Twin-Fuselage Flying Car with Swing-Wing Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
The development of a practical, integrated road/air/water vehicle that conforms to dimensional and legal requirements, is safe, efficient, practical, and aesthetically appealing has remained unsolved due to challenges in combining winged aircraft with automobile and boat capabilities within a compact, roadable form.
Innovation Solution
A twin-fuselage vehicle with a swing-wing mechanism, automatically deployable marine propeller, and hybrid controls that converts seamlessly between configurations using a single lever for steering, transmission, wing-locking, and lighting wiring, featuring a unique wing storage system where wings are stored superimposed between the fuselages and deploy via skewed planes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If wings are integrated into the vehicle structure, then the vehicle can achieve flight capability, but the vehicle width exceeds roadable limits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a swing-wing mechanism that allows the wings to dynamically change position between a deployed flight configuration and a retracted roadable configuration. The wings can swing from a horizontal position (providing flight capability with sufficient wingspan) to a vertical stored position (reducing vehicle width to under 2.55m for road transport), thus resolving the contradiction between flight capability and roadable dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The wing storage solution utilizes the vertical dimension by storing wings above the vehicle body rather than extending them horizontally. This dimensional transition allows the wings to be kept integrated with the vehicle structure while minimizing their impact on roadable width, enabling the vehicle to meet both flight and road transport requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional wings are used to provide lift, then flight capability is achieved, but the vehicle becomes too wide for road transport
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a dynamic swing-wing mechanism where the wings can transition between a horizontal deployed position (providing sufficient wingspan for lift generation) and a vertical retracted position (reducing vehicle width to roadable dimensions). This dynamic reconfiguration allows the same wing structure to satisfy both aerodynamic lift requirements and road transport width constraints.
3Length of moving object
If the vehicle is designed for road transport with narrow width, then it meets legal requirements, but it cannot accommodate sufficient wing area for flight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent stores the wings in the vertical dimension above the vehicle body rather than extending them horizontally. This allows the vehicle to maintain a narrow roadable width while still accommodating wings of sufficient area for flight. The vertical storage space above the cabin is utilized to house the wings in their retracted position, effectively using the third dimension to resolve the area-width contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The swing-wing mechanism enables the wings to dynamically extend to full span during flight operations, temporarily achieving the required wing area. During road transport, the wings are retracted to a compact vertical position that fits within the narrow vehicle envelope, thus dynamically adapting the wing area to match the operational mode.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate vehicles are used for road, air, and water transport, then each vehicle can be optimized for its function, but the overall system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a single universal vehicle that can operate in three different modes: road transport (with wheels and steering), air flight (with wings and aerodynamic controls), and water operation (with a deployable marine propeller). The vehicle integrates multiple functions into one platform, including transformable propulsion systems and reconfigurable control mechanisms, thereby reducing the need for multiple separate vehicles while managing complexity through unified design.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle employs dynamic reconfiguration mechanisms including a swing-wing system for mode transition, an automatically deployable marine propeller that emerges from the fuselage for water operation, and transformable control systems that adapt between automotive steering and aerodynamic controls. These dynamic transformations allow one vehicle structure to serve multiple functions without requiring completely separate systems for each mode.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C~1D
AI summary
Flying Car, readable aircraft, amphibian, multimode, multifunctional, composite versatile personal transport vehicle with twin, parallel fuselages, hulls, each with inflatable pontoons and/or wheels below and a cabin. Combined, aircraft, airplane, aeroplane, flying, air, aerial, airborne vehicle with variable, folding wings which is convertible via automatic transformation to a land vehicle and to a sea vessel. Two wings are stored between the fuselages. They extend on a system of rails, pivots and counter-rotating, fuselage-mounted arms which then sink flush into the wings' undersides and lock for flight. Upon wing extension and retraction, controls for road transport and flight controls alternately emerge or are stowed inoperably, as needed. Engine power alternately drives a propeller for flight, wheels for road travel and a separate, submersible, marine propeller for water transport.