Heliplane Craft Vertical Takeoff Transition Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current small aircraft, such as airplanes and helicopters, face high design and maintenance costs, complexity in controls, and limitations in navigation and landing capabilities, with drone-type passenger pods being vertically oriented and lacking pilot control during flight.
Innovation Solution
An electrically powered, aerodynamic heliplane craft with a cylindrical body, counter-rotating propellers, fixed wings, and a rudder system, allowing vertical takeoff and landing, and transition to horizontal flight, with manual or computer-operable controls for a pilot.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a helicopter uses vertical rotary rudder propeller system to steer and prevent dipping and rolling, then hovering capability is improved, but device complexity and mechanical maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The helicopter's control system is segmented into independent fixed-wing components (ailerons, elevators, rudder) that can be controlled separately, replacing the complex integrated rotary rudder propeller system. This allows hovering capability to be achieved through coordinated control of multiple simpler components rather than a single complex mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixed-wing aircraft is designed with multi-functional control surfaces that can perform both stabilization and maneuvering functions. The ailerons, elevators, and rudder work together to provide hovering capability while also enabling forward flight, replacing the specialized rotary rudder propeller system with a more versatile control configuration.
2Speed
If fixed wing aircraft use standard fixed wing horizontally oriented profile to get lift, then lateral speed is improved, but ability to navigate ground landing spots and vertical takeoff/landing capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft employs dynamic control of the fuselage orientation and wing flap positions to transition between horizontal and vertical flight modes. The fuselage can be tilted to various angles, and the wings can be adjusted from horizontal to vertical positions, allowing the same aircraft structure to achieve both high lateral speeds and vertical takeoff/landing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The aircraft changes its geometric parameters (fuselage angle, wing orientation, flap position) to adapt to different flight requirements. By varying these parameters, the aircraft can optimize for lateral speed during horizontal flight or for vertical lift during takeoff and landing, achieving versatility without sacrificing performance in either mode.
3Power
If aviation fuel is used to power airplane and helicopter engines, then power output is improved, but design and manufacture costs and mechanical maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical combustion engine system with an electric motor system. This substitution eliminates the need for complex fuel delivery systems, exhaust systems, and mechanical components associated with combustion engines, thereby reducing design and manufacture costs while maintaining power output through electric propulsion.
4Adaptability or versatility
If helicopter lifts off vertically and sets down vertically, then ability to navigate ground landing spots is improved, but lateral speed and aerodynamic efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft dynamically adjusts its configuration between vertical and horizontal flight modes. During vertical takeoff and landing, the fuselage is oriented vertically with wings in a position optimized for vertical lift. For lateral travel, the fuselage transitions to horizontal orientation with wings positioned for maximum aerodynamic efficiency, achieving both capabilities without compromise.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient vertical takeoff and landing, faster lateral speeds, and reduced operational complexity, while providing a stable and maneuverable aircraft with reduced maintenance and training costs.
Implementation Method 1
a first direct-current (DC) motor powering the first propeller set, and a second DC motor powering the second propeller set
Implementation Method 2
powering and driving the propellers causes the aircraft to lift vertically
Implementation Method 3
operating the wing flaps in a particular manner causes the aircraft to transition from vertical to substantially level flight
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft has a substantially cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis, a cockpit, counter-rotating propellers of an overall diameter substantially greater than a maximum diameter of the body, DC motors powering the propeller sets, a battery compartment at a lower extremity of the cylindrical body, enclosing a DC battery, fixes wings extending a substantial distance away from the cylindrical body in a first direction, a rudder in a plane parallel to the axis of the cylindrical body, landing struts extending from a lower and outer extremity of each wing and of the providing a support structure for the aircraft; and controls operable to move the rudder and the wing flaps, and to manage power and rpm of the counter rotating propellers. The aircraft may lift vertically in hovering flight, transition to level flight, and return to hovering flight to land again.