Roadable Flying Vehicle Tail and Rotor Mast Folding Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flying vehicles are not suitable for road traffic due to size, maneuverability, and safety requirements, and vice versa for road cars, making it challenging to design a vehicle that can seamlessly transition between flying and driving modes while ensuring stability, aerodynamics, and efficient space usage.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an extendable and retractable tail with a telescopically coupled tail beam system, collapsible rotor mast, and adaptive control cables to facilitate easy mode transitions, ensuring stable force transfer and minimizing errors during operation, while also addressing the aerodynamic and space constraints of both modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the tail is extended for flying mode to provide stability, then the vehicle achieves adequate stability and control, but the overall length becomes too long for road traffic regulations and the tail becomes a hindrance in riding mode
Solution Approach 1:
The tail beam is designed as a telescopic structure that can dynamically change its length between extended and retracted positions. In flying mode, the tail beam extends to provide adequate stability and control authority. In riding mode, the tail beam retracts to reduce overall vehicle length and eliminate interference with road traffic operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The tail beam is divided into multiple telescopic sections that can slide relative to each other. This segmentation allows the tail to achieve significant length变化 while maintaining structural integrity. The telescopic sections are connected with locking mechanisms that secure the tail in either extended or retracted position.
2Volume of moving object
If the tail is retracted for riding mode to reduce space requirements, then the vehicle meets traffic regulations and improves maneuverability, but the control cables become too long and may sag or get stuck
Solution Approach 1:
The control cable system incorporates an automatic take-up mechanism that actively winds and pays out cable as the tail beam moves between extended and retracted positions. This self-service mechanism maintains constant cable tension without requiring manual intervention, preventing cable sag and eliminating the risk of cables getting stuck in the mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional passive cable arrangements with an active cable management system that uses a winch or drum mechanism. This mechanical substitution transforms the cable from a passive connector into an actively managed component that automatically adjusts its length and tension based on tail beam position.
3Force
If the tail is extended for flying mode to transfer forces reliably, then the vehicle achieves adequate force transfer capability, but the design becomes more complex and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic tail beam sections are nested within each other, with each section containing the next smaller section. This nesting arrangement allows the tail to extend and retract in a compact manner while maintaining structural rigidity. The nested design provides natural guidance and alignment, reducing the complexity of extension mechanisms compared to alternative designs.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the vehicle is designed for both flying and road traffic modes, then the vehicle achieves versatility and adaptability, but the configuration requirements for both modes create design challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle incorporates multiple universal features that serve both flying and road traffic modes. The telescopic tail beam provides stability for flying while retracting for road compliance. The rotor blades are designed to be foldable, providing lift for flying while reducing width for road transport. These multi-functional design elements allow a single vehicle to meet the conflicting requirements of both operating modes without requiring separate specialized vehicles.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C
AI summary
The present invention discloses a vehicle (1) being convertible between an automotive riding condition for riding on a road and a flying condition for flying in air. The vehicle comprises: a cabin (2) with wheels (3) and a motor (4) for driving at least one of the wheels; a propeller (80) mounted at the rear of the cabin for propulsion in air, and a rotor (90) for providing lift in air. The rotor (90) is mounted at the free end of a mast (50) having its lower end hinged to the roof of the cabin. In the flying condition, the mast (50) is hinged to an upright condition. In the riding condition, the mast (50) is hinged forward to a condition substantially parallel to the cabin roof. The vehicle further comprises a tail (10) hingedly connected to the mast (50) at a position lower than the rotor (90).