Abstract:
An omni-directional air vehicle having a pod with a connected turbofan system, the pod has a body that contains a power source for generating electrical power and a ducted fan with spherical articulation mechanism having a projecting arm with counter-rotating propellers and a ducted shroud around the periphery of the counter rotating propellers and containing drive motors for electrically driving the propellers.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of provisional application Serial No. 60/361,544, filed on Mar. 4, 2002 and Serial No. 60/358,825, filed on Feb. 21, 2002. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates to a new air vehicle having omni-directional flying capabilities. The vehicle can sit motionless in air or on land, and, depart to and land from all positions and directions, including vertical take-off and landing (VTOL). The invented vehicle is a universal mobility air vehicle.  
           [0003]    The PTS can replace any and all cars, vans, motorcycles, helicopters, business airplanes, or any vehicles military and commercial. The omni-directional vehicle is an absolute revolutionary, universal transportation system for solving our modern, vehicle-congested urban environment.  
           [0004]    The modular association of multiple omni-directional vehicles in an integrated structural apparatus provides a universal propulsion system for flying platforms, air lift vehicles, combined multi-functional operations, individual flying vehicles, and unlimited applications which need flexible capabilities for emergency and special forces.  
           [0005]    For military use in the rapid deploying of forces, fuel and all other the logistic supplies for armored vehicles isolated in places without lines of communication, the modularized air lift system can be invaluable.  
           [0006]    A first characteristic of the novel omni-directional air vehicle is a thermal-electric, hybrid propulsion system using the power source technology of our U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,897, issued Sep. 4, 2001, entitled Advanced Thermo-Electronic Systems For Hybrid Electric Vehicles, and incorporated herein by reference.  
           [0007]    A second characteristic is the use of a counter-rotating, counter-electric, turbofan system, driven by the thermal electric power source with double ring permanent magnets in hollow concentric motors.  
           [0008]    A third characteristic is an omni-directional articulation between the turbo-electric, counter-rotating fan and the main body of the vehicle, permitting a universal adjustment of the relative direction of the turbofan, and thereby providing the vehicle with universal mobility.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the omni-directional air vehicle of this invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the omni-directional air vehicle adapted for personal transport.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an alternate omni-directional air vehicle.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4A is a schematic view of a further alternate omni-directional air vehicle.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4B is a further schematic view of the alternate omni-directional air vehicle of FIG. 4a.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5A is a schematic view of a further alternate omni-directional air vehicle.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5B is a further schematic view of the alternate omni-directional air vehicle of FIG. 5a.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6A is a schematic view of a further alternate omni-directional air vehicle.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6B is a further schematic view of the alternate omni-directional air vehicle of FIG. 6a.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]    In FIG. 1, the omni-directional air vehicle, depicted generally by the number  10 , comprises a pod  11  with pod supports  12 , and a connected turbofan system  16  having a turbo-electric, counter-rotating ducted fan  20  provided with two counter-rotating propellers  21  and  22 , peripherally driven by counter-rotating, permanent magnet, electric motors  23  and  24 , integrated in a ducted shroud  25 , supported by struts  26  connected to a projecting arm  27  of a spherical articulation mechanism  28  seated in the main body  30  of the pod  11  of the vehicle  10 . The spherical articulatory mechanism  28  changes the angular position of the projecting arm  27  to the angle “a” as limited by stop  13  at the top of main body  30 .  
         [0019]    In the main body  30 , is located a combination thermal electric engine and gas turbine  31 , of the type described in the referenced U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,897. The combination thermal electric engine and gas turbine  31  is provided with air intake ports  32  and exhaust ports  33  and in out put generator  16  supplies the electric power through an electronic control module  34  to the counter-rotating electric motors  23  and  24  through electric circuit line  34 a.  
         [0020]    The ability to change the relative angular position (a) between the turboelectric counter-rotating ducted fan  20  and the main body  30  allows the vehicle to perform all flying missions from all positions in all directions, including ground and air, from on-board control systems, wherein the vehicle has a universal mobility.  
         [0021]    The ultra high efficiency of the engines and gas turbines, as described in the referenced U.S. patent, provides the absolute best performance for military applications, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and commercial applications for better cargo and personnel transports than actual helicopters or business airplanes.  
         [0022]    In FIG. 2 there is depicted a configuration of the same omni-directional vehicle used as a personal transportation system (PTS) which is designed to accommodate a person or multiple persons. Manual control of the spherical articulation mechanism is accomplished by control arm  28 a.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 depicts a special configuration of the omni-directional air vehicle  10  with the ability to fly horizontally at high speed facilitated by the addition of a cruciform  14  having wings  35  which have directional guides  36  that are active only in horizontal high speed operation.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIGS. 4A and 4B depict the omni-directional air vehicle  10  with a discoid shape vehicle body  40  attached to a round fixed wing  41  connected with the dome  42  and at least two electric ducted fans  20 a (push) and  20 b (pull) with counter-rotating propellers  21  and  22 , each fan being attached with a projecting arm  27 . Once the vehicle is converted to horizontal flight, both turbo-electric, counter-rotating ducted fans  20 a and  20 b are horizontally arranged in the same push-pull actions per the direction of flight. The omni-directional air vehicle flight capability is improved by the round discoid wing  41  which uses less energy and has less drag at high speed in the horizontal mode. Additionally, the round discoid wing  41  can be used on gliding flight.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIGS. 5A and 5B depict the omni-directional air vehicle  10  having an elongated fuselage  50  attached to an adjustable elongated wing  51  able to be rotary arranged always perpendicular to the direction of flight. The same turbo-electric, counter-rotating ducted fans  20 a and  20 b with counter-rotating propellers  21  and  22  in a push-pull arrangement form the omni-directional air vehicle propulsion system.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIGS. 6A and 6B depict the omni-directional air vehicle  10  having an adjustable (rotary) platform body  60  associated with platform wing  61  articulated by pivot dome  63  and the shaft  62 . The axial position x-x will always be perpendicular with the axial y-y of the body  60  per flight direction. The same turbo-electric, counter-rotating ducted fans  20 a,  20 b and  20 c with counter-rotating propellers  21  and  22  will cooperate in a combined push-pull action for the omni-directional air vehicle direction of flight. The omni-directional air vehicle is designed to accommodate a person or multiple persons.  
         [0027]    While, in the foregoing, embodiments of the present invention have been set forth in considerable detail for the purposes of making a complete disclosure of the invention, it may be apparent to those of skill in the art that numerous changes may be made in such detail without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention.