CA2338852A1 - The ladybug - Google Patents

Abstract

The LadyBug design is configured to be roadable. It must be no more than 8"
feet wide and with 20" long overall to be practical. The LadyBug is a "transformer" vehicle and can go from take-off (slow take-off and landing speeds) to a high-speed configuration and back to the ground, water or roadway without stopping. The LadyBug meets all of the above criteria by using an enhanced airfoil shaped body designed to maximize the lift ability of said airfoil and to use to advantage the outward and inward currents that is inherent with such a short lateral length of airfoil. The LadyBug utilizes a novel aerodynamic design that can function at a high angle of attack to optimize low speed lift while still presenting minimal resistance to flow at high speeds.
Moreover, the design features allow it to function on water or snow. The LadyBug design concept can also be scaleable to make larger versions. It also lends itself to be made out a wide range of construction materials.

Description

Field of the invention The LadyBug is a hybrid aero-car having STOI_ capabilities. The LadyBug's fuselage can be transformed from road to airborne configuration at a push of a button. The fuselage has hydrodynamic design allowing the LadyBug to move from air to water with great ease. The same fuselage permits the LadyBug to move freely on snow and ice with especially fitted sleigh type runners fixed to the low port and starboard extremities of the hull shaped fuselage. The fuselage aerodynamic design provides stable lift in an air stream at low speed. The LadyBug meets all of the requirements to travel on all roads, highways and waterways. The LadyBug has an overall width of eight feet and a length of tweny feet for earth environment travel then is "transformed" to an aircraft with a wingspan of more than thirteen feet.
The LadyBug utilizes a novel aerodynamic design that can function at a high angle of attack to optimise low speed Lift while still presenting minimal resistance to flow at high speeds. The LadyBug design concept can also be scaleable to make larger versions.
Background of the invention Of all the aircars produced, among the most successful was Robert Fulton's "Airphibian".
Fulton flew his first prototype Airphibian in 1945 and his first production prototype two years later, in 1947.
During the mid to late 1950's, Moulton Taylor designed and built the Aerocar which was the only other aircar to receive official LT.S. certification. "The Airphibian represents a technical success as a flying car, however, it was not a marketable design. The prototypes were driven over 200,000 miles and made over 6,000 car/plane conversions. The conversion process, however, was judged to be too complicated and lengthy. Performance in the air was considered sluggish due to the weight penalty of automotive parts, a perennial problem in aerocars.
Therefore, the search for a practical, light flight car continues today."(1998; National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution) Aeronautical and material Technologies have come a long way since Fulton and Taylor.
DESCRIPTION
The design of the LadyBug is similar to that of a "flying wing"; i.e. the vehicle's fuselage is low, wide, and shaped as an airfoil (Drawing 1 & 2). The bottom forward section approximately half is configured to resemble that of a hydroplane bottom, with exaggerated outer edges that turn the outward moving air fully downward. (Drawing 3 D & F, 4 G & I~. The reaction from this provides extra lift from air currents that would normally be lost while offering little resistance to aft flow of air at lower angles of attack and higher speeds.

This configuration also makes an excellent hydroplane for landing and take off from any body of calm water. The lower outer edges of the hydroplane also serve as sleigh runners for landing on ice or snow. (Drawing 4 F & J). The retractable wheels are used for ground landing and highway travel.
(Drawing 4 K,L & 1~.
The Ladybug has attitude control in front of the airfoil-shaped fuselage.(Drawing 1 C) This enhances and creates a more aerodynamic design than other flying car designs.
The I ady Bug accomplishes higher lift at low speed and low drag at high speed than does other air cars.
The conventional elevator assembly was eliminated and replaced with a front mounted elevator of the canard type (Drawing 1 C) by extending the elevator concept around the front to connect both elevators into one airfoil the forward centre section is suspended in such way that it tilts up and down in front of the leading edge. (Drawing 1 B & D).
This gives the Lady Bug a conventional jay flap effect on takeoff and landing while taking a mid position at cruising speeds, changing the effective airflow from high camber at take off to convex at cruising speeds. The retractable outer winglets of the LadyBug (Drawing 4 A &
E) are configured to produce high lift potential during take off or landing.
These vortex generators produce outward rolling vortexes (Drawing 3 C) resulting in a high pressure barrier on each side of the lower side fuselage while air pressure passing from under the winglets through the air slot fender (Drawing 3 B) and over top of the winglets follows the winglets out and downward (Drawing 3 A) by the 'coanda effect'.
This provides extra lift and induces a secondary outward airflow above the winglets (Drawing 3 K & J) thus protecting the low-pressure area above the fuselage (Drawing 3 L) from influx air from each side. This thereby enhances the fuselage lifting ability at low speeds, at higher speed with a lower angles of attack, the air flows more directly from front to back of winglets, encountering less drag therefore allowing for more speed from a given thrust.
Upon reaching optimum speed the winglets can be retracted to fit to the fuselage sides (Drawing 4 E) and the fuselage airfoil alone will produce enough lift to carry its load without the need for winglets.

This further reduces drag and allows the same thrust to accelerate the craft to maximum speed, the rounded and flattened nose of the fuselage (Drawing 1 E) allows air to move out in omni direction which further reduces drag and enhances top speed performance.
The engine turbo fan being located at the rear (Drawing 1 I~ and over top of the fuselage air foil having its air intake at the rear of the low pressure area (Drawing 3 L) enhances the low pressure lift of the fuselage thereby discouraging stall effect at low speed, which helps the LadyBug to fly at high angles of attack and low speeds.
The controls are simple. The rear rudders are controlled by pedals for banks and turns.
(Drawing 1 J & G). A "T" head column controls attitude by moving the front elevator and provides steering control to the front wheels for ground travel. A brake pedal and engine throttle. The winglets are controlled by electric switches.
The ground propulsion is accomplished via a hydraulic or electric motor to the rear wheel or wheels. This provides reverse and moderate forward speeds of SO km/h, beyond that the turbo fan would become practical on the ground, snow, ice, water and airborne.

Claims (4)

1. A flying car, which is configured for legal road travel (a) comprising of retractable winglets

2. A flying car which is roadable (claim 1) but also capable of landing on snow or water without reconfiguration (a) comprising of aerodynamic/hydrodynamic fuselage (b) comprising of exaggerated outer/lower edges (much like sleigh runners)

3. Comprising an aerodynamic fuselage which reduces drag and enhancing lift by controlling attitude at the front thus eliminating the negative forces exerted by the tail section as found on conventional aircraft or aircars.

4. The "canard elevators" front elevators that are continuous around the front nose of the fuselage that provides the jay flap effect at take off and landing modes.
Vortex generators for:
(a) decreased slow take off and landing speeds (STOL) enhanced by the auxiliary lift of the aforesaid vortex generator.
(b) maintaining low-pressure zone above winglets.
(c) incorporating a fender that directs an air stream from under the winglets outwards and directly on top of the winglet surface creating the coanda effect.