Robotic or remotely controlled flying platform

Claim 2

A flying platform, including in combination: at least one ducted fan comprising power means, a horizontally mounted propeller having blades and connected to and driven by said power means for causing a vertically downwardly directed airstream, and a cylindrical duct having an outer rim extending around and beneath said propeller for confining said airstream, and a vane system in said duct comprising four pairs of first vanes, the vanes of each pair being parallel to each other and to a diametral line across the duct end extending in from said rim toward the center of the duct, each said pair of first vanes providing a pair of generally vertical walls defining generally rectangularly shaped duct passages and the walls of adjacent pairs defining quadrant shaped duct passages, each said first vane having an upper, fixed, rigid portion and a variable camber flap depending therefrom, and first servomotor and linkage means for varying the camber of each of said flaps, so that the camber of the flaps associated with a particular pair of said first vanes is at all times the same amount said flaps being positioned along the vertical axis of said duct so that the center of gravity of said platform lies within the limits of the upper and lower extremities of said flaps whereby said flaps may be used to provide yaw and translational forces to said platform without imparting significant pitch and roll moments about said center of gravity.

Claim 3

The flying platform of claim 1 including, four second vanes, one bisecting each said quadrant shaped passage, symmetric pairs of spoiler means disposed in each said quadrant shaped passage and mounted on one of said second vanes, each said pair of spoiler means being independently movable between a position substantially blocking airflow through the outer portion of said quadrant shaped passage and a position permitting substantially full airflow therethrough, and second servomotor and linkage means for selectively and symmetrically varying the position of the flaps of each said pair of spoiler means.

Claim 4

The platform of claim 2 having receiving means responsive to remote control signals for actuating each said servomotor and linkage means.

Claim 5

The platform of claim 1 wherein the area of each said first vane and the area of each said camber flap are substantially equal.

Claim 6

The platform of claim 1 wherein the vertical height of each said flap is approximately equal to the vertical height of its associated said rigid portion.

Claim 7

The platform of claim 1 having a ground support assembly which also serves as an exhaust and muffler system for said power means, said power means being a combustion engine having exhaust ports, said support assembly comprising: a base hollow ring lying in a plane parallel to the upper and lower ends of said duct, support columns connecting said ring to said duct, and exhaust tubes connecting the interior of said ring to said exhaust ports; said ring having exhaust ports therefrom at least 90° around said ring from the nearest exhaust tube, said ring exhaust ports being directed downwardly at about 45° from the plane of said ring.

Claim 8

The flying platform of claim 1 having a plurality of said ducted fans, each with a said vane system.

Claim 9

A robotic or remotely controlled flying platform, including in combination: at least one ducted fan comprising power means, a horizontally mounted propeller having blades and connected to and driven by said power means for causing a vertically downwardly directed airstream, and a cylindrical duct having an outer rim extending around and beneath said propeller for confining said airstream, a vane system in said duct comprising two mutually perpendicular pairs of diametrically opposite first vanes, each extending in from said rim toward the center of the duct, each said pair of first vanes providing a pair of generally vertical walls parallel to a diametral line across said duct, said walls defining duct passages between the pairs of said first vanes and defining quadrants between adjacent pairs, each said first vane having an upper, fixed rigid portion and a variable camber flap depending therefrom, and first servomotor and linkage means for varying the camber of each pair of said flaps, so that the camber of the flaps of each pair of first vanes is at all times the same amount, four second vanes, one bisecting each said quadrant, a symmetric pair of spoiler means in each said quadrant mounted on one said second vane, each pair being independently movable continuously between a position substantially blocking airflow through the outer portion of said quadrant and a position permitting substantially full airflow therethrough, second servomotor and linkage means for each said pair of spoiler means for symmetrically varying the position of its said spoiler means, and receiving means responsive to remote control signals for actuating each said first and second servomotor and linkage means.

Claim 10

A robotic or remotely controlled flying platform, including in combination: at least one ducted fan comprising power means, a horizontally mounted propeller having blades and connected to and driven by said power means for causing a vertically downwardly directed airstream, and a cylindrical duct having an outer rim extending around and beneath said propeller for confining said airstream, a vane system in said duct comprising two mutually perpendicular pairs of diametrically opposite first vanes, each extending in from said rim toward the center of the duct, each said pair of first vanes providing a pair of generally vertical walls parallel to a diametral line across said duct, said walls defining duct passages between the pairs of said first vanes and defining quadrants between adjacent pairs, each said first vane having an upper, fixed rigid portion and a variable camber flap depending therefrom, and first servomotor and linkage means for varying the camber of each pair of said flaps, so that the camber of the flaps of each pair of first vanes is at all times the same amount, four second vanes, one bisecting each said quadrant, a symmetric pair of spoiler means in each said quadrant mounted on one said second vane, each pair being independently movable continuously between a position substantially blocking airflow through the outer portion of said quadrant and a position permitting substantially full airflow therethrough, second servomotor and linkage means for each said pair of spoiler means for symmetrically varying the position of its said spoiler means, and receiving means responsive to remote control signals for actuating each said first and second servomotor and linkage means.

Claim 11

The platform of claim 8 wherein the area of each said first vane and the area of each said camber flap are equal.

Claim 12

The platform of claim 9 wherein the vertical height of each said flap is approximately equal to the vertical height of its associated said rigid portion.

Claim 13

The platform of claim 8 having a ground support assembly which also serves as an exhaust and muffler system for said power means, said power means being a combustion engine having exhaust ports, said support assembly comprising: a base hollow ring lying in a plane parallel to the upper and lower ends of said duct, support columns connecting said ring to said duct, and exhaust tubes connecting the interior of said ring to said exhaust ports; said ring having exhaust ports therefrom at least 90° around said ring from the nearest exhaust tube, said ring exhaust ports being directed downwardly at about 45° from the plane of said ring.

Claim 14

A flying platform, comprising in combination: at least one ducted fan including power means, a horizontally mounted propeller having blades connected to and driven by said power means for causing a vertically downwardly directed airstream, and a cylindrical duct having an outer rim extending around and beneath said propeller for confining said airstream; and a vane system in said duct including a plurality of first vanes each extending inwardly from said rim toward the center of the duct, each said first vane providing a generally vertical wall which cooperates with adjacent walls to define vertically extending duct passages, at least some of said first vanes having an upper, fixed, rigid portion and a lower portion including a variable camber flap, and first servomotor and linkage means for varying the camber of each of said flaps, said flaps being positioned along the vertical axis of said duct so that the center of gravity of said platform lies within the limits of the upper and lower extremities of said flaps, whereby said flaps may be used to provide yaw and translational control forces to said platform without imparting significant pitch and roll moments about said center of gravity.

Claim 15

A flying platform, comprising in combination: at least one ducted fan including power means, a horizontally mounted propeller having blades connected to and driven by said power means for causing a vertically downwardly directed airstream, and a cylindrical duct having an outer rim extending around and beneath said propeller for confining said airstream; and a vane system in said duct including a plurality of first vanes each extending inwardly from said rim toward the center of the duct, each said first vane providing a generally vertical wall which cooperates with adjacent walls to define vertically extending duct passages, at least some of said first vanes having an upper, fixed, rigid portion and a lower portion including a variable camber flap, and first servomotor and linkage means for varying the camber of each of said flaps, said flaps being positioned along the vertical axis of said duct so that the center of gravity of said platform lies within the limits of the upper and lower extremities of said flaps, whereby said flaps may be used to provide yaw and translational control forces to said platform without imparting significant pitch and roll moments about said center of gravity.

Claim 16

The flying platform of claim 12 further comprising: a plurality of symmetric pairs of spoiler means affixed to at least four orthogonally extending vanes, with each spoiler means extending into an adjacent duct passage, each said pair of spoiler means being independently movable between a position interfering with airflow through the associated duct passage and a position permitting substantially full airflow therethrough; and second servomotor and linkage means for symmetrically varying the position of each said pair of spoiler means.

Claim 17

The platform of claim 13 wherein the area of each said first vane and the area of each said camber flap are substantially equal.

Claim 18

The platform of claim 13 wherein the vertical height of each said flap is approximately equal to the vertical height of its associated said rigid portion.

Claim 19

The platform of claim 12 having a ground support assembly which also serves as an exhaust and muffler system for said power means, said power means being a combustion engine having exhaust ports, said support assembly comprising: a base hollow ring lying in a plane parallel to the upper and lower ends of said duct; support columns connecting said ring to said duct; and exhaust tubes connecting the interior of said ring to said exhaust ports; said ring having exhaust ports disposed at least 90° around said ring from the nearest exhaust tube, said exhaust ports being directed downwardly at about 45° from the plane of said ring.

Claim 20

The flying platform of claim 12 having a plurality of said ducted fans, each with a said vane system.

Claim 21

The flying platform of claim 13 having a plurality of said ducted fans, each with a said vane system.

Claim 22

A flying platform, comprising in combination: at least one ducted fan including power means, a horizontally mounted propeller having blades connected to and driven by said power means for causing a vertically downwardly directed airstream, and a cylindrical duct having an outer rim extending around and beneath said propeller for confining said airstream; and a vane system in said duct including a plurality of vanes each extending inwardly from said rim toward the center of the duct, each said first vane providing a generally vertical wall which cooperates with adjacent walls to define vertically extending duct passages, and means associated with said vanes for providing yaw control forces to said platform; a plurality of symmetric pairs of spoiler means affixed to at least four orthogonally extending vanes, with each spoiler means extending into an adjacent duct passage, each said pair of spoiler means being independently movable between a position interferring with airflow through the associated duct passage and a position permitting substantially full airflow therethrough; and second servomotor and linkage means for symmetrically varying the position of each said pair of spoiler means.

Claim 23

A flying platform, comprising in combination: at least one ducted fan including power means, a horizontally mounted propeller having blades connected to and driven by said power means for causing a vertically downwardly directed airstream, and a cylindrical duct having an outer rim extending around and beneath said propeller for confining said airstream; and a vane system in said duct including a plurality of vanes each extending inwardly from said rim toward the center of the duct, each said first vane providing a generally vertical wall which cooperates with adjacent walls to define vertically extending duct passages, and means associated with said vanes for providing yaw control forces to said platform; a plurality of symmetric pairs of spoiler means affixed to at least four orthogonally extending vanes, with each spoiler means extending into an adjacent duct passage, each said pair of spoiler means being independently movable between a position interferring with airflow through the associated duct passage and a position permitting substantially full airflow therethrough; and second servomotor and linkage means for symmetrically varying the position of each said pair of spoiler means.