公开(公告)号：US20210300531A1

公开(公告)日：2021-09-30

申请号：US16833638

申请日：2020-03-29

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： Daniel Bryan Robertson ,  Kirk Landon Groninga ,  Matthew Edward Louis

IPC: B64C21/04 ,  B64C21/08 ,  B64C29/00 ,  B64C39/10

Abstract: An active flow control system for generating yaw control moments for an aircraft during hover flight. The system includes right and left yaw effectors disposed proximate the right and left wingtips of the wing. A pressurized air system includes a pressurized air source and a plurality of injectors operably associated with the right and left yaw effectors. Based upon which of the injectors is injecting pressurized air, the right and left yaw effectors generate no yaw control moment, generate a yaw right control moment or generate a yaw left control moment.

公开(公告)号：US11084573B1

公开(公告)日：2021-08-10

申请号：US16833633

申请日：2020-03-29

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： Daniel Bryan Robertson ,  Kirk Landon Groninga ,  Matthew Edward Louis

IPC: B64C21/08 ,  B64C9/20 ,  B64C11/00 ,  B64C29/00

Abstract: An active flow control system for generating yaw control moments for an aircraft during forward flight. The system includes right and left yaw effectors disposed proximate the right and left wingtips of the wing. A pressurized air system includes a pressurized air source and a plurality of injectors operably associated with the right and left yaw effectors that influence the path of airflow above and below the yaw effectors. Based upon which of the injectors is injecting pressurized air, the right and left yaw effectors generate no yaw control moment, generate a yaw right control moment or generate a yaw left control moment.

公开(公告)号：US11072423B1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-27

申请号：US16833623

申请日：2020-03-29

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： Daniel Bryan Robertson ,  Kirk Landon Groninga ,  Steven Ray Ivans ,  Matthew Edward Louis

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64C27/22 ,  B64D27/16 ,  B64C11/48 ,  B64D35/06 ,  B64C11/00 ,  B64D35/02

Abstract: An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a forward flight orientation. The aircraft has a blended wing body and includes an engine, a unitary lift fan system, a forced air bypass system and an exhaust system. The engine has a turboshaft mode and a turbofan mode. The lift fan system includes a ducted fan. In the VTOL orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turboshaft mode coupled to the lift fan system such that the engine provides rotational energy to the ducted fan generating the thrust-borne lift. In the forward flight orientation of the aircraft, the engine is in the turbofan mode coupled to the forced air bypass system such that the bypass air combines with the engine exhaust in the exhaust system to provide forward thrust generating the wing-borne lift.

公开(公告)号：US10513334B2

公开(公告)日：2019-12-24

申请号：US15619765

申请日：2017-06-12

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： Kirk Landon Groninga ,  Daniel Bryan Robertson

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64C39/08 ,  B64D27/24 ,  B64C15/12 ,  B64D27/02 ,  B64C27/28 ,  B64C3/38

Abstract: An aircraft having a vertical takeoff and landing flight mode and a forward flight mode. The aircraft includes a fuselage and an X-tiltwing that is rotatable relative to the fuselage between a vertical lift orientation and a forward thrust orientation. The X-tiltwing has oppositely disposed V-wing members each having first and second wing sections. In the vertical lift orientation, the first and second wing sections of each V-wing member are generally in the same horizontal plane. In the forward thrust orientation, the first and second wing sections of each V-wing member are generally in the same vertical plane. A distributed propulsion system is attached to the X-tiltwing such that a plurality of propulsion assemblies is attached to each wing section. A flight control system is operably associated with the distributed propulsion system to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies.

公开(公告)号：US12195177B2

公开(公告)日：2025-01-14

申请号：US17752542

申请日：2022-05-24

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： Kirk Landon Groninga ,  Daniel Bryan Robertson

IPC: B64C27/80 ,  B64C5/06 ,  B64C11/00 ,  B64C13/24 ,  B64C27/52 ,  B64C27/57 ,  B64C27/58 ,  B64C29/00 ,  B64U10/17 ,  B64U30/26 ,  B64U30/297 ,  B64U50/18 ,  F16H1/28

Abstract: A differential thrust vectoring system includes a first thruster, a second thruster, a main actuator, and a trim actuator. The system is configured such that actuation of the main actuator causes rotation of the thrusters together about an axis, whereas actuation of the trim actuator causes relative rotation of the first and second thrusters about the axis.

公开(公告)号：US11597510B2

公开(公告)日：2023-03-07

申请号：US16833622

申请日：2020-03-29

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： Daniel Bryan Robertson ,  Kirk Landon Groninga ,  Matthew Edward Louis

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64C11/00 ,  B64C21/04 ,  B64D27/16 ,  B64C11/48 ,  B64D35/06 ,  B64D35/02 ,  B64C27/22 ,  B64D33/04 ,  B64D35/04 ,  B64C3/10 ,  B64C19/00 ,  B64C27/26 ,  B64C27/30 ,  B64C9/20 ,  B64C21/08 ,  B64C27/78 ,  B64C39/10 ,  B64C9/18 ,  B64C15/02 ,  B64C15/14 ,  B64C21/00

Abstract: A ducted fan assembly includes a duct having an inlet, an inner surface, an expanding diffuser and an outlet. A fan disposed within the duct between the inlet and the expanding diffuser is configured to rotate about a fan axis to generate airflow. An active flow control system includes a plurality of injection zones circumferentially distributed about the inner surface. The expanding diffuser has a diffuser angle configured to create flow separation when the airflow is uninfluenced by the active flow control system such that the airflow has a thrust vector with a first direction that is substantially parallel to the fan axis. Injection of pressurized air from one of the injection zones asymmetrically reduces the flow separation between the airflow and the expanding diffuser downstream of that injection zone such that the thrust vector of the airflow has a second direction that is not parallel to the first direction.

公开(公告)号：US11180241B2

公开(公告)日：2021-11-23

申请号：US16833636

申请日：2020-03-29

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： Daniel Bryan Robertson ,  Kirk Landon Groninga ,  Matthew Edward Louis

IPC: B64C21/04 ,  B64C39/10 ,  B64C29/00 ,  B64C21/08

Abstract: An active flow control system for generating roll control moments for an aircraft during hover flight. The system includes right and left roll effectors disposed proximate the right and left wingtips of the wing. A pressurized air system includes a pressurized air source and a plurality of injectors operably associated with the right and left roll effectors. Based upon which of the injectors is injecting pressurized air, the right and left roll effectors generate no roll control moment, generate a roll right control moment or generate a roll left control moment.

公开(公告)号：US11174020B2

公开(公告)日：2021-11-16

申请号：US16833635

申请日：2020-03-29

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： Daniel Bryan Robertson ,  Kirk Landon Groninga ,  Matthew Edward Louis

IPC: B64C21/08 ,  B64C19/00 ,  B64C29/00 ,  B64D27/16 ,  B64C11/48 ,  B64D35/06 ,  B64C11/00 ,  B64D35/02 ,  B64C27/22 ,  B64D33/04 ,  B64D35/04 ,  B64C3/10 ,  B64C27/26 ,  B64C27/30 ,  B64C9/20 ,  B64C27/78 ,  B64C21/04 ,  B64C39/10 ,  B64C9/18 ,  B64C15/02 ,  B64C15/14 ,  B64C21/00

Abstract: An active flow control system for generating roll control moments for an aircraft during forward flight. The system includes right and left roll effectors disposed on a trailing edge of the wing. A pressurized air system includes a pressurized air source and a plurality of injectors operably associated with the right and left roll effectors that influence the path of airflow across the wing. Based upon which of the injectors is injecting pressurized air, the right and left roll effectors generate no roll control moment, generate a roll right control moment or generate a roll left control moment.

公开(公告)号：US20210300540A1

公开(公告)日：2021-09-30

申请号：US16833622

申请日：2020-03-29

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： Daniel Bryan Robertson ,  Kirk Landon Groninga ,  Matthew Edward Louis

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64C11/00 ,  B64C21/04

Abstract: A ducted fan assembly includes a duct having an inlet, an inner surface, an expanding diffuser and an outlet. A fan disposed within the duct between the inlet and the expanding diffuser is configured to rotate about a fan axis to generate airflow. An active flow control system includes a plurality of injection zones circumferentially distributed about the inner surface. The expanding diffuser has a diffuser angle configured to create flow separation when the airflow is uninfluenced by the active flow control system such that the airflow has a thrust vector with a first direction that is substantially parallel to the fan axis. Injection of pressurized air from one of the injection zones asymmetrically reduces the flow separation between the airflow and the expanding diffuser downstream of that injection zone such that the thrust vector of the airflow has a second direction that is not parallel to the first direction.

公开(公告)号：US20210300539A1

公开(公告)日：2021-09-30

申请号：US16833618

申请日：2020-03-29

Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.

Inventor： Daniel Bryan Robertson ,  Kirk Landon Groninga ,  Matthew Edward Louis

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64C11/00 ,  B64C21/04

Abstract: A ducted fan assembly for generating thrust during edgewise forward flight. The ducted fan assembly includes a duct having an inlet with a leading portion and a diffuser with a trailing portion during the edgewise forward flight. A fan disposed within the duct is configured to rotate relative to the duct about a fan axis to generate an airflow through the duct from the inlet to the diffuser. An active flow control system includes a plurality of injectors including a first injector configured to inject pressurized air substantially tangential with the leading portion of the inlet and a second injector configured to inject pressurized air substantially tangential with the trailing portion of the diffuser such that when the injectors are injecting pressurized air, flow separation of the airflow at the leading portion of the inlet and the trailing portion of the diffuser is reduced.