Extendible-Chord Air Vehicle Wings for Tube Launch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air vehicles launched from tubes or other devices are limited by the need for wings to fit within a launcher envelope, restricting their size and configuration, which in turn limits their performance.
Innovation Solution
The design features an extendible-chord air vehicle wing with a leading-edge spar, foldable ribs, and extension linkages that allow the wing to increase its chord by up to three times, enabling deployment from a stowed to a deployed configuration, with a skin covering the ribs to maintain structural integrity and expandability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the wing is designed to fit within the launcher envelope, then the wing can be launched from tubes or containers, but the wing size and configuration are severely limited
Solution Approach 1:
The wing is divided into multiple rib segments that can be hingedly folded relative to each other. The ribs are segmented into forward, intermediate, and aft portions that can independently articulate, allowing the wing to collapse into a compact configuration for launch and expand to full size for flight operations
Solution Approach 2:
The wing employs dynamic extension linkages and hinged joints that allow the wing chord to change from a reduced stowed configuration to an extended flight configuration. The linkages include extension segments that can slide or rotate to adjust the wing chord length, enabling the wing to adapt between two distinct operational states
2Area of moving object
If the wing chord is increased to improve performance, then the wing surface area increases, but the wing cannot fit within the launcher envelope
Solution Approach 1:
The wing ribs and extension linkages are arranged in a nested configuration where smaller components are contained within or alongside larger ones during stowage. The extension linkages can be positioned within the wing structure when retracted, and the rib segments can be folded against each other, creating a compact nested package that fits within the launcher envelope while maintaining the capability to expand to full wing area
Solution Approach 2:
The wing employs a two-state dimensional transformation, collapsing the three-dimensional wing structure into a thinner, more compact form factor for launch. The extension linkages and rib segments are arranged to allow the wing to transition from a thin profile suitable for tube launch to a full three-dimensional configuration for flight, effectively utilizing dimensional change to resolve the space constraint
3Length of moving object
If the wing uses foldable ribs and extension linkages to increase chord, then the wing can expand significantly, but the structural integrity under stress may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The wing structure includes pre-positioned locking mechanisms and structural supports that are activated or engaged when the wing is in its extended flight configuration. The spars and ribs incorporate strengthening features that are positioned to bear loads when the wing is deployed, ensuring that the structure is reinforced at the critical moments of flight operation
Solution Approach 2:
The wing employs composite construction with spars and ribs made from materials that provide both flexibility for folding and strength for flight. The structure may use composite materials that combine rigid components for structural integrity with flexible joints for deployability, creating a hybrid structure that maintains strength despite the moving parts
Data Source
AI summary
An air vehicle wing includes foldable ribs coupled to a leading-edge spar. The ribs each have multiple rib segments which are foldable (hinged) relative to each other. Extension linkages, each with multiple extension linkage segments, pass through openings in the rib segments, and may be coupled to the rib segments with pin couplings, able to change relative angle between the individual rib segments and the extension linkage segments to which they are coupled. A skin may cover the ribs, to provide an outer surface of the wing that may be unfolded as the wing is expanded from a stowed, small-chord condition, to a deployed, large-chord condition.