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The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Patent No.:

US 11597510 B1

PDFFull Text
Date of Patent:
Mar. 07, 2023

Filed:

Mar. 29, 2020

Ducted fans having fluidic thrust vectoring

Applicant:

Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US);

Inventors:

Daniel Bryan Robertson, Southlake, TX (US);

Kirk Landon Groninga, Keller, TX (US);

Matthew Edward Louis, Fort Worth, TX (US);

Assignee:

Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US);

Attorney:

Lawrence Youst PLLC

Primary Examiner:

Tien Q Dinh

Assistant Examiner:

William L Gmoser

Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B64C 29/00 (2006.01); B64C 11/00 (2006.01); B64C 21/04 (2023.01); B64D 27/16 (2006.01); B64C 11/48 (2006.01); B64D 35/06 (2006.01); B64D 35/02 (2006.01); B64C 27/22 (2006.01); B64D 33/04 (2006.01); B64D 35/04 (2006.01); B64C 3/10 (2006.01); B64C 19/00 (2006.01); B64C 27/26 (2006.01); B64C 27/30 (2006.01); B64C 9/20 (2006.01); B64C 21/08 (2023.01); B64C 27/78 (2006.01); B64C 39/10 (2006.01); B64C 9/18 (2006.01); B64C 15/02 (2006.01); B64C 15/14 (2006.01); B64C 21/00 (2023.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B64C 29/0033 (2013.01); B64C 3/10 (2013.01); B64C 9/18 (2013.01); B64C 9/20 (2013.01); B64C 11/001 (2013.01); B64C 11/48 (2013.01); B64C 15/02 (2013.01); B64C 19/00 (2013.01); B64C 21/04 (2013.01); B64C 21/08 (2013.01); B64C 27/22 (2013.01); B64C 27/26 (2013.01); B64C 27/30 (2013.01); B64C 27/78 (2013.01); B64C 29/00 (2013.01); B64C 29/0016 (2013.01); B64C 29/0025 (2013.01); B64C 29/0083 (2013.01); B64C 39/10 (2013.01); B64D 27/16 (2013.01); B64D 33/04 (2013.01); B64D 35/02 (2013.01); B64D 35/04 (2013.01); B64D 35/06 (2013.01); B64C 15/14 (2013.01); B64C 21/00 (2013.01); B64C 2230/04 (2013.01); B64C 2230/06 (2013.01); B64C 2230/16 (2013.01); B64C 2230/28 (2013.01);
Abstract

A ducted fan assembly includes a duct having an inlet, an inner surface, an expanding diffuser and an outlet. A fan disposed within the duct between the inlet and the expanding diffuser is configured to rotate about a fan axis to generate airflow. An active flow control system includes a plurality of injection zones circumferentially distributed about the inner surface. The expanding diffuser has a diffuser angle configured to create flow separation when the airflow is uninfluenced by the active flow control system such that the airflow has a thrust vector with a first direction that is substantially parallel to the fan axis. Injection of pressurized air from one of the injection zones asymmetrically reduces the flow separation between the airflow and the expanding diffuser downstream of that injection zone such that the thrust vector of the airflow has a second direction that is not parallel to the first direction.

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