WO1993013981A1

WO1993013981A1 - Annular body aircraft

Info

Publication number: WO1993013981A1
Application number: PCT/AU1992/000019
Authority: WO
Inventors: Duan Arthur Phillips
Original assignee: Duan Arthur Phillips
Priority date: 1992-01-21
Filing date: 1992-01-21
Publication date: 1993-07-22

Abstract

An aircraft comprises a rotatable hollow disc (15) wherein fluid is pressurised and induced to flow therein and discharged so as to flow over the disc's upper surface through a series of slots (13) in its upper surface, thereby imparting lift to said aircraft, and a means (26, 27) to produce laminar flow and coander effect over the disc (15) by electrostatically charging the disc (15), thereby attracting and producing adherence of the fluid to the disc (15).

Description

ANNULAR BODY AIRCRAFT

This invention relates to improvements in the Lift Actuating Disc.

The object of the invention is to improve the lift generating characteristics and control of the aircraft along with improving the method of rucation of the disc to avert effects of torque by the driving mechanism.

The original invention described in the form of an aircraft embodied a curved disc, which rotated about its polar axis by a driven mechanism, and provision for air to be drawn in from a central duct by means of an axial compressor and blown across the surface. Provision was also made for control and transitional flight by means of a multiplicity of vanes and air jets.

It has been found in practice that the adherence of the blown air over the rotating disc is closely related to rotational speed, and quantity of air blown, whose ratio must be kept within close limits to prevent the air being flung from the surface.

According to the improved invention, there is a means to improve adherence of the fluid to the surface of the disc to enhance lift. The invention also improves the method of rotation and transitional flight.

The invention also improves control of the craft.

A particular embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section of the aircraft embodying the improvements; and

FIGURES 2 and 3 are plane and elevations of the aircraft. FIGURE 1 represents an oblate spheroidal aircraft embodying a hollow shell disc (15) suitably supported internally by ribs (18) with holes (29) to allow circulation of air within the shell disc (15) and supported by spiders (33) shaft (19) and journals (5).

For ease of explanation we shall refer to the oblate spheroid as a disc.

Attached to the disc by means of shafts and journals is the cabin pod (1), duct (16), and engine (9) such that the disc is free to rotate about its polar axis "XX", whilst the cabin pod (1) and duct (16) remain stationary relative to the disc (15).

An undercarriage (20) embodying journals (21) and shaft (22) allows for landing and take off and is configured such that the disc (15) may be spun on the ground, prior to or during, take off and landing. Wheels (23) are provided for ground handling.

The upper surface of the disc (15) incorporates slots (13) radially positioned around the surface and which penetrate into the inside of the disc (15).

Positioned around the perimeter of disc (15) are holes (14) which act as rim nozzles from which air exits.

The orientation of the nozzles (14) is such that air from inside the disc is discharged downwards from and tangentially to the rim (2).

A central stationary ducting system (16) embodying cabin pod (1), shafts (4), journals (5). gear box (8) and impellers (6) are driven by engine (9) through drive shaft (17). The mechanism is supported by spider arms (3). The impellers (6) are contra rotating to balance out unwanted torque reaction. Air, driven by the impellers, enters the ducting system (16) and is pumped into the plenum chamber (28) and through holes (25) into the inside of the disc and exits over the top surface of the disc (15) through annular space (31), slots (13) and nozzle (14).

Centrifugal pumping of the air as a result of the disc (15) rotating enhances the lift system generally.

Air passing over the surface increases its velocity due to centrifugal pumping by virtue of the disc rotating, giving vectored acceleration to the interfacial air, resulting in a low pressure area immediately above the disc and thus production of lift.

Air exiting through the slots (13) induces laminar flow over the top surface of the disc lessening separation and turbulent flow of the air, enhancing lift characteristics.

Also embodied in the ducting system is an electrostatic generator comprising of a material such as a composite amber disc (26) and a collector brush (27). The amber disc (26) is attached to the stationary duct (16) whilst the collector brush (27) rotates with disc (15).

As the disc (15) rotates, electrostatic charges generated are collected by the collector brush (27) and migrate via the spider frames (33) to the outer surface of the disc (15) as dictated by well known principles of electrostatics.

For the sake of simplicity, the charges are referred to as positive charges.

The disc (15) acts as a positively charged capacitorr attracting negatively charged air particles to its surface enhancing adherence (known as coander effect), of the ambient surrounding air to the disc. Provision is made for deactivating the electrostatic generator by means of an actuating mechanism (30) to prevent over-charging of the disc (15).

Provision is also made for discharging the disc (15) through an earthing switch (24), after landing.

Transition of the aircraft is achieved via a ducted thruster (10) which draws air through vents (7) incorporated in the engine compartment (34) and exits through the ducting system (11). This may be replaced by a jet engine. Control is achieved by a system of vanes (12) such that air flow from the ducted thruster (11) impinges on the vanes (12) attached to the ducting system (11) and controlled by the pilot.

The vanes (12) can be juxtapositioned to impart pitch, roll and yaw forces on the aircraft, effectively tilting the disc and also allows for orientation of the cabin including prevention of residual spin due to out of balance torque.

Air passing through the annular space (31) is controlled by a sliding valve mechanism (32) which may be raised or lowered to allow the transgress of air over the disc (15).

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:-

1. An aircraft comprising a rotatable hollow disc wherein fluid is pressurised and induced to flow therein and discharged so as to flow over the disc's upper surface through a series of slots in its upper surface, thereby imparting lift to said aircraft, and a means to produce laminar flow and coander effect over the disc by electrostatically charging the disc, thereby attracting and producing adherence of the fluid to the disc.

2. The aircraft as claimed in Claim 1, constructed as an aircraft and wherein the fluid is ambient air.

3. An aircraft as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein means is provided for imparting an electrostatic charge to the disc.

4. An aircraft as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein means is provided to control the electrostatic charge to the disc.

5. An aircraft as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein means is provided to impart rotation of the disc by discharge of air tangential ly through nozzles located in said disc's rim.

6. An aircraft as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein nozzles are juxtapositioned to give tangential and vertical thrust.

7. An aircraft as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein means is provided to control flow of air within and over the disc by a sliding valve mechanism.

8. An aircraft as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the disc is provided with a central ducting system containing therein contra-rotating impellers and mechanism for driving said contra-rotating impellers from an externally mounted power plant incorporating a rear ducted thruster.

9. An aircraft as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein means is provided to control the disc in yaw pitch and rol l by impingement of air on vanes located in a rear ducted thruster.

10. An aircraft as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including a cabin and a means for controlling cabin rotation including vanes which react against air flowing through a rear ducted thruster.

11. An aircraft substantially as shown in and as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.