FR2605589A1 - Vertical takeoff and landing aircraft moving over any solid and liquid on an air cushion - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft moving by being supported on an air cushion over the ground and the water at will. According to a main arrangement, the self-rigid fuselage of the vehicle comprises, perpendicularly to its lifting plane, in the vicinity of the centre of this fuselage, a lift tunnel 9 equipped with a dynamic lifting device formed by two coaxial scimitar-shaped propellers, contrarotating and anti-couple with gyroscopic effect, one of these propellers being in the form of a cupola. The invention applies mainly to airborne travel for industrial or private uses.

Description

 The invention relates to a new concept of aerial vehicle. This concept makes it possible to put within reach of all an easy means of transport, evolving in all terrains and all climates, which can interest a large clientele both industrial and private.

We know that it is customary to use aircraft and helicopters for means of movement to date, but these devices require
PLANE: High cost - Heavy infrastructure (aero
drome, hangars) - Knowledge of piloting reserved for a minority.

HELICOPTER: Cost six times higher than for the plane
open terrain - Even more selective driving ability. Speed limited by the size of the rotor
Can only be used over short distances.

 Consequently hundreds of attempts were made to combine speed, autonomy and vertical takeoff, these so-called convertible aircraft remained prohibitively expensive both in construction and in use requiring moreover a very great piloting skill allowing to ensure the transformation in the air. All this is obviously outside the scope of acquisition and driving of the average user to whom only his automobile remains as a means of travel adapted to his capacities and his budget. Being able to acquire and use a vehicle that takes you from any place, that drops you off at any other with the safety and simplicity of an automobile, much more quickly and in a straight line if desired. It is currently not possible. It should be understood here that the helicopter cannot in any case approach tree branches, telephone and electric lines ... etc. These approaches are fatal to it.

The invention aims in particular to solve these various problems with a device of a new type which can indeed: fly in the forest between the trees by grazing their branches, land in a narrow building courtyard and take off again, graze the high voltage lines ... etc. In short, land and take off anywhere
- Use of a single lift tunnel
- Use of gyroscopic effects of crowns
at the end of the blades for stability.

- Use of the tunnel fairing integrated in the
shell to suppress the action of hori speed
zontale on the propellers, and to remove all
dangers of blades on the environment.

- Use of the monocoque system to stiffen
all, remove the chassis and return the device
waterproof.

- Use of the scimitar shape of the propellers for
improve performance
- Use of the parasol shape of 11 lower propeller
to improve lift.

- Optimization of spaces for disposal. of a big
habitable and usable volume while having
of the smallest master couple, therefore of the best
air penetration.

The invention consists of a new conception of the use of elements already used separately for some. The first goal to achieve, in addition to the simple act of flying, is stability. So far all researchers have
Or made a single rotor, but of disproportionate size therefore dangerous, bulky and braking the speed.

 Or else thought that the living space should be supported by three or four rotors placed on the periphery.

The impossibility of perfect regulation of the whole led to its instability. In addition, a single propeller requires a small anti-torque rotor at the end of a fairly long lever (the essential tail of the helicopter).

The device according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises, among other provisions, two counter-rotating propellers on the same axis, placed in a tunnel in the center of the device, molded in the profiled shape of this. This avoids the disadvantage of the air vibrating blades which limit the horizontal speed of the device. These propellers are much smaller than those of a helicopter and must therefore rotate faster to obtain the same lift. For stability, the invention lies in that it implements the effect of gyroscopes.

The ends of the propeller blades are connected by a cylindrical crown rigidly fixed on the blades. I1 there are two crowns rotating in opposite directions, complementing each other permanently on their common ase, which is closely secured to the entire apparatus.

their size and weight, gyroscopically become important, hence the stability of the device. one thus obtains a single oriented breath; So no front-back or left-right differences.

The invention also consists in the combination of this lift system with an optimal distribution of the usable volumes in order to achieve the best
- Air penetration, aerodynamics.

 - Logeability, visibility, comfort.

- Motorization, transmission, controls
flight.

 - Compactness, dimensions.

 - General aesthetics.

 - Ease of manufacture.

 Other characteristics of the invention will be further highlighted in the course of the description which follows with regard to the appended drawings, which descriptions and drawings are of course given by way of indication.

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure nO I shows seen from above the device with the relative arrangement of the occupants and the engine with respect to the central tunnel of the propellers.

Figure 2 shows a side view from front to back
- The semi-reclining position of the occupants.

- The shapes of the upper propeller and
the lower propeller, their crown and
of their arrangement in the tunnel.

- The location of the reducer, the clutch
motor and compressor.

 Figure 3 shows the device viewed from the front with the location of the tunnel and the shape of the floats.

 HULL: The characteristic of the invention is the combination of its self-rigid shape with high-resistance composite materials. This shell is non-deformable and does not require any metal chassis. It can be double walled. The manufacturing processes are those of molding the hulls of pleasure boats.

the ritual is the same:
We execute a prototype in wood and plaster, we take molds on it, and in these molds we can draw as many shell elements as we wish. Industrial mechanization only partially affects these processes which retain an artisanal part and irreducible manual:
We place the fabrics (glass, kvlar or carbon by hand and gold impregnates them (spatula, brush or roller) also I ma-n do epoxy resins, polyester or others.

te tout ^ ur ^ - in a few hours and can be removed from the mold and trimmed. The pieces are then assembled by plastic coating by hand in order to make a complete shell (I).

We laminate the partitions and the hull becomes even more frigid and undeformable. The shell (I) essentially consists of a top and a bottom which are then assembled. the top includes the cylindrical surface of the central tunnel (9). The flat bottom includes the two lateral floats (3), and the circular cutout of the tunnel (
At the front is laminated a bench seat (IO) for the four passengers, well designed morphologically; it touches the floor of the device at the heel and gluteus points and its plastic coating reinforces the rigidity of the shell. The passenger and engine access hatches are optimized and meet air safety standards. Visibility is both vertical, horizontal and lateral.

The invention also resides in the arrangement of the passengers (2) allowing a machine of low height
Indeed, the passengers are semi-reclining as are the pilots of formula I or the pilots of planners;
This much more comfortable position, allows the realization of the forms of the device having a better penetration in the air. Anyway it is perfectly possible to arrange the compartments containing passengers with a normal height, taking into account the required use, especially for large devices, this simply comes at the expense of the master-cOuple, therefore penetration into the air.

The invention consists in having a flat bottom surface between its two floats (3) allowing to benefit from the air lift effect on the bottom, when the device has acquired a certain horizontal speed, it will take advantage of the repercussion of air on water and on the ground called "ground effect; This gives the device a significant lift known as" air cushion ". But as long as the device remains in contact with in the water, it behaves like a catamaran ll type boat. A characteristic of the invention consists in having two means of creating its air cushion, the second being the breath created at low speed by its lift propellers.

 The invention therefore has the characteristic of establishing an air cushion on a battens or on the ground, WITHOUT THE USE OF FLEXIBLE SKIRTS.

 The invention consists in giving the floats (a) a flat but narrow bottom, longitudinal as are the nautical skys rising in front. The goal is to give any device that has this form of floats (3), the ability to sky on the water, that is to say to plan the device as soon as a certain speed (low) is reached ; What is called for seaplanes: aquaplaning.

The objective achieved by the "air cushion" property is the reduction of the power required compared to the flight, therefore reduction of consumption. The user has a large choice of use on
Snow, sand, water, mud, meadow, ice ... etc.

 The invention also consists in taking advantage of the mono-shell seal (I) to make it suitable for aquatic use.

MOTORIZATION: The object of the invention is not to compel the manufacturer to use an expensive aeronautical turbine type motorization. Indeed it is perfectly conceivable to fit automobile engines of large displacement (ex: V 8 American) while meeting the requirements of air safety, in order to obtain the necessary power: About 800 cv., The same as for a four passenger helicopter. It suffices to supercharge the V 8 with a compressor (5A), without this increasing their speed. We will not retain the current system called '"Turbo which loses its efficiency at altitude. We will adopt the safer system called compressor" ROOTERS or one of its recent evolutions. This is a non-limiting solution. We can use the centrifugal compressor type aviation, but it has a large diameter so bulky. This type of engine also has the advantage of being able to be made very quiet (American cars
However, the invention allows the use of all types of engine.

The V 8 will consume a third of that of the turbines used by helicopters.

The V 8 engine (5) has the axis of its crankshaft arranged along the longitudinal axis of the device. It is approached the tunnel (9) at most. The V 8 has its classic (although reinforced) automobile clutch (53). Any other engine will have a clutch. The reduction gear (5G) is placed immediately after the clutch (53). From the reduction gear (5C) leaves the main shaft which will transmit the engine power to the hubs (6) by bevel gears at 900 helical-size, as in the differential of a large truck. The drive pinion is on the shaft, and the two receiving pinions each in one of the two hubs (6), which are hollow for this purpose.The shaft will have a bearing just before leaving the tunnel, and a another bearing in the center of the fixed vertical axis.

All other known transmission systems are possible
Multiple shafts, chains, belts, friction rollers, blade tip reaction, compressed air ... etc.

 HORIZONTAL PROPULSION: The invention consists in allowing a free choice of horizontal propulsion systems, it being understood that the aircraft offers identical flight conditions to an aircraft having no vertical lift propellers. In addition the tunnel is closed when the device has reached a horizontal speed suf-fsan- to its lift. It then becomes a smooth solid.

SYSTEMS:
- The classic propeller like that of an airplane
shrouded or not, is perfectly poss ble;
This brings us back to the speed limit
which is that of propeller planes, and this
destroys the concept of flat machine without asphalt
rites.

- Turbo-reactors @ They are possible, little
wind be small and would allow
high speeds.

- AIR PUlSE is the preferred system
These are two turbines (II), a straight one
left, clutched to the V 8 (5) engine,
radial blades; They give flow rates
considerable air released to the rear,
but after passing through boxes of lice
sée (I2). the flow turns into pressure
thrust on the face of the gearbox (I2) op
installed at the free outlet towards the rear.

 PROPELLERS: the propellers will be made like those of helicopters according to the technique of stratification of different composite materials especially kevlar and carbon, with closing of the intrados and extra-dos molds. They will necessarily be full to avoid the phenomena of internal ultrasonic shock waves. the number of blades (7) is eight per propeller. But this number is not absolute. It can decrease or increase according to the parameters of rotor diameter, ulsance and speed, for the different sizes of devices. The blades (7) are joined together in a hub (6) by plasticization and bolting or pegging, all other devices can be retained, such as te @@@ s circular between two removable flanges.

 The principle uses the scimitar propeller which responds better to the realities of fluid dynamics, its drag coefficient being lower, while its load (traction) capacity is increased. In addition, the blade being bent, its surface area is increased and its load capacity is also increased. Finally, in this shape of the blade, there is a decline in the threshold of appearance of the sonic shock wave.

 The lift system is applied in this specific case by two coaxial and counter-rotating propellers.

The upper propeller has its scimitar-shaped blades (7) located in a horizontal plane. The lower propeller has its blades (7) in the shape of a scimitar, but at the same time the blades bend downwards. Thus the set of blades (7) has the position of the whales of an open parasol.

the goal is to leave more space between the two propellers so that the air entrained in one direction by the upper propeller has; t time to calm its gyration, and is sucked less violently in the opposite direction by the propeller lower. Thanks to its shape, it can better refocus the air towards the interior of the tunnel. Finally, this second downward curvature has the same consequence as the first scimitar curvature in the plane of the blades.
This increases the blade area and therefore the load capacity. This makes up for the percentage of efficiency that the lower propeller always loses compared to the upper propeller, in the case of all counter-rotating propellers. We also note in this system a more efficient and more flexible lift application, allowing better to round off a fast landing, also allowing better breath control at low revs, conditions favoring the air cushion flight. This arrangement avoids having variable pitch propellers, although this solution is also applicable for this device. It is enough to play on 12 speed of rotation of the propellers, therefore on the engine throttle to obtain the hover or the desired ascending speed. Each propeller rotates freely on a single fixed vertical axis. It is mounted on a = - * "TIMKEN" type bearings which ensure excellent rolling, automatic centering, backlash and perfect application of its upward thrust. .

The vertical axis is relatively short and strong in diameter
It can be made of composite, the bearing rings being made of steel. The axis is vertical and in the center of the tunnel (9), it is connected to the hull of the aircraft by ultrarigid composite beams, not very wide but high with removable double sides, strongly bolted to the hull (I) in before and behind the tunnel (9). The transmission shaft will have a terminal bearing in the center of the vertical shaft which will have a larger diameter at this point for this purpose. .

 SAFETY: The device is much less sensitive than an airplane, even less than a helicopter to strong lateral wind: No wings and no large blades in the wind.

In the event of an engine failure, autorotation by automatic declutching. This autorotation is maintained by electric ignition powder propellants, this system largely sufficient for returning to the ground. This system is not limiting.

 This type of device is the only one which allows the use of rescue parachutes without damage.

 Anti-crash seats, anti-crash tanks, fire-resistant composite materials, high hull resistance to crash, great robustness of the propellers.

 It is the gyroscopic stability which is new and peremptory, because propeller platforms have been produced but have not obtained stability.

APPLICATIONS
the uses and applications of the devices thus obtained are multiple and of different sizes. A number of them will be listed below by way of example.

a) Flying family caravans for the
tourism.

b) Individual means of transport for
Private tourism, business trips
hunting, fishing ... etc.

 c) Flying surgical antennas.

 d) Ambulances.

e) Fire, claims, etc. interventions
f) Transport and urban connections.

 g) Collective transport.

h) Connections in the Third World, in
areas without road infrastructure, for
small or large devices.

 i) Transport of fried food.

 j) petroleum or geological prospecting vehicles.

k) Detection of tuna on the high seas,
type of extra-thin devices that can be
stacked like dories or transport
and easy handling on board.

 1) Rescue at sea.

m) Coastal customs and police surveillance
n) Aerial photographs.

 o) Games and scale models.

p) Air and nautical leisure and pleasure
q) Flying cranes of different sizes and
powers ... etc.

 As it goes without saying, and as already follows from the above, the invention ae is in no way limited to those of these modes of application, no more than to those of the embodiments of its various parts, having been more specifically indicated; On the contrary, it embraces all variants.

 2. An aerial vehicle according to claim I. characterized in that the propellers (13) of the lifting device each have the blade ends (7) encircled by a crown (8) generating a gyroscopic effect ensuring the balance of the attitude of the vehicle.

 3. Air vehicle according to claims I. and 2.

characterized in that the cell is of the Monocoque type. In the assembled state, the lower hull (1) having, between two floats (3) at the support pads, a plane sensitive lifting surface so as to provide between the two floats (3) a partially closed space which in combination with the dyne tick lift device contributes to creating an air cushion ground effect at takeoff and allows the movement of the craft on the air cushion without the use of flexible skirts.

 4. Air vehicle according to any one of claims I. to 3. characterized in that the different surfaces of the cell including the support surfaces are preferably curved.

 5. Air vehicle according to claims I.

to 4. characterized in that the use of the shape incorporates the lift tunnel thus allowing

Claims (1)

CLAIMS (cont'd) the high speeds, allows a great roominess and good load capacity while having a low aerodynamic resistance. Offers a compact and aesthetic package.  6. Air vehicle according to claims 1 to 5 characterized in that the device can store on the water a waterproof and unsinkable catamaran boat, floats behave like skis for aquaplaning and planing.