Small folding rudder wing locking method

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of aircraft technology, in particular to a small folding rudder wing locking method, which can be applied to a rocket weapon system or a missile system with a barrel type storage. The purpose of the present application is to provide a small folding rudder wing locking method, so that the rocket will fold the rudder wing into the projectile body before loading into the launch barrel and automatically lock, and after launching, the rudder wing will be driven to open by the motor, and after the rudder wing is opened, it will be automatically locked, thereby improving the loading efficiency of the rocket and reducing the storage difficulty. When testing on the ground, the rudder wing can be retracted and automatically locked, repeated testing is realized, and the testing cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aircraft technology, specifically to a method for locking small folding fins, applicable to tube-launched rocket weapon systems or missile systems, and particularly suitable for locking and unfolding control of folding fins in tube-launched guided rockets and missiles. Background Technology

[0002] Rockets or missiles using a canister-type launch system (hereinafter referred to as "rockets") are limited by the volume of the launch tube and storage space, and their actuating fins are all designed with a folding mechanism, meaning the fins cannot naturally open before launch. Existing technologies mainly achieve fin limiting before launch in two ways: one is to use the physical obstruction of the launch tube wall to restrict fin opening. This method requires high precision in the fit between the launch tube and the rocket, and is prone to limiting failure due to gaps in the fit, while also significantly reducing the rocket's loading efficiency; the other is to lock the fins using a dedicated structure. However, these structures are generally complex, difficult to assemble, and most lack a repeatable locking function. After ground testing, the fins cannot be easily retracted, resulting in high testing costs. Furthermore, some locking structures have a slow response speed in fin opening after launch, severely affecting the timeliness of trajectory correction.

[0003] In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, there is an urgent need for a small folding rudder locking method that is simple in structure, easy to operate, and reliable in locking, so as to solve the technical problems of low loading efficiency, high storage difficulty, and high testing cost of the existing rudder limiting method. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a small folding fin locking method, which realizes automatic locking after the rocket fins are retracted, reliable ejection and deployment after launch, and mechanical self-locking after the fins are deployed. It also meets the requirement of repeated retraction and locking of the fins during ground testing, thereby improving the loading efficiency of rockets, reducing storage and transportation difficulties, enabling repeated testing and use of the fins, reducing testing costs, and the method is highly adaptable and can be widely applied to various tube-launched guided rockets or missiles.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention provides a small folding fin locking method, which is suitable for tube-launched guided rockets or missiles that require folding fins. Through the coordinated operation of mechanical structure and power drive, the entire process of fin retraction locking, launch unlocking and opening, opening self-locking, and ground test repeated locking is controllable.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows: A small folding fin locking method, adapted to the folding fins of tube-launched guided rockets or missiles, includes the core steps of fin retraction locking and launch deployment: the fin is rotated 90° downward around the fin extension axis and retracted into the rocket housing; the fin is deflected about 1.8° around the control axis using the locking fin spring, so that the slot at the end of the fin engages with the locking tongue of the locking fin frame, realizing automatic locking after the fin is retracted; after the rocket is launched, the control axis is rotated by a motor, causing the fin to deflect back to the 0° position around the control axis, overcoming the elastic force of the locking fin spring and pressing down the locking fin spring, releasing the fin retraction lock; the fin then pops out of the housing and opens by relying on the fin extension structure.

[0007] Furthermore, the rudder relies on the wing extension structure to pop out and achieve mechanical self-locking. The self-locking method is as follows: the upper surface of the wing extension pusher in the wing extension structure and the lower surface of the rudder form a downward inclined surface to prevent the wing extension pusher from coming off. Moreover, the extension stroke of the wing extension pusher exceeds the wing extension axis, so the rudder cannot be retracted into the cabin except by manual intervention.

[0008] Furthermore, when manually retracting the self-locked rudder, it is necessary to overcome the elastic force of the wing tension spring in the wing tension structure, retract the wing tension spring back into the control shaft to release the self-locking restriction, and then the rudder can be retracted into the cabin.

[0009] Furthermore, in the ground test scenario of the rocket, the elastic force of the wing tension spring is first overcome to retract the wing tension spring back into the control shaft to release the self-locking restriction of the rudder wing opening. Then, the rudder wing is manually rotated 90° downward around the wing tension axis and retracted into the rocket body. Under the action of the lock wing spring, the rudder wing deflects about 1.8° around the control shaft and engages with the locking tongue of the lock wing frame to complete the automatic locking, so as to realize the repeated test use of the rudder wing.

[0010] Furthermore, once the rudder wings are fully extended, the motor immediately starts and drives the rudder wings to perform trajectory correction operations for the rocket.

[0011] Furthermore, when the rudder is retracted and locked, the force of the lock wing spring prevents the rudder from returning to its original position around the control axis, and the locking tongue of the lock wing mount prevents the rudder from popping out of the cabin. The rudder is reliably locked through double limiting.

[0012] In this invention: 1. Automatic locking of rudder retraction: The rudder is rotated 90° downward around the wing extension axis, so that the rudder is completely retracted into the rocket chamber. Under the elastic force of the lock wing spring, the rudder deflects about 1.8° to one side around the control axis, so that the pre-set slot at the end of the rudder precisely engages with the locking tongue of the lock wing frame. The continuous force of the lock wing spring prevents the rudder from returning to its original position, and the locking tongue of the lock wing frame directly prevents the rudder from popping out of the chamber. The double limit achieves automatic locking after the rudder is retracted, and no additional operation is required throughout the process.

[0013] 2. Launch control wing unlocking and deployment: After the rocket is launched, the motor starts immediately and drives the control shaft to rotate through the transmission mechanism, causing the control wing to deflect back to the 0° position around the control shaft. During this process, the driving force of the motor overcomes the elastic force of the lock wing spring and presses down the lock wing spring, so that the slot at the end of the control wing completely disengages from the locking tongue of the lock wing frame, releasing the control wing retraction lock. After the control wing is unlocked, it quickly pops out of the cabin and opens due to the elastic force of the wing extension structure. After the control wing is fully opened, the motor immediately starts control and begins the trajectory correction operation.

[0014] 3. Mechanical self-locking of the rudder wing: After the rudder wing is extended and fully opened by the wing extension structure, it achieves mechanical self-locking through the structural design of the wing extension structure itself. The upper surface of the wing extension pusher in the wing extension structure and the lower surface of the rudder wing combine to form a downward inclined surface, which can effectively prevent the wing extension pusher from coming off. Moreover, the extension stroke of the wing extension pusher exceeds the wing extension axis, directly restricting the rudder wing from retracting into the cabin, thus achieving reliable self-locking of the rudder wing except for manual intervention.

[0015] 4. Ground Test Repeat Locking: During the ground test of the rocket, if it is necessary to retract the control wing for another test, first overcome the elasticity of the wing tension spring and retract the wing tension spring back into the control shaft to release the self-locking restriction of the wing opening. Then manually rotate the wing downwards by 90° around the wing tension axis and retract it into the rocket chamber. The wing will then deflect about 1.8° around the control shaft under the action of the locking wing spring. The slot and the locking tongue of the locking wing frame will lock together again to complete the automatic locking, and the next test can be carried out directly.

[0016] In this invention, the wing extension structure consists of a wing extension spring, a wing extension pusher, a wing extension shaft, and a control shaft. After the rudder is unlocked, the elastic force of the wing extension spring drives the wing extension pusher to extend outward and directly push the rudder, thereby realizing the rapid deployment and opening of the rudder.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the small folding rudder locking method of the present invention has the following significant advantages: 1. When the rudder retracts, it only needs to be rotated downwards by 90° to achieve automatic locking under the action of the locking wing spring, without the need for additional locking operations, which greatly reduces the labor intensity of the operation and testing personnel; the rudder can be locked independently before the rocket is loaded into the launch tube, without relying on the launch tube wall for limiting, reducing the accuracy requirements of the match between the launch tube and the rocket, while significantly improving the loading efficiency.

[0018] 2. After the rudder wings are deployed, they achieve mechanical self-locking through the combined inclined surface and stroke design of the rudder wing structure. They cannot be retracted except by manual intervention, which effectively ensures the structural stability and operational reliability of the rudder wings during the flight of the rocket and completely avoids ballistic loss of control caused by accidental retraction of the rudder wings.

[0019] 3. During ground testing, the self-locking restriction can be easily released and the rudder can be manually retracted. After retraction, it can be automatically locked immediately. The rudder and locking structure have no one-time damage and can be used for repeated testing without replacing related parts, which greatly reduces testing costs.

[0020] 4. The core components that enable rudder locking, unlocking, and deployment have a simple structure, without complex transmission or control components, making them easy to process, manufacture, and assemble, effectively reducing production costs.

[0021] 5. This method has no special requirements for the missile body structure. The size of the components, the spring force of the locking wing and the tension of the wing spring can be adapted to the cabin structure and wing specifications of different rockets or missiles. It can be widely used for locking the folding wing of various tube-type rockets or missiles, and has great value for promotion and application.

[0022] 6. After the rocket is launched, the motor drives the control fins to quickly return to center and unlock. The control fins instantly pop out and open due to the elastic force of the fin tension springs. After opening, the motor immediately starts to control the trajectory correction, which greatly improves the response speed of the control fin opening and ensures the timeliness and accuracy of the trajectory correction. Attached Figure Description

[0023] This invention comprises five accompanying drawings, all of which are schematic diagrams illustrating the structure and operational state of a small folding wing. Detailed descriptions of each drawing are as follows: Figure 1 This is an assembly diagram of the wing extension structure of the present invention, showing the connection and assembly relationship between the wing extension spring, control shaft, wing extension axis, wing extension spring and rudder, and demonstrating the structural design that the rudder can rotate relative to the control shaft around the wing extension axis. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the self-locking structure of the rudder wing of the present invention, showing the conformal fit between the wing extension pusher and the rudder wing after the rudder wing is fully extended, and the structural feature that the extension stroke of the wing extension pusher exceeds the wing extension axis. Figure 3 This is a front view of the rudder locking structure of the present invention, showing the relative positional relationship between the lock wing spring, the rudder wing, and the lock wing frame after the rudder wing is retracted into the cabin. Figure 4 This is a side view of the rudder locking structure of the present invention, showing the engagement state of the end slot and the locking tongue of the rudder after the rudder is deflected 1.8° around the control axis. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the rudder wing pop-out state of the present invention, showing that after the motor drives the rudder wing to return to the 0° position, the locking wing spring is pressed down, the slot disengages from the locking wing frame latch, and the rudder wing is about to pop out and open. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0025] Example 1: A small folding fin locking method, adapted to the folding fins of tube-launched guided rockets or missiles, includes the core steps of fin retraction locking and launch deployment: The fin 5 is rotated downwards by 90° around the fin extension axis 3 and retracted into the rocket chamber. The locking fin spring 6 is used to deflect the fin 5 around the control axis 2 by about 1.8°, so that the slot at the end of the fin 5 engages with the locking tongue of the locking fin frame 7, realizing automatic locking of the fin 5 after retraction; After the rocket is launched, the control axis is rotated by a motor, which drives the fin 5 to deflect back to the 0° position around the control axis 2, overcoming the elastic force of the locking fin spring 6 and pressing down the locking fin spring 6, releasing the fin 5 retraction lock. The fin 5 then pops out of the chamber and opens by relying on the fin extension structure.

[0026] Furthermore, the rudder 5 achieves mechanical self-locking after being popped out by the wing extension structure. The self-locking method is as follows: the upper surface of the wing extension pusher 4 in the wing extension structure and the lower surface of the rudder 5 combine to form a downward inclined surface to prevent the wing extension pusher 4 from coming off. Moreover, the extension stroke of the wing extension pusher 4 exceeds the wing extension axis 3, so the rudder 5 cannot be retracted into the cabin except by manual intervention.

[0027] Furthermore, when manually retracting the self-locked rudder 5, it is necessary to overcome the elastic force of the wing tension spring 1 in the wing tension structure, retract the wing tension pusher 4 back into the control shaft 2 to release the self-locking restriction, and then the rudder 5 can be retracted into the cabin.

[0028] Furthermore, in the ground test scenario of the rocket, the elastic force of the wing tension spring 1 is first overcome to retract the wing tensioner 4 back into the control shaft 2 to release the self-locking restriction of the rudder 5. Then, the rudder is manually rotated downward 90° around the wing tension axis 3 and retracted into the rocket body. Under the action of the lock wing spring 1, the rudder deflects about 1.8° around the control shaft 2 and engages with the locking tongue of the lock wing frame 7 to complete the automatic locking, so as to realize the repeated test use of the rudder.

[0029] Furthermore, after the rudder 5 is fully deployed, the motor immediately starts and drives the rudder 5 to perform trajectory correction operations for the rocket.

[0030] Furthermore, when the rudder 5 is retracted and locked, the force of the lock wing spring 6 prevents the rudder 5 from returning to its original position around the control axis, and the locking tongue of the lock wing frame prevents the rudder from popping out of the cabin. The rudder is reliably locked through double limiting.

[0031] The small folding rudder locking method of the present invention relies on the coordinated operation of the wing extension structure (wing extension spring 1, control shaft 2, wing extension shaft 3, wing extension pusher 4, wherein the wing extension pusher 4 is a push component installed inside the control shaft 2 and driven by the wing extension spring 1 to perform telescopic movement), rudder 5, locking wing spring 6, and locking wing frame 7. The connection relationship of each component and the entire process are as follows: 1. Wing structure assembly: such as Figure 1 As shown, the wing extension shaft 3 is passed through the corresponding mounting holes of the control shaft 2 and the rudder 5 in sequence, so that the rudder 5 can rotate freely around the wing extension shaft 3 relative to the control shaft 2, thereby realizing the opening and closing action of the rudder 5; the wing extension spring 1 and the wing extension pusher 4 are both installed inside the control shaft 2. The elastic force of the wing extension spring 1 can drive the wing extension pusher 4 to extend outward of the control shaft 2, providing continuous power for the rudder 5 to pop out and open.

[0032] 2. Rudder retraction and locking: such as Figure 3 , 4 As shown, the rudder 5 is manually rotated downwards by 90° around the wing extension axis 3, so that the rudder 5 is completely retracted into the rocket chamber. At this time, the motor is not powered and has no control function. Under the elastic force of the locking wing spring 6, the rudder 5 deflects to one side by about 1.8° around the control axis 2. The pre-set slot at the end of the rudder 5 is precisely engaged with the locking tongue of the locking wing frame 7. The continuous force of the locking wing spring 6 prevents the rudder 5 from returning to the center around the control axis 2. The locking tongue of the locking wing frame 7 directly prevents the rudder 5 from popping out of the chamber. The reliable automatic locking of the rudder 5 after retraction is achieved through double limiting.

[0033] 3. Post-launch control wing unlocking and deployment: After the rocket launch, the onboard power supply immediately powers the motor. The motor drives the control shaft 2 to rotate via the transmission mechanism. The control shaft 2 drives the control wing 5 to deflect around it and precisely return to the 0° position. During this process, the driving force of the motor is greater than the elastic force of the lock wing spring 6, pressing the lock wing spring 6 downwards, causing the slot at the end of the control wing 5 to completely disengage from the locking tongue of the lock wing frame 7, thus completely releasing the retraction lock of the control wing 5; Figure 5 As shown, after the rudder 5 is unlocked, the elastic force of the wing tension spring 1 drives the wing tension pusher 4 to extend rapidly outward to the control shaft 2. The wing tension pusher 4 directly pushes the rudder 5 to rotate around the wing tension shaft 3 outward to the outside of the cabin, realizing the rapid deployment and opening of the rudder 5. After the rudder 5 is fully deployed, the motor immediately enters the working state and drives the rudder 5 to perform trajectory correction of the rocket.

[0034] 4. The rudder wings deploy mechanically and automatically lock: such as... Figure 2As shown, when the rudder 5 is fully extended, the upper surface of the wing extension pusher 4 and the lower surface of the rudder 5 are closely attached, forming a downward inclined surface. This inclined surface can effectively prevent the wing extension pusher 4 from retracting into the control shaft 2, and the extension stroke of the wing extension pusher 4 exceeds the axis of the wing extension shaft 3, further restricting the rudder 5 from rotating into the cabin around the wing extension shaft 3, thereby achieving the mechanical self-locking of the rudder 5. If it is necessary to retract the self-locked rudder 5, the elastic force of the wing extension spring 1 must be overcome manually to press and retract the wing extension pusher 4 into the control shaft 2. Only after releasing the self-locking restriction of the wing extension structure can the rudder 5 be retracted.

[0035] 5. Ground Test Repeat Locking: During the ground testing of the rocket, if a retest is required after the test is completed, first manually overcome the elasticity of the wing tension spring 1 and press the wing tension pusher 4 into the control shaft 2 to release the self-locking restriction of the rudder 5. Then manually rotate the rudder 5 downwards by 90° around the wing tension shaft 3 and retract it into the cabin. The rudder 5 will then deflect about 1.8° around the control shaft 2 under the action of the locking wing spring 6. The slot and the locking tongue of the locking wing frame 7 will then accurately engage again, completing the automatic locking. The rocket can then be directly tested again, realizing the reuse of the rudder.

[0036] In the embodiments of the present invention, the dimensions and fitting clearances of each component can be adaptively adjusted according to the cabin structure and rudder specifications of different rockets or missiles. The elastic force of the lock wing spring 6 and the elastic force of the wing tension spring 1 can also be matched and designed according to actual usage requirements. The above adjustments do not affect the core technical solution of the present invention.

[0037] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for locking a small folding fin, adapted to the folding fins of a tube-launched guided rocket or missile, characterized in that, The core steps, including fin retraction and locking, and launch deployment, are as follows: The fin is rotated 90° downwards around the wing extension axis and retracted into the rocket chamber. The locking wing spring causes the fin to deflect about 1.8° around the control axis, so that the slot at the end of the fin engages with the locking tongue of the locking wing frame, achieving automatic locking after the fin is retracted. After the rocket is launched, the motor drives the control axis to rotate, causing the fin to deflect back to the 0° position around the control axis. This overcomes the elasticity of the locking wing spring, presses down the locking wing spring, releases the fin retraction lock, and the fin is launched outwards from the chamber by the wing extension structure.

2. The method for locking a small folding rudder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rudder relies on the wing extension structure to pop out and achieve mechanical self-locking. The self-locking method is as follows: the upper surface of the wing extension pusher in the wing extension structure and the lower surface of the rudder form a downward inclined surface to prevent the wing extension pusher from coming off. Moreover, the extension stroke of the wing extension pusher exceeds the wing extension axis, so the rudder cannot be retracted into the cabin except by manual intervention.

3. The method for locking a small folding rudder according to claim 2, characterized in that, When manually retracting the self-locked rudder, the elastic force of the wing tension spring in the wing tension structure must be overcome to retract the wing tension spring back into the control shaft to release the self-locking restriction before the rudder can be retracted into the cabin.

4. The method for locking a small folding rudder according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the rocket ground test scenario, the elastic force of the wing tension spring is first overcome to retract the wing tension spring back into the control shaft to release the self-locking restriction of the rudder wing opening. Then, the rudder wing is manually rotated 90° downward around the wing tension axis and retracted into the rocket body. Under the action of the lock wing spring, the rudder wing deflects about 1.8° around the control shaft and engages with the locking tongue of the lock wing frame to complete the automatic locking, so as to realize the repeated test use of the rudder wing.

5. The method for locking a small folding rudder according to claim 1, characterized in that, Once the rudder wings are fully extended, the motor immediately starts and drives the rudder wings to perform trajectory correction operations for the rocket.

6. The method for locking a small folding rudder according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the rudder is retracted and locked, the force of the lock wing spring prevents the rudder from returning to its original position around the control axis, and the locking tongue of the lock wing mount prevents the rudder from popping out of the cabin. The rudder is reliably locked through double limiting.

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