Patent Number: 9,079,671
Patent Title: Aircraft thrust, assembly, and methods
Inventors: Endres; Steven P. (Ann Arbor, MI)
Assignee: Exhaustless, Inc. (Ann Arbor, MI)
Family ID: 1000001211493
Appl. No.: 13/747,333
Filed: January 22, 2013
Abstract: Systems and methods for ground-based aircraft thrust systems are provided. In particular, some embodiments use an electromechanical thrust assembly to accelerate aircraft using ground-based energy for takeoff. The assembly can include one or more sleds, one or more maglev tracks, and/or one or more linear motors. Airplanes are loaded onto a sled (e.g., a saddle-shaped sled) that supports and balances the airplane instead of the landing gear aboard the aircraft. The sled levitates above the ground using high-density permanent magnet arrays. Magnetic levitation forces are varied along the assembly to account for lift provided by airflow over the wings. An aircraft thrust system includes a magnetically levitated saddle-shaped sled with airbags that support an aircraft during takeoff acceleration coupled with a linear motor that spans the length of the distance needed for takeoff.