Abstract:
A flying vehicle with a fuselage having a longitudinal axis, a cockpit extending substantially from the center of the fuselage, a left front wing extending from the fuselage, a right front wing extending from the fuselage, a left rear wing extending from the fuselage, a right rear wing extending from the fuselage. Each wing contains a rotor rotatably mounted and a direct drive brushless motor providing directional control of the vehicle. A centrally located ducted fan encompasses the cockpit and provides VTOL capabilities. The central location of the cockpit and central ducted fan aid in balance and stability. The central ducted fan is itself a brushless motor with the stator windings encapsulated in the ducted fan housing and rotor magnets within the fan. All motors and rotatable mounts are controlled by a fly-by-wire system integrated into a central computer with avionics allowing for autonomous flight.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/099,212 filed on Jan. 2, 2015, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to the field of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. More specifically, to compact VTOL aircraft that can be utilized as a personal air vehicle (PAV). 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention comprises a personal air vehicle (PAV). The vehicle employs wing mounted tilting rotors that provide directional control as well as counter rotational torque of the vehicle and a large centralized ducted fan that encompasses the cockpit providing vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. The tilting rotors are preferably driven directly by out-runner style brushless electric motors. The centralized ducted fan assembly is itself an in-runner style brushless motor that integrates the stator windings in its ducted fan housing and magnets in a shroud fastened or molded to the rotor&#39;s fan blades. The centralized ducted fan allows for a compact vehicle that is centrally balanced with a low center of gravity. The cockpit is centered in the hub of the main fan such that changing passenger weight and payload will not affect the center gravity for the vehicle. The weight of the magnets in the integrated rotor&#39;s shroud are preferably positioned to create a heightened gyroscopic effect in the spinning rotor, adding stability to the PAV. The motors are powered by either fuel cell or electric batteries. 
         [0004]    The present invention integrates a central computer utilizing a fly-by-wires system that controls the motors powering the rotors and servomechanisms that actuate the rotatable motor mounts. The computer, including avionics, allows for autonomous control of the vehicle whereby the driver can input commands through a steering wheel, floor pedals or other control apparatus to create a flight path. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    Preferred and alternative examples of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the preferred embodiment of the invention with central cockpit encompassing ducted fan. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the invention with central cockpit encompassing ducted fan. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the preferred embodiment of the invention with central cockpit encompassing ducted fan flying vehicle. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a side schematic cross-sectional view of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the central ducted fan assembly. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the central cockpit encompassing ducted fan. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is an alternate embodiment of an exploded view of a counter rotating rotor(s) central ducted fan embodiment. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the peripheral rotor means. 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the wings with integrated winglets. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0015]    Embodiments described herein illustrate a multi-rotor electric personal air vehicle (PAV)  120  with a central-ducted rotor according to the present invention. More specifically,  FIGS. 1-4  illustrate an example embodiment of the PAV in an assembled state. The PVA  120  allows a user to take off vertically and fly to the user&#39;s destination at a useful altitude from about two feet to about 20,000 feet, depending on the PAV configuration. Because of the vehicles compact design due to its centralized rotor assembly, the vehicle can be parked inside an average two car garage or other suitable space. 
         [0016]    With reference to  FIGS. 1-4 , the PAV  120  preferably utilizes a central rotor assembly  164  and four peripheral rotor assemblies  166  connected to a fuselage  102 . An alternative number of peripheral rotor assemblies may be used, depending on the fuselage configuration and intended usage of the PAV. For example, the PAV  120  may be operated with a single continuous wing, or with two wings mounted each fore or aft of the central rotor assembly  164 . The central rotor assembly  164 , shown further with reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , provides primary vertical takeoff and landing abilities. The assembly includes a central rotor  110  and a central rotor shroud  112  partially enclosed by a ducted fan housing  100 . In the preferred embodiment, the ducted fan housing  100  may be made of a lightweight composite material, aluminum or other suitable materials, and the central rotor and central rotor shroud are formed from a single construction. In an alternate embodiment shown in  FIG. 7 , the central rotor assembly  164  includes two counter rotating rotors, upper  148  and lower  150 , each with opposite pitch, and each with integrated magnetic shrouds, upper  152  and lower  154 , respectively. These are located within an alternative ducted fan housing  100   b,  which further includes two stator windings  144 , 146  that force the two rotor shrouds  152 ,  154  to rotate in opposite directions. The counter rotating rotors eliminate rotational torque of the central rotor assembly. In operation, the integrated magnetic rotor shrouds become a gyroscope due to the inherent weight of the magnetic elements. 
         [0017]    The four peripheral rotor assemblies  166 , shown further with reference to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , are mounted in four wings  104 R,  104 L,  106 R and  106 L, which may be made of lightweight composite materials, aluminum or other suitable materials, provide directional control. The wings  104 R,  104 L,  106 R and  106 L have integrated winglets  106 LW,  106 RW,  104 LW and  104 RW that extend vertically down from the wingtips and provide lateral stability, in part by confining the airflow proximate to the integrated winglets. The downward facing winglets focus the thrust of rotatably mounted rotors/fans  114  (described below) during operation. The winglets may contain mounting points for landing gear (not shown). In yet an alternative embodiment, the PAV may include vehicle wheels for use on traditional roadways, and be configured to meet the requirements for driving on such surfaces, including the scale and orientation of the central rotor assembly  164 , four peripheral rotor assemblies  166  and fuselage  102 . 
         [0018]    With reference to  FIG. 8 , the peripheral rotor assemblies  166  are composed of rotatably mounted rotors/fans  114 , out-runner brushless motor  116 , motor mount  116 B, rotatable shaft  118  and rotatable shroud  122  In a preferred embodiment, the rotor/fan is rotatable in three dimensions and the motor mount is rotatable on a vertical plane actuated by a servomechanism controlled through a flybywire system. Likewise, the shroud is preferably rotatable on a horizontal plane within its wing mount actuated by a servomechanism controlled through a fly by wire system, but may be fixed. 
         [0019]    With further reference to  FIG. 4 , the central rotor assembly  164  is preferably powered by an in-runner style brushless motor integrated into the components of the central rotor assembly, consisting of stator windings  132  within the ducted fan housing  100  and rotor magnets  130  within the central rotor shroud  112 . The centralized rotor assembly functions as an in-runner style brushless motor, a rotor creating enough thrust for vertical flight and a gyroscope for stability. The four peripheral rotor assemblies  166  are preferably each powered by four direct drive out-runner style brushless electric motors  116 , one located in each wing  104 R,  104 L,  106 R, 106 L powering each peripheral rotor  114 . 
         [0020]    With reference to  FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 , the fuselage  102  has a transparent front windshield  126 , a transparent rear window  128  and two pivotally hinged gull-wing styled doors  124 L and  124 R connectably integrated with a cockpit  108 . Preferably the fuselage is made of composite, aluminum, or other suitable material with transparent window material encompassing most of the surface to serve as the side windows  124 L, 124 R. The cockpit  108  may have transparent material of oval or other suitable shape located throughout to provide additional viewing angles. The side doors  124 L,  124 R may pivot wide open to allow for loading/unloading of large loads; e.g., an emergency stretcher or large cargo. Some embodiments of the present invention may have a one-seat cabin, but other embodiments may include fewer or more than two seats, and still other embodiments may be utilized as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with no seats. In another embodiment the PAV maybe scaled to operate as a small remotely controlled device for a hobbyist or commercially to deliver parcels or used for capturing video or photographic images. 
         [0021]    The central cockpit  108 , which may be made of lightweight composite materials, aluminum, or other suitable materials, may be mounted proximate to the central rotor assembly  164  and extends through the bottom of the central rotor  110 . In a preferred embodiment, as shown with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the cockpit is preferably positioned to be substantially surrounded by the central rotor assembly  164  such that at least a portion of the cockpit forms the central hub of the central rotor assembly  164 . Inside the cockpit is located the user&#39;s seat  140 , flight computer  117 , vehicle steering  152  such as a wheel or yoke, yaw pedals  154  and batteries  142  for powering the motors  116 , central rotor assembly  164 , flight computer  117  and all ancillary systems. In an alternate embodiment, the flying vehicle utilizes a fuel cell (not shown) for powering all of the various systems and assemblies in place of batteries  142 . In one embodiment, the flight computer  117  is controlled by a fly-by-wire system that calculates gyroscopic stability and sends information to the four wing mounted rotor/fans ducted fans and central ducted fan to adjust them to the correct orientation and rotational speed for controlled level flight or smooth descent. The computer can fly the vehicle autonomously while inputs from the pilot can alter the flight path. 
         [0022]    The centralized positioning of the cockpit  108  allows the PAV to maintain a constant center of gravity regardless of the weight of its user and power supply. The bottom of the cockpit  108  may serve as an attachment point for landing gear (not shown) or a safety air bag device in the case of a crash landing (not shown). Alternatively, the forward section of the fuselage  102  may serve as a mounting point for pivoting landing gear to provide a tight turning radius (not shown). 
         [0023]    The PAV may optionally include headlights/landing lights encasement  134 , including a streamlined transparent protective covering, located on the leading edge of fore wings  104 R and  104 L. The PAV may optionally include taillights encasement  136 , including a streamlined transparent protective covering, located in the aft wings  106 R and  106 L. Navigation lights  138  are preferably located in the leading edge of the winglets  104 RW and  104 LW winglets and in the trailing edge of the winglets  106 RW and  106 LW. 
         [0024]    Optionally, an emergency parachute  158  with deployment rocket launcher may be stored in a storage location compartment  156  in the rear of fuselage  102 , attachment points integrated into compartment  156 . 
         [0025]    Avionics  160 , including the PAV&#39;s gyroscopic equipment, etc. may be located inside compartment  162  in the forward area of the fuselage  102 . Such equipment provides for guidance, navigation and control; for example, it may serve as a data bus which takes the night instrumentation, weather and additional data, along with pilot input, to control flight. A second bay may be located in the back (not shown) for redundancy. The flight computer  117  may use the avionics  160  to continuously balance and stabilize the PAV. In alternative embodiments, the PAV may further include proximity detectors working in conjunction with the avionics  160  to monitor the PAV and its surrounding to alter the flight path to avoid any collisions or landings that could damage the PAV. In yet alternative embodiments, the PAV may include an integrated flight training computer that, when activated, takes the pilot through a series of training routines and requiring a predetermined proficiency before allowing the pilot to freely pilot the PAV. Either the flight computer  117 , the integrated flight training computer or other computer system may also be used as a controlled flight governor that restricts the altitude and speed of the PAV based on one or more predetermined criteria, for example, based on safety parameters or pending pilot proficiency indicators. 
         [0026]    While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, instead of battery power, the central rotor assembly  164  and/or four peripheral rotor assemblies  166  may be powered by one or more external electric motors, combustion engines or other fuel sources. In an alternative embodiment, the cockpit may be encompassed by stator windings that act upon magnets contained in the inner circumference of the central rotor and function as an electric in-runner motor. If an independent electric motor is connected to the central rotor assembly, the stator windings located in the shroud may be removed. In an embodiment utilizing a combustion engine, the stator windings of the central rotor assembly may also be removed. The weight of the magnets in the rotor shroud  112  may be positioned to create a heightened gyroscopic effect in the spinning rotor, adding stability to the PAV. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.