US 11,987,350 B2
Winged tiltrotor aircraft
Steven Ray Ivans, Ponder, TX (US); and Brent Chadwick Ross, Flower Mound, TX (US)
Assigned to Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US)
Filed by Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US)
Filed on Jun. 3, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/303,631.
Prior Publication US 2022/0388647 A1, Dec. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. B64C 29/00 (2006.01); B64C 1/00 (2006.01); B64C 5/02 (2006.01); B64C 7/02 (2006.01); B64C 27/80 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64C 39/04 (2006.01); B64U 10/20 (2023.01); B64U 30/297 (2023.01); B64U 30/20 (2023.01)
CPC B64C 29/0033 (2013.01) [B64C 1/00 (2013.01); B64C 5/02 (2013.01); B64C 7/02 (2013.01); B64C 27/80 (2013.01); B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64C 39/04 (2013.01); B64U 10/20 (2023.01); B64U 30/297 (2023.01); B64U 30/20 (2023.01)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A winged triple tiltrotor aircraft, comprising:
an elongated member having a forward end, an aft end, and a longitudinal axis extending through the elongated member;
a wing assembly operably coupled to the elongated member at a point between the forward end and the aft end;
a vertical member having a first end operably coupled to the elongated member and upwardly extending a first distance from the elongated member;
a horizontal stabilizer comprising two horizontal fins coupled directly to opposite sides of the vertical member, wherein entire lengths of the two horizontal fins are each configured to rotate between a vertical position and a horizontal position;
an aft rotor assembly having aft rotor blades and operably coupled to a second end of the vertical member, the aft rotor assembly operably rotatable between a vertical lift position and a horizontal flight position, in line with the longitudinal axis of the elongated member;
a port-side rotor assembly having port-side rotor blades and operably coupled to the wing assembly proximate a port-side wing tip, wherein the port-side rotor assembly is operably rotatable between a vertical lift position and a horizontal flight position; and
a starboard-side rotor assembly having starboard-side rotor blades and operably coupled to the wing assembly proximate a starboard-side wing tip, wherein the starboard-side rotor assembly is operably rotatable between a vertical lift position and a horizontal flight position;
wherein the aft rotor blades have a length shorter than the first distance such that the aft rotor blades do not contact the elongated member; and
wherein the vertical position of the two horizontal fins of the horizontal stabilizer comprises a position that reduces a profile of the horizontal stabilizer to downward air generated by the aft rotor assembly when the aft rotor assembly is in the vertical lift position as compared to when the two horizontal fins of the horizontal stabilizer are in the horizontal position.