JP3817591B2 - Car - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a technology related to an automobile, and particularly to an automobile capable of running and flying.
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIG. 1 is an example of a conventional automobile 10 (hereinafter simply referred to as “automobile”) capable of traveling and flying, and shows an overview at the time of flight. The main body 12 includes a first steering wheel 14a and a second steering wheel 14b that determine a traveling direction during traveling, and a first driving wheel 15a and a second driving wheel 15b that are driven in a forward direction and a backward direction. The main wing 16 can be divided into a left wing 16a and a right wing 16b, and is fixed to the main body 12 during flight. A tail 18, a vertical tail 20, and a propulsion unit 22 are provided at the end of the body 24. The propulsion unit 22 is a propeller and generates thrust during flight.
[0003]
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an overview of the automobile 10 during traveling. In a state where the main wing 16 is fixed to the main body 12, the wing width becomes longer than the width of the road on which an automobile that does not have a flight function (hereinafter referred to as "normal automobile") travels. The fixed left wing 16a and right wing 16b are removed and attached to the side surface of the main body 12 for storage. In this way, the vehicle 10 can travel on the road in the same manner as a normal vehicle by folding the wing tip so that it is rearward. As other wing storage methods, the wing tip is folded forward, the wing tip is folded upward, the left wing 16a, the right wing 16b, and the fuselage 24 are detached from the main body 12 and pulled like a trailer. The form to do is considered.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an air route. The conventional air route 30 conceptually shows a conventional air route using an aircraft, and an air route is determined from the hub airport 32 to the local airport 34. For example, when moving from the first local airport 34a to the second local airport 34b, the user first moves by air from the first local airport 34a to the hub airport 32, and then from the hub airport 32 to the second local airport 34b. It is necessary to move by air. In this case, if the direct flight from the first local airport 34a to the second local airport 34b is a very short distance, it will fly a long distance, and it takes time.
[0005]
The future air route 40 indicates the future air route assumed by the present inventor in view of the problems of the conventional air route 30. Future air routes are wheel-shaped including short-distance air routes such as an air route from the hub airport 32 to each local airport 34, an air route 36 connecting each local airport 34, an air route 42 connecting the local airport 34 to a remote island, and a mountainous area 38. This is the air route. As means for connecting such short-distance air routes, the present inventor considered that using a vehicle having a flight function is effective from the aspects of runway and convenience, and has been described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Focused on the car 10.
[0006]
However, in the conventional format in which the form is changed between the flight time and the travel time, it takes time to change the form when changing from the flight form to the travel form and when changing from the travel form to the flight form. And labor is required. For this reason, it is extremely poor in mobility as an automobile aiming at high-speed movement in a short time using an air route.
[0007]
The present inventor has made the present invention by paying attention to such points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a transportation technique for quickly moving in daily life, and a highly mobile airplane used for the transportation. The object is to provide an automobile having a function. Furthermore, it aims at enabling emergency medical care in remote areas using such transportation technology.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present inventor paid attention to an annular wing having an aerodynamic characteristic equivalent to that of a normal wing having a large aspect ratio even if the aspect ratio is small, and using this makes it possible to run and fly without changing the form. I came to create a car.
[0009]
One embodiment of the present invention is an automobile. This automobile has a steering wheel for determining a traveling direction and a drive wheel to which traveling power is transmitted, a first steering force transmission mechanism for moving the steering wheel, and power necessary for traveling to the driving wheel. Necessary for flight, drive unit for transmission, annular wing for generating lift necessary for flight of the vehicle, rudder for determining the posture of the vehicle during flight, second steering force transmission mechanism for moving the rudder And a propulsion unit that generates a sufficient propulsive force. “Rudder” is a rudder for controlling the roll, pitch, and yaw of the vehicle, and includes “auxiliary wing”, “elevator”, and “rudder”. The “propulsion unit” is, for example, a propeller or a jet engine.
[0010]
The vehicle may further include a control unit that operates the rudder so that a force in the ground direction acts on the vehicle during traveling. Due to the lift generated during traveling, a force is exerted on the automobile in the direction opposite to the ground, so that the frictional force between the ground and the wheel is reduced, and a sufficient grip force cannot be obtained, resulting in poor traveling performance. By the above-described control, a force acts in a direction in which the automobile is pressed against the ground, so that it is possible to prevent a decrease in running performance.
[0011]
It should be noted that any combination of the above-described constituent elements, or a conversion of the expression of the present invention into a method is also effective as an aspect of the present invention.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 4 is an external view of the automobile 100 according to the first embodiment. The first automobile 100a, the second automobile 100b, and the third automobile 100c each have an annular wing 158 as a flying means.
[0013]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the aerodynamic characteristics of the annular wing and the normal wing. In this graph, the horizontal axis represents the aspect ratio, and the vertical axis represents lift (CLmax), induction effect (CD), and angle of attack α. Here, the aspect ratio of the annular blade is calculated by the annular blade diameter d / the chord length c. From this graph, it can be seen that an annular wing generates a lift equal to or higher than that of a normal wing having an aspect ratio of 7 if the aspect ratio is 1.6 or more. For example, an annular wing having a blade width of 4 m and a chord length of 2.5 m can generate lift equal to or higher than that of a normal blade having a blade width of about 10 m. Therefore, for example, by using an annular wing having a wingspan of 3 m to 6 m, it is possible to travel on the road without changing the form. In general, the advantages of an annular wing are that the lift generated is large even if the aspect ratio is small, the vortex at the tip is dispersed, so that the induction effect is small even if the aspect ratio is small, and the strength is because the wing tips are joined. A point with high rigidity is known.
[0014]
FIG. 6 is a front view of the automobile 100 conceptually showing the first automobile 100a, the second automobile 100b, and the third automobile 100c shown in FIG. The automobile 100 includes an annular wing 158, a propeller as a propulsion unit 156, a leading wing 154 that increases longitudinal stability during flight, a left steering wheel 152a and a right steering wheel 152b that are used during traveling. In other examples, the leading wing 154 may not be provided.
[0015]
FIG. 7 is a side view of the automobile 100 of FIG. The same reference numerals as those already described in this figure have the same functions as those already described. The left drive wheel 153a is driven by power from a power source (not shown) and can rotate in the forward and reverse directions. The auxiliary wing 126 is provided in a part of the annular wing 158, controls the roll direction during flight, and is mainly used for a turning operation. The rudder 128 is provided in a part of the annular wing 158 and controls the yaw direction during flight. The center of gravity 160 of the automobile 100 is preferably located between the axle of the left steering wheel 152a and the axle of the left drive wheel 153a and close to the axle of the left drive wheel 153a. Thus, landing performance can be improved by setting the center of gravity behind.
[0016]
In addition, a straight line connecting the ground point A of the left drive wheel 153a and the propeller end B of the propulsion unit 156 and the ground so that the annular wing 158 and the propulsion unit 156 at the rear of the vehicle body do not touch the ground during landing and takeoff. Are designed to form a predetermined angle β. For example, the angle β is set larger than the stall angle of the annular blade 158. In this embodiment, it is about 25 degrees.
[0017]
FIG. 8 is a top view of the automobile 100 of FIG. The same reference numerals as those already described in this figure have the same functions as those already described. The elevator 124 is provided on the annular wing 158 and controls the pitch direction during flight.
[0018]
FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram of the automobile 100. The automobile 100 includes a traveling unit 161 that realizes a traveling function and a flying unit 160 that realizes a flying function. The operation unit 106 is a steering wheel, a control stick or the like, and receives an operation from the driver. The traveling steering force transmission mechanism 104 moves the left steering wheel 152a and the right steering wheel 152b in accordance with the operation of the driver. The travel power source 108 is a power generation source such as an engine or an electric motor, and transmits power to the drive unit 110. The drive unit 110 has a mechanism for transmitting power such as a mission and a differential gear to the left drive wheel 153a and the right drive wheel 153b. In another example, the drive unit 110 may transmit power to the right steering wheel 152b and the left steering wheel 152a. Further, although not shown, a brake is naturally provided.
[0019]
The mode switching unit 130 receives switching between the driving mode and the flight mode from the driver. The state detection unit 112 detects the state of the vehicle and supplies it to the rudder control unit 114 and the power control unit 116. Items detected by the state detection unit 112 include, for example, speed, altitude, acceleration, and whether traveling on the ground or in flight. The flying steering force transmission mechanism 122 moves the auxiliary wing 126, the elevator 124, and the rudder 128 according to the operation of the driver. The rudder control unit 114 controls the rudder based on the state detected by the state detection unit 112 and the operation instruction from the operation unit 106. For example, when the vehicle is running on the ground, the rudder control unit 114 controls the elevator 124 so that a force acts in the direction in which the automobile 100 is pressed against the ground regardless of the operation of the driver. By performing this control, it is possible to prevent the traveling from becoming unstable due to the lift generated by the annular blade 158 of FIG. 6 during the traveling. Further, it may be possible to prevent the traveling from becoming unstable by operating the auxiliary wing 126 and the rudder 128 at the time of crosswind or cornering during traveling. Further, when in flight, the rudder control unit 114 may appropriately adjust the rudder angles of the auxiliary wing 126, the elevator 124, and the rudder 128 according to the operation of the driver.
[0020]
The flight power source 118 generates power used during flight and drives the propulsion unit 156 that is a propeller. The flight power source 118 may be, for example, a reciprocating engine or an electric motor. In another example, the flight power source 118 and the propulsion unit 156 may be jet engines. The power control unit 116 controls the driving power source 108 and the flying power source 118 according to the state of the automobile 100 supplied from the state detection unit 112. For example, when switching from the traveling mode to the flying mode, the traveling power source 108 and the flying power source 118 are operated until the speed required for takeoff is reached, and the operation of the traveling power source 108 is stopped after takeoff. Further, when switching from the flight mode to the travel mode, for example, the travel power source 108 is operated before landing, and the engine speed and the gear of the drive unit 110 are adjusted so that sudden engine braking is not applied at the time of landing. Specifically, it is preferable to adjust the rotational speed of the engine with the gear set to the highest gear ratio. As the gear is decelerated after landing, the gear ratio is lowered to enable efficient deceleration, and a smooth transition from flight to landing and running is possible.
[0021]
If such an automobile 100 is used as an ambulance, an emergency patient can be quickly transferred without being affected by traffic jams. In addition, roads, farm roads, schoolyards, and open spaces can be used as runways, so that emergency patients can be transported in remote areas such as remote islands and mountainous areas. Further, the automobile 100 is not limited to use in an emergency, but can be used as a new leisure as a new transportation.
[0022]
The present invention has been described based on the embodiments. The embodiments are exemplifications, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to combinations of the respective constituent elements and processing processes, and such modifications are within the scope of the present invention. . Examples of such modifications are as follows.
[0023]
The first modification relates to the annular wing 158. A folding mechanism may be provided on the annular blade 158, and the annular blade 158 may be folded during traveling. FIG. 10 is a front view of the automobile 100 according to the second embodiment. The automobile 100 is provided with a first rotating portion 170a, a second rotating portion 170b, a first connecting portion 172a, and a second connecting portion 172b on the annular wing 158, and the annular wing 158 can be folded when traveling. Thereby, the influence of a cross wind can be decreased and the stability at the time of driving | running | working can be improved. By providing a plurality of rotating portions on the annular blade 158, it can be further folded.
[0024]
The second modification relates to the traveling power source 108 and the flying power source 118 described with reference to FIG. The automobile 100 in FIG. 9 has separate power units for traveling and flying, but one power source may be used for traveling and flying. In this case, a mechanism for transmitting the power from the power source to the drive unit 110 and the propulsion unit 156 is provided. Thus, weight reduction is expected by using one power source.
[0025]
The third modified example also relates to the traveling power source 108 and the flying power source 118 described with reference to FIG. This modification improves safety at the time of flight, and is further provided with a mechanism that can transmit both powers to each other. Thereby, for example, when the flight power source 118 fails during flight, the power of the travel power source 108 can be transmitted to the propulsion unit 156.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, since it is not necessary to change the form, the transition from running to flying and from flying to running becomes smooth, and the mobility of the automobile having the running function and the flying function is enhanced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a top view of a conventional vehicle capable of running and flying.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the automobile of FIG. 1 when traveling.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a conventional air route and a future air route.
FIG. 4 is an external view of the automobile according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a diagram for comparing and explaining the aerodynamic characteristics of an annular wing and a normal wing.
6 is a front view of an automobile conceptually showing the automobile of FIG. 4; FIG.
7 is a side view of the automobile shown in FIG. 6. FIG.
8 is a top view of the automobile of FIG. 6. FIG.
FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram of the automobile shown in FIG. 6;
FIG. 10 is a front view of an automobile according to a second embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Automobile, 104 Steering force transmission mechanism for traveling, 106 operation unit, 108 traveling power source, 110 driving unit, 112 state detecting unit, 114 rudder control unit, 116 power control unit, 118 flying power source, 122 flying steering Force transmission mechanism, 124 elevator, 126 auxiliary wing, 128 direction rudder, 152a left steering wheel, 152b right steering wheel, 153a left driving wheel, 153b right driving wheel, 154 leading blade, 156 propulsion unit, 158 ring blade, 170a first 1 rotation part, 170b 2nd rotation part, 172a 1st connection part, 172b 2nd connection part.

Claims (2)

Steering wheels that determine the direction of travel,
A vehicle having driving wheels to which driving power is transmitted,
A first steering force transmission mechanism for moving the steering wheel;
A drive unit for transmitting power necessary for traveling to the drive wheel;
An annular wing for generating the lift necessary for the flight of the vehicle;
A rudder provided on the annular wing to determine the attitude of the vehicle during flight;
A second steering force transmission mechanism for moving the rudder;
A propulsion unit that generates the propulsive force necessary for flight;
Equipped with a,
The annular ring wing is provided with a folding mechanism .   The automobile according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit that operates the rudder so that a force in a ground direction acts on the automobile during traveling.

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