JP2958810B2 - Circular aircraft - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a toroidal aircraft having a vertical ascending force and capable of ascending from the ground surface.

2. Description of the Related Art An annular vertical levitation aircraft can be roughly classified into two types.

First, air is sucked from the upper part of the aircraft and blown out toward the upper surface of the annular airflow type. This type of aircraft is disclosed in U.S. Pat.
No. 8,206, No. 3,073,551, No. 4,214,720 and No. 4,566,6
No. 99 shows this.

Second, the air is sucked from the bottom of the aircraft, the air is accelerated by the propulsion system, and the accelerated air is blown toward the upper surface of the airflow shape. This type of aircraft is disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,674,708 and 3,397,853.
It is shown in the specification.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,708 describes a toroidal airflow aircraft having a flat upper surface and a lower surface. Air is drawn through the opening in the base, accelerated by a turbojet engine located in the central passage, and blown out toward the annular, air-flowing upper surface. Due to the airflow configuration, the air does not circulate over its upper and lower surfaces, but dissipates from the periphery of the airflow configuration. In this patent specification, air is circulated around the airflow type, and a part of the air circulating in the airflow type is blown out toward the ground surface,
There is no disclosure of an airflow shape that increases thrust.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,397,853 discloses an aircraft having a toroidal fuselage and a central passage. A propulsion unit is provided in the central passage. A deflecting plate is provided above the central passage to deflect the accelerated air to the upper surface of the toroidal fuselage. A bowl-shaped or dish-shaped member is provided below the central passage so as to cover the widest part of the ring-shaped body, so that the entire air flowing along the ring-shaped body surface is captured. Has become.

The shape of the dish does not separate some of the circulating air from the main airflow and deflect it towards the bottom of the aircraft to increase thrust. There is no mention in this patent that the dish can be used to split the circulating airflow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to remedy at least some of the disadvantages mentioned above.

The aircraft of the present invention includes an upper surface of an airfoil structure;
An annular body having a lower surface and having a central passage, wherein the annular body has a curved configuration to facilitate circulation of fluid around the annular body and in the central passage. A mold body, a fluid drive for accelerating fluid passing through the central passage, and a deflecting plate disposed above the central passage and at least partially overlapping the upper surface, the deflection plate comprising: A deflecting plate for directing the accelerated fluid from the passageway outwardly across the upper surface of the toroidal fuselage, and a circular collector plate located below the central passageway, the periphery of The length of the outer peripheral edge of the toroidal body is shorter than the part of the fluid circulating around and below the toroidal body to the fluid drive device and around the toroidal body and The other part of the fluid circulating beneath is A ring recirculating flow device comprising a condensing vapor plate for distancing downwards.

The toroidal recirculation flow device of the present invention has a torus-shaped cross-sectional structure that is flattened so that the cross-section of the lower surface is flat, and may not be hollow. One or more spaces or compartments may be provided. This space can be used for material storage and passenger equipment,
In addition, a cockpit may be provided.

It is preferable that the fluid drive device, which is an element of the annular recirculation fluid device of the present invention, is disposed inside the central passage. The fluid drive device comprises a propeller extending laterally across the center passage, an outer end of the propeller being close to a wall of the center passage, and the propeller being driven by a motor. Is preferred. The propeller is driven by a motor. The motor is provided below the central passage. The motor is supported by the air collecting plate.

The fluid drive device, jet engine, gas turbine,
Alternatively, another propulsion unit may be used.

The accelerated fluid wherein the deflector, which is an element of the toroidal recirculation flow device of the present invention, is disk-shaped and discharges from the central passage outwardly across the upper surface of the toroidal fuselage. Preferably has an inner surface configured to deflect the light. Then, the inner surface is located above the central passage, a part of which extends into the central passage, and a curved portion extending from the central portion to the periphery of the deflection plate. Preferably, it is configured. And the deflection plate is fixed to the toroidal body,
Or it is mounted movably. The deflecting plate is separated from the annular body by a plurality of spacers. The spacers are arranged at intervals around the periphery of the ring-shaped body.
The gap between the deflecting plate and the ring-shaped body is variable. Reducing the gap increases the velocity of the fluid discharged from the deflector. The deflecting plate is fixed to the ring-shaped body or the air collecting plate by a column or a fixture. The deflection plate is formed in a substantially disk shape. The deflector has an inner surface proximate the central passage, the inner surface configured to deflect the accelerated fluid discharged from the central passage outwardly along an upper surface of the toroidal fuselage. The inner side surface is provided substantially above the central passage, and has a central portion partially hanging down into the central passage, and a curved surface extending from the hanging portion toward the periphery of the deflection plate. . The central hanging part constitutes a hollow shaft that can approach the fluid driving means.

It is preferable that the air collecting plate, which is an element of the annular recirculating fluidization device of the present invention, has a disk shape. An air collecting plate crosses a lower portion of the central passage and is provided with a gap from a lower surface of the annular body. The air collecting plate is fixed to the toroidal body or is attached to be tiltable. The air collecting plate and the annular body have a fixed or movable gap. A support is provided in a gap between the air collecting plate and the ring-shaped body. The struts are spaced apart around the periphery of the toroidal fuselage. The air collecting plate is formed of a substantially flat member. The flat member is convex or concave with respect to the central passage. It is preferable that the air collecting plate is formed in a circular shape having a smaller diameter than the diameter of the ring-shaped body so that the outermost peripheral edge of the air collecting plate is inside the outermost peripheral edge of the ring-shaped body. The air collecting plate functions to direct a portion of the fluid circulating around the toroidal fuselage to the central passage and a portion of the fluid circulating around the fuselage to the lower surface of the aircraft.

The distance between the outermost edge of the air collecting plate and the outermost edge of the toroidal fuselage is
It can be changed according to the speed of the fluid circulating around the ring-shaped airframe. When the speed of the fluid is high, a small-sized air collecting plate can be applied. The gap between the air-collecting plate and the toroidal airframe can be changed according to the amount of fluid passing through the central passage, and can be increased when the amount of circulating fluid is large. On the air collecting plate,
One or more grooves are provided. One or more grooves are formed in an annular groove. The annular groove is provided at a position close to the outermost peripheral edge of the air collecting plate, and functions to separately allow fluid to flow into the central passage. The air collecting plate is configured by arranging a plurality of plate members with a gap.
These members are tapered to form a number of inlets. It is preferable that the air collecting plate is formed of a central portion and an inclined peripheral portion whose periphery is inclined toward the annular body.

In the present invention, further collecting air is arranged below the air collecting plate to divert a part of the fluid passing below the annular recirculating flow device toward the central passage. Is preferred.

It is preferable that at least one spoiler is provided at intervals around the annular recirculation fluidizer of the present invention. Preferably, the spoiler is a plate-shaped member, and is constituted by a wing plate or a blade having a variable pitch, and is movable to a position for blocking a fluid circulating around the annular body. Is preferred.

It is preferable that the annular recirculation flow device of the present invention includes a rotation preventing means for preventing the rotation. The antirotation means traverses the fluid circulating around the toroidal airframe so as to provide a thrust at an angle sufficient to oppose the counterspin of the toroidal recirculating flow device. Preferably, it includes at least one counter spin spoiler.

This aircraft is capable of remote control,
It has circuits and equipment. The facility is coupled to a spoiler or drive means for remotely controlling the aircraft.

The aircraft may be provided with landing wheels or supporting legs for supporting on the ground. The landing wheels or support feet may be fixed to the aircraft fuselage or retractable.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings of one embodiment.

 FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the aircraft of the present invention.

 FIG. 2 is a lower surface perspective view of the aircraft of the present invention.

 FIG. 3 is a vertical side view of FIG.

 FIG. 4 is a partial longitudinal sectional view showing another shape of the fuselage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The drawing shows an aircraft (10) consisting of a toroidal airframe (11) with a central passage (12). A deflection plate (13) is provided above the central passage (12), and an air collecting plate (1) is provided below the central passage (12).
4) is provided.

The ring-shaped fuselage (11) has the outermost peripheral edge (15) and the innermost peripheral edge (1
6) having an upper surface (17) and a lower surface (18).

The upper surface (17) has an airfoil structure, and the lower surface (18) has a substantially flat surface between the outermost peripheral edge (15) and the innermost peripheral edge (16).

The ring-shaped body (11) is provided with a portion having a maximum thickness near the innermost peripheral edge (16), and has a cross-sectional shape whose thickness is gradually reduced toward the outermost peripheral edge (15).

The ratio of the dimension (X) of the maximum thickness portion to the diameter between the outermost peripheral edges (15) of the toroidal fuselage is about 0.12.

The ratio of the maximum width (Y) of the toroidal fuselage (11) to the diameter between the outermost edges (15) of the toroidal fuselage is about 0.315.

 The ratio of thickness (X) to width (Y) is about 0.378.

FIG. 4 shows another shape of the ring-shaped body (11). In this embodiment, the shape of the toroidal body near the outermost peripheral edge (15) is inflated as a large radius curve between the upper surface (17) and the lower surface (18) so that the airflow is increased. The part is easily circulated.

The communication path (12) is substantially circular in plan view, and a part thereof is formed by upper and lower walls of the innermost peripheral edge (6) of the annular body (11).

The ratio of the minimum diameter (Z) of the central passage (12) to the diameter between the outermost edges (15) of the toroidal fuselage is about 0.35.

The central passage (12) has an opening in the vertical direction having a diameter larger than the diameter (Z), and the wall body has a partially annular body (11).
It is expanding toward the surface of.

The deflection plate (13) is located above the upper surface opening (or outlet hole) of the central passage (12). The plane shape of the deflection plate (13) is substantially circular. The deflection plate has an outer surface (19) and an inner surface (20) joined at an outermost peripheral edge (21). The ratio of the diameter of the outermost peripheral edge (21) of the deflecting plate (13) to the diameter of the outermost peripheral edge (15) of the annular body is about 0.63.

The outer surface (19) includes a substantially flat central portion (21) and an outer curved portion (22) extending toward the toroidal body (11).

The inner surface (20) has a central portion (23) partially inserted into an upper opening or an outlet hole of the central passage (12) and a curved surface substantially continuous from the central portion (23) to the outer peripheral edge (9). Have.

Due to the shape of the inner surface (20), fluid discharged from the central passage (12) is deflected to pass over the upper surface (17) of the toroidal fuselage (11).

The central portion (23) in this embodiment comprises a hollow shaft extending between the vicinity of the fluid driving means and approximately the center of the upper surface (19). The hollow shaft allows access to the fluid driving means when necessary. However, the hollow shaft is not necessarily provided, and the center may not be hollow unless it is necessary to approach the fluid driving means.

The deflecting plate (13) is provided with a gap from the annular body (11), and has a central passage (12) and an upper surface (1) of the body (11).
There is a fluid passage between 7).

The outermost peripheral edge (9) of the deflecting plate (13) is an annular body (11)
Above the upper surface (17). The ratio of this gap to the minimum diameter (Z) of the central passage (12) (see FIG. 2) is about 0.066.

The deflecting plate (13) is formed by a plurality of spacers or columns (24) (see FIG. 2) extending near the periphery of the annular body.
It is fixed to the ring type fuselage. As will be described later, a part or the whole of the column (24) functions as a spoiler for preventing eye movement.

The air collecting plate (14) is provided below the central passage (12) and below the lower surface opening.

The plane shape of the air collecting plate (14) is substantially circular, and has a substantially flat central portion (25) and the lower surface (18) of the toroidal airframe (11).
And an outer oblique portion (26) inclined toward.

The outer peripheral edge (27) of the air collecting plate (14) is smaller in diameter than the outermost peripheral edge (15) of the annular body (11), and is provided with a gap from the lower surface (18). The ratio between the diameter between the outer peripheral edges (27) of the air collecting plates and the diameter between the outermost peripheral edges (15) of the annular airframe is as follows:
It is about 0.846.

The air collecting plate (14) is provided with a gap from the toroidal body (11) so as to secure a fluid passage between the lower surface (18) and the central passage (12). The ratio of this gap to the minimum diameter (Z) of the central passage (12) is about 0.08.

The air collecting plate (14) is fixed to the annular body (11) by a spacer or a support (28). As will be described later, one or all of the spacers or struts (28) are adapted to function as anti-rotation spoilers.

FIG. 4 shows another configuration of the air collecting plate. In this configuration, a further air collecting plate (29) is provided below the air collecting plate (14),
A second fluid inlet towards the central passage (12) is formed.

The air collecting plate (29) has a substantially circular planar shape, and its diameter is smaller than the diameter of the air collecting plate (14). The outer peripheral edge (30) of the air collecting plate (29) is the outer peripheral edge (27) of the air collecting plate (14).
Are spaced inside.

The ratio of the diameter of the collecting plate (29) to the collecting plate (14) is
It is about 0.7.

The ratio of the gap between the outer peripheral edge (30) and the collector plate (14) to the gap between the collector plate (14) and the lower surface (18) is about 0.33.

The fluid drive (31) is provided in the toroidal fuselage (11) and substantially in the center passage (12). In this embodiment, the fluid drive device (31) is a propeller (32) driven by a motor (33).

The propeller (32) is provided in the central passage near the minimum inner diameter of the central passage. The diameter of the propeller (32) is slightly smaller than the minimum inner diameter of the central passage (12),
Almost all of the fluid passing through 2) comes into contact with the propeller and is accelerated.

The motor (33) is attached to a central portion (25) of the air collecting plate (14).

The ratio of the maximum distance between the upper surface (19) of the deflecting plate (13) and the air collecting plate (14) to the diameter of the outermost edge (15) of the toroidal fuselage (11) is about 0.30.

The movement of the aircraft (10) is controlled by a spoiler (34). The spoiler (34) in the embodiment, when retracted, is located in the toroidal airframe (11) and extends therefrom so that airflow around the toroidal airframe (11) can be blocked. It is. The spoiler (34) is controlled by an appropriate motor such as a servomotor (34a) provided in the ring-shaped body (11). Spoiler (3
4) has a plate-like member extending into the airflow. The spoiler (34) is provided on the toroidal fuselage, and four spoilers are arranged at equal intervals on the fuselage (11) so that the aircraft can move forward, backward, and sideways. .

In order to prevent the rotation of the propeller (32) in the central passage (12) and the rotation of the aircraft due to the torque of the engine,
A plurality of angled spoilers (36) are arranged in the airflow around the annular body (11). The angled spoiler (36) is a spacer or support (28) for supporting the deflection plate (13) or the air collecting plate (14) on the annular substrate (11).
May be partially or wholly included. The angled spoiler (36) has an axis that intersects the airflow at the angle required to counteract the rotating effects of the propellers and stop the aircraft from rotating. Even if other propulsion units do not require a non-rotating spoiler, it is desirable to provide one or more spoilers for steering or yawing control of the aircraft.

In use, the fluid drive (31) is connected to the central passage (1
2) Accelerate the air inside. The accelerated air is supplied to the deflection plate (1
It is deflected at 3) and flows along the upper surface (17) of the fuselage (11). The accelerated laminar air circulates around the toroidal airframe (11) and is divided by the outermost peripheral edge (27) of the air collecting plate (14). Part of the airflow entering the lower part of (12) and accelerating flows to the lower surface of the collector plate (14), forming additional thrust on the aircraft. An exhaust valve (37) for exhausting combustion gas from the motor (33) is provided on a lower surface of the aircraft.

The deflector facilitates the accelerated airflow to be smoothly delivered to the upper surface (17) of the toroidal airframe (11) and distributes the airflow evenly around the airframe.

As the accelerated airflow passes over the upper surface (17), according to well-known theory, the airflow is adhered to that surface. In addition, the accelerated airflow sucks or lifts the upper surface (17), depending on the airflow type shape of the upper surface (17). The accelerated airflow does not separate from the upper surface of the toroidal fuselage due to the laminarity provided by the velocity.

In this embodiment, the accelerated airflow from the deflecting plate passes over an upper surface (17) having a gradually increasing area because the deflecting plate is smaller in size than the toroidal fuselage. As a result, molecules in the airflow emitted from the deflector draw air in the nearby "atmosphere" into the accelerated airflow.
The mixed airflow circulates around the annular body (11) from the upper surface (17) to the lower surface (18).

The air-collecting plate (14) divides the circulating airflow so that the flow rate flowing into the central passage (12) is equal to the acceleration airflow from the central passage (12). The remainder of the accelerated airflow delivered provides an additional thrust to lift the aircraft.

The remainder of the accelerated airflow forms a fluid cushion on the lower surface of the fuselage, imparting a "hovercraft" characteristic to the fuselage and assisting in the airflow floating of the upper surface of the toroidal fuselage.

This aircraft can be operated using the spoiler described above, and the tilting plate (13) is mounted on the upper surface (1
7) make the lift in one part larger than the other part,
You can tilt the entire fuselage. Such a tiltable deflection plate is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,397,853.

Similarly, the air collecting plate can be attached to the annular body so as to be tiltable, and the same effect can be obtained. The air collecting plate may have a cross-sectional shape that is convex with respect to the ground surface. This special shape sends more airflow to the lower surface of the fuselage,
Produces good lifting characteristics.

Another advantage of the aircraft of the present invention is that the fluid accelerated through the central passageway (12) is drawn from the fluid circulating about the toroidal fuselage (11) and does not include other additional fluids. It is. As a result, when the aircraft floats on the ground, it does not suck in gravel or water (when sailing on the water surface). Fluid passing through the lower surface of the collector plate (14) creates a positive pressure to prevent gravel and water from entering the central passage (12).

When a gas turbine or a jet engine is used as the fluid driving device, it goes without saying that the exhaust gas of the turbine or the engine may be used as the floating fluid. This can increase the amount of fluid that is accelerated and circulating through the toroidal fuselage, increase the amount of fluid passing through the lower surface of the air collection plate (14), and improve aircraft performance.

The present invention can be variously modified in addition to the above-described embodiment without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B64C 27 / 20,29 / 00 B64C 39 / 00,39 / 06

Claims (14)

(57) [Claims] 1. An annular body (11) having an upper surface and an lower surface of an airfoil structure and having a central passage (12), around an annular body (11) and the annular body (11). An annular body (11) having a curved surface structure to facilitate circulation of the fluid in the central passage; a fluid driving device for accelerating a fluid passing through the central passage (12); A deflection plate (13) arranged above a central passage (12) and at least partially overlapping said upper surface;
A deflection plate (13) for directing the accelerated fluid from the central passage (12) outwardly across the upper surface of the toroidal fuselage (11); and the central passage (12). A circular air-collecting plate (14) disposed under the circular airframe (1).
A part of the fluid, which is shorter than the outermost peripheral edge of 1) and circulates around and below the annular body (11), is directed toward the fluid drive device and around and below the annular body (11). A recirculating fluidization device comprising: a gas collecting plate (14) for moving another portion of the fluid circulating through the body downward from the toroidal body (11). 2. The toroidal fuselage (11) has a torus-shaped cross-section that is flattened so that the cross-section of the lower surface is planar. Annular recirculation fluidizer. 3. The fluid drive device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid drive device includes the central passage (12).
The annular recirculation fluidizing device according to claim 1, wherein the annular recirculating fluidizing device is disposed inside. 4. The fluid drive device according to claim 1, wherein the fluid drive device includes the central passage (12).
A propeller (32) extending laterally across the propeller, the outer end of the propeller being close to the wall of the central passage (12), and the propeller (32) being driven by a motor (33). The annular recirculation fluidizing device according to claim 1, wherein 5. An accelerated fluid wherein said deflecting plate (13) is disk-shaped and discharges from said central passage (12) outwardly across the upper surface of said toroidal body (11). The annular recirculation flow device according to claim 1, further comprising an inner surface configured to deflect the fluid. 6. A central portion (23), wherein said inner surface is located above said central passage (12), a part of which enters the central passage, and a central portion of said deflector plate extending from said central portion. 6. A curved portion extending to a peripheral edge.
3. The annular recirculation fluidizer according to item 1. 7. An annular recirculation and flow device according to claim 1, wherein said air collecting plate (14) is disk-shaped. 8. The air collecting plate (14) is formed of a central part (25) and a peripheral part whose periphery is inclined toward the annular body (11). The annular recirculation fluidizing device according to claim 7. 9. A device under the air collection plate (14) for diverting a portion of the fluid passing under the toroidal recirculation flow device above the central passage (12). 2. The annular recirculation fluidizing device according to claim 1, further comprising a gas collecting plate further disposed on the fluid collecting plate. 10. The toroid of claim 1, further comprising at least one spoiler for steering said toroidal recirculating flow device forward, rearward and sideways. Recirculating flow device. 11. The spoiler (34) is a plate-like member, and is movable at a position for blocking fluid circulating around the annular body (11). 11. The toroidal recirculation fluidizer according to 10. 12. The toroidal recirculating and fluidizing device according to claim 11, wherein a plurality of spoilers are provided at intervals around the toroidal body (11). 13. An annular recirculation and flow device according to claim 1, further comprising rotation preventing means for preventing rotation of said annular recirculation and flow device. 14. The rotation preventing means generates thrust at a sufficient angle to oppose rotation of the fluid circulating around the toroidal airframe (11) to the toroidal recirculation flow device. 14. The toroidal recirculation flow device of claim 13, including at least one anti-rotation spoiler (36) traversing to provide.