Deployable Wing Assembly for Extending Projectile Range
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional projectiles lack the capability to significantly extend their range after launch, which limits the operational safety and effectiveness of troops deploying them, as they often require launching from close proximity to targets.
Innovation Solution
A deployable wing assembly is integrated into the projectile, comprising a cylindrical threaded rod and a carriage system actuated by a motor, allowing the wings to deploy from a stowed position within the projectile's mid body section to an extended configuration, generating additional aerodynamic lift and enhancing range post-apogee.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a deployable wing assembly is added to extend projectile range, then the projectile's range and performance are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wing assembly is nested within the projectile body during storage and transport. The wings are contained inside the cylindrical mid body section and only deploy when needed, allowing the complex wing mechanism to be integrated without permanently increasing the projectile's external dimensions or complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The wing assembly transitions from a static stowed configuration to a dynamic deployed configuration during flight. The wings can be actuated to extend outward to generate aerodynamic lift for range extension, then retracted when no longer needed, allowing the system to adapt its complexity based on operational requirements.
2Shape
If the wing is stored entirely within the mid body section, then the projectile maintains a streamlined shape for conventional artillery systems, but the wing deployment mechanism becomes more constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The wing deployment mechanism utilizes the radial dimension by extending wings outward from the cylindrical mid body section. This allows the wings to be stored compactly within the cylinder's internal volume and then deployed in a different spatial configuration without compromising the projectile's overall streamlined shape.
Solution Approach 2:
The wing assembly is divided into multiple segments including forward wings and aft wings that can be independently controlled. This segmentation allows for more flexible packaging within the constrained cylindrical space and enables progressive deployment sequences that reduce mechanical constraints on the deployment mechanism.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The deployable wing assembly increases the projectile's range and performance, enabling troops to operate at greater distances from their targets, thereby improving safety and mission effectiveness while maintaining compatibility with conventional artillery systems.
Implementation Method 1
the wing assembly includes a cylindrical threaded rod configured to be rotated via the actuator, rotation of the cylindrical threaded rod in a first direction displaces the carriage linearly along the projectile
Implementation Method 2
the cylindrical threaded rod is a ball screw and the carriage includes a nut fixed to the carriage to prevent the nut from rotating such that, when the ball screw is rotated, the nut is slid along the ball screw to displace the carriage linearly
Implementation Method 3
the wing includes a forward wing and an aft wing pivotally attached to the forward wing via a distal pivot
Implementation Method 4
the forward wing and the aft wing are each a rectilinear member configured to generate aerodynamic lift
Data Source
AI summary
An elongate cylindrical projectile including processing circuitry, a head assembly, a tail section assembly, a mid body section positioned between the head assembly and tail assembly, and a wing assembly, the wing assembly including a deployable wing which is stored in a closed position entirely within the mid body section and is deployed, using an actuator, to outside the mid body section in an open position in response to a command from the processing circuitry.