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.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 24, 1990
Filed:
Jan. 19, 1989
Calvin A Gongwer, Glendora, CA (US);
Allied-Signal, Inc., Morris Township, Morris County, NJ (US);
Abstract
A generally tubular-shaped or cylindrical vehicle for operation in a fluid medium is formed with a bluff or stubby afterbody and utilizes an actuator disc type propeller of approximately one-half to three-fourths of the diameter of its housing at its rear for propulsion. The propeller, in addition to driving the vehicles, is spaced from the body such that it inducts half or more of the boundary layer flow, thereby acting to draw the flow smoothly over the after part of the vehicle with a minimum of flow separation and turbulence and drag caused thereby. Steering in pitch and yaw is provided by a plurality of fins located just forward of the bluff rear surface of the vehicle. In this location the fins are more than usually effective, hence smaller than customary, because they are exposed to a fluid velocity which is near or above free stream velocity rather than at a lower velocity which is usual in vehicles having tapered afterbodies. A plurality of stator control surfaces which may be adjustable are located between the fins and the propeller and may be angled to provide a torque to counter the propeller torque or controlled for roll stabilization.