Lightweight wing stiffness reinforcement device for reducing aerodynamic losses

By combining a retractable airfoil strut mechanism and a Y-shaped rope structure, the problems of stiffness and aerodynamic loss in lightweight wing aircraft are solved, achieving improved flight performance with high stiffness and low drag.

CN121947748BActive Publication Date: 2026-06-12北京机电工程总体设计部(航天科工运载技术研究开发中心)

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
北京机电工程总体设计部(航天科工运载技术研究开发中心)
Filing Date
2026-03-31
Publication Date
2026-06-12

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Traditional lightweight wing aircraft are prone to structural instability without stiffness enhancement devices, and existing stiffness enhancement devices increase air resistance, affecting lift-to-drag ratio and range.

Method used

The system employs a retractable airfoil strut mechanism and a Y-shaped rope structure, combined with a rope retractor and a drive motor. Through the extension, deformation, and rotation of the retractable airfoil strut mechanism, the airfoil stiffness is improved and aerodynamic losses are reduced.

🎯Benefits of technology

It significantly improves wing stiffness, reduces aerodynamic drag, enhances aircraft control, and increases load-bearing capacity to 2-4 times that of a system without cables.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure CN121947748B_ABST
    Figure CN121947748B_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The present application belongs to the technical field of aircraft structure design, and particularly relates to a lightweight wing stiffness reinforcing device for reducing aerodynamic loss. The reinforcing device improves the structural stiffness and load-carrying capacity of a flexible lightweight wing through the erection and telescopic deformation of a telescopic wing strut mechanism to pull a cable, and is designed to be rotatably stored with the flexible lightweight wing aircraft. The telescopic wing strut mechanism is a multi-stage telescopic structure, and each telescopic support arm is designed to have a wing-shaped cross section, which can effectively reduce aerodynamic resistance. The wing-shaped telescopic support arm and the strut end head can be relatively rotated at a small angle within 10°, which assists in controlling the rotation of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft in the yaw direction and improves the control ability. The above reinforcing device improves the wing stiffness through the telescopic wing strut mechanism, and significantly reduces the windward projection area of the cable of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft during flight by using the Y-shaped cable design, thereby reducing the aerodynamic resistance while ensuring the torsional stiffness of the flexible lightweight wing.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of aircraft structural design technology, specifically relating to a lightweight wing stiffness enhancement device for reducing aerodynamic losses. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, low-cost, high-performance, and easily mass-producible lightweight wing aircraft have been widely used in various applications due to their unique value. In some situations, specific vehicles impose strict limitations on the size and weight of the aircraft they carry, making traditional rigid-wing aircraft increasingly inadequate. Compared to rigid-wing aircraft, flexible lightweight wing aircraft, which are lighter, smaller, and have a higher storage ratio, can solve these problems.

[0003] Most flexible lightweight wing unmanned aerial vehicles on the market are small in size and are prone to structural instability when subjected to aerodynamic overloads without the support of stiffness reinforcement devices. Although the traditional method of using cables to reinforce key parts can strengthen the wing stiffness, the long cables will significantly increase the air resistance of the aircraft. The additional traditional circular or square cross-section struts will also significantly increase drag. The double drag will greatly reduce the lift-to-drag ratio of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft and affect its endurance.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to develop a stiffness strengthening device with lower drag and easier storage based on the traditional lightweight wing stiffness strengthening device, so as to improve the load-bearing capacity of the wing itself while minimizing aerodynamic losses. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the above problems, the present invention provides a lightweight wing stiffness enhancement device for reducing aerodynamic losses.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following specific technical solution:

[0007] A lightweight wing stiffness enhancement device for reducing aerodynamic losses includes a flexible lightweight wing aircraft fuselage, a retractable airfoil strut mechanism, a flexible lightweight wing, a cable, and a pull loop.

[0008] The flexible lightweight wing aircraft body is symmetrically provided with flexible lightweight wings on both sides; a retractable airfoil strut mechanism is provided at the top and bottom of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body; and a rope storage device is provided at the end of the retractable airfoil strut mechanism.

[0009] Two pull loops are fixedly connected to the wingtips and wing center of the upper and lower surface skins of each flexible lightweight wing; the two pull loops are distributed along the chord length direction of the flexible lightweight wing;

[0010] Each of the pull loops on each wingtip is attached to a first Kevlar cord. The two first Kevlar cords on the upper surface are joined together to form a single cord and then connected to a cord storage device on the top of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft. The two first Kevlar cords on the lower surface are joined together to form a single cord and then connected to a cord storage device at the bottom of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft.

[0011] Each of the pull loops in each wing is attached to a second Kevlar cable. The two second Kevlar cables on the upper surface converge into one cable and are connected to a cable retractor on the top of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft. The two second Kevlar cables on the lower surface converge into one cable and are connected to a cable retractor at the bottom of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft. The cable retractor is used to pull each cable to apply preload.

[0012] The two pull loops at the mid-wing and wingtip of the upper surface of the single-sided flexible lightweight wing, when tightened, form a Y-shaped pull rope structure with the pull rope retractor. Similarly, the two pull loops at the mid-wing and wingtip of the lower surface of the single-sided flexible lightweight wing, when tightened, also form a Y-shaped pull rope structure. This Y-shaped pull rope structure ensures the torsional stiffness of the flexible lightweight wing while significantly reducing the windward area of ​​the pull ropes during flight.

[0013] Furthermore, the retractable airfoil strut mechanism includes a first retractable support arm, a second retractable support arm, a rotating gear pin, and a strut end;

[0014] Both the first telescopic support arm and the second telescopic support arm are hollow support rod mechanisms with an airfoil-like cross-section. The second telescopic support arm can be housed inside the first telescopic support arm. The second telescopic support arm achieves relative sliding with the first telescopic support arm along the length direction through a built-in sliding control mechanism, thereby realizing the telescopic deformation of the telescopic airfoil strut mechanism.

[0015] The telescopic support arm has a strut end installed at one end facing the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body; cylindrical rotary gear pins are fixed on both sides of the strut end, and are rotatably installed on the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body through the rotary gear pins.

[0016] A locking device is installed inside the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body; the locking device is located on the outside of the end of the strut and is used to lock the relative position of the retractable airfoil strut mechanism and the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body.

[0017] A rope storage device is provided on each side of the end of the telescopic support arm 2;

[0018] A drive motor is installed inside the flexible lightweight wing aircraft to drive the telescopic support arm to rotate around a horizontal axis; the drive motor is connected to the rotating gear pin and is used to drive the telescopic airfoil strut mechanism to switch between a horizontal state and a vertical state.

[0019] Furthermore, a storage device reinforcing frame is fixedly installed on both sides of the outer end of the telescopic support arm II; the storage device reinforcing frame is used to strengthen the strength of the pull rope storage device;

[0020] The telescopic support arm has storage openings on both sides of the other end; the storage openings are used to accommodate the storage device reinforcing frame when the telescopic airfoil strut mechanism is in the retracted state.

[0021] The pull rope receiver includes a wing-center pull rope receiver, a wingtip pull rope receiver, a transition pulley, and a pull rope winding machine; the wing-center pull rope receiver and the wingtip pull rope receiver are respectively fixedly installed on the inner wall of the receiver's reinforcing frame; a freely rotatable transition pulley is installed on both the wing-center pull rope receiver and the wingtip pull rope receiver; the transition pulley is used to guide the pull rope; the pull rope winding machine is used to pull the pull rope to apply preload.

[0022] Furthermore, the pull rope connected to the wingtip pulley passes over the transition pulley installed in the wingtip pull rope receiver and is then connected to the pull rope winding machine, while the pull rope connected to the middle pulley passes over the transition pulley installed in the middle pull rope receiver and is then connected to the pull rope winding machine.

[0023] Furthermore, the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body has a strut mechanism storage cavity on both the top and bottom surfaces to accommodate the retractable airfoil strut mechanism; one retractable airfoil strut mechanism is installed in each strut mechanism storage cavity.

[0024] Furthermore, the side wall of the support mechanism receiving cavity is provided with a servo motor interface corresponding to each of the rotating gear pins; the servo motor interface is used to install the corresponding rotating gear pins;

[0025] The locking device is installed on the side wall of the support mechanism receiving cavity.

[0026] Furthermore, the first telescopic support arm, the second telescopic support arm, the rotating gear pin, and the end of the strut are all machined from titanium alloy.

[0027] Furthermore, the telescopic support arm is rotatably mounted on the end of the strut about a vertical axis;

[0028] A rotary motor is installed inside the first telescopic support arm; the rotary motor is used to drive the first telescopic support arm to rotate within 10° relative to the end of the strut, thereby assisting in controlling the rotation of the yaw direction of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft through the first telescopic support arm and the second telescopic support arm.

[0029] Furthermore, the flexible lightweight wing adopts an aerodynamically optimized NACA airfoil, with a high-strength aramid fiber fabric layer covered by an airtight membrane and an internal reinforcing structure.

[0030] Furthermore, of the two loops distributed along the chord length direction of the flexible lightweight wing, one loop is located at the leading edge of the flexible lightweight wing, and the other loop is located at the trailing edge of the flexible lightweight wing.

[0031] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0032] 1. In the lightweight wing stiffness strengthening device of the present invention, the pull ropes connecting the pull loops at the mid-wing and wingtip of the upper and lower surfaces of the single-sided flexible lightweight wing to the retractable airfoil strut mechanism are Y-shaped. Compared with the traditional method of tying a strut to a single pull loop and a single pull rope, the Y-shaped pull rope structure significantly reduces the windward area of ​​the pull rope when the flexible lightweight wing aircraft is in flight, especially in the case of sideslip angle. The Y-shaped pull rope reduces the aerodynamic projection area of ​​the pull rope and thus reduces aerodynamic drag. Its drag reduction effect is similar to reducing the number of pull ropes.

[0033] 2. In the lightweight wing stiffness enhancement device of the present invention, the retractable airfoil strut mechanism adopts a telescopic structure. The retractable airfoil strut mechanism is rotated and retracted via a rotating gear pin, a servo interface on the side wall of the strut mechanism's housing cavity, and an internal drive motor. The multi-stage telescopic support arm increases the height of the retractable airfoil strut mechanism after it is erected. By increasing the angle (acute angle) between the tensioned cable and the horizontal of the flexible lightweight wing, the wing stiffness is significantly improved, reducing the risk of instability. The telescopic support arms of the retractable airfoil strut mechanism all adopt an airfoil-like structure design, which significantly reduces the aerodynamic drag of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft compared to traditional cylindrical or square strut mechanisms.

[0034] 3. In the lightweight wing stiffness strengthening device of the present invention, the telescopic support arm one of the telescopic airfoil strut mechanism and the strut end adopt a semi-fixed connection method that allows for small-angle relative rotation. The rotary motor drives the telescopic support arm one to rotate within a small angle of 10°. At this time, the telescopic support arm one and the telescopic support arm two with airfoil cross sections are equivalent to rotation control rudders, which can assist in controlling the rotation of the yaw direction of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft and improve the yaw control capability of the aircraft.

[0035] 4. In the lightweight wing stiffness strengthening device of the present invention, the wing tension ropes on both sides of the retractable airfoil strut mechanism enable the tension of the wing tension ropes on the retractable airfoil strut mechanism to form a self-balance, which can reduce the risk of large deformation, bending, or even breakage of the telescopic support arm in the retractable airfoil strut mechanism. After the retractable airfoil strut mechanism has completed deformation and the tension rope is in a taut state, the preload of the tension rope is further controlled by the tension rope winding machine installed in the second telescopic support arm. It is expected that the load-bearing capacity of the flexible lightweight wing can reach 2 to 4 times that of a conventional flexible lightweight wing without tension ropes.

[0036] The aforementioned lightweight wing stiffness enhancement device can be widely applied in the field of aircraft structural design. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional overall structural diagram of the lightweight wing stiffness enhancement device of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the support mechanism housing cavity;

[0039] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a retractable airfoil strut mechanism;

[0040] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the pull cord storage device;

[0041] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure in which the retractable airfoil strut mechanism is housed within the strut mechanism housing cavity;

[0042] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a retractable airfoil strut mechanism that rotates 90° from a horizontal position to a vertical position within the strut mechanism storage cavity.

[0043] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the working state of the lightweight wing stiffness strengthening device of the present invention.

[0044] Figure label:

[0045] 1-Flexible lightweight wing aircraft fuselage; 2-Retractable airfoil strut mechanism; 3-Flexible lightweight wing; 4-Strut mechanism storage cavity; 21-Retractable support arm one; 22-Retractable support arm two; 23-Storage port; 24-Rotating gear pin; 25-Strut end; 41-Front wall of storage cavity; 42-Servo interface; 43-Locking device; 44-Leading edge of storage cavity; 81-Wing mid-section pull rope retractor; 82-Wingtip pull rope retractor; 83-Transition pulley; 84-Retractor reinforcing frame; 101-Pull rope; 102-Pull loop; 201-Pull rope retractor. Detailed Implementation

[0046] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0047] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances. Furthermore, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0048] like Figure 1 and Figure 6 As shown in the diagram, this embodiment of the invention provides a lightweight wing stiffness enhancement device for reducing aerodynamic losses. The device includes a flexible lightweight wing aircraft fuselage 1, a retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2, a flexible lightweight wing 3, a tension rope 101, and a tension loop 102; wherein:

[0049] The flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1 has flexible lightweight wings 3 symmetrically arranged on both sides; a retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 is provided at the top and bottom of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1; a rope storage device 201 is provided at the end of the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2; such as Figure 1 As shown, a flexible lightweight wing 3 is located on the left side of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1, and another flexible lightweight wing 3 is located on the right side of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1, with the left and right flexible lightweight wings 3 arranged symmetrically. The flexible lightweight wings 3 adopt an aerodynamically optimized NACA airfoil, and the material is a high-strength aramid fiber fabric layer covered with an airtight membrane, with an internal reinforcing structure. A retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 is located on the top of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1, and a retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 is located on the bottom of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1; a rope storage device 201 is provided at the end of each retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 away from the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1.

[0050] Two pull loops 102 are fixedly connected to the wingtips and midsections of the upper and lower skin surfaces of each flexible lightweight wing 3, such as... Figure 1As shown, two loops 102 are fixedly connected to the wingtip of the upper surface skin of each flexible lightweight wing 3, two loops 102 are fixedly connected to the wing of the upper surface skin of each flexible lightweight wing 3, two loops 102 are fixedly connected to the wingtip of the lower surface skin of each flexible lightweight wing 3, two loops 102 are fixedly connected to the wing of the lower surface skin of each flexible lightweight wing 3, and eight loops 1 are fixedly connected to each flexible lightweight wing 3. 02. There are a total of 16 pull loops 102 on the flexible lightweight wing aircraft. Whether it is the upper surface of the flexible lightweight wing 3 or the upper surface of the flexible lightweight wing 3, the two pull loops 102 located in the middle and the wingtip are distributed along the chord length direction of the flexible lightweight wing 3. Among the two pull loops 102 distributed along the chord length direction of the flexible lightweight wing 3, one pull loop 102 is located at the leading edge of the flexible lightweight wing 3, and the other pull loop 102 is located at the trailing edge of the flexible lightweight wing 3.

[0051] Each wingtip loop 102 on each side is attached to a first Kevlar rope. The two first Kevlar ropes attached to the upper wingtip converge into a single rope 101 and are connected to a rope retractor 201 on the top of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1. The two first Kevlar ropes attached to the lower wingtip converge into a single rope 101 and are connected to a rope retractor 201 at the bottom of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1. Similarly, each loop 102 in each wing is secured with a second Kevlar rope. The two second Kevlar ropes secured in the middle of the upper wing converge into a single rope 101, which is then connected to a rope retractor 201 at the top of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1. The two second Kevlar ropes secured in the middle of the lower wing converge into a single rope 101, which is then connected to a rope retractor 201 at the bottom of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1. The rope retractor 201 tensions the ropes 101 connecting the loops 102. The rope retractor 201 is used to pull each rope 101 to apply preload, thereby keeping the ropes 101 taut.

[0052] When the two pull loops 102 at the wingtip and mid-wing surface of the upper surface of the single-sided flexible lightweight wing 3 are tightened, the pull rope 101 between them and the pull rope retractor 201 forms a Y-shaped pull rope structure. Similarly, when the two pull loops 102 at the wingtip and mid-wing surface of the lower surface of the single-sided flexible lightweight wing 3 are tightened, the pull rope 101 between them also forms a Y-shaped pull rope structure. In other words, when the two pull loops 102 at the wingtip and mid-wing surface of the left side of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft fuselage 3 are tightened, the pull rope 101 between them and the pull rope retractor 201 at the top of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft fuselage 1 forms a Y-shaped pull rope structure, and the pull rope 101 between the two pull loops 102 at the wingtip and mid-wing surface of the left side of the flexible lightweight wing 3 is tightened, the pull rope 101 between them also forms a Y-shaped pull rope structure. The Y-shaped cable structure, when tightened, also forms a Y-shaped cable structure between the two loops 102 on the lower surface of the flexible lightweight wing 3 and the cable retractor 201 on the top of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1. Similarly, when tightened, the two loops 102 on the upper surface of the flexible lightweight wing 3 and the cable retractor 201 on the top of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1 also form a Y-shaped cable structure. Likewise, the cable 101 on the right side of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1 and the cable 101 on the left side form the same shape and can be symmetrical structures after tightening. The Y-shaped cable structure can ensure the torsional stiffness of the flexible lightweight wing 3 while significantly reducing the windward area of ​​the cable 101 during the flight of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft.

[0053] like Figure 3 As shown, the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 includes a first telescopic support arm 21, a second telescopic support arm 22, a rotating gear pin 24, and a strut end 25. The first telescopic support arm 21, the second telescopic support arm 22, the rotating gear pin 24, and the strut end 25 are machined from titanium alloy. Both the first telescopic support arm 21 and the second telescopic support arm 22 are hollow support rod mechanisms with an airfoil-like cross-section. The second telescopic support arm 22 can be housed inside the first telescopic support arm 21. The second telescopic support arm 22 achieves relative sliding along its length with the first telescopic support arm 21 through a built-in sliding control mechanism, thus realizing the telescopic deformation of the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2. A strut end 25 is mounted on one end of the telescopic support arm 21 facing the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1. The telescopic support arm 21 is rotatably mounted on the strut end 25 around a vertical axis. A rotary motor is installed inside the telescopic support arm 21. The rotary motor drives the telescopic support arm 21 to rotate within 10° relative to the strut end 25, thereby assisting in controlling the yaw direction rotation of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft through the telescopic support arm 21 and the telescopic support arm 22. In this embodiment, the telescopic airfoil strut mechanism 2 is described using a two-stage telescopic structure as an example. In practice, a three-stage or more telescopic structure can also be used.

[0054] Cylindrical rotating gear pins 24 are fixed to both sides of the strut end 25, and are rotatably mounted to the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1 via the rotating gear pins 24. A locking device 43 is installed inside the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1; such as Figure 2 As shown, the locking device 43 is located on the outside of the strut end 25 and is used to lock the relative position of the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 and the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1. A rope storage device 201 is provided on each side of the end of the telescopic support arm 22, as shown. Figure 4 As shown. A drive motor is installed inside the flexible lightweight wing aircraft fuselage 1 to drive the telescopic support arm 21 to rotate around a horizontal axis; the drive motor is connected to a rotating gear pin 24 for transmission, used to drive the telescopic airfoil strut mechanism 2 to switch between horizontal and vertical states; as shown. Figure 5 In the middle, the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 is in a horizontal state, such as... Figure 6 In the middle, the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 is in a vertical position.

[0055] like Figure 4 As shown, a storage device reinforcing frame 84 is fixedly installed on both sides of the outer end of the telescopic support arm 22; the storage device reinforcing frame 84 is used to strengthen the strength of the pull rope storage device 201. Figure 3 As shown, storage openings 23 are provided on both sides of the other end of the telescopic support arm 21; the storage openings 23 are used to accommodate the storage device reinforcing frame 84 when the telescopic airfoil strut mechanism 2 is in the retracted state.

[0056] like Figure 4 As shown, the pull rope retractor 201 includes a wing-center pull rope retractor 81, a wingtip pull rope retractor 82, a transition pulley 83, and a pull rope winding machine. The wing-center pull rope retractor 81 and the wingtip pull rope retractor 82 are respectively fixedly installed on the inner wall of the retractor reinforcing frame 84. Both the wing-center pull rope retractor 81 and the wingtip pull rope retractor 82 can be round rods and are arranged in parallel. Compared with the wingtip pull rope retractor 82, the wing-center pull rope retractor 81 is closer to the telescopic support arm 21. Both the wing-center pulley 81 and the wingtip pulley 82 are equipped with a freely rotatable transition pulley 83. The corresponding pull ropes 101 bypass the transition pulleys 83. For example, the pull rope 101 connected to the wingtip pulley 102 bypasses the transition pulley 83 on the wingtip pulley 82, and the pull rope 101 connected to the wing-center pulley 102 bypasses the transition pulley 83 on the wing-center pulley 81. The transition pulley 83 guides the pull rope 101. The pull rope 101 connected to the wingtip pulley 102 bypasses the transition pulley 83 on the wingtip pulley 82 and then connects to the pull rope winding machine. The pull rope 101 connected to the wing-center pulley 102 bypasses the transition pulley 83 on the wing-center pulley 81 and then connects to the pull rope winding machine. The pull rope winding machine is used to pull the pull rope 101 to apply preload.

[0057] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1 has a strut mechanism housing cavities 4 on both the top and bottom surfaces to accommodate the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2; one retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 is installed in each strut mechanism housing cavity 4. The side walls of the strut mechanism housing cavities 4 are provided with servo interfaces 42 corresponding to the rotating gear pins 24; the servo interfaces 42 are used to install the corresponding rotating gear pins 24; a locking device 43 is installed on the side walls of the strut mechanism housing cavities 4.

[0058] The aforementioned sliding control mechanism, drive motor, rotary motor, rope winding machine, and locker 43 can all be connected to the main controller of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft, and the main controller can control the sliding control mechanism, drive motor, rotary motor, rope winding machine, and locker 43.

[0059] The aforementioned lightweight wing stiffness enhancement device includes a retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2, a flexible lightweight wing 3, a pull rope 101, and a pull loop 102. The retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 is mainly used to pull the pull rope 101 to improve the structural stiffness and load-bearing capacity of the flexible lightweight wing 3. It has a rotating storage design with the flexible lightweight wing aircraft. The retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 has a multi-stage retractable design, and each retractable support arm has an airfoil-like cross-section design, which can effectively reduce aerodynamic drag. The airfoil retractable support arm and the strut end 25 can rotate relative to each other at a small angle within 10°, which can help control the rotation of the yaw direction of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft and improve the maneuverability. The strut mechanism storage cavity 4 is used to store the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 in the folded state. The retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 can keep the pull rope 101 taut by erecting and extending, thereby improving the rigidity of the wing. The pull rope 101 is further pre-tightened by the pull rope winding machine, so that the load-bearing capacity of the flexible lightweight wing 3 is 2-4 times that of a regular flexible lightweight wing 3 without pull rope 101. The unique Y-shaped pull rope 101 design significantly reduces the windward projection area of ​​the pull rope 101 when the flexible lightweight wing aircraft is in flight, while ensuring the torsional rigidity of the flexible lightweight wing 3, thus significantly reducing the aerodynamic drag caused by the pull rope 101.

[0060] Example 1

[0061] like Figure 1-6As shown, a lightweight wing stiffness enhancement device for reducing aerodynamic losses includes a flexible lightweight wing aircraft fuselage 1, a retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2, a flexible lightweight wing 3, pull tabs 102, and pull ropes 101. The flexible lightweight wing 3 has a body cross-sectional shape obtained through aerodynamic optimization of the NACA airfoil, and is made of a high-strength aramid fiber fabric layer covered with an airtight membrane. The internal design incorporates multiple air beams or a dot-matrix reinforcement structure. Pull tabs 102 are bonded to the upper and lower surfaces of the flexible lightweight wing 3 near the wingtip and mid-wing. There are two pull tabs 102 on each of the upper and lower surfaces along the chord direction of the flexible lightweight wing 3, one near the leading edge and the other near the trailing edge. There are four pull tabs 102 on each of the upper and lower surfaces of a single flexible lightweight wing 3, for a total of eight pull tabs 102 bonded to a single wing surface.

[0062] Two loops 102 located at the wingtip on the upper surface of the flexible lightweight wing 3 each have a Kevlar rope 101 attached to them, which then converge into a single rope 101. The other end of this rope 101 is connected to the wingtip rope holder 82 on the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2. Similarly, two loops 102 located in the middle of the wing on the upper surface of the flexible lightweight wing 3 each have a Kevlar rope 101 attached to them, which then converge into a single rope 101. The other end of this rope 101 is connected to the middle wing rope holder 81 on the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2. Thus, when the ropes 101 between the two loops 102 at the mid-wing and wingtip on the upper surface of the single-sided flexible lightweight wing 3 and the rope retractor 201 are tightened, they all form a Y-shape. Similarly, when the ropes 101 between the two loops 102 at the mid-wing and wingtip on the lower surface of the single-sided flexible lightweight wing 3 and the rope retractor 201 are tightened, they also form a Y-shape. Compared to the traditional method of attaching a single rope 101 to a strut using a single loop 102, the Y-shaped rope 101 significantly reduces the frontal area of ​​the ropes 101 during flight while ensuring the torsional stiffness of the flexible lightweight wing 3. Especially in the case of sideslip angle, the Y-shaped ropes 101 reduce the aerodynamic projection area of ​​the ropes 101, thereby reducing aerodynamic drag. The drag reduction effect is approximately equivalent to reducing the number of ropes 101.

[0063] The retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 includes a first retractable support arm 21, a second retractable support arm 22, a rotating gear pin 24, and a strut end 25. The entire structure is machined from titanium alloy. Both the first and second retractable support arms 21 and 22 are hollow strut mechanisms with an airfoil-like cross-section. The front end of the first retractable support arm 21 is connected to the strut end 25. Cylindrical rotating gear pins 24 are fixed to both sides of the strut end 25. A locking device 43 is installed on the outside of the strut end 25 to lock the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 in relative position with the strut mechanism housing 4. The connection between the first retractable support arm 21 and the strut end 25 is a semi-fixed connection that allows for small-angle relative rotation. Rotation is achieved through a sliding bearing installed between them. The relative rotation between the first retractable support arm 21 and the strut end 25 is mainly achieved by a small rotary motor installed inside the first retractable support arm 21. The control of the small rotary motor is integrated into the main controller of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft. The small rotary motor drives the telescopic support arm 21 to rotate at a small angle within 10°. At this time, the telescopic support arm 21 and the telescopic support arm 22 with airfoil cross sections are equivalent to rotation control rudders, which can assist in controlling the rotation of the yaw direction of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft.

[0064] The telescopic support arms of the telescopic airfoil strut mechanism 2 are all designed with an airfoil-like structure, which significantly reduces the aerodynamic drag of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft compared to traditional cylindrical or square strut mechanisms.

[0065] The second telescopic support arm 22 can be retracted into the interior of the first telescopic support arm 21. Its cross-sectional shape is also airfoil-like. The second telescopic support arm 22 achieves relative sliding with the first telescopic support arm 21 along its length through a built-in sliding control mechanism, realizing the telescopic deformation of the telescopic airfoil strut mechanism 2. Each end of the second telescopic support arm 22 has a pull rope receiver 201 in the middle. Its function is to connect the pull rope 101 to the pull rope winding machine installed inside the second telescopic support arm 22. When the pull rope winding machine is working, it protects the pull rope 101 from breakage when applying pre-tension to it. The pull rope receiver 201 includes a mid-wing pull rope receiver 81, a wingtip pull rope receiver 82, a transition pulley 83, a receiver reinforcing frame 84, and a pull rope winding machine, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the wing-center pull rope retractor 81 and the wingtip pull rope retractor 82 are each fixed to the inner wall of the retractor reinforcement frame 84, and each is equipped with a freely rotating transition pulley 83. The pull ropes 101 of the wing-center pull loop 102 and the wingtip pull loop 102 are wound and tied around the transition pulleys 83 respectively. Since the flexible lightweight wing 3 is subjected to large overload aerodynamic loads, the pull ropes 101 will bear huge tension. The retractor reinforcement frame 84 is used to strengthen the strength of the pull rope retractor 201. The storage opening 23 is located at the end of the telescopic support arm 21. It is a notch that matches the shape of the retractor reinforcement frame 84 and is used to accommodate the pull rope retractor 201 when the telescopic airfoil strut mechanism 2 is in the retracted state.

[0066] The strut mechanism housing 4 is located on the upper and lower surfaces of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft, and includes a front wall 41, a servo interface 42, a locker 43, and a leading edge 44 of the housing. The servo interface 42 is used to connect to the rotating gear pins 24 on both sides of the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2, and the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 can rotate around the servo interface 42 by a drive motor installed in the flexible lightweight wing aircraft through gear meshing with the rotating gear pins 24.

[0067] The working principle of the aforementioned lightweight airfoil stiffness strengthening device is as follows: In the initial state, the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 lies horizontally within the strut mechanism storage cavity 4, such as... Figure 5 As shown; when the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 is working, the drive motor rotates the gear pin 24 through gear meshing, driving the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 to stand upright until it is perpendicular to the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body 1, as shown. Figure 6 As shown, once the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 is erected, the locking device 43 immediately interlocks with the corresponding locking device on the strut end 25, completely fixing the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2. The built-in sliding control mechanism drives the second telescopic support arm 22 to slide out from the first telescopic support arm 21 and lock, completing the telescopic deformation of the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2, as shown. Figure 7 As shown, after the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 has deformed, each pull rope 101 is in a taut state. The pull rope winding machine installed inside the retractable support arm 22 further pulls each pull rope 101, which can further increase the overall structural stiffness of the flexible lightweight wing 3 under positive and negative angles of attack, enhancing its load-bearing capacity. It is expected that the load-bearing capacity of the flexible lightweight wing 3 can reach 2-4 times that of a flexible lightweight wing 3 without pull ropes 101. By adjusting the pull ropes 101 on both sides of the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2, the tension of the pull ropes 101 on the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2 can achieve self-balance, reducing the risk of large deformation, bending, or even breakage of the retractable airfoil strut mechanism 2's retractable support arm 22.

[0068] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to the embodiments of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, if these modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention and their equivalents, the present invention also intends to include these modifications and variations.

[0069] In summary, the above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A lightweight wing stiffness enhancement device for reducing aerodynamic losses, characterized in that, Includes a flexible lightweight wing aircraft airframe, a retractable airfoil strut mechanism, flexible lightweight wings, tension ropes, and tension loops; The flexible lightweight wing aircraft body is symmetrically provided with flexible lightweight wings on both sides; a retractable airfoil strut mechanism is provided at the top and bottom of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body; and a rope storage device is provided at the end of the retractable airfoil strut mechanism. Two pull loops are fixedly connected to the wingtips and wing center of the upper and lower surface skins of each flexible lightweight wing; the two pull loops are distributed along the chord length direction of the flexible lightweight wing, one located at the leading edge and the other at the trailing edge; Each of the pull loops on each wingtip is attached to a first Kevlar cord. The two first Kevlar cords on the upper surface are joined together to form a single cord and then connected to a cord storage device on the top of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft. The two first Kevlar cords on the lower surface are joined together to form a single cord and then connected to a cord storage device at the bottom of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft. Each of the pull loops in each wing is attached to a second Kevlar cable. The two second Kevlar cables on the upper surface converge into one cable and are connected to a cable retractor on the top of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft. The two second Kevlar cables on the lower surface converge into one cable and are connected to a cable retractor at the bottom of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft. The cable retractor is used to pull each cable to apply preload. The two pull loops at the mid-wing and wingtip on the upper surface of the single-sided flexible lightweight wing, when tightened, form a Y-shaped pull rope structure with the pull rope retractor. The two pull loops at the mid-wing and wingtip on the lower surface of the single-sided flexible lightweight wing, when tightened, also form a Y-shaped pull rope structure. The Y-shaped pull rope structure can ensure the torsional stiffness of the flexible lightweight wing while significantly reducing the windward area of ​​the pull ropes during the flight of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft. The retractable airfoil strut mechanism includes a first telescopic support arm, a second telescopic support arm, a rotary gear pin, and strut ends. Both the first telescopic support arm and the second telescopic support arm are hollow support rod mechanisms with an airfoil-like cross-section.

2. The lightweight wing stiffness strengthening device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The second telescopic support arm can be retracted into the first telescopic support arm. The second telescopic support arm slides relative to the first telescopic support arm along the length direction through a built-in sliding control mechanism, thereby realizing the telescopic deformation of the telescopic airfoil strut mechanism. The telescopic support arm has a strut end installed at one end facing the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body; cylindrical rotary gear pins are fixed on both sides of the strut end, and are rotatably installed on the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body through the rotary gear pins. A locking device is installed inside the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body; the locking device is located on the outside of the end of the strut and is used to lock the relative position of the retractable airfoil strut mechanism and the flexible lightweight wing aircraft body. A pull rope storage device is provided on each side of the end of the telescopic support arm 2; A drive motor is installed inside the flexible lightweight wing aircraft to drive the telescopic support arm to rotate around a horizontal axis; the drive motor is connected to the rotating gear pin and is used to drive the telescopic airfoil strut mechanism to switch between a horizontal state and a vertical state.

3. The lightweight wing stiffness strengthening device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, A storage device reinforcing frame is fixedly installed on both sides of the outer end of the telescopic support arm 2; the storage device reinforcing frame is used to strengthen the strength of the pull rope storage device; The telescopic support arm has storage openings on both sides of the other end; the storage openings are used to accommodate the storage device reinforcing frame when the telescopic airfoil strut mechanism is in the retracted state. The pull rope receiver includes a wing-center pull rope receiver, a wingtip pull rope receiver, a transition pulley, and a pull rope winding machine; the wing-center pull rope receiver and the wingtip pull rope receiver are respectively fixedly installed on the inner wall of the receiver's reinforcing frame; a freely rotatable transition pulley is installed on both the wing-center pull rope receiver and the wingtip pull rope receiver; the transition pulley is used to guide the pull rope; the pull rope winding machine is used to pull the pull rope to apply preload.

4. The lightweight wing stiffness strengthening device as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The pull rope connected to the wingtip pulley passes over the transition pulley installed in the wingtip pull rope receiver and is then connected to the pull rope winding machine. The pull rope connected to the pull loop in the middle of the wing passes over the transition pulley installed in the middle pull rope receiver and is then connected to the pull rope winding machine.

5. The lightweight wing stiffness strengthening device as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The flexible lightweight wing aircraft body has a strut mechanism storage cavity on both the top and bottom surfaces to accommodate the retractable airfoil strut mechanism; one retractable airfoil strut mechanism is installed in each strut mechanism storage cavity.

6. The lightweight wing stiffness strengthening device as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The side wall of the support mechanism housing cavity is provided with a servo motor interface corresponding to each of the rotating gear pins; the servo motor interface is used to install the corresponding rotating gear pin. The locking device is installed on the side wall of the support mechanism receiving cavity.

7. The lightweight wing stiffness strengthening device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The first telescopic support arm, the second telescopic support arm, the rotary gear pin, and the end of the support rod are all machined from titanium alloy.

8. The lightweight wing stiffness strengthening device according to any one of claims 2-7, characterized in that, The telescopic support arm is rotatably mounted on the end of the strut about a vertical axis; A rotary motor is installed inside the first telescopic support arm; the rotary motor is used to drive the first telescopic support arm to rotate within 10° relative to the end of the strut, thereby assisting in controlling the rotation of the yaw direction of the flexible lightweight wing aircraft through the first telescopic support arm and the second telescopic support arm.

9. The lightweight wing stiffness strengthening device according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The flexible lightweight wing adopts an aerodynamically optimized NACA airfoil, and is made of a high-strength aramid fiber fabric layer covered with an airtight membrane, with an internal reinforcing structure.

10. The lightweight wing stiffness strengthening device according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, Of the two pull loops distributed along the chord length of the flexible lightweight wing, one pull loop is located at the leading edge of the flexible lightweight wing, and the other pull loop is located at the trailing edge of the flexible lightweight wing.