Aeronautics and astronautics – Composite aircraft
Reexamination Certificate
2003-08-21
2004-06-08
Eldred, J. Woodrow (Department: 3644)
Aeronautics and astronautics
Composite aircraft
C244S017250, C244S02300R, C244S221000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06745977
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the general art of motor vehicles, and to the particular field of flying vehicles.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
As anyone who has driven on roadways near any major city in the world will attest, people of today are very mobile and the number of land vehicles on the roads, both major roads and secondary roads, is increasing at nearly alarming rates. Roads are becoming more and more congested with each passing day. The roadways are shared by commuters, police and fire departments, rescue squads, as well as the military. This adds still further to the congestion on the roadways. The congestion is not only frustrating to those trapped in it, it is wasteful of time and energy.
Therefore, there is a need for a mode of personal transportation that will bypass the congestion on roadways.
In order to be most efficient, any mode of personal transportation should be as agile as possible and as maneuverable as possible. This will permit the user to move into all of the areas now accessed by automobiles and also to maneuver near congested areas as well.
Many land vehicles that are used by civilians can also be very useful to the military as well as civilian defense. For this reason, these vehicles also should be as agile and as maneuverable as well.
Therefore, there is a need for a highly maneuverable and agile transportation vehicle.
One alternative to land vehicle transportation is air vehicle transportation. This form of transportation has, historically, included airplanes as well as helicopters. While this form of transportation has been fairly efficient, it generally requires a user to depart and arrive at specific locations that are designed to accommodate aircraft. These areas vary from airports to special landing pads. This requirement may add to vehicular congestion as people travel to and from the designated landing and takeoff areas, generally by land vehicle. Often this type of transportation is very expensive in addition to being somewhat inconvenient in both time and logistics.
Therefore, there is a need for a highly maneuverable and agile transportation vehicle that is capable of flight.
As with any product that is marketed to the public, the easier such a vehicle is to operate, the more successful it will be. One problem with many flying vehicles, such as helicopters or the like, is that they are difficult and complicated to operate. Thus, the public will be slow to accept such vehicles.
Therefore, there is a need for a highly maneuverable and agile transportation vehicle that is capable of flight and is easy to operate.
As mentioned above, not only are those in the public interested in alternative modes of transportation, those in the military and civil defense, as well as those in the rescue and fire industries, are also interested in avoiding the congested roadways that they now have to use.
Therefore, there is a need for a vehicle that can be used not only by the public for general transportation but also by the military as well as the civil defense and rescue industries to meet their needs as well.
PRINCIPAL OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is a main object of the present invention to provide a highly maneuverable and agile transportation vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a highly maneuverable and agile transportation vehicle which is capable of flight.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a highly maneuverable and agile transportation vehicle and which is extremely versatile.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a highly maneuverable and agile transportation vehicle and which is extremely versatile and which is easy to operate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These, and other, objects are achieved by a personal vehicle that has a general appearance of a land vehicle but which is driven by rotors in the manner of a helicopter so the vehicle will fly. The vehicle has two horizontally oriented rotors as well as a vertically oriented rotor and is controlled by a compound steering wheel. The vehicle also includes brakes and the like that resemble the equipment associated with cars so a driver can operate the flying vehicle in the manner of a car with which he or she is familiar.
The vehicle can thus be operated in the manner of a car, but will have flight capability in the manner of a Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) vehicle, and thus will be useful in avoiding and relieving congestion on the roadways. The vehicle is designed to be easy to operate so it will be attractive to the general public. The vehicle will be as agile and as maneuverable as a small helicopter so the vehicle can be maneuvered and operated in congested areas while still being safe. The vehicle will not be subject to the congestion associated with land vehicles and thus will provide significant advantages to an operator. Since the vehicle is agile and maneuverable, it will be attractive to the military as well as to others such as police, fire, rescue and civil defense personnel.
The vehicle can also be used by the airline industry as a shuttle between airports, or even between locations in a single airport. This will relieve much pressure on present airline traffic routes as well as providing an important new product for both the airline manufacturers and the land vehicle manufacturers.
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Long Larry D.
Sturgeon Terry L.
Eldred J. Woodrow
Schoonover Donald R.
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