An auxiliary control method for aerospace vehicles
By using a towed weather vane auxiliary rudder to provide additional control torque on aerospace vehicles, the design challenges of aerospace vehicles at different speed ranges are solved, handling and stability characteristics are improved and overall performance is enhanced, emergency control is provided, and design flexibility and safety are improved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202411913661.3
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-24
- Publication Date
- 2025-12-02
- Estimated Expiration
- 2044-12-24
AI Technical Summary
The flight profile design of aerospace vehicles at different speed ranges is difficult to meet the comprehensive requirements of heat protection, trim, stability and maneuverability, resulting in slow design iteration speed. The uncertainty of the center of mass position further reduces the feasible design range, and existing methods require high costs to match control requirements.
The aircraft employs a towed weathervane auxiliary rudder, which is released from the rear of the aircraft via a symmetrical dart-shaped auxiliary rudder and provides additional control torque through the control cable, enhancing stability and maneuverability. This includes release, deployment, and jettison of control steps, and pitch control of the aircraft is achieved using rigging and winches.
Without affecting flight quality in other speed ranges, it improves handling and stability characteristics in specific speed ranges, removes overall design limitations, enhances overall aircraft performance, and provides emergency control measures to improve safety.
Smart Images

Figure CN119611797B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application belongs to the field of aerospace technology and relates to an auxiliary control method for aerospace vehicles. Background Technology
[0002] During the reentry of a spacecraft back to Earth, its flight profile needs to meet comprehensive requirements for constraints such as heat protection, trim, stability, and maneuverability. However, due to the different aerodynamic coefficients at different speed ranges, the requirements of these constraints on the overall structure and aerodynamics of the spacecraft may be completely opposite. Therefore, it is difficult to find an overall and aerodynamic configuration that meets the requirements under all conditions, which seriously slows down the iteration speed of design schemes. At the same time, various overall constraints, such as the uncertainty of the center of mass position, will further reduce the feasible design range.
[0003] Designers often have to pay a heavy price for this, such as design schemes that are difficult to close for a long time, loss of flight performance, structural complexity, and excessive weight. This has become a difficult and painful point in the design of aerospace vehicles.
[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a method that can improve the handling and stability characteristics of an aircraft in certain speed ranges at a relatively low cost, so as to free up overall design constraints and allow designers to focus more on optimizing performance indicators in other speed ranges and improve the overall performance of the aircraft. Summary of the Invention
[0005] Purpose of the invention
[0006] The purpose of this application is to provide a control method for aerospace vehicles based on a towed weather vane auxiliary rudder, in order to overcome or mitigate at least one of the known technical defects. This control method can shift the aerodynamic focus of the entire aircraft rearward and provide additional control torque within certain speed ranges to meet the reentry mission requirements of aerospace vehicles, thereby enhancing the stability and maneuverability of the aircraft, without affecting flight quality in other speed ranges.
[0007] Technical solution
[0008] An auxiliary control method for aerospace vehicles is based on a towed weather vane auxiliary rudder. The auxiliary rudder body is symmetrically shaped like a dart and is towed to the rear of the vehicle by a rigging system. A release cable controls the release of the auxiliary rudder body from the pod to a predetermined position, a control cable controls the pitch and deflection of the auxiliary rudder, and a static cable maintains the relative attitude stability between the auxiliary rudder and the vehicle. The method includes the following steps:
[0009] Step 1: Determine if the aircraft has reached the auxiliary rudder release threshold.
[0010] Step 2: If the release threshold is reached, the auxiliary rudder in the storage state will be pushed out of the pod.
[0011] Step 3: Use the release winch to slowly release the auxiliary rudder by maneuvering the release cable, while simultaneously deploying the auxiliary rudder.
[0012] Step 4: Determine if the tension on the release cable exceeds the limit. If it does, the fracture-type tension limiter will automatically disconnect, and the auxiliary rudder will be jettisoned.
[0013] Step 5: Determine if the release cable has reached the predetermined release length and if the auxiliary rudder is fully deployed. If yes, proceed to Step 6; if no, return to Step 3 and continue releasing or deploying the auxiliary rudder.
[0014] Step Six: Tension all rigging to ensure that the pulling method can control the aircraft's pitch; the auxiliary rudder itself must be strong and rigid enough to ensure that it is not damaged or causes rudder failure under tension; and there must be no entanglement between the rigging.
[0015] Step 7: According to the control requirements, use the control winch to raise and lower the control cable to control the pitch of the aircraft.
[0016] Furthermore, step eight is included: determining whether the jettison threshold has been reached. If so, the pyrotechnic device is activated, the rigging connecting the auxiliary rudder to the aircraft is cut, and the auxiliary rudder is jettisoned.
[0017] Furthermore, before implementing Step One, the aircraft should meet the following requirements: Flight speed and altitude should ensure the auxiliary rudder can be released, deployed, and function normally. The aerodynamic forces and heat generated during use should not exceed the structural and thermal protection design capabilities of the auxiliary rudder. The aircraft's attitude should remain stable during release. In Step One, the methods for determining the auxiliary rudder release threshold include, but are not limited to, parameters such as speed, altitude, Mach number, dynamic pressure, aircraft attitude angle, attitude angular velocity, etc., or combinations of these parameters reaching a specified threshold.
[0018] Furthermore, in step two, the auxiliary rudder will not be released if the release threshold is not reached. In step three, the release process should be smooth and stable, without causing destructive interference to the stability and current attitude of the aircraft. Through the traction of auxiliary rigging or other means, it is ensured that the auxiliary rudder itself will not undergo uncontrollable spin, and that the rigging members will not become entangled. The auxiliary rudder includes both inflatable and foldable forms, and is inflated or deployed using internal power (elastic energy storage structure, pyrotechnics, high-pressure gas) or external power (aerodynamic force).
[0019] Furthermore, in step four, the working principle is similar to that of a catapult limit rod. When the tension exceeds the preset safety threshold and may damage the structure of the aircraft, the limiter breaks and the auxiliary rudder is jettisoned as a whole.
[0020] Furthermore, before step five, it is determined whether there are any situations during the release process that endanger flight safety or cause the auxiliary rudder to fail to deploy. If so, the pyrotechnic device is activated, the rigging connecting the auxiliary rudder to the aircraft is cut, and the auxiliary rudder is discarded. Endangering flight safety includes, but is not limited to, the following situations: entanglement between rigging, entanglement between rigging and the aircraft body, uncontrolled spinning or large swinging of the auxiliary rudder body, and damage to the auxiliary rudder. Failure to deploy the auxiliary rudder includes, but is not limited to: inability to deploy, asymmetrical deployment, failure to lock after deployment, or inflation volume not reaching the normal operating threshold of the auxiliary rudder. In step five, determining whether the auxiliary rudder is fully deployed specifically means: all folding mechanisms of the auxiliary rudder body are fully deployed and locked; or the inflation structure is fully inflated, and the inflation pressure meets the structural strength and stiffness requirements.
[0021] Furthermore, the target state in step six is that both the static cable and the control cable are tensioned, and the release cable no longer releases and is locked.
[0022] Furthermore, the control principle in step seven involves controlling the length of the up and down control cables by controlling the control winch connected to the pitch actuator after the entire mechanism is fully deployed and released. At this time, the angle of attack of the auxiliary rudder relative to the incoming flow is forced to change, thus the auxiliary rudder will experience a pitch moment caused by aerodynamic forces. This pitch moment will be further transmitted to the aircraft body through the tension on the control and release cables, generating a pitch control moment. The effectiveness of the auxiliary control in step seven can be verified through wind tunnel experiments on the ground.
[0023] On the other hand, a towed wind vane auxiliary rudder layout structure based on the above control method is provided, including:
[0024] The storage pod, located within the aircraft body, can be stored there when the auxiliary control surfaces are not deployed. The pod should contain a mechanism for the controlled deployment of the retracted auxiliary control surfaces from the tail or back of the aircraft.
[0025] The towed auxiliary rudder is attached to the rear of the aircraft. Viewed along the incoming flow direction, the auxiliary rudder has a surface-symmetrical or axisymmetric structure, with multiple wing structures radiating outward from the centerline of symmetry. These wing surfaces have sufficient projected area in all directions perpendicular to the incoming flow to provide appropriate aerodynamic forces. The auxiliary rudder wing surfaces are semi-monocoque inflatable structures or rigid folding structures. The entire auxiliary rudder can be folded and stored in the pod when not restarted or deployed.
[0026] The control winch is located inside the aircraft and is connected to the auxiliary rudder via a control cable.
[0027] The release winch is located inside the aircraft and is connected to the auxiliary rudder via a release cable.
[0028] This includes, but is not limited to, three types of rigging connecting the auxiliary rudder and the aircraft: release cable, control cable, and stationary cable. The release cable controls the release of the auxiliary rudder from the pod to a predetermined position; the control cable controls the pitch and deflection of the auxiliary rudder; and the stationary cable maintains the relative attitude stability between the auxiliary rudder and the aircraft. The number of rigging and the connection method can exceed what is shown in the diagram. The rigging can also be stored in the pod or fuselage. The rigging should have appropriate connection methods to ensure that they do not tangle or coil during use. The rigging should be lightweight, high-strength, and able to withstand aerodynamic heating without significant changes in its physical and chemical properties during this process.
[0029] The fracture-type tension limiter is located on the release cable. Its working principle is similar to a catapult's limit lever; when the tension exceeds a safety threshold, the limiter breaks, and the auxiliary rudder is jettisoned.
[0030] At least one set of pyrotechnic devices used to cut rigging is present on all rigging that connects auxiliary rudders to the aircraft.
[0031] The locking mechanism ensures that the main body will not fold under the influence of airflow after the auxiliary rudder is fully deployed, and the relative positional relationship between the various wing surfaces remains unchanged. This locking mechanism includes, but is not limited to, mechanical structures and self-locking using the aerodynamic force of the incoming airflow.
[0032] Optionally, the aforementioned towed auxiliary rudder surface has a reinforced support structure inside, and can be folded and stored.
[0033] Optionally, the aforementioned auxiliary rudder surfaces and rigging, as well as the rigging itself, are connected by auxiliary rigging to stabilize the attitude of the auxiliary rudder body and prevent it from undergoing uncontrolled spin, swaying, or other harmful movements. The beneficial effects of this application are:
[0034] Because there is a structural contradiction between the control requirements of aerospace vehicles and the control effectiveness provided by a fixed overall layout at different speed and altitude ranges, forcibly matching these requirements through overall layout optimization would incur costs in terms of feasibility, economics and time, structural weight, system complexity, and load adaptability. This problem has long been a major challenge and pain point restricting the design and performance of aerospace vehicles. The control method described in this application can improve the handling and stability characteristics of a vehicle at certain speed and altitude ranges at a relatively low cost, freeing up overall design constraints. Designers can then focus more on optimizing performance indicators in other speed ranges, thereby improving the overall performance of the vehicle. Furthermore, this method can also be applied as an emergency control measure to existing aerospace vehicles, improving their controllable flight envelope in emergency situations and contributing to enhanced safety.
[0035] In addition, a discardable towable rudder structure for sealing is provided, which supports the implementation of the aforementioned control method through the design of the auxiliary rudder body and its release, manipulation and discarding mechanisms. Attached Figure Description
[0036] Figure 1 It is an isometric view of the towed auxiliary rudder and its accessories in the released state.
[0037] Figure 2 This is a side view of the operating principle of a towed auxiliary rudder.
[0038] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the release, manipulation, and jettison of a towed auxiliary rudder. Detailed Implementation
[0039] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this invention will be described in more detail below. In the examples, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar components or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of this invention. The embodiments described below with reference to reference are exemplary and intended to explain this invention, and should not be construed as limiting the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention. The embodiments of this invention will be described in detail below.
[0040] Figure 1 This is an isometric drawing of the towed auxiliary rudder and its accessories in the released state. It includes the following components: the towed auxiliary rudder body; a schematic diagram of the control winch; a schematic diagram of the release winch; simplified schematic diagrams of the release cable, control cable, and stationary cable; and a breakable tension limiter. The storage pod, pyrotechnics for cutting the cables, support components, and locking mechanisms are omitted in the drawing, but this does not mean they are not actually present.
[0041] Figure 2 This is a side view of the control principle of a towed auxiliary rudder. The aerodynamic torque on the auxiliary rudder is transmitted to the aircraft body through the tension in the control and release cables, thereby generating a longitudinal control torque.
[0042] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the release, manipulation, and jettison of a towed auxiliary rudder.
[0043] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figures 1 to 3 This application will be described in further detail as follows:
[0044] On the one hand, a towed auxiliary rudder layout structure is provided, such as Figure 1 As shown, it includes:
[0045] The storage pod, located within the aircraft body, can be stored there when the auxiliary control surfaces are not deployed. The pod should contain a mechanism for the controlled deployment of the retracted auxiliary control surfaces from the tail or back of the aircraft.
[0046] The towed auxiliary rudder is attached to the rear of the aircraft. Viewed along the incoming flow direction, the auxiliary rudder has a surface-symmetrical or axisymmetric structure, with multiple wing structures radiating outward from the centerline of symmetry. These wing surfaces have sufficient projected area in all directions perpendicular to the incoming flow to provide appropriate aerodynamic forces. The auxiliary rudder wing surfaces are semi-monocoque inflatable structures or rigid folding structures. The entire auxiliary rudder can be folded and stored in the pod when not restarted or deployed.
[0047] The control winch is located inside the aircraft and is connected to the auxiliary rudder via a control cable.
[0048] The release winch is located inside the aircraft and is connected to the auxiliary rudder via a release cable.
[0049] This includes, but is not limited to, three types of rigging connecting the auxiliary rudders and the aircraft: release rigging, control rigging, and stationary rigging. The number of rigging and the connection method may exceed what is shown in the diagram. Rigging may also be stored in a pod or fuselage. Rigging should have appropriate connection methods to ensure that it does not tangle or coil during use. Rigging should be lightweight, high-strength, and able to withstand aerodynamic heating without significant changes in its physical and chemical properties.
[0050] A break-type tension limiter is located on the release cable.
[0051] At least one set of pyrotechnic devices used to cut rigging is present on all rigging used to connect auxiliary rudders to the aircraft.
[0052] The locking mechanism ensures that the main body will not fold under the influence of airflow after the auxiliary rudder is fully deployed, and the relative positional relationship between the various wing surfaces remains unchanged. This locking mechanism includes, but is not limited to, mechanical structures and self-locking using the aerodynamic force of the incoming airflow.
[0053] Optionally, the aforementioned towed auxiliary rudder surface has a reinforced support structure inside, and can be folded and stored.
[0054] Optionally, there are reinforcing support structures between the aforementioned towed auxiliary rudder surfaces, which can be folded and stored.
[0055] In the auxiliary rudder layout structure disclosed in the above embodiments, according to Figure 3 The workflow shown is followed.
[0056] Step 1: Determine if the aircraft has reached the auxiliary rudder release threshold.
[0057] Step 2: If the release threshold is reached, the folded auxiliary rudder will be pushed out of the pod.
[0058] Step 3: Use the release winch to operate the release cable to release the auxiliary rudder, and at the same time inflate / deploy the auxiliary rudder.
[0059] Step 4: Determine if the tension on the release cable exceeds the limit. If it does, the fracture-type tension limiter will automatically disconnect, and the auxiliary rudder will be jettisoned.
[0060] Step 5: Determine if there are any circumstances during the release process that could endanger flight safety or cause the auxiliary control system to fail to deploy. If so, the pyrotechnic devices are activated and the auxiliary control system is jettisoned.
[0061] Step Six: Determine if the predetermined release length has been reached and if the auxiliary rudder is fully deployed. If yes, proceed to Step Seven; if no, return to Step Three and continue releasing or deploying the auxiliary rudder.
[0062] Step 7: Tension all rigging.
[0063] Step 8: According to control requirements, use the control winch to raise and lower the control cable to control the pitch of the aircraft.
[0064] Step 9: Determine if the jettison threshold has been reached. If so, the pyrotechnic device is activated and the auxiliary rudder is jettisoned.
[0065] In one embodiment of the present invention, before implementing step one, the aircraft should meet the following requirements: the flight speed and altitude should ensure that the auxiliary rudder can be released, deployed, and function normally. The aerodynamic forces and aerodynamic heat generated during use should not exceed the structural and thermal protection design capabilities of the auxiliary rudder. The aircraft's attitude should remain stable during release.
[0066] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step one, the method for determining the auxiliary rudder release threshold includes, but is not limited to, parameters such as speed, altitude, Mach number, dynamic pressure, aircraft attitude angle, attitude angular velocity, etc., or a combination of the above parameters reaching a specified threshold.
[0067] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step two, the auxiliary rudder is not released if the release threshold is not reached.
[0068] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step three, the release process should be smooth and stable, without causing destructive interference to the stability and current attitude of the aircraft. Through the traction of auxiliary rigging or other means, it is ensured that the auxiliary rudder itself will not undergo uncontrollable spin, and that the rigging members will not become entangled with each other.
[0069] In one embodiment of the present invention, the auxiliary rudder includes two forms: inflatable and foldable, and is inflated or deployed using internal power (elastic energy storage structure, pyrotechnics, high-pressure gas) or external power (pneumatic power).
[0070] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step four, the working principle is similar to that of a catapult limit rod. When the tension exceeds the preset safety threshold and may damage the structure of the aircraft body, the limiter breaks and the auxiliary rudder is jettisoned as a whole.
[0071] In one embodiment of the present invention, before step five, it is determined whether there are any situations during the release process that endanger flight safety or cause the auxiliary rudder to fail to deploy. If so, the pyrotechnic device is activated, the rigging connecting the auxiliary rudder to the aircraft is cut, and the auxiliary rudder is discarded. Endangering flight safety includes, but is not limited to, the following situations: entanglement between rigging, entanglement between rigging and the aircraft body, uncontrolled spinning or large swinging of the auxiliary rudder body, and damage to the auxiliary rudder. Auxiliary rudder deployment failure includes, but is not limited to: inability to deploy, asymmetrical deployment, failure to lock after deployment, or inflation volume not reaching the normal operating threshold of the auxiliary rudder.
[0072] In one embodiment of the present invention, step five, determining whether the auxiliary rudder is fully deployed, specifically means: all folding mechanisms of the auxiliary rudder body are fully deployed and locked; or the inflation structure is fully inflated and the inflation pressure meets the structural strength and rigidity requirements.
[0073] In one embodiment of the present invention, the target state of step six is that both the static cable and the control cable are tensioned, and the release cable is no longer released and is locked.
[0074] In one embodiment of the present invention, the control principle in step seven is that after the entire mechanism is fully deployed and released, the length of the up and down control cables is changed by controlling the control winch connected to the pitch actuator. At this time, the angle of attack of the auxiliary rudder relative to the incoming flow is forced to change, so the auxiliary rudder will be subjected to a pitch moment caused by aerodynamic forces. This pitch moment will be further transmitted to the aircraft body through the tension on the control cable and the release cable to generate a pitch control moment.
[0075] In one embodiment of the present invention, the effectiveness of the auxiliary control in step seven can be verified on the ground through wind tunnel experiments.
[0076] Furthermore, unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this application description shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. The terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "center," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., used in this application description to indicate relative direction or positional relationship are used only to indicate relative orientation or positional relationship, and do not imply that the device or component must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. When the absolute position of the described object changes, its relative positional relationship may also change accordingly, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this application. The terms "first," "second," "third," and similar terms used in this application description are used only for descriptive purposes to distinguish different components, and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. The terms "a," "one," or "the," etc., used in this application description should not be construed as an absolute limitation on quantity, but should be construed as indicating the existence of at least one. The terms "including," "comprising," etc., used in this application description mean that the element or object preceding the word covers the element or object listed after the word and its equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects.
[0077] Furthermore, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, terms such as “installation,” “connection,” and “linkage” used in the description of this application should be interpreted broadly. For example, a connection can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; or it can be a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand its specific meaning in this application according to the specific circumstances.
[0078] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Within the spirit and principles of the present invention, any person skilled in the art may use the above-disclosed technical content to make changes or modifications to equivalent embodiments and apply them to other fields. However, any simple modifications, equivalent changes and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the content of the technical solution of the present invention, as well as any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. An auxiliary control method for a spacecraft, characterized in that, This system is based on a towed weather vane auxiliary rudder. The auxiliary rudder body is symmetrically shaped like a dart and is towed to the rear of the aircraft by a rigging system. A release cable controls the release of the auxiliary rudder body from the pod to a predetermined position, a control cable controls the pitch and deflection of the auxiliary rudder, and a static cable maintains the relative attitude stability between the auxiliary rudder and the aircraft. Auxiliary rigging is used between the auxiliary rudder surface and the rigging, and between the rigging systems themselves, to stabilize the attitude of the auxiliary rudder body and prevent uncontrolled spin, swaying, or other harmful movements. The system includes the following steps: Step 1: Determine if the aircraft has reached the auxiliary control release threshold; Step 2: If the release threshold is reached, the auxiliary rudder in the storage state will be pushed out of the pod. Step 3: Use the release winch to slowly release the auxiliary rudder by maneuvering the release cable, while simultaneously deploying the auxiliary rudder; Step 4: Determine if the tension on the release cable exceeds the limit; If the limit is exceeded, the fracture-type tension limiter will automatically disconnect, and the auxiliary rudder will be jettisoned. Step 5: Determine if the release cable has reached the predetermined release length and if the auxiliary rudder has been fully deployed; if yes, proceed to Step 6; if no, return to Step 3 and continue releasing or deploying the auxiliary rudder. Step Six: Tension all rigging to ensure that the pulling method can control the aircraft's pitch; the auxiliary rudder itself must have sufficient strength and rigidity to prevent damage or rudder failure under tension; and there must be no entanglement between the rigging. Step 7: According to the control requirements, use the control winch to raise and lower the control cable to control the pitch of the aircraft.
2. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes step eight: determining whether the jettison threshold has been reached; if so, the pyrotechnic device is activated, the rigging connecting the auxiliary rudder to the aircraft is cut, and the auxiliary rudder is jettisoned.
3. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Before implementing step one, the aircraft should meet the following requirements: the flight speed and altitude should ensure that the auxiliary rudder can be released, deployed and work normally; the aerodynamic forces and aerodynamic heat generated during use should not exceed the structural and thermal protection design capabilities of the auxiliary rudder; the aircraft's attitude should remain stable during release; in step one, the methods for determining the auxiliary rudder release threshold include, but are not limited to, speed, altitude, Mach number, dynamic pressure, the aircraft's attitude angle, attitude angular velocity parameters or a combination of the above parameters reaching a specified threshold.
4. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step two, the auxiliary rudder will not be released if the release threshold is not reached; in step three, the release process should be smooth and stable, and will not cause destructive interference to the stability and current attitude of the aircraft; the auxiliary rudder itself will not spin uncontrollably and the rigging will not entangle with each other through the traction of the auxiliary rigging or other means; the auxiliary rudder includes two forms, inflatable or foldable, and is inflated or unfolded using internal or external power.
5. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step four, the fracture-type tension limiter works similarly to a catapult limit rod. When the tension exceeds a pre-set safety threshold and may damage the aircraft's structure, the limiter breaks and the auxiliary rudder is jettisoned.
6. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Before step five, it is determined whether there are any situations that endanger flight safety or fail to deploy the auxiliary rudder during the release process. If so, the pyrotechnic device is activated, the rigging connecting the auxiliary rudder to the aircraft is cut, and the auxiliary rudder is discarded. Endangering flight safety includes, but is not limited to, the following situations: entanglement between rigging, entanglement between rigging and the aircraft body, uncontrolled spinning or large swinging of the auxiliary rudder body, and damage to the auxiliary rudder. Failure to deploy the auxiliary rudder includes, but is not limited to: inability to deploy, asymmetrical deployment, failure to lock after deployment, or insufficient inflation to reach the normal operating threshold of the auxiliary rudder. In step five, determining whether the auxiliary rudder is fully deployed specifically means that all folding mechanisms of the auxiliary rudder body are fully deployed and locked; or the inflation structure is fully inflated, and the inflation pressure meets the structural strength and stiffness requirements.
7. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The target state in step six is that both the static cable and the control cable are tensioned, and the release cable no longer releases and is locked.
8. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The control principle in step seven is that after the entire mechanism is fully deployed and released, the length of the upper and lower control cables is changed by controlling the control winch connected to the pitch actuator. At this time, the angle of attack of the auxiliary rudder relative to the incoming flow is forced to change, so the auxiliary rudder will be subjected to a pitch torque caused by aerodynamic forces. This pitch torque will be further transmitted to the aircraft body through the tension on the control cable and release cable to generate a pitch control torque. The effectiveness of the auxiliary control in step seven can be verified by wind tunnel experiments on the ground.
9. A towed wind vane auxiliary rudder layout structure employing the control method described in claim 8, characterized in that, include: The storage pod is located on the aircraft body and can be stored here when the auxiliary rudder is not released; the pod should have a mechanism to controllably push the stored auxiliary rudder out from the tail or back of the aircraft. The auxiliary rudder body is towed behind the main body of the aircraft. When viewed along the direction of the incoming flow, the auxiliary rudder has a symmetrical structure and multiple wing structures radiate outward from the centerline of symmetry. These wing structures have sufficient projected area in all directions perpendicular to the incoming flow to provide appropriate aerodynamic forces. The auxiliary rudder wing surfaces are semi-monocoque inflatable structures or rigid folding structures. The entire auxiliary rudder can be folded and stored in the pod when it is not restarted or deployed. The control winch is located inside the aircraft and is connected to the auxiliary rudder via a control cable. The release winch is located inside the aircraft and is connected to the auxiliary rudder via a release cable. Including but not limited to three types of rigging connecting the auxiliary rudder and the aircraft: release rigging, control rigging, and stationary rigging; the release rigging controls the release of the auxiliary rudder from the pod to the predetermined position, the control rigging controls the pitch and yaw of the auxiliary rudder, and the stationary rigging maintains the relative attitude stability between the auxiliary rudder and the aircraft; the rigging can also be stored in the pod or fuselage; the rigging should have appropriate connection methods to ensure that they do not tangle or twist during use. A fracture-type tension limiter is located on the release cable; when the tension exceeds the safety threshold, the limiter breaks and the auxiliary rudder is jettisoned. At least one set of pyrotechnic devices used to cut rigging is provided on all rigging that connects auxiliary rudders to the aircraft. The locking mechanism ensures that the main body will not be folded by the airflow after the auxiliary rudder is fully deployed, and the relative positional relationship between the wing surfaces will not change. The locking mechanism includes, but is not limited to, mechanical structures and self-locking using the aerodynamic force of the incoming airflow.
10. The auxiliary rudder layout structure as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The aforementioned auxiliary rudder surfaces have internal reinforced support structures and can be folded and stored.
Citation Information
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