US007249732B2

(12)

(54)

United States Patent

(10) Patent N0.:

Sanders, Jr. et al.

(45) Date of Patent:

AERODYNAMICALLY STABLE, VTOL

3,110,456 A

AIRCRAFT
(75)

US 7,249,732 B2
Jul. 31, 2007

11/1963 Creasey et a1. .......... .. 244/123

(Continued)

Inventors: John K. Sanders, Jr., Costa Mesa, CA

irltilelzniillillialfge33112222102111

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

http://WWW.aeromobile.c0rn/aer0m0bileivers2/GimbaliFan/

"

'

Beach, CA (US)

b l

gun a i an

.htm.

(Contrnued)
(73) Assrgnee: UFOZ, LLC, Karlua, Oahu, HI (US)

Primary ExamineriTimOthy D Collins

( * ) Notice:

(74) Attorney Agent or FlrmiLelghton K Chong

Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this

patent is extended or adjusted under 35

U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.

(57)

ABSTRACT

Ahover aircraft emP lo y 5 an air imP eller en g ine having an air

(21)

APP1~ NOJ 11/379,963

_

(22)

Flled?

channel duct and a rotor With outer ends of its blades ?xed
to an annular impeller disk that is driven by magnetic

APY- 24 2006
_

(65)

induction elements arrayed in the air channel duct. The

_

air-impeller engine is arranged vertically in the aircraft

Pnor Pubhcatlon Data

Us 2007/0034738 A1

frame to provide vertical thrust for vertical takeoif and

Feb 15, 2007

landing. Preferably, the air-impeller engine employs dual,

Related US. Application Data

coaxial, contra-rotating rotors for increased thrust and gyro

scopic stability. An air vane assembly directs a portion of the

(60) Division of application No. 10/763,973, ?led on Jan.

i?utiltrucsgggtoplgn? lofezllirgli agigal?eilovgrriigdgra 3211;521:222;

52 2:.)04inOZnPa; N011 719323851

1m? 101211330030 app 10a Ion
on an

(51)
(52)
58
(

0'

{65nd

movement. The aircraft can employ a single engine in an

annular fuselage, tWo engines on a longitudinal fuselage

'

Int. or.
B64C 15/00

chassis, three engines in a triangular arrangement for for

Ward ?i t stabili , or other multi le en ine arran ements

(2006 01)

y
P
g
g
in a symmetric, balanced con?guration. Other ?ight control

us. Cl. .................. .. 244/23 A- 244/121' 416/170

F M f Cl _? t_
s
h
244/12 1 12 3

mechanisms. may be employed including Side wlnglets an

overhead Wmg, and/or arr rudders or ?aps. An mtegrated

1e

assl ca Ion

' f

?ight control system can be used to operate the various ?ight

244/1712 60 23 R 23 A 23 B 1711f
310/46 61T63 417/350 420 423'1 423'7

control mechanisms. Electric poWer is supplied to the mag

netic induction drives by high-capacity lightweight batteries

earc

"" "

' T

416/170

See apphcanon ?le for Complete Search hlstory'

(56)

References Cited

for quiet surveillance, maneuvering in close air spaces, and

long duration ?ights for continuous surveillance of ground
targets and important facilities requiring constant monitor

Us. PATENT DOCUMENTS

2,077,471 A *

4/1937

2,943,816 A

7/1960 Hiller, Jr. ..

3,082,977 A *

3/1963

or fuel cells. The hover aircraft is especially Well suited for

applications requiring VTOL deployment, hover operation

Fink ........................ .. 244/123

ing.

244/23 R

Arlin ..................... .. 244/1723

17 Claims, 29 Drawing Sheets

US 7,249,732 B2
Page 2
US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
3,184,183 A

5/1965

3,437,290 A

4/1969 Norman

6,113,029 A
6,464,166 B1

Plasecki ----------------- -~ 244/23 R

3,914,629 A

10/1975

3,997,131 A

12/1976 Kling .... ..

244/23 R

4,880,071 A *

11/1989 Tracy

. 180/117

4,953,811 A
5,303,879 A

Gardiner ..

244/121

9/1990 Smith
4/1994 Bucher

6,568,630 B2

2004/0069901 A1*

9/2000 Salinas ................... .. 244/23 C

10/2002 Yoeli .
244/12.1
5/2003

Yoeli ...................... .. 244/23 R

4/2004 Nunnally ................ .. 244/34 R

. 310/4

244/ 1719
244/23 C

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

http://WWW.aer0m0bile.com/aeromobileivers2/Vide0s/vide0i
gimbalfan/videoigimbalfan,htm,

5,351,911 A

10/1994 Neumayr -

244/23 C

Of?ce of Secreatry of Defense, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

5,454,531 A

10/1995 Melkuti

244/12.6

Roadmap, 20002025 dated Apr 2001

5,653,404 A *

8/1997 Ploshkin ..

244/12.2

5,738,302 A

4/1998 Freeland ..

.. 244/23 R

* cited by examiner

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Fig. 5c

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107 104

Fig 100

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0M4.
mp

U.S. Patent

A1 0

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A1 1

A16

FIG.
A12

16

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17FIG.

U.S. Patent

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Jul. 31, 2007

Sheet 18 0f 29

US 7,249,732 B2

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180
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18B