Roadable VTOL Rotor Parking and Folding for Compact Flight Efficiency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing flying car prototypes face efficiency issues due to high weight-to-rotor surface area ratios, leading to limited flight duration, high operational costs, and safety concerns, while foldable mechanisms are complex and expensive, hindering the development of practical roadable VTOL vehicles.

Innovation Solution

A roadable VTOL flying vehicle design featuring a single main rotor or twin rotors with a simple folding mechanism, utilizing a balanced rotor configuration and electronic position control to park and unlock rotors, enhancing efficiency by increasing rotor surface area without enlarging the vehicle dimensions, and incorporating a hybrid propulsion system for versatility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the rotor surface area is increased to improve flight efficiency, then the vehicle dimensions become oversized

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflight efficiencyVSAvoidvehicle dimensions

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The rotor blades are folded along their span during road configuration, with inner portions nested within outer portions. This nesting allows the rotor surface area to be substantially contained within the vehicle dimensions when not in use, while providing full rotor surface area when deployed for flight operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The rotor blades are designed with foldable sections that can dynamically change configuration between road mode (folded) and flight mode (unfolded). This dynamic transformation allows the same rotor structure to provide large surface area for efficient flight while maintaining compact dimensions for road operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If a mechanical folding mechanism is added to enable rotor folding, then the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefolding capabilityVSAvoidmechanical folding mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The complex mechanical folding mechanism is replaced with an electronic position control system. Sensors detect rotor position and provide feedback to control circuits that adjust motor operation to achieve precise rotor parking and folding without complex mechanical linkages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The rotor folding system uses self-contained electric motors with integrated position sensors and control circuits. Each rotor assembly is self-sufficient, with the motor serving both propulsion and folding functions, eliminating the need for separate mechanical folding mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If separate folding mechanisms are added to each rotor blade, then the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblade foldingVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple rotor blade folding functions are merged into a single integrated control system. The control circuit receives position feedback from sensors on individual blades and coordinates motor operation to fold all blades simultaneously, reducing manufacturing cost by eliminating separate folding mechanisms for each blade.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The electric motor serves multiple functions: propulsion during flight and folding during road configuration. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate folding mechanisms, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Stability of the object's composition

If the rotor is positioned at the middle of the vehicle, then the folding mechanism complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverotor positioningVSAvoidfolding mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rotor folding mechanism utilizes the vertical dimension by folding blades along their span rather than requiring horizontal reconfiguration. This dimensional approach allows the rotor to be positioned at the vehicle center for stable road configuration while maintaining simple folding mechanics that don't require complex lateral movement mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS12377972B2Vehicle having multiple configurations including road configuration and flying configuration based upon rotor position

Publication Date: 2025.08.05 KIPNIS BORIS

AI summary

A roadable VTOL flying vehicle having a road-configuration and a flight-configuration. The roadable VTOL flying vehicle includes a roadable vehicle; at least one rotor having at least one blade, the rotor is rotatably attached to an upper section of the roadable vehicle of the flying vehicle; at least one motor configured to operatively rotate the least at least one rotor; at least one angular position sensor configured to detect the angular position of each of the at least one rotor; and a vehicle control sub-system configured to affect automatic transformation of the flying vehicle from the road-configuration to the flight-configuration and from the flight-configuration to the road-configuration, wherein the vehicle control sub-system is configured bring the at least one rotor into a parking state, when in road-configuration.