Aeronautics and astronautics – Aircraft – heavier-than-air – Airplane and fluid sustained
Patent
1991-11-08
1993-04-20
Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
Aeronautics and astronautics
Aircraft, heavier-than-air
Airplane and fluid sustained
244 23C, 244 73B, B64C 1500
Patent
active
052035212
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to an aircraft having vertical lift capabilities and includes those which can hover above a ground surface. The aircraft includes an annular body.
BACKGROUND ART
Vertical lift aircraft having an annular air foil construction can be classified into two broad areas. The first area includes those which draw air from a position above the aircraft and direct the air over an upper surface of the annular airfoil. Examples of such aircraft are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,927,746, 2,978,206, 3,073,551, 4,214,720 and 4,566,699.
The second type of aircraft includes those which draw air in from a position beneath the aircraft, accelerates the air by means of a propulsion system and directs the accelerated air over the upper surfaces of the airfoil. Examples of such aircraft are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,674,798 and 3,397,853.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,708 teaches an aircraft having an annular airfoil with planar upper and lower surfaces. Air is drawn in through a base opening and is accelerated by a turbo jet engine located in a central passageway and is directed over the upper surface of the annular air foil. Due to the configuration of the air foil, air does not circulate around the upper and lower surfaces of the airfoil but instead is flung off the peripheral edge of the airfoil. This patent does not teach an airfoil configuration which allows air to circulate around the airfoil and which directs a portion of air circulating around the airfoil to below the aircraft to provide additional thrust.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,397,853 discloses an aircraft having an annular body and a central passageway. A propulsion unit is located within the central passageway. A deflector is located above the passageway to deflect accelerated air over the annular body. A cup or dish shaped member is located below the central passageway and extends sufficiently past the widest portion of the annular body to capture all the air flowing over the annular body.
The configuration of the dish shaped member does not allow a portion of the circulated air to be split off from the main stream to be diverted to beneath the aircraft to provide additional thrust. There is no teaching in this patent that the dish shaped member can be used to split circulating air flow.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an aircraft which may be least partially overcome the abovementioned disadvantages.
In one form the invention resides in an aircraft comprising surface and a surface configuration to facilitate circulation of fluid around said body, said passageway to outwardly across the surface of said annular body, and peripheral edge terminating short of said outermost periphery of said annular body, for directing a portion of fluid circulating around said annular body to said fluid drive and directing a portion of fluid circulating around said annular body to below said aircraft.
The annular body may have a cross-sectional configuration approximating that of a flattened torus. The generally flattened toroidal configuration facilitates fluid flow about the surface of the annular body and through the passageway. The torus may comprise thickened portions. The thickened portions may be disposed adjacent the inner or outer periphery of the body to enhance fluid flow around the annular body.
The annular body may be configured such that a portion of the surface of the body comprises the lowermost portion of the aircraft.
Preferably, the annular body has an upper surface which is of a generally airfoil configuration.
The annular body may be solid or may comprise one or more interior spaces or compartments. The spaces may be suitable for storage of goods, accommodation of passengers and may include a pilots cabin.
The fluid drive is preferably located within the passageway to accelerate fluid through the passageway from a lower position to an upper position. The fluid drive may comprise a propellor. The propellor may extend across the closely spaced from the wall of the passageway. The propellor may be driv
REFERENCES:
patent: 2927746 (1960-03-01), Mellen
patent: 3073551 (1963-01-01), Bowersox
patent: 3397853 (1968-08-01), Richardson
patent: 3489374 (1990-01-01), Morcom
patent: 4273302 (1981-06-01), Jordan
patent: 4566699 (1986-01-01), Cucuzza
patent: 4674708 (1987-06-01), del Castillo
patent: 4778128 (1988-10-01), Wright et al.
patent: 4941628 (1990-07-01), Sakamoto et al.
Ellis Christopher P.
Peters Jr. Joseph F.
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