Provided is a disc-shaped aircraft including a rotatable disc-shaped wing inclined downward from a center to an edge of the wing and including a through hole vertically penetrating through a center of the wing, a body provided in a space under the wing, a driving mechanism for providing rotary power to the wing, a connector including an end connected to a side of the wing forming the through hole, and another end connected to the driving mechanism to transmit rotary power to the wing, a main channel provided between the wing and the body to serve as a passage for a gas sucked into the through hole, an ejection hole provided between a lower end of the wing and the body to eject the gas flowing along the main channel, downward, and a flight controller for adjusting an ejection amount of the gas ejected from the ejection hole, by changing a shape of the main channel by adjusting a height of the wing.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a disc-shaped aircraft having a disc shape and capable of flying.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, aircrafts obtain lift by using wings while moving in the air. Helicopters or ships obtain lift or thrust by rotating a propeller in the air or the water.

On the contrary, disc-shaped aircrafts may not obtain lift by using wings due to the structure thereof and thus currently obtain lift by using ejection force generated by strongly ejecting the air downward.

However, huge energy is required to obtain sufficient lift by using only the ejection force.

In addition, the helicopters using the propeller are noisy and dangerous because blades of the propeller rotate at high speed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Technical Problem

The present invention provides a disc-shaped aircraft capable of generating lift by ejecting a gas downward due to rotation of a disc-shaped wing. The present invention also provides a safe aircraft capable of reducing noise by using a disc-shaped wing without using a propeller including blades.

Technical Solution

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disc-shaped aircraft including a rotatable disc-shaped wing inclined downward from a center to an edge of the wing and including a through hole vertically penetrating through a center of the wing, a body provided in a space under the wing, a driving mechanism for providing rotary power to the wing, a connector including an end connected to a side of the wing forming the through hole, and another end connected to the driving mechanism to transmit rotary power to the wing, a main channel provided between the wing and the body to serve as a passage for a gas sucked into the through hole, an ejection hole provided between a lower end of the wing and the body to eject the gas flowing along the main channel, downward, and a flight controller for adjusting an ejection amount of the gas ejected from the ejection hole, by changing a shape of the main channel by adjusting a height of the wing.

The disc-shaped aircraft may further include a first ejector and a second ejector provided at both sides of a vertical plane passing through a center of the body, provided as pipe-shaped channels connected to the body, and capable of ejecting the gas sucked from the through hole.

The first and second ejectors may include a plurality of unit ejectors capable of enabling multidirectional joint motion relative to each other to eject the gas in multiple directions.

The first and second ejectors may individually include at least one joint capable of enabling multidirectional joint motion to eject the gas in multiple directions.

The body may include a first sub-channel for supplying the gas sucked from the through hole, to the first ejector, a second sub-channel for supplying the gas sucked from the through hole, to the second ejector, a first flow rate adjuster provided in the first sub-channel to adjust a flow rate of the first sub-channel, and a second flow rate adjuster provided in the second sub-channel to adjust a flow rate of the second sub-channel, and the flight controller may adjust a gas ejection amount of the first ejector by controlling the first flow rate adjuster, and adjust a gas ejection amount of the second ejector by controlling the second flow rate adjuster.

The flight controller may differently adjust gas ejection amounts of the first and second ejectors depending on a rotation direction of the wing.

The flight controller may reduce an amount of the gas flowing into the main channel and increase an amount of the gas flowing into the first and second sub-channels by reducing the height of the wing.

The connector may include a plurality of blades, and the blades may be provided to suck the gas downward from above the wing when the wing rotates.

The disc-shaped aircraft may further include a remote controller for remotely controlling the flight controller.

Advantageous Effects

Using a disc-shaped aircraft according to an embodiment of the present invention, lift may be efficiently obtained by ejecting a gas downward while rotating a disc-shaped wing. In addition, because the disc-shaped wing is rotated instead of using a propeller including blades, safety may be achieved and noise due to high-speed rotation may be reduced.

MODE OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail by explaining embodiments of the invention with reference to the attached drawings. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the invention to one of ordinary skill in the art. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and is not intended to limit the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising”, when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. It will be further understood that, although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another.

FIG. 1is a rear cross-sectional view showing a landing state of a disc-shaped aircraft1000according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 2includes rear cross-sectional views showing a flying state of the disc-shaped aircraft1000according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, the disc-shaped aircraft1000according to an embodiment of the present invention is an aircraft flying in the air by using lift due to rotation of a wing1100and thrust due to ejection of a gas. The disc-shaped aircraft1000may include the wing1100, a body1200, a driving mechanism1210, and a flight controller.

The wing1100may be provided in a disc shape inclined downward from the center to the edge thereof. The wing1100in a disc shape may provide additional lift to the disc-shaped aircraft1000during flight due to the ambient air flowing around the disc shape.

The wing1100may rotate at high speed about a virtual axis vertically penetrating through the center thereof. The wing1100may generate lift force while rotating, to lift the aircraft1000. A through hole1110may be provided at the center of the wing1100to vertically penetrate therethrough. The gas above the wing1100may flow into the through hole1110and then downward from the wing1100due to rotation of the wing1100.

The body1200may provide a structure to which the wing1100may be rotatably coupled, and be an element for accommodating various components of the aircraft1000. The body1200may be provided in a space under the wing1100. The body1200may include boarding ramps1280for allowing users to access the body1200, and landing gears1290for assisting the aircraft1000in landing.

The boarding ramps1280may be provided in the form of steps, and be accommodated in a lower portion of the body1200during flight and protrude downward from the body1200after landing to allow the users to enter or exit the body1200.

The landing gears1290may also be accommodated in the lower portion of the body1200during flight and protrude downward from the body1200for landing to support the aircraft1000from below and assist in safe landing. The body1200may have an internal space. The internal space may accommodate, for example, seats1260for the users, and batteries1270for supplying power to the driving mechanism1210. A camera (not shown) may be provided at a side of the body1200, and a monitor (not shown) may be provided in the internal space of the body1200. The users may monitor an external environment by using the camera and/or the monitor.

The driving mechanism1210may provide rotary power to the wing1100. The driving mechanism1210may be provided at a side of the body1200. In the current embodiment, it is assumed that the driving mechanism1210is provided at the center of the body1200. The driving mechanism1210may include an electric motor. The wing1100and the driving mechanism1210may be connected to each other via a connector1220. An end of the connector1220may be connected to a side of the wing1100forming the through hole1110. Another end of the connector1220may be connected to a side of a rotating shaft (not shown) of the driving mechanism1210to transmit rotary power to the wing1100. The connector1220may include a plurality of blades, and the blades may be provided to suck the gas downward from above the wing1100when the wing1100rotates. For example, the connector1220may have a fan blade shape for inducing the gas to flow from above to below the wing1100. A height adjuster1221for adjusting a height h1or h2of the wing1100from the body1200may be provided between the connector1220and the driving mechanism1210. The other end of the connector1220may be connected to the height adjuster1221, and the height adjuster1221may move vertically from the driving mechanism1210. As such, the relative height h1or h2of the connector1220and the wing1100connected to the connector1220from the driving mechanism1210may be adjusted. A flight controller (not shown) to be described below may adjust the relative height h1or h2between the connector1220/the wing1100and the body1200by controlling motion of the height adjuster1221relative to the driving mechanism1210.

The flight controller may be an element for controlling flight of the aircraft1000. The flight controller may be provided in the body1200. The flight controller may be implemented in various forms for controlling components of the aircraft1000, e.g., a circuit board, an integrated circuit chip, a series of computer programs installed in hardware, firmware, or software.

The disc-shaped aircraft1000according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a main channel1300, a first sub-channel1240, and a second sub-channel1250through which the gas flows. The flight controller may control flight of the aircraft1000by adjusting the amount of the gas flowing in the channels.

The wing1100and the body1200may be spaced apart from each other to form the main channel1300through which the gas sucked into the through hole1110may flow downward. The gas flowing along the main channel1300may be ejected downward through an ejection hole1310provided at a lower end of the main channel1300. The aircraft1000may obtain thrust in an upward direction due to reaction force of ejection force. An outer surface of the body1200may be inclined to correspond to an inner surface of the wing1100. In addition, the outer surface of the body1200may be provided close to the inner surface of the wing1100. Therefore, the ejection hole1310may have a small cross-sectional area and thus the ejection force of the gas may be strong.

As described above, the flight controller may adjust the height h1or h2of the wing1100. When the height h1or h2of the wing1100is adjusted, the main channel1300may be changed in shape. The ejection force of the gas ejected from the ejection hole1310may vary depending on a ratio of a cross-sectional area of a gas inlet of the main channel1300to a cross-sectional area of a gas outlet of the main channel1300. For example, when the height h1of the wing1100is increased, the cross-sectional area of the gas inlet may be increased and, in contrast, the cross-sectional area of the ejection hole1310may be reduced, thereby increasing an ejection amount of the gas (see (a) ofFIG. 2). When the height h2of the wing1100is reduced, the cross-sectional area of the gas inlet may be reduced and, in contrast, the cross-sectional area of the ejection hole1310may be increased, thereby reducing the ejection amount of the gas (see (b) ofFIG. 2). As such, the flight controller may adjust the height h1or h2of the wing1100of the aircraft1000to change the shape of the main channel1300, and thus increase or reduce the ejection amount of the gas ejected from the ejection hole1310to control rise and fall of the aircraft1000.

FIG. 3includes top views showing a landing state and a flying state of the disc-shaped aircraft1000according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 4includes side views showing multidirectional motion of the disc-shaped aircraft1000according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring toFIGS. 3 and 4, the flight controller may control the aircraft1000to fly in various directions. In this regard, the aircraft1000may include a first ejector1400and a second ejector1500. The first and second ejectors1400and1500may be elements capable of ejecting the gas flowing into the through hole1110, in various directions including side directions of the aircraft1000. The first and second ejectors1400and1500may be provided at both sides of a vertical plane passing through the center of the body1200. The first and second ejectors1400and1500may be pipe-shaped channels connected to the body1200. The first and second ejectors1400and1500may be inserted into the body1200when the aircraft1000lands, and protrude from the body1200when the aircraft1000flies. As such, when the aircraft1000lands, the first and second ejectors1400and1500may not collide with the ground. However, during flight, the first and second ejectors1400and1500change positions according to an ejection direction of the gas and, in this case, may collide with portions of the body1200. Therefore, the first and second ejectors1400and1500may additionally protrude from the body1200during flight to change positions away from the body1200, and thus may eject the gas in multiple directions without colliding with the body1200.

The first ejector1400and/or the second ejector1500may include at least one joint1410or1510. In this case, the first ejector1400and/or the second ejector1500may include a plurality of unit ejectors1420and1430, or1520and1530provided at both sides of the joint1410or1510to enable multidirectional joint motion relative to each other. In the following description, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that each of the first and second ejectors1400and1500includes one joint1410or1510. The joint1410or1510may be provided in the middle of the first or second ejector1400or1500. Herein, among the plurality of unit ejectors1420and1430included in the first ejector1400, a unit ejector provided between the joint1410and the body1200is called a first unit ejector1420and the other unit ejector is called a second unit ejector1430. In addition, among the plurality of unit ejectors1520and1530included in the second ejector1500, a unit ejector provided between the joint1510and the body1200is called a third unit ejector1520and the other unit ejector is called a fourth unit ejector1530.

The flight controller may adjust the ejection direction of the gas by adjusting a relative angle formed between the first and second unit ejectors1420and1430and/or a relative angle formed between the third and fourth unit ejectors1520and1530by controlling the joints1410and1510. Specifically, the first and third unit ejectors1420and1520may extend almost backward from the body1200, and the first and third unit ejectors1420and1520and the second and fourth unit ejectors1430and1530may perform joint motion such that the angles formed between the first and third unit ejectors1420and1520and the second and fourth unit ejectors1430and1530may be variously changed to adjust the ejection direction of the gas. For example, when the second and fourth unit ejectors1430and1530are bent horizontally backward from the first and third unit ejectors1420and1520to eject the gas in a backward and horizontal direction of the aircraft1000, the aircraft1000may obtain thrust in a forward direction (see (a) ofFIG. 4). When the second and fourth unit ejectors1430and1530are bent backward and upward from the first and third unit ejectors1420and1520to eject the gas in a backward and upward direction of the aircraft1000, a front end of the aircraft1000may be steered upward (see (b) ofFIG. 4). When the second and fourth unit ejectors1430and1530are bent backward and downward from the first and third unit ejectors1420and1520to eject the gas in a backward and downward direction of the aircraft1000, a front end of the aircraft1000may be steered downward (see (c) ofFIG. 4). When the second unit ejector1430is bent backward and upward from the first unit ejector1420to eject the gas in a backward and upward direction of the aircraft1000and the fourth unit ejector1530is bent backward and downward from the third unit ejector1520to eject the gas in a backward and downward direction of the aircraft1000, the aircraft1000may rotate in a counterclockwise direction about a virtual rotation axis extending along a forward and backward direction of the aircraft1000(see (d) ofFIG. 4). When the second unit ejector1430is bent backward and downward from the first unit ejector1420to eject the gas in a backward and downward direction of the aircraft1000and the fourth unit ejector1530is bent backward and upward from the third unit ejector1520to eject the gas in a backward and upward direction of the aircraft1000, the aircraft1000may rotate in a clockwise direction about the virtual rotation axis (see (e) ofFIG. 4).

The body1200may include the first and second sub-channels1240and1250to supply the gas to the first and second ejectors1400and1500. The first sub-channel1240may supply the air sucked from the through hole1110, to the first ejector1400. The second sub-channel1250may supply the air sucked from the through hole1110, to the second ejector1500. The first and second sub-channels1240and1250may respectively include a first flow rate adjuster1241and a second flow rate adjuster1251.

The first flow rate adjuster1241may be a means for adjusting a flow rate of the gas flowing in the first sub-channel1240. The first flow rate adjuster1241may be provided in the first sub-channel1240. The second flow rate adjuster1251may be a means for adjusting a flow rate of the gas flowing in the second sub-channel1250. The second flow rate adjuster1251may be provided in the second sub-channel1250. The flight controller may adjust opening levels of the first and second sub-channels1240and1250by controlling the first and second flow rate adjusters1241and1251, and thus control the flow rates of the gas flowing in the first and second ejectors1400and1500.

FIG. 5includes top views showing direction change operations of the disc-shaped aircraft1000according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring toFIG. 5, the flight controller may differently adjust air ejection amounts of the first and second ejectors1400and1500depending on a rotation direction of the wing1100. For straight forward motion of the aircraft1000, gas ejection amounts of the first and second ejectors1400and1500may differ to offset centrifugal force due to rotation of the wing1100. For example, when the wing1100rotates in a clockwise direction, the gas ejection amount of the first ejector1400provided at a left side of a vertical axis extending along a forward and backward direction of the aircraft1000may need to be greater than the gas ejection amount of the second ejector1500provided at a right side thereof to move the aircraft1000straight forward.

In addition, the flight controller may differently adjust the gas ejection amounts of the first and second ejectors1400and1500for a left or right turn of the aircraft1000. For example, for a right turn of the aircraft1000including the wing1100rotating in a clockwise direction, the gas ejection amount of the first ejector1400may need to be greater than the gas ejection amount of the second ejector1500(see (a) ofFIG. 5). For a left turn of the aircraft1000, the gas ejection amount of the first ejector1400may need to be less than or equal to the gas ejection amount of the second ejector1500(see (b) ofFIG. 5).

The flight controller may reduce the amount of the air flowing into the main channel1300and increase the amount of the air flowing into the first and second sub-channels1240and1250by reducing the height of the wing1100. Because the main channel1300is directly changed in shape due to adjustment of the height of the wing1100, when the height of the wing1100is reduced, the cross-sectional area of the gas inlet of the main channel1300may be reduced and thus the amount of the gas flowing into the main channel1300may also be reduced. On the contrary, the first and second sub-channels1240and1250may not be changed in shape due to the height of the wing1100and thus the amount of the gas flowing thereinto may not vary even when the height of the wing1100is reduced. Therefore, when the height of the wing1100is reduced, the amount of the gas flowing into the main channel1300may be reduced and the amount of the gas flowing into the first and second sub-channels1240and1250may be relatively increased. As such, the aircraft1000may increase horizontal thrust of the aircraft1000by increasing the amount of the gas flowing into the first and second ejectors1400and1500.

The aircraft1000according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a remote controller (not shown) capable of remotely controlling the flight controller. The flight controller and the remote controller may individually include a communication module (not shown) to communicate each other, and the flight controller may be controlled using the remote controller to control flight of the aircraft1000.

Operation examples of the disc-shaped aircraft1000according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described.

The disc-shaped aircraft1000in a landing state may rotate the wing1100to take off vertically. As such, the air may flow from above the wing1100into the through hole1110and then along the main channel1300and be ejected downward from the ejection hole1310to obtain lift to take off. In this case, the flight controller may increase the amount of the gas flowing into the main channel1300to obtain higher lift by controlling the height adjuster1221to increase the height of the wing1100and controlling the first and second flow rate adjusters1241and1251to reduce cross-sectional areas of the first and second sub-channels1240and1250and reduce the amount of the gas flowing thereinto. When the disc-shaped aircraft1000flies, the flight controller may increase the amount of the gas flowing into the first and second sub-channels1240and1250to obtain higher horizontal thrust by controlling the joints1410and1510of the first and second ejectors1400and1500to set a gas ejection direction and determine a direction of the aircraft1000, controlling the height adjuster1221to reduce the height of the wing1100, and controlling the first and second flow rate adjusters1241and1251to open the first and second sub-channels1240and1250. When the disc-shaped aircraft1000lands, the flight controller may gradually stop rotation of the wing1100, reduce the height of the wing1100, reduce the amount of the gas ejected from the first and second ejectors1400and1500, and protrude the landing gears1290from the lower portion of the body1200, thereby achieving safe landing.

Effects of the disc-shaped aircraft1000according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described.

The disc-shaped aircraft1000according to an embodiment of the present invention may easily take off by obtaining lift by rotating the wing1100and ejecting the gas downward through the ejection hole1310.

Furthermore, the aircraft1000may include the first and second ejectors1400and1500capable of ejecting the gas in multiple directions, to fly in various directions.

In addition, the aircraft1000may include the disc-shaped wing1100to reduce noise due to high-speed rotation compared to an aircraft including propeller-shaped wings, and may not use blades to achieve safety.

Besides, the aircraft1000may flexibly change a flight mode thereof by adjusting the amounts of the gas ejected from the ejection hole1310and the first and second ejectors1400and1500by adjusting the height of the wing1100.