Articulatable Tail Section for Aircraft Flight Mode Transition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft designs face limitations in efficiently transitioning between rotor-borne and wing-borne flight modes, requiring separate control systems and flight surfaces, which complicates construction and control.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft with an articulatable tail section that includes a propulsion system and stabilizers, capable of rotating about two perpendicular axes, allowing for simultaneous pitch and yaw control in both flight modes using a single actuation system, thereby simplifying design and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate control systems and flight surfaces are used for rotor-borne and wing-borne flight modes, then each flight mode can be controlled independently, but the construction complexity and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tail section is designed as a multi-functional component that serves both rotor-borne and wing-borne flight modes. The same tail section with its stabilizers and articulation mechanism provides control functions for both flight regimes, eliminating the need for separate control systems. The propulsion system can operate in both modes while the tail section handles control for either mode depending on the flight condition.
Solution Approach 2:
The tail section is made articulatable, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position and orientation relative to the fuselage. This dynamic articulation enables the tail section to optimize its control effectiveness for different flight modes - rotor-borne versus wing-borne - without requiring separate static control surfaces for each mode.
2Reliability
If separate control systems are used for different flight modes, then each mode has dedicated control authority, but the number of flight surfaces and structural components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tail section assembly serves as a universal control component for both flight modes. The stabilizers and articulation mechanism within the tail section provide control authority for both rotor-borne and wing-borne operations, consolidating what would traditionally require separate control surfaces into a single multi-functional assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the control functions for different flight modes into a single tail section assembly. By combining the stabilizers, articulation mechanism, and propulsion system integration within one tail section, the design reduces the total number of separate flight surfaces and structural components while maintaining control authority for both modes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the tail section is made articulatable with multiple rotational axes, then pitch and yaw control is achieved in both flight modes, but the mechanical complexity of the articulation system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The articulation mechanism is designed to provide universal pitch and yaw control capability for both rotor-borne and wing-borne flight modes. The same two rotational axes and articulation mechanism serve dual purposes: controlling the propulsion system orientation in rotor-borne mode and controlling the stabilizer angle of attack in wing-borne mode, eliminating the need for separate articulation systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The tail section articulation system provides more than just pitch control by incorporating rotation about two perpendicular axes, enabling both pitch and yaw control. This excessive action (adding yaw capability) proves beneficial for maintaining control authority across different flight modes and operational conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft may include a body structure, a tail section articulatably coupled to the body structure and including a tail structure, a propulsion system coupled to the tail structure and configured to produce thrust for the aircraft, and a stabilizer coupled to the tail structure, and an actuation system configured to articulate the tail section relative to the body structure to change a thrust vector of the propulsion system and an angle of attack of the stabilizer during flight. The actuation system may be configured to articulate the tail section about at least two perpendicular rotational axes. The propulsion system may be configured to produce the thrust in a first thrust direction in a first flight mode (e.g., a rotor-borne flight mode) and to produce the thrust in a second thrust direction in a second flight mode (e.g., a wing-borne flight mode).