127results about "Drag reduction" patented technology

An aircraft wing is disclosed having a fixed wing with a tip, and a wing tip device rotatably mounted on a hinge at the tip of the fixed wing, such that the wing tip device is rotatable about the hinge, and an actuation system for rotating the wing tip device about the hinge. The actuation system includes a motor, at least one geared rotary actuator, a reduction gearbox, a clutch for selectively decoupling rotation of the motor from rotation of the geared rotary actuator, the geared rotary actuator is driveable by the motor and arranged to convert rotary motion into a different rotary motion and is arranged to rotate the wing tip device relative to the tip of the fixed wing. The clutch is coupled to the geared rotary actuator by a shaft and the shaft is fixed in rotation to a mass disposed radially outwardly from the shaft.

A wing assembly for an aircraft including a fixed wing and a wing tip device rotatable about a joint assembly. The wing assembly is configurable between a flight configuration for use during flight and a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations. The wing assembly includes joint-bordering structure located adjacent the joint assembly, the joint-bordering structure having a rib, an upper cover and a lower cover. The joint assembly includes a moveable panel. The panel includes a first hard stop element, and the joint-bordering structure includes a second hard stop element. The first hard stop element is integrally formed in the panel, and the second hard stop element is integrally formed in one of the rib, the upper cover or the lower cover of the joint-bordering structure. The hard stop elements may be configured to self-align.

An aircraft includes an aircraft heat source; a propulsion system including an electric propulsion engine, the electric propulsion engine including an electric motor and a fan rotatable by the electric motor, the electric propulsion engine further defining a fan air flowpath; a thermal management system including a heat source exchanger in thermal communication with the aircraft heat source, a heat sink exchanger in thermal communication with the fan air flowpath of the electric propulsion engine, and a thermal distribution bus extending from the heat source exchanger to the heat sink exchanger; and a control system operably connected to the thermal management system for selectively thermally coupling the heat sink exchanger with the heat source exchanger.

A folding wingtip aircraft includes a wing that includes a primary portion and a wingtip. The folding wingtip aircraft includes a folding wingtip system configured to rotate the wingtip relative to the primary portion. The folding wingtip aircraft also includes a flight control computer. The flight control computer is configured to, in response to a first determination that a wingtip position of the wingtip is not in a folded position when a second determination indicates that a last completed command by the folding wingtip system was a fold command, set error codes for the folding wingtip system. The flight control computer is also configured to change a setting to indicate that the folding wingtip aircraft is grounded based on the error codes.

A method for reducing aerodynamic loads on an aircraft located on the ground includes moving a wing tip relative to a fixed wing to an on-ground configuration in which the span of the wing is reduced. The wing tip includes an airflow channel, which is in an open configuration in which airflow through the channel between upper and lower surfaces of the wing tip is enabled, when the wing tip is in the on-ground configuration. This has been found to reduce aerodynamic loads on the wing tip and / or parts of the aircraft connected thereto during this phase of the aircraft's use.

A wing assembly 10 for an aircraft, comprising a fixed wing 18 and a wing tip device 12 rotatable about a joint assembly 16. The wing assembly is configurable between a flight configuration for use during flight and a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations. The wing assembly 10 comprises joint-bordering structure located adjacent the joint assembly 16, the joint-bordering structure comprising a rib 34, an upper cover 26 and a lower cover. The joint assembly comprises a moveable panel 32. The panel 32 comprises a first hard stop element 38a, and the joint-bordering structure comprises a second hard stop element 40a. The first hard stop element 38a is integrally formed in the panel 32, and the second hard stop element 40a is integrally formed in one of the rib 34, the upper cover 26 or the lower cover of the joint-bordering structure. The hard stop elements 38a, 40a may be configured to self-align.

The aircraft includes a fuselage (24), first and second forward wings (20, 22) attached to and / or extending from opposite sides of the fuselage (24), first and second aft wings (30, 32) and a continuous aft wing span (34) defining a fixed center connection (36), a first wing connection member (42) extending between the first forward wing (20) and the first aft wing (30), and a second wing connection member (44) extending between the second forward wing (22) and the second aft wing (32). 2), wherein an aft wing span (34) is supported by a centrally located V-tail joint defined by first and second angled arms (100, 110), and first and second electric motors each having a rotor mounted on each wing (20, 22, 30, 32), each rotor pivoting between a first configuration for vertical flight and a second configuration for forward flight.

Vortex generators include a vane that rotates between a stowed position and a deployed position. In the deployed position, the vane is configured to reduce noise created by an airflow around or along the aerodynamic surface. A spring controls deployment of the vane and includes an elongate tube formed of a superelastic shape memory alloy. To deploy or stow the vane, the elongate tube is twisted due to a stress-induced response caused by airflow around or along the aerodynamic surface, thereby building up and storing torque in the elongate tube. A mounting base receives the vane when it is in the stowed position, and operatively couples the vortex generator to the aerodynamic surface. To create the torque in the elongate tube, a first end of the elongate tube is fixed with respect to the aerodynamic surface while a second end of the elongate tube is free to rotate.

Technologies are described herein for a drag recovery scheme using a boundary layer bypass duct system. In some examples, boundary layer air is routed around the intake of one or more of the engines and reintroduced aft of the engine fan in the nozzle duct in a mixer-ejector scheme. Mixer-ejectors mix the boundary layer flow to increase mass flow.

A wing system is provided for an air vehicle, the wing system having a stowed configuration, a pre-deployed configuration, and a deployed configuration. The wing system includes two wings, each wing having aerofoil profiles and being pivotably deployable about a respective pivot axis between the pre-deployed configuration and the deployed configuration. In the stowed configuration the two wings are in first general superposed spatial relationship with respect to one another and are capable of being accommodated within an envelope having an envelope cross-sectional profile and a corresponding envelope cross-sectional area. In the pre-deployed configuration, the two wings are in second general superposed spatial relationship with respect to one another and capable of deploying to the deployed configuration. In the deployed configuration the wings are each capable of generating aerodynamic lift in an airstream. Each aerofoil profile of each wing is a slotted aerofoil having a primary element, a secondary element and a chord, the secondary element being pivotable with respect to the primary element and spaced therefrom by a gap. Each aerofoil profile has a respective maximum thickness, and a respective maximum absolute thickness. In the stowed configuration, the respective second element of each aerofoil of one wing is set at a different flap angle as compared with the respective second element of each aerofoil of the other wing.

The invention relates to a novel wingtip winglet of an aircraft. The installation angle of the winglet is a forward swept wing, and the winglet is a dihedral winglet. Compared with other winglets, the novel winglet has more excellent aerodynamic characteristics, the vortex phenomenon of the wingtip of a large wing of an aircraft can be reduced, the resistance of the aircraft is reduced, and the lift force of the aircraft is increased.

An aircraft includes a body defining an interior compartment configured to hold at least one of a passenger and a payload, a battery system, a plurality of arms coupled to and extending from the body, and a plurality of propulsion devices configured to provide thrust to fly the aircraft. Each of the plurality of propulsion devices is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of arms. The plurality of propulsion devices are powered by the battery system. Each of the plurality of propulsion devices is selectively pivotable about at least one axis. The plurality of propulsion devices include at least one of (i) counter rotating ducted fans and (ii) ionizing electrode engines.

A propulsion system coupled to a vehicle. The system includes a convex surface, a diffusing structure coupled to the convex surface, and at least one conduit coupled to the convex surface. The conduit is configured to introduce to the convex surface a primary fluid produced by the vehicle. The system further includes an intake structure coupled to the convex surface and configured to introduce to the diffusing structure a secondary fluid accessible to the vehicle. The diffusing structure comprises a terminal end configured to provide egress from the system for the introduced primary fluid and secondary fluid.

This invention relates to a wing with enhanced aerodynamic performance for flapping wings based on biomimetic leading-edge feathers, belonging to the field of aircraft design and manufacturing technology. It solves the problems of high maneuverability and difficulty in variable-attitude flight of existing flapping wings, effectively improving the leading-edge flow and enhancing flapping wing flight performance. This invention improves the evolution of the incoming boundary layer by introducing biomimetic leading-edge feathers to the leading edge of a curved wing body to form directional vortex pairs; it enhances the aerodynamic performance of flapping-wing UAVs by suppressing and / or improving boundary layer separation at high angles of attack through vortex-induced downwash and momentum transfer; the biomimetic leading-edge feathers do not change the existing wing aerodynamic shape, and the hardware design is completed by adding small-scale spoiler structures to the leading edge, resulting in a simple overall structure and easy maintenance; and through free control of the feather characteristic shape, number, and angle, it serves the aerodynamic enhancement of flapping-wing UAVs under different flight conditions and performance requirements.

To provide an improved wing assembly comprising a fixed wing and a wingtip device that can rotate around a joint assembly at the tip of the fixed wing. [Solution] The main wing assembly 10 for an aircraft can be configured between a flight configuration for use in flight and a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations. The main wing assembly 10 includes a joint boundary structure positioned adjacent to a joint assembly 16, the joint boundary structure comprising ribs, an upper cover, and a lower cover. The joint assembly 16 includes a movable panel 32. The movable panel 32 includes a first hard stop element, and the joint boundary structure includes a second hard stop element. The first hard stop element is integrally formed with the panel 32, and the second hard stop element is integrally formed with one of the ribs, the upper cover, or the lower cover of the joint boundary structure. The hard stop elements may be configured to self-align.

An aircraft capable of transonic flight is equipped with a slotted airfoil to significantly improve the cruise performance during flight. The aircraft includes a plurality of slotted airfoils uniquely configured to maximize natural laminar flow across the aircraft wings. In addition to reduced wing drag, the unique configuration minimizes shocks at various conditions over the course of a flight. Each slotted airfoil includes a fore element, an after element, and a slot disposed between the fore element and aft element. The aft element is maneuverable relative to the fore element. The slot is configured to promote a substantially constant air flow field onto the aft element during all flight angles of attack.

Multilayer rib ornaments and methods of producing the same are described herein. One disclosed example method includes applying a first high elongation polymeric material to a web tool, where the web tool is provided from a first roller; and heating the first high elongation polymer material via a first heating process. The disclosed example method further includes applying a second high elongation polymeric material to the first high elongation polymeric material; and heating the second high elongation polymer material via a second heating process. The disclosed example method also includes applying a support layer to the second high elongation polymeric material via a lamination roller.

Reducing aeroelastic flutter in a wing tip 404 comprises providing at an end of a fixed wing 402 a rotatable wing tip rotatable a first distance to lower the centre of gravity of the wing tip, i.e. a

A flow interrupting device may cause a flow to separate from a wingtip device at a desired angle of attack. The flow interrupting device may be coupled to a leading edge of a wingtip device where a flow disruptor may be configured to alleviate a load on the wingtip device. The flow disrupter may comprise an edge that extends into a boundary layer at a threshold angle of attack that may disrupt the boundary layer and cause a flow to separate from the wingtip device. This separated flow may reduce stresses experienced by the wingtip device and wing during various flight conditions where a transverse flow is encountered.

The aircraft can include: an airframe, a tilt mechanism, a payload housing, and can optionally include an impact attenuator, a set of ground support members (e.g., struts), a set of power sources, and a set of control elements. The airframe can include: a set of rotors and a set of support members. By utilizing a larger rotor blade area (and / or larger rotor disc area) and adjusting the blade pitch and RPM, the rotors can augment the lift generated by the aerodynamic profile of the aircraft in the forward flight mode in addition to providing forward thrust. Variants generating lift with the rotors can reduce or eliminate additional control surfaces (e.g., wing flaps, ailerons, ruddervators, elevators, rudder, etc.) on the aircraft since the thrust and motor torque is controllable (thereby indirectly controlling lift) at each rotor, thereby enabling pitch, yaw, and / or roll control during forward flight.

An aircraft including one or more sensors configured to obtain sensor data, a wing that includes a primary portion and a wingtip, and a folding wingtip system that includes a latch pin system, a first electronic controller, and a second electronic controller. The first electronic controller configured to receive a fold command, send instructions to use the latch pin system according to the fold command, and make a first determination that a wingtip position of the wingtip is not in a folded position. The aircraft further including a flight control computer that is configured to send the fold command to the first electronic controller, in response to the first determination, set first error codes for the folding wingtip system, change a setting to indicate that the aircraft is grounded based on the first error codes, and schedule maintenance of the aircraft based on the first error codes.

An aircraft wing and method of operating an aircraft wing comprises a fixed wing 7 and a wing tip device 9 rotatably mounted on a hinge 11 at a tip of the fixed wing. An actuation system 20 rotates th

This invention belongs to the field of aircraft, specifically relating to a gust load reduction device and method based on a synthetic dual-jet cooperative control surface. The gust load reduction device includes a wing body, a flap rotatably mounted on the trailing edge of the wing body, and a synthetic dual-jet actuator mounted on the flap. The two jet outlets of the synthetic dual-jet actuator are located on the lower surface of the flap; and the angle between the two jet outlets and the lower surface of the flap in the downstream direction is adjustable. The larger the angle between the flap and the wing body, the smaller the angle between the two jet outlets and the lower surface of the flap. The synthetic dual-jet actuator of this invention can reduce gust load from multiple aspects, achieving a good gust load reduction effect while being simple in structure, lightweight, and requiring no additional air source.

An aircraft includes a fuselage and at least one primary wing having an upper surface, at least one recess in the upper surface and at least one conduit in fluid communication with the at least one recess. At least one ejector is disposed within the at least one recess and is configured to receive compressed air via the at least one conduit.

To provide fairings to support engines relative to wings of an aircraft, and methods for reducing drag.SOLUTION: A wing comprises a fairing 130 covering a pylon to connect to an engine. The fairing defines a horizontal plane, a first plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis, and a second plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and aft of the first plane. A reference line is defined as the longitudinal axis when projected onto the horizontal plane. The fairing includes a fairing body defining an aerodynamic surface. The aerodynamic surface has an outboard portion and an inboard portion. The inboard portion is configured such that the first plane intersects the horizontal plane and the aerodynamic surface of the inboard portion at a first intersection point. The first intersection point is laterally displaced from the reference line by a first distance. The second plane intersects the horizontal plane and the aerodynamic surface of the inboard portion at a second intersection point. The second intersection point is laterally displaced from the reference line by a second distance, which is greater than the first distance.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

An air injection assembly for an aircraft is provided. The aircraft includes a fuselage extending between a forward end and an aft end along a longitudinal direction and a boundary layer ingestion fan mounted to the fuselage at the aft end of the fuselage. The air injection assembly includes at least one injection port defined on a surface of the fuselage at a location upstream of the boundary layer ingestion fan. A supplemental airflow is provided through a fluid passageway to the injection port where it is ejected to displace at least a portion of relatively higher velocity boundary layer airflow. In this manner, the airflow entering boundary layer ingestion fan is more uniform, has less swirl distortion, and has a lower average velocity.

The present invention relates to a wing assembly, a folding wingtip arrangement in an aircraft wing, and an aircraft. In one aspect, a wing assembly for an aircraft is provided, the wing assembly comprising a fixed wing and a wingtip device rotatable about a joint assembly. The wing assembly is configurable between a flight configuration for use during flight and a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations. The wing assembly comprises a joint boundary structure positioned adjacent to the joint assembly, the joint boundary structure comprising a rib, an upper cover, and a lower cover. The joint assembly comprises a movable panel. The panel comprises a first hard stop element, and the joint boundary structure comprises a second hard stop element. The first hard stop element is integrally formed in the panel, and the second hard stop element is integrally formed in one of the rib, the upper cover, or the lower cover of the joint boundary structure. The hard stop elements can be configured to self-align.

A method of manufacturing an aircraft aerofoil such as a winglet. The aircraft aerofoil comprises: a first cover, a second cover, an aerofoil leading edge, and an aerofoil trailing edge where the first and second cover are joined at a trailing edge interface. The first cover is formed by: a lay-up step in which a plurality of fibre plies are laid up to obtain a preform, wherein the preform has a thickness and a preform trailing edge, and the preform is laid up during the lay-up step with a ramp of decreasing thickness where the thickness of the preform decreases towards the preform trailing edge; and a curing step in which the preform is cured to form the first cover, wherein the ramp of decreasing thickness cures during the curing step to form a contact surface of the first cover. The trailing edge interface is assembled by engaging the contact surface of the first cover with a contact surface of the second cover.