Aircraft Folding Empennage With Variable Sweep and Translation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft designs lack a flexible folding system that can efficiently adapt to different flight phases and modes, such as take-off, landing, and ground transportation, while maintaining aerodynamic stability and reducing air resistance during adjustments.
Innovation Solution
The aircraft features a folding system with aerofoils connected via node bodies through revolute joints, allowing for independent movement along translation axes, enabling the aerofoils to change sweep angles and positions, thus mimicking the functions of empennage, slats, and wing flaps, and can be locked in place using electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic mechanisms for different operating modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the aircraft uses a fixed wing structure, then the aerodynamic performance is stable, but the adaptability to different flight phases and ground transportation is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a folding system that transforms the fixed wing structure into a dynamic, adjustable configuration. The aerofoils can be folded along rotation axes to change sweep angles and positions, allowing the aircraft to adapt between different flight phases (take-off, landing, cruise) and ground transportation modes while maintaining aerodynamic stability through controlled transformation mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The wing structure is divided into multiple separable aerofoils connected by node bodies with rotation axes. This segmentation allows independent movement and folding of each aerofoil section, enabling the aircraft to achieve compact configurations for ground transport while maintaining full wing span for flight operations
2Adaptability or versatility
If the aircraft uses a folding system with multiple moving parts, then the adaptability and compactness are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple folding functions into a unified system where node bodies serve as both structural connection points and rotation joints. The fuselage-side node bodies and outer node bodies work together as an integrated folding mechanism, reducing the need for separate control systems for each aerofoil while achieving compact storage configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The node bodies are designed to serve multiple functions: they act as structural connectors between aerofoils, provide rotation axes for folding movements, and enable both sweep angle adjustment and position transformation. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of components needed while achieving complex folding capabilities
3Productivity
If the aerofoils are adjusted during flight, then the flight performance is optimized, but the air resistance during adjustment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The folding system is designed to perform adjustments during specific flight phases when aerodynamic loads are lower (such as during take-off or landing transitions). The periodic folding action occurs at optimal moments in the flight cycle, minimizing energy loss from air resistance while still achieving flight performance optimization through sweep angle and position adjustments
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
This system provides novel stability under dynamic stress, reduces vortex shedding, lowers air resistance during adjustments, and allows for compact storage, enhancing the aircraft's compatibility with road or rail traffic and improving flight performance by adapting to various aerodynamic requirements.
Implementation Method 1
The nose-side aerofoils and tail-side aerofoils are each articulated at the first end to an associated fuselage-side node body by means of a revolute joint with a rotation axis, and the nose-side aerofoils and tail-side aerofoils are each articulated at the second end to an outer body by means of a revolute joint with a rotation axis
Implementation Method 2
The fuselage-side node bodies of the nose-side aerofoils, or the fuselage-side node bodies of the tail-side aerofoils, or both the fuselage-side node bodies of the nose-side aerofoils and the tail-side aerofoils can be moved independently of one another along the associated translation axis
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft has an empennage and a folding system. The folding system has aerofoils and node bodies which are connected to one another. The aerofoils have at least two nose-side aerofoils and at least two tail-side aerofoils, of which one of the nose-side aerofoils and one of the tail-side aerofoils are port-side aerofoils and one of the nose-side aerofoils and one of the tail-side aerofoils are starboard-side aerofoils. The node bodies have fuselage-side node bodies and outer node bodies. The nose-side aerofoils and tail-side aerofoils are each articulated at a first end to an associated fuselage-side node body, and the nose-side aerofoils and tail-side aerofoils are each articulated at a second end to an outer node body. The tail-side node bodies are displaceable at least partially along an associated translation axis. The folding system functions as the empennage during flight.