Patent Description:
In general, an aircraft generates power energy with an engine and operates a propeller using the power energy to obtain propulsion. In addition, the aircraft operates an electric motor using electric energy provided from a battery and operates the propeller using the electric motor to obtain propulsion.

When an aircraft takes off, the aircraft travels at high speed on a runway or allows a lot of air to flow in a vertical descending direction in order to generate lift, and in this process, a lot of energy is consumed. A fuel tank or a battery of the aircraft is limited, and thus the flight distance is inevitably reduced by the amount of energy consumed.

During flight, engine failure occurs for an unknown reason or battery power is discharged, and such emergency occurs and emergency landing is required.

When emergency occurs, a pilot needs to move to a place for emergency landing by manually manipulating an aircraft to control an aircraft posture, but there is a problem in that it is not easy to precisely control the aircraft posture.

In particular, a pilot manually manipulates an aircraft to control an aircraft posture, and for example, the pilot manually manipulates the aircraft to raise a left wing aileron and to lower a right wing aileron in order to turn the aircraft to the left.

However, when thrust of the aircraft is weakened, there is a problem in that it is difficult to precisely control the aircraft, and for example, the aircraft is not capable of being turned left and continues to fly in a traveling direction even if spoilers of left and right wings are adjusted.

In particular, Patent Document <NUM> describes an aircraft provided with a compressed air system for generating a supplemental thrust in the aircraft. This system comprises a compressor driven by a control unit to deliver compressed air into a tank. The latter is coupled to nozzles which are mounted externally to the aircraft and are operable to receive the compressed air and discharge it in order to provide thrust to the aircraft. Patent Document <NUM> discloses an air compressed system for controlling the posture of a flying object. Patent Document <NUM> discloses a vertical take-off and landing aircraft which is provided with lift fans arranged on the wings for generating the floating thrust, and reaction jets arranged on a head part and a tail part of the craft body for generating the control torque.

A technical objective to be achieved by the present invention is to provide an aircraft controlled by compressed air for increasing a flight time by reducing energy consumption during short take-off or landing, vertical take-off or landing, and transition flight.

Another technical objective to be achieved by the present invention is to provide an aircraft controlled by compressed air for controlling an aircraft posture in emergency in which engine failure occurs or a battery problem occurs.

To achieve the above objectives, an aircraft as set out in the appended claims is provided. An aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a fuselage <NUM> having a main wing <NUM> at opposite sides, a first nozzle <NUM> installed on a roof of the fuselage <NUM>, a second nozzle <NUM> installed on an upper surface of the main wing <NUM>, a first tank <NUM> disposed in the fuselage <NUM> or the main wing <NUM> and configured to store compressed air, and a main control valve <NUM> controlled to provide the compressed air to the first nozzle <NUM> or the second nozzle <NUM>. In the aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention, the first nozzle <NUM> may be installed in a plural number in a longitudinal direction of the fuselage <NUM>.

The first nozzle <NUM> of the aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention may be disposed to spray compressed air in a direction toward the main wing <NUM> based on a longitudinal direction of the fuselage <NUM>.

The second nozzle <NUM> of the aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention may be disposed to spray compressed air to a rear side of the main wing <NUM>. In addition, the second nozzle <NUM> may be disposed to spray the compressed air in a backward direction based on a longitudinal direction of the fuselage <NUM>.

An aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a first tank <NUM> disposed in the fuselage <NUM> or the main wing <NUM> and configured to store compressed air, a first pitching nozzle P1 disposed on a lower front side of the fuselage <NUM> and configured to spray compressed air in a downward direction, a second pitching nozzle P2 disposed on a lower rear side of the fuselage <NUM> and configured to spray compressed air in a downward direction, a first rolling nozzle R1 disposed at a right end of the main wing <NUM> and configured to spray compressed air in a downward direction, a second rolling nozzle R2 disposed at a left end of the main wing <NUM> and configured to spray compressed air in a downward direction, a first yaw nozzle Y1 disposed at a right end of main wing <NUM> and configured to spray compressed air in a backward direction, and a second yaw nozzle Y2 disposed at a left end of the main wing <NUM> and configured to spray compressed air in a backward direction, in order to control a posture during short take-off or landing, vertical take-off or landing, transition flight, and emergency landing.

The first and second pitching nozzles P1 and P2, the first and second rolling nozzles Rl and R2, and the first and second yaw nozzles Y1 and Y2 of an aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention may be controlled separate control valves <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>, respectively.

An aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention may include second tanks <NUM> and <NUM> configured to store compressed air, and pressure reducing valves <NUM> and <NUM> configured to reduce pressure of the compressed air stored in the second tanks <NUM> and <NUM>.

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.

As described above, an aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention may contribute to generating lift for allowing an aircraft to rise by spraying compressed air from a fuselage roof and allowing a sprayed stream to flow along a surface of a fuselage to lower pressure at the surface of the fuselage during this process, and accordingly energy consumption for short take-off or landing, vertical take-off or landing, and transition flight of the aircraft may be reduced and a flight distance may be reduced by reduction in energy consumption.

An aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention may contribute to generating lift for allowing an aircraft to rise by spraying compressed air to an upper surface of a wing and allowing a sprayed stream to flow along a surface of the wing to lower pressure at the surface of the wing during this process, and accordingly energy consumption for short take-off or landing, vertical take-off or landing, and transition flight of the aircraft may be reduced and a time for short take-off or landing, vertical take-off or landing, and transition flight, which are to be vulnerable to posture control depending on an external environment to increase a flight distance by reduction in energy consumption while enhancing stability.

An aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention may control an aircraft posture to be changed more clearly by disposing nozzles all over the aircraft and controlling compressed air to spray compressed air stored in a tank from the nozzles even if emergency occurs and energy is not capable of being obtained from an engine or a battery.

The attached drawings for illustrating exemplary embodiments of the present invention are referred to in order to gain a sufficient understanding of the present invention, the merits thereof, and the objectives accomplished by the implementation of the present invention.

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments described below are illustratively shown to help the understanding of the present invention and it should be understood that the present invention is implemented with various modifications different from the embodiments described herein, provided that it falls within the scope of the appended claims. However, in the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention unclear. In addition, the accompanying drawings are not drawn to scale, but the size of some components may be exaggerated to help the understanding of the invention.

It will be 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 element. For example, a first element may be termed a second element and a second element may be termed a first element without departing from the teachings of the present invention.

The terms used in the specification are defined in consideration of functions used in the present invention, and can be changed according to the intent or conventionally used methods of producers, and accordingly, definitions of the terms should be understood on the basis of the entire description of the present specification.

Throughout this specification, the same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same element.

<NUM>: fuselage <NUM>: first nozzle <NUM>: main wing <NUM>: second nozzle <NUM> and <NUM>: first tanks <NUM> and <NUM>: second tanks <NUM> and <NUM>: pressure reducing valves <NUM>: main control valve <NUM>,<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>: control valves P1 and P2: first and second pitching nozzles R1 and R2: first and second rolling nozzles Yl and Y2: first and second yaw nozzles.

Hereinafter, an aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to <FIG>. <FIG> is a diagram for explaining an aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention. <FIG> is a diagram an example in which compressed air is compressed from a fuselage roof in an aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention. <FIG> is a diagram for explaining an example in which compressed air is provided to each nozzle in an aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a fuselage <NUM>, main wings <NUM>, first and second nozzles <NUM> and <NUM>, a plurality of nozzles P1, P2, Rl, R2, Y1, and Y2 for control of the aircraft posture, a first tank <NUM> or <NUM>, the main control valve <NUM>, and a plurality of control valves <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the fuselage <NUM> may include the main wings <NUM> at opposite sides.

As shown in <FIG>, the first nozzle <NUM> may be installed at a roof of the fuselage <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the second nozzle <NUM> may be installed on an upper surface of the main wing <NUM>. The second nozzle <NUM> may be provided with a small gap with a wide shape, and thus when compressed air is sprayed, a jet stream may be formed on a surface of the main wings <NUM>.

The first tank <NUM> may be disposed in the fuselage <NUM> or the main wing <NUM> and may store compressed air.

The first tank <NUM> may be disposed in the fuselage <NUM> or the main wings <NUM> and may store compressed air.

As shown in <FIG>, the compressed air may be used to charge air using an air compressor <NUM>, and the air compressor <NUM> may be operated as power of an engine, an electric motor, or the like. The compressed air may be dried.

The air compressor <NUM> may be a pneumatic blower, an air compressor, or the like.

The compressed air may be supplied before flight from the outside of the aircraft.

The main control valve <NUM> may be controlled to provide the compressed air to the first nozzle <NUM> or the second nozzle <NUM>.

The main control valve <NUM> may have a plurality of valves, and the first nozzle <NUM> or the second nozzle <NUM> may discharge compressed air by opening any one specific control valve <NUM> among a plurality of valves.

The main control valve <NUM> may be operatively associated with a control stick. For example, while a pilot manipulates the control stick in order to take off the aircraft, compressed air may be sprayed through the first and second nozzles <NUM> and <NUM>.

In the aircraft controlled by compressed air as configured above according to an embodiment of the present invention, the Coanda effect is generated, and thus a jet stream may be formed by allowing compressed air to flow along a roof of the fuselage <NUM> or a surface of the main wing <NUM> and spaying the compressed air at high speed, and the jet stream may flow along a surface of the aircraft.

The jet stream may lower a pressure (static pressure) of the surface along which the stream flows, thereby contributing to generating lift to allow the aircraft to rise.

That is, the aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention may contribute to generating lift using compressed air while attempting short take-off or landing or vertical take-off and landing, thereby reducing energy consumption.

In particular, an aircraft may consume a lot of energy when taking off vertically, and in this regard, the aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention may further increase a flight time or a flight distance by reducing energy consumption during takeoff.

As shown in <FIG>, the first nozzle <NUM> may be installed in a plural number in a longitudinal direction of the fuselage <NUM>. Thus, even if the size of the fuselage <NUM> is large, stronger lift may be achieved by lowering pressure on a surface using compressed air in several places.

As another aspect, the first nozzles <NUM> may be arranged to allow compressed air to be sprayed in a direction toward the main wings <NUM> from the fuselage <NUM>. The first nozzles <NUM> may spray compressed air toward a rear side of the fuselage <NUM> and the main wings <NUM>.

Thus, the injected high-pressure stream has the same velocity component by a propulsion speed of the aircraft even if there is a propulsion speed of the aircraft during short-distance take-off and landing and transition flight, and accordingly, pressure on an upper surface around the fuselage <NUM> may contribute to maintaining lift without any significant effect.

In another aspect, the second nozzle <NUM> may be disposed to allow compressed air to be sprayed toward a rear side of the main wing <NUM>. The second nozzle <NUM> may be disposed to allow the compressed air to be sprayed backward based on a longitudinal direction of the fuselage <NUM>.

Thus, the compressed air sprayed from the second nozzle <NUM> may flow along an upper surface of the main wing <NUM> to form a jet stream, the jet stream may lower pressure of the upper surface of the main wing <NUM>, and as a result, may contribute to generate lift to allow the main wing <NUM> during short-distance take-off and landing and transition flight.

The aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention may include first and second pitching nozzles P1 and P2, first and second rolling nozzles Rl and R2, and first and second yaw nozzles Yl and Y2.

As shown in <FIG>, the first pitching nozzle P1 may be disposed on a lower front side of the fuselage <NUM> to spray compressed air in a downward direction. When compressed air is sprayed from the first pitching nozzle P1, a nose may rise in a direction in which a front side of the aircraft is raised according to action and reaction.

As shown in <FIG>, the second pitching nozzle P2 may be disposed on a lower rear side of the fuselage <NUM> to spray compressed air in a downward direction. When compressed air is sprayed from the second pitching nozzle P2, a rear side of the aircraft may be lifted according to action and reaction and a front side of the aircraft may be relatively lowered, and as a result, the nose may be lowered.

That is, the first pitching nozzle P1 and the second pitching nozzle P2 may be controlled to adjust an aircraft nose.

The first rolling nozzle R1 may be disposed at a right end of the main wing <NUM> and may spray compressed air in a downward direction.

Similarly, the second rolling nozzle R2 may be disposed at a left end of the main wing <NUM> and may spray compressed air in a downward direction.

That is, the first and second rolling nozzles Rl and R2 may be controlled to tilt both sides of the aircraft up and down.

The first yaw nozzle Y1 may be disposed at a right end of the main wing <NUM> and may spray compressed air in a backward direction.

Similarly, the second yaw nozzle Y2 may be disposed at a left end of the main wing <NUM> and may spray compressed air in a backward direction.

That is, the first and second yaw nozzles Yl and Y2 may be controlled to turn the aircraft left and right.

Accordingly, the aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention may control compressed air to be sprayed from a specific nozzle to more rapidly and actively change an aircraft posture, and in particular, safer flight and safer landing may be expected in that the aircraft posture is capable of being precisely controlled during transition flight in emergency.

The aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention may selectively provide compressed air to a desired specific nozzle or two or more nozzles using the plurality of control valves <NUM> to <NUM>, and thus compressed air may be used efficiently without wasting.

As shown in <FIG>, the plurality of control valves <NUM> to <NUM> may be disposed inside the main control valve <NUM>, and thus it may be advantageously convenient to centralize and manage multiple valves.

As shown in <FIG>, the aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include pressure reducing valves <NUM> and <NUM> and second tanks <NUM> and <NUM>.

The second tanks <NUM> and <NUM> may store high-pressure air and may store a larger amount of air in a limited space.

The pressure reducing valves <NUM> and <NUM> may reduce compressed air stored in the second tanks <NUM> and <NUM> and may store the compressed air in the first tanks <NUM> and <NUM>.

That is, the aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention may store a larger amount of compressed air with high density, may reduce pressure of air compressed at high pressure to appropriate pressure using the pressure reducing valves <NUM> and <NUM> to store the compressed air in the first tanks <NUM> and <NUM>, and may use the compressed air stored in the first tank <NUM> to control the aircraft posture. That is, the compressed air for control may control the aircraft posture while applying precisely controlled impact in a short time by increasing a principle and a moment of action and reaction, and thus may be separated as high pressure as possible is required.

In more detail, according to Formula <NUM>, the first tanks <NUM> and <NUM> may reduce pressure to a threshold pressure value in such a way that a number obtained by dividing an atmospheric pressure by a pressure inside the first tanks <NUM> and <NUM> before air is sprayed out of the aircraft is equal to or greater than <NUM>. Thus, it may be possible to prevent unnecessary energy loss such as noise and vibration caused by shock waves through appropriate reduction in pressure. The pressure inside the first tanks <NUM> and <NUM> may be maintained to be low, and thus a clogging condition may not occur in each nozzle.

In another aspect, the aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention may attempt landing in an open area for minimizing damage even if there is no proper runway while attempting emergency landing.

Various methods may be selected as a propulsion method of the aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention, and for example, a reciprocating engine, a turbo shaft, a turbo fan engine, or the like may be selected or an electric battery, a motor propulsion method, or the like may be selected.

However, a system displayed in <FIG> may be common irrespective of a propulsion method. <FIG> is a diagram for explaining an example of a common system when various propulsion methods are applied to an aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in <FIG>, the aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a power generating apparatus <NUM>, a clutch <NUM>, and an air compressor <NUM>.

The power generating apparatus <NUM> may generate power for operating the air compressor <NUM> and may be an engine, a motor, or the like.

The clutch <NUM> may connect or block power to the air compressor <NUM>.

The air compressor <NUM> may be operated by the power to compress air and may provide the compressed air to the first tank <NUM> or the second tank <NUM>. The air compressor <NUM> may be a pneumatic blower, an air compressor, or the like.

Through various propulsion methods, for short take-off or landing, vertical take-off and landing, and transition flight, short take-off or landing, vertical take-off and landing, and transition flight may be performed using compressed air, and for cruise flight, a cruising distance may be effectively increased using various propulsion methods such as an engine or an electric motor.

The aircraft controlled by compressed air according to an embodiment of the present invention may use a thrust reversible propeller for adjusting an angle of attack thereof and oppositely generating propulsion in order to prevent thrust from being generated in a forward direction during vertical take-off or landing using a propulsion method.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may implement the present invention in other specific forms, as far as they fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Therefore, the embodiments described above are to be understood as illustrative and not restrictive in all respects, and the scope of the present invention is indicated by the following claims.

Claim 1:
An aircraft controlled by compressed air, comprising:
a fuselage (<NUM>) having a main wing (<NUM>) at opposite sides;
a first nozzle (<NUM>) installed on a roof of the fuselage (<NUM>);
a plurality of first tanks (<NUM> and <NUM>) disposed in the fuselage (<NUM>) or the main wing (<NUM>) and configured to store compressed air;
a second nozzle (<NUM>) installed on an upper surface of the main wing (<NUM>);
a main control valve (<NUM>) controlled to provide the compressed air to the first nozzle (<NUM>) or the second nozzle (<NUM>);
a plurality of second tanks (<NUM> and <NUM>) configured to store compressed air; and
a plurality of pressure reducing valves (<NUM> and <NUM>) configured to reduce a pressure of the compressed air stored in the second tanks (<NUM> and <NUM>) and to store the compressed air in the first tanks (<NUM> and <NUM>).