US 11,851,156 B2
Aircraft fuselage configurations for upward deflection of aft fuselage
Scott David Rewerts, Summerfield, NC (US); Jason C. Bell, Frederick, CO (US); and Mark Emil Lundstrom, Boulder, CO (US)
Assigned to ZSM Holdings LLC, Dover, DE (US)
Filed by ZSM HOLDINGS LLC, Dover, DE (US)
Filed on Nov. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/981,805.
Application 17/981,805 is a continuation of application No. 17/465,779, filed on Sep. 2, 2021, granted, now 11,492,094.
Application 17/465,779 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2021/021792, filed on Mar. 10, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0182885 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
Int. Cl. B64C 1/22 (2006.01); B64D 9/00 (2006.01); B64C 1/20 (2006.01); F03D 13/40 (2016.01); B64C 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC B64C 1/22 (2013.01) [B64C 1/20 (2013.01); B64D 9/00 (2013.01); B64C 1/00 (2013.01); F03D 13/40 (2016.05)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cargo aircraft, comprising:
a fuselage defining a forward end, an aft end, and a continuous interior cargo bay that spans a majority of a length of the fuselage from the forward end to the aft end, the fuselage including:
a forward portion containing a forward region of the continuous interior cargo bay, the forward portion defining a forward centerline along a longitudinal-lateral plane of the cargo aircraft,
an aft portion containing an aft region of the continuous interior cargo bay, the aft portion defining an aft centerline extending above the longitudinal-lateral plane of the cargo aircraft, and
a kinked portion forming a junction in the fuselage between the forward portion and the aft portion of the fuselage and between the forward and aft regions of the continuous interior cargo bay, the kinked portion containing a transition region of the continuous interior cargo bay and defining a bend angle between the forward centerline and the aft centerline, and the kinked portion comprising a forward transverse frame section, and an aft transverse frame section such that the forward transverse frame section is angled with respect to the aft transverse frame section about a lateral axis of the cargo aircraft;
a first fixed upper wing extending from the fuselage in a first direction away from the fuselage;
a second fixed upper wing extending from the fuselage in a second direction away from the fuselage, the second direction approximately symmetric about a longitudinal-vertical center plane of the cargo aircraft;
an upper wing surface extending across a top of the cargo aircraft from the first fixed wing to the second fixed wing, a central portion of the upper wing surface defining an upper airfoil surface forward of the forward transverse frame section that extends vertically above the forward transverse frame section; and
a wing-body fairing disposed above at least a portion of a structural surface of the kinked portion of the fuselage that extends from the forward transverse frame section to the aft transverse frame section, the wing-body fairing defining an upper transition surface that tangentially intersects an trailing edge of the upper airfoil surface forward of a point of maximum positive curvature of a structural surface and tangentially intersects an exterior surface of the fuselage aft of the point of maximum positive curvature, the wing-body fairing defining a maximum positive curvature less than the maximum positive curvature of the structural surface.