Abstract:
One embodiment of the present invention is a unique aircraft. Another embodiment is a unique external pod for an aircraft. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for aircraft and external pods for aircraft. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to aircraft, and more particularly to an aircraft and an external pod for the aircraft. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Aircraft and external pods for aircraft remain an area of interest. Some existing systems have various shortcomings, drawbacks, and disadvantages relative to certain applications. Accordingly, there remains a need for further contributions in this area of technology. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    One embodiment of the present invention is a unique aircraft. Another embodiment is a unique external pod for an aircraft. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for aircraft and external pods for aircraft. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  illustrates a non-limiting example of some aspects of an aircraft in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  schematically illustrates a non-limiting example of some aspects of an external pod for an aircraft in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  schematically illustrate a non-limiting example of some aspects of a retractable nose cone for an external pod for an aircraft in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0008]    For purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nonetheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is intended by the illustration and description of certain embodiments of the invention. In addition, any alterations and/or modifications of the illustrated and/or described embodiment(s) are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention. Further, any other applications of the principles of the invention, as illustrated and/or described herein, as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0009]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , there are illustrated a non-limiting example of some aspects of an aircraft  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Aircraft  10  includes a fuselage  12 , wings  14 , an empennage  16 , four gas turbine engine propulsion engines  18  and two external pods  20 . In one form, wings  14  and empennage  16  are coupled to fuselage  12 ; and propulsion engines  18  and external pods  20  are coupled to wings  14 . In other embodiments, other coupling arrangements of fuselage  12 , wings  14 , empennage  16 , one or more propulsion engines  18  and one or more external pods  20  may be employed. In one form, aircraft  10  is a multi-engine military turboprop aircraft. In other embodiments, aircraft  10  may be any fixed-wing aircraft, including turbofan aircraft, turbojet aircraft and turboprop aircraft. In still other embodiments, aircraft  10  may be a rotary-wing aircraft or a combination rotary-wing/fixed-wing aircraft. In various embodiments, aircraft  10  may have a single propulsion engine or a plurality of propulsion engines. In addition to propulsion engines, aircraft  10  may include one or more gas turbine auxiliary power units (APUs). In addition, in various embodiments, aircraft  10  may employ any number of wings  14 . Empennage  16  may employ a single flight control surface or multiple flight control surfaces. Although the depiction of  FIG. 1  illustrates two external pods  20 , in other embodiments, any number of external pods  20  may be employed, e.g., one or more external pods  20 . 
         [0010]    In various embodiments, aircraft  10  has an onboard system  22 , such as a directed energy weapon (DEW), for example and without limitation, a high power laser system, a high power microwave system and/or a high power millimeter wave system. In many cases, directed energy weapons require a substantial amount of power for discharging the weapon, e.g., power requirements that exceed the auxiliary power output capabilities of the aircraft propulsion systems and any APUs. In addition, in many cases, substantial thermal loads are generated by directed energy weapons. In some embodiments, substantial amounts of power may be required by other systems installed in or on aircraft  10 , such as weapon systems, which may also generate substantial thermal loads. Accordingly, it is desirable to employ additional power sources, such as a turbine driving a generator, and to employ refrigeration or other cooling systems, e.g., one or more coolant or other heat exchangers for managing the thermal loads. 
         [0011]    In many cases, however, it is not desirable to install all or part of such power systems and/or refrigeration systems inside fuselage  12 , wings  14 , or empennage  16 , e.g., due to spatial constraints and/or other constraints. Thus, it is desirable to install all or parts of power sources and/or refrigeration systems external to aircraft  10 . However, doing so may adversely affect the signature of aircraft  10 , e.g., the visible, radar and thermal signature of aircraft  10  as seen by observers external to aircraft  10 , which may alert undesirable parties to the fact that aircraft  10  is carrying a system, such as a directed energy weapon, that requires the use of the power source(s) and/or refrigeration system(s) for handling the power and thermal load requirements of the weapon system. 
         [0012]    In order to prevent adverse impact to the signature of aircraft  10 , one or more of external pods  20  is configured to house all or part of power sources and/or refrigeration systems for handling power and thermal load requirements of system  22 . Such external pods  20  are also configured to appear to an external observer as a conventional fuel pod for housing an auxiliary fuel supply that may be coupled to aircraft  10  for extending the flight range and/or duration and/or altitude of aircraft  10  via the provision of the auxiliary fuel from the fuel pod to one or more propulsion engines  18  of aircraft  10 . By configuring external pods  20  as such, the signature of aircraft  10  appears like that of a typical aircraft of the same type as aircraft  10  carrying fuel pods, hence reducing the likelihood of an undesirable party detecting that aircraft  10  is equipped with system  22 . 
         [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a non-limiting example of some aspects of an external pod  20  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is schematically depicted. External pod  20  includes a body  30  and an attachment feature  32 . In one form, body  30  is configured to house one or more thermodynamic system components and/or power and thermal management system components. In addition, in one form, body  30  is configured to appear to external observers as a fuel pod customarily coupled to the aircraft for providing auxiliary fuel to one or more of propulsion engines  18 . In other embodiments, body  30  may not be configured to appear as a fuel pod. In one form, external pod  20  is not configured to carry auxiliary fuel, e.g., for propulsion engines  18 , but is configured to appear to external observers that it does carry auxiliary fuel. In other embodiments body  30  may carry fuel in addition to one or more thermodynamic components. 
         [0014]    In one form, attachment feature  32  is configured to attach body  30  to aircraft  10 , e.g., wings  14  in the depicted embodiment. In other embodiments, attachment feature  32  may be configured to attach to other portions of aircraft  10  in addition to or in place of wings  14 . Attachment feature  32  is also coupled to body  30 , and is configured to support body  30  and to deliver services to and/or from the thermodynamic system component(s) housed in body  30 . The services are delivered between body  30  and one or more portions of aircraft  10  for use with system  22  and/or other systems of or installed in or on aircraft  10 . Services include, for example and without limitation, electrical power lines, refrigerant lines, chilled fluid lines, hydraulic lines, coolant lines and/or digital and/or analog communication links. 
         [0015]    In one form, the thermodynamic system components housed by body  30  include a diffuser  34 ; a refrigerant condenser  36 ; and a turbine  38  configured to provide mechanical power to one or more devices, for example and without limitation, a generator  40  and a refrigerant compressor  42 . Power is distributed from generator  40  via one or more power lines  44  to system  22  and/or other systems or components installed in and/or on aircraft  10 . In other embodiments, other thermodynamic system components may be housed by body  30  in addition to or in place of those mentioned herein. For example, some embodiments may house one or more heat exchangers within body  30 . Such heat exchangers may be configured to cool one or more components of system  22  directly and/or via a cooling medium, such as a cooling fluid. Cooling may be provided to the heat exchangers using ambient air received into body  30  from outside pod  20 , e.g., via diffuser  34 . In various embodiments, one or more coolant return pumps or refrigerant return pumps may be housed within body  30  or may be housed elsewhere, e.g., inside aircraft  10 . 
         [0016]    In one form, condenser  36  is in fluid communication with diffuser  34 , and is configured to condense a vapor, e.g., a refrigerant vapor using air received from diffuser  34 . Condenser  36  is also in fluid communication with refrigerant compressor  42 , and operative to receive the refrigerant discharged from refrigerant compressor  42 . In one form, a refrigerant output line  46  of condenser  36  is routed to one or more refrigerant receivers, expansion valves, evaporators and/or other refrigerant system components for extracting thermal energy from system  22  and/or other systems installed on or in aircraft  10  via attachment feature  32 . Spent refrigerant is returned via a refrigerant return line  48  to refrigerant compressor  42 . In some embodiments, additional output lines from condenser  36  may be routed to one or more refrigerant receivers, expansion valves, evaporators and/or other refrigerant system components employed for cooling components housed by body  30 , for example and without limitation, one or more turbine lube oil and/or other heat exchangers, generator  40  and/or refrigerant compressor  42 . 
         [0017]    In one form, turbine  38  is also in fluid communication with diffuser  34 . In other embodiments, turbine  38  may be configured to receive air from another source, e.g., bleed air from one or more of propulsion engines  18  delivered via attachment feature  32 . In some embodiments, a combustor may be housed in body  30  and be fluidly disposed between turbine  38  and its air source. In some embodiments, a compressor (not shown) may also be housed in body  30 , and may be supplied with air from diffuser  34 . In some embodiments, body  30  may be configured to house an entire gas turbine engine  39  therein, e.g., of which turbine  38  may be a part. In various embodiments, engine  39  may be supplied with ambient air, e.g., ram air, via diffuser  34  and/or other sources. In various embodiments, body  30  may include insulation and/or other thermal systems configured to yield a thermal signature for external pod  20  similar to that of an external fuel pod, e.g., a fuel pod customarily employed by aircraft  10  for carrying auxiliary fuel for propulsion engines  18 . 
         [0018]    In addition, in some embodiments, body  30  may be configured to house other systems for storing energy and/or generating electrical power, in addition to or in place of generator  40 , in order to supply power to one or more components of system  22 . For example and without limitation, one or more batteries (not shown) and/or flywheel/motor/generator systems (not shown) and/or fuel cell systems may be employed to provide and/or store energy for use by one or more components of system  22 , e.g., to handle peak loads and/or to provide electrical power to one or more components of system  22  during startup of thermodynamic system components housed within body  30 , e.g., turbine  38  and/or engine  39 . In various embodiments, such systems for providing and/or storing energy may be disposed completely or partially within external pod  20  or elsewhere within or on aircraft  10 . Although diffuser  34 , refrigerant condenser  36 , turbine  38 , engine  39 , generator  40  and refrigerant compressor  42  are depicted in certain locations and orientations within body  30  in  FIG. 2 , it will be understood that in various embodiments, diffuser  34 , refrigerant condenser  36 , turbine  38 , engine  39 , generator  40  and refrigerant compressor  42  and/or other components may be disposed in any desired locations and orientations within body  30 . 
         [0019]    Body  30  includes a nose cone  50  configured to selectively open and close. When open, nose cone  50  is configured to permit the entry of ambient air from outside of pod  20 , e.g., ram air, into an interior portion of body  30  during operations of aircraft  10 , including ground and flight operations. External pod  20  includes an actuation system  52  that is configured to selectively open and close nose cone  50 . Actuation system  52  may receive power, for example and without limitation, hydraulic, pneumatic and/or electrical power, from sources housed within body  30 , or may receive the power from sources external to body  30 , e.g., via attachment feature  32 . In one form, heating devices, e.g., heater mats, may be incorporated into nose cone  50  to reduce the force needed to open and/or close nose  50 , e.g., during icing conditions. In one form, diffuser  34  is configured to diffuse the air, e.g., ram air received therein via nose cone  50  when in the open position for provision of the ambient air, e.g., ram air, as mentioned herein. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , in one form, nose cone  50  is divided into a plurality of segments  54  that are configured to retract within body  30  and/or over body  30  to expose diffuser  34  to ambient air, e.g., ram air supplied through the retracted nose cone  50 , e.g., during aircraft  10  flight operations. When not retracted, segments  54  form a uniform closed end of body  30 , preventing or substantially preventing the entry of ambient air, e.g., ram air into internal portions of body  30 , including diffuser  34 . When retracted, segments  54  provide one or more openings  56  to expose diffuser  34  and/or other components housed by body  30  to ambient air, e.g., ram air. 
         [0021]    Embodiments of the present invention include an external pod for an aircraft, comprising: a body configured to house a thermodynamic system component; an attachment feature coupled to the body and configured to be attached to the aircraft and to deliver services to and/or from the thermodynamic system component, wherein the body is configured to appear to external observers as a fuel pod customarily coupled to the aircraft for providing auxiliary fuel to a propulsion engine of the aircraft. 
         [0022]    In a refinement, the external pod is not configured to carry auxiliary fuel for a primary propulsion engine of the aircraft. 
         [0023]    In another refinement, the external pod further comprises a nose cone configured to selectively open and close. 
         [0024]    In yet another refinement, the nose cone is configured to permit an entry of air into an interior portion of the body during operations of the aircraft. 
         [0025]    In still another refinement, the external pod further comprises an actuation system configured to selectively open and close the nose cone. 
         [0026]    In yet still another refinement, the body includes a diffuser configured to diffuse air. 
         [0027]    In a further refinement, the external pod further comprises a nose cone configured to selectively retract into and/or over the body to expose the diffuser to air supplied through the retracted nose cone. 
         [0028]    In a yet further refinement, the attachment feature is configured to attach to a wing of the aircraft. 
         [0029]    In a still further refinement, the thermodynamic system component is a turbine configured to provide mechanical power to a device. 
         [0030]    In a yet still further refinement, the device is a generator. 
         [0031]    In an additional refinement, the device is a refrigerant compressor. 
         [0032]    In another additional refinement, the thermodynamic system component is a refrigerant condenser configured to condense a refrigerant vapor. 
         [0033]    In yet another additional embodiment, the thermodynamic system component is a gas turbine engine disposed within the body. 
         [0034]    Embodiments of the present invention include an aircraft, comprising: a fuselage; a wing coupled to the fuselage; an empennage coupled to at least one of the fuselage and the wing; a propulsion engine coupled to the aircraft; and an external pod coupled to the aircraft, wherein the external pod includes a body configured to house a thermodynamic system component; an attachment feature coupled to the body and configured to be attached to the aircraft and to deliver services to and/or from the thermodynamic system component, wherein the body is configured to appear to external observers of the aircraft as a fuel pod customarily coupled to the aircraft for providing auxiliary fuel to the propulsion engine of the aircraft. 
         [0035]    In a refinement, the external pod is not configured to carry auxiliary fuel for the propulsion engine of the aircraft. 
         [0036]    In another refinement, the aircraft further comprises a nose cone and an actuation system, wherein the nose cone is configured to selectively open and close to permit an entry of air into an interior portion of the body during operations of the aircraft; and wherein the actuation system configured to selectively open and close the nose cone. 
         [0037]    In yet another refinement, the body includes a diffuser configured to diffuse air; and wherein the nose cone is configured to selectively retract into and/or over the body to expose the diffuser to air supplied through the retracted nose cone during flight operations of the aircraft. 
         [0038]    In still another refinement, the thermodynamic system component is at least one of a refrigerant condenser and a turbine; wherein the refrigerant condenser is configured to condense a refrigerant vapor; and wherein the turbine is configured to provide mechanical power to a device. 
         [0039]    In yet still another refinement, wherein the device is at least one of a generator and a refrigerant compressor. 
         [0040]    In a further refinement, the body is configured to house a gas turbine engine. 
         [0041]    Embodiments of the present invention include an aircraft, comprising: a fuselage; a wing coupled to the fuselage; an empennage coupled to at least one of the fuselage and the wing; a propulsion engine coupled to the aircraft; and means for housing a thermodynamic system component and for delivering services to and/or from the thermodynamic system component, wherein the means for housing is configured to appear to external observers of the aircraft as a fuel pod customarily coupled to the aircraft for providing auxiliary fuel to the propulsion engine of the aircraft. 
         [0042]    In a refinement, the means for housing includes means for selectively permitting an entry of air into an interior portion of the means for housing during operations of the aircraft. 
         [0043]    In another refinement, the means for housing is configured to house a gas turbine engine. 
         [0044]    While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment(s), but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as permitted under the law. Furthermore it should be understood that while the use of the word preferable, preferably, or preferred in the description above indicates that feature so described may be more desirable, it nonetheless may not be necessary and any embodiment lacking the same may be contemplated as within the scope of the invention, that scope being defined by the claims that follow. In reading the claims it is intended that when words such as “a,” “an,” “at least one” and “at least a portion” are used, there is no intention to limit the claim to only one item unless specifically stated to the contrary in the claim. Further, when the language “at least a portion” and/or “a portion” is used the item may include a portion and/or the entire item unless specifically stated to the contrary.