carbon fiber reinforced semi-finished parts, the method comprising the following steps:positioning the stiffening elements on the shell skin,abutting connecting elements against the shell skin and the stiffening elements, andcuring the connecting elements to form the shell.The invention also concerns a shell, in particular a fuselage shell, a wing shell, a horizontal stabilizer shell or a vertical stabilizer shell, manufactured in accordance with the inventive method.

An aircraft design where the one or multiple numbers of vertical stabilizer each has a lifting propeller.

The invention discloses a deepsea manned submersible synchronous folding horizontal stabilizer, which comprises a manned submersible body.A vertical stabilizer is arranged at the tail of the manned submersible body, horizontal stabilizersare symmetrically arranged at the two ends of the vertical stabilizer, the vertical stabilizer is of a fixed structure, and the horizontal stabilizersare of movable structures;open grooves are symmetrically formed in the tail of the manned submersible body, and the horizontal stabilizersextend and retract at the positions of the open grooves; the deepsea manned submersible synchronous folding horizontal stabilizer is compact and reasonable in structure and convenient in operation, and the retracting and extending of the two horizontal stabilizers are synchronously controlled through the telescopic movement of an oil cylinder. During floating and diving of a submersible, the horizontal stabilizersare retracted into the interior of the manned submersiblebody so as to reduce fluid resistance and increase the floating and diving speeds of the submersible. When the manned submersible dives to the bottom of the sea and sails,the horizontal stabilizers can be extended to ensure sailing stability of the manned submarine.

An aircraft configuration that may reduce the level of noise, infrared radiation, sonic boom, or combination thereof directed towards the ground from an aircraft in flight. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an aircraft includes a tubular fuselage, two delta wings, at least one engine mounted to the aircraft and higher than the wings, and vertical stabilizers mounted on each wing outboard of the outermost engine. Each wing may include a wing strake at the leading edge of the wing and extending to the fuselage and an aft deck. The leading edge of the wing may extend forward of the intake of the engine, and the trailing edge of the aft deck may extend aft of the engine exhaust. The aft deck may include an upwardly rotatable pitch control surface at the trailing edge of the deck.

A kit for quick replacement of unitary model airplane structural components contains a first wing assembly is removable from a model airplane fuselage component so a second wing assembly from the kit can be quickly installed. A first vertical stabilizer subassembly is removable from the model airplane fuselage component so a second vertical stabilizer subassembly from the kit can be quickly installed. A first horizontal stabilizer subassembly is removable from the model airplane fuselage component so a second horizontal stabilizer subassembly from the kit can be quickly installed. The kit has a kit box for portable storage of the wing assembly, vertical stabilizer subassembly, and the horizontal stabilizer subassembly. The kit does not contain the fuselage component or a fuselage padding component.