公开(公告)号：US20210253239A1

公开(公告)日：2021-08-19

申请号：US16795426

申请日：2020-02-19

Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.

Inventor： Steven Ray Ivans ,  Brent Chadwick Ross ,  Danielle Lynn Moore ,  Berlin Bernard Benfield ,  Jason Paul Hurst

IPC: B64C29/04 ,  B64C27/50 ,  B64D27/10 ,  B64D35/04 ,  B64C25/32 ,  B64C5/06 ,  B64C5/08 ,  B64C5/04 ,  B64C7/00

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a high speed, vertical lift aircraft that has vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability and is capable of converting to a forward-flight mode (e.g., prop-mode). The rotors blades can be folded for high speed forward flight propelled by a turbine engine (e.g., jet-mode). The rotor blades on the tail sitter aircraft have a “stop-fold” capability, which means that the rotor blades are stopped in flight and folded back to reduce drag. This allows the tail sitter aircraft to achieve a higher speed than a tilt-rotor aircraft. In some embodiments, the tail sitter aircraft achieves both rotor-borne flight and jet-borne flight by having two separate engines. An additional advantage of the tail-sitter aircraft versus a horizontally oriented fixed engine aircraft is that supplemental jet thrust can be used for take-off if desired.

公开(公告)号：US20220306293A1

公开(公告)日：2022-09-29

申请号：US17527900

申请日：2021-11-16

Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.

Inventor： Kirk L. Groninga ,  Danielle Lynn Moore

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64C39/12 ,  B64D27/26

Abstract: One embodiment is an aircraft operable in a hover mode and a cruise mode and including a fuselage; wings connected on opposite sides of the fuselage; a canard connected to the fuselage forward of the wings; forward propulsion systems connected to a trailing edge of the canard on opposite sides of the fuselage; aft propulsion systems connected to trailing edges of the wings; and wing-mounted propulsion systems connected to leading edges of the wings. The aft propulsion systems are tiltable between a first position when the aircraft is in the hover mode and a second position when the aircraft is in the cruise mode. Each of the propulsion systems includes a rotor assembly comprising a plurality of rotor blades. The propulsion systems are substantially equidistant from a center of gravity (CG) of the aircraft.

公开(公告)号：US11807357B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-07

申请号：US17527900

申请日：2021-11-16

Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.

Inventor： Kirk L. Groninga ,  Danielle Lynn Moore

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64D27/26 ,  B64C39/12

CPC classification number: B64C29/0033 ,  B64C39/12 ,  B64D27/26

Abstract: One embodiment is an aircraft operable in a hover mode and a cruise mode and including a fuselage; wings connected on opposite sides of the fuselage; a canard connected to the fuselage forward of the wings; forward propulsion systems connected to a trailing edge of the canard on opposite sides of the fuselage; aft propulsion systems connected to trailing edges of the wings; and wing-mounted propulsion systems connected to leading edges of the wings. The aft propulsion systems are tiltable between a first position when the aircraft is in the hover mode and a second position when the aircraft is in the cruise mode. Each of the propulsion systems includes a rotor assembly comprising a plurality of rotor blades. The propulsion systems are substantially equidistant from a center of gravity (CG) of the aircraft.