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公开(公告)号：US11479352B2
公开(公告)日：2022-10-25
申请号：US16879070
申请日：2020-05-20
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： John Richard McCullough , Andrew Thomas Carter , Sung Kyun Kim , Matthew John Hill , Lynn Francis Eschete
Abstract: An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. The aircraft has an airframe including first and second wings with a fuselage extending therebetween. A propulsion assembly is coupled to the fuselage and includes a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system that is tiltable relative to the fuselage to generate a thrust vector. A flight control system is configured to direct the thrust vector. In the VTOL orientation, the first wing is forward of the fuselage, the second wing is aft of the fuselage and the coaxial rotor system is configured to provide thrust in line with a yaw axis of the aircraft. In the biplane orientation, the first wing is below the fuselage, the second wing is above the fuselage and the coaxial rotor system is configured to provide thrust in line with a roll axis of the aircraft.
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公开(公告)号：US11459099B2
公开(公告)日：2022-10-04
申请号：US16413572
申请日：2019-05-15
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： John Richard McCullough , Paul K. Oldroyd
Abstract: An aircraft has a vertical takeoff and landing fight mode and a forward flight mode. The aircraft includes an airframe with first and second M-wings having first and second pylons extending therebetween, each M-wing forming a pair of leading apexes with swept forward and swept back portions extending therefrom at a swept angle. A propulsion system includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies each attached to the airframe proximate one of the leading apexes. Each of the propulsion assemblies includes a rotor assembly having a tilting degree of freedom. A flight control system is operable to control the propulsion assemblies including tilting the rotor assemblies to generate variable thrust vectors. In the vertical takeoff and landing fight mode, the aircraft operates responsive to thrust-borne lift from the propulsion system. In the forward flight mode, the aircraft operates responsive to wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation.
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公开(公告)号：US20220291697A1
公开(公告)日：2022-09-15
申请号：US17720254
申请日：2022-04-13
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： John Richard McCullough , Andrew Thomas Carter , Sung Kyun Kim , Matthew John Hill
Abstract: An aircraft includes an airframe with first and second wings having a fuselage extending therebetween. A propulsion assembly is coupled to the fuselage and includes a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system that is tiltable relative to the fuselage to generate a thrust vector. First and second yaw vanes extend aftwardly from the fuselage. A flight control system is configured to direct the thrust vector of the coaxial rotor system and control movements of the yaw vanes. In a VTOL orientation of the aircraft, differential operation of the yaw vanes and/or differential operations of first and second rotor assemblies of the coaxial rotor system provide yaw authority for the aircraft. In a biplane orientation of the aircraft, collective operation of the yaw vanes provides yaw authority for the aircraft.
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公开(公告)号：US20220004204A1
公开(公告)日：2022-01-06
申请号：US17479137
申请日：2021-09-20
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： John Richard McCullough , Paul K. Oldroyd
IPC: G05D1/10 , B64C29/00 , B64C3/56 , B64C11/46 , B64C17/00 , B64C29/02 , B64C39/02 , B64C39/08 , B64D27/24 , B64D27/26 , B64C27/30 , B64C1/06 , G05D1/00
Abstract: A package delivery system uses unmanned aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL configuration and wing-borne lift in a forward flight configuration. Each of the aircraft includes an airframe having at least one wing with a distributed thrust array coupled to the airframe. The distributed thrust array includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies configured to provide vertical thrust in the VTOL configuration and a plurality of propulsion assemblies configured to provide forward thrust in the forward flight configuration. A package delivery module is coupled to the airframe. A control system is operably associated with the distributed thrust array and the package delivery module. The control system is configured to individually control each of the propulsion assemblies and control package release operations of the package delivery module. The system includes a ground station configured to remotely communicate with the control systems of the aircraft during package delivery missions.
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公开(公告)号：US20210365049A1
公开(公告)日：2021-11-25
申请号：US16879081
申请日：2020-05-20
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： John Richard McCullough , Andrew Thomas Carter , Sung Kyun Kim , Matthew John Hill
Abstract: An aircraft includes an airframe with first and second wings having a fuselage extending therebetween. A propulsion assembly is coupled to the fuselage and includes a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system that is tiltable relative to the fuselage to generate a thrust vector. First and second yaw vanes extend aftwardly from the fuselage. A flight control system is configured to direct the thrust vector of the coaxial rotor system and control movements of the yaw vanes. In a VTOL orientation of the aircraft, differential operation of the yaw vanes and/or differential operations of first and second rotor assemblies of the coaxial rotor system provide yaw authority for the aircraft. In a biplane orientation of the aircraft, collective operation of the yaw vanes provides yaw authority for the aircraft.
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Patent Agency Ranking
公开(公告)号：US20210362857A1
公开(公告)日：2021-11-25
申请号：US16879074
申请日：2020-05-20
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： John Richard McCullough , Andrew Thomas Carter , Sung Kyun Kim , Matthew John Hill
Abstract: An aircraft includes an airframe with first and second wings having a fuselage extending therebetween. A propulsion assembly is coupled to the fuselage and includes a counter-rotating coaxial rotor system that is tiltable relative to the fuselage to generate a thrust vector. Tail assemblies are coupled to wingtips of the first and second wings each having an elevon that collectively form a distributed array of elevons. A flight control system is configured to direct the thrust vector of the coaxial rotor system and to control movements of the elevons such that the elevons collectively provide pitch authority and differentially provide roll authority for the aircraft in the biplane orientation. In addition, when the flight control system detects an elevon fault, the flight control system is configured to perform corrective action responsive thereto at a distributed elevon level or at a coordinated distributed elevon and propulsion assembly level.
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公开(公告)号：US11142311B2
公开(公告)日：2021-10-12
申请号：US16154342
申请日：2018-10-08
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： John Richard McCullough , Paul K. Oldroyd
Abstract: An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. The aircraft includes an airframe having first and second wings with first and second pylons extending therebetween. The first and second wings each having first and second outboard nacelle stations. A two-dimensional distributed thrust array is attached to the airframe. The thrust array including a plurality of outboard propulsion assemblies coupled to the first and second outboard nacelle stations of the first and second wings. A flight control system is coupled to the airframe and is operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies. A cargo hook module is coupled to the airframe. The cargo hook module is operable for external load operations.
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公开(公告)号：US11126203B2
公开(公告)日：2021-09-21
申请号：US16858145
申请日：2020-04-24
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： John Richard McCullough , Paul K. Oldroyd
IPC: G05D1/10 , B64C29/00 , B64C3/56 , B64C11/46 , B64C17/00 , B64C29/02 , B64C39/02 , B64C39/08 , B64D27/24 , B64D27/26 , B64C27/30 , B64C1/06 , G05D1/00
Abstract: An aerial imaging aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. The aircraft includes an airframe having first and second wings with first and second pylons coupled therebetween. A two-dimensional distributed thrust array is coupled to the airframe. The thrust array includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies each operable for variable speed and omnidirectional thrust vectoring. A payload is coupled to the airframe and includes an aerial imaging module. A flight control system is operable to independently control the speed and thrust vector of each of the propulsion assemblies such that in an inclined flight attitude, the flight control system is operable to maintain the orientation of the aerial imaging module toward a target while translating the aircraft, changing aircraft altitude and/or circling the target.
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公开(公告)号：US20200331586A1
公开(公告)日：2020-10-22
申请号：US16922686
申请日：2020-07-07
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： Paul K. Oldroyd , John Richard McCullough
Abstract: An aircraft has an airframe with a distributed thrust array attached thereto that includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies each of which is independently controlled by a flight control system. Each propulsion assembly includes a housing with a single axis gimbal coupled thereto and operable to tilt about a single axis. A propulsion system is coupled to and operable to tilt with the gimbal. The propulsion system includes an electric motor having an output drive and a rotor assembly having a plurality of rotor blades that rotate in a rotational plane to generate thrust having a thrust vector with a direction. Actuation of each gimbal is operable to tilt the respective propulsion system including the electric motor and the rotor assembly relative to the airframe to change the rotational plane of the respective rotor assembly relative to the airframe, thereby controlling the direction of the respective thrust vector.
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公开(公告)号：US20200290736A1
公开(公告)日：2020-09-17
申请号：US16858145
申请日：2020-04-24
Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.
Inventor： John Richard McCullough , Paul K. Oldroyd
IPC: B64C29/00 , B64C3/56 , B64C11/46 , B64C17/00 , B64C29/02 , B64C39/02 , B64C39/08 , B64D27/24 , B64D27/26 , B64C27/30 , B64C1/06 , G05D1/10 , G05D1/00
Abstract: An aerial imaging aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. The aircraft includes an airframe having first and second wings with first and second pylons coupled therebetween. A two-dimensional distributed thrust array is coupled to the airframe. The thrust array includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies each operable for variable speed and omnidirectional thrust vectoring. A payload is coupled to the airframe and includes an aerial imaging module. A flight control system is operable to independently control the speed and thrust vector of each of the propulsion assemblies such that in an inclined flight attitude, the flight control system is operable to maintain the orientation of the aerial imaging module toward a target while translating the aircraft, changing aircraft altitude and/or circling the target.
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