Active Strut Length Adjustment for Aircraft Wing Deflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft with longer, more efficient wings face bending stresses that cause deflection and twisting, leading to undesired drag and lift, while shorter, stiffer wings are heavier and less efficient, and fuel weight changes during flight further complicate wing deformation under aerodynamic loads.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of active struts between the fuselage and wings, adjustable by actuators to change tension and effective length, allowing for real-time modulation of wing angle and position to control deflection and twisting, thereby optimizing wing geometry and aerodynamic performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If longer wings are used to improve flight efficiency, then flight efficiency is improved, but bending stresses cause deflection and twisting leading to undesired drag and lift
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the strut length adjustable during flight. The actuator system dynamically changes the strut length to compensate for wing deflection caused by aerodynamic loads, allowing the wing to maintain its optimal aerodynamic shape despite being long and flexible. This resolves the contradiction by enabling long wings to remain efficient without excessive deflection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of strut length dynamically during flight. By adjusting the strut length in response to measured wing deflection, the system modifies the mechanical support characteristics to counteract aerodynamic forces. This parameter change allows the wing to maintain its intended geometry and reduce harmful deflection while preserving the benefits of long wings.
2Stability of the object's composition
If shorter, stiffer wings are used to reduce deflection and twisting, then wing stability is improved, but the wings become heavier
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using static, heavy stiffening structures, the patent employs dynamic adjustment of strut length to provide stability. The active control system compensates for flexing in real-time, allowing the use of lighter wing structures that would otherwise be too flexible. This dynamic approach achieves wing stability without the penalty of increased weight.
3Strength
If fixed struts are used to support the wings, then structural support is provided, but the wings are still subject to deflection and twisting under aerodynamic loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static strut system into a dynamic one by incorporating actuators that actively adjust strut length. This dynamic capability allows the struts to adapt to changing aerodynamic conditions and compensate for wing deflection, providing structural support while minimizing harmful deflection and twisting that fixed struts cannot prevent.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control by measuring actual wing deflection and using this information to adjust strut length accordingly. The system continuously monitors wing position and modifies strut support to counteract deflection, creating a closed-loop control system that actively prevents harmful wing deformation rather than passively resisting it.
4Stability of the object's composition
If wings store fuel to provide weight and stability, then wing stability is improved, but as fuel is consumed the wings become lighter and more easily deflected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses feedback control to adapt to changing wing characteristics during flight. As fuel is consumed and wing weight decreases, the system measures the resulting changes in wing deflection and adjusts strut length accordingly. This feedback mechanism compensates for the changing mass distribution and maintains optimal wing geometry throughout the flight profile.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes strut length parameters in response to fuel consumption and associated weight changes. By adjusting the mechanical support characteristics as the aircraft burns fuel, the system maintains consistent wing stability and aerodynamic performance despite the evolving mass distribution within the wings.
Data Source
AI summary
Active strut apparatus for use with aircraft and related methods are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first strut having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end of the first strut is operatively coupled to a fuselage of an aircraft and the second end of the first strut is operatively coupled to a wing of the aircraft, and a first actuator is operatively coupled to the first strut to change an effective length of the first strut.