Folding Wingtip Command Validation for Airport-Compatible Wingspan
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to accommodate aircraft with elongated wingspans in conventional airports with limited gate and taxiway spacing, as increasing the wingspan to enhance fuel efficiency leads to compatibility issues with existing infrastructure.
Innovation Solution
A folding wingtip assembly with a control module that monitors and controls the movement of wingtips, allowing them to fold or extend to adapt to different positions, enabling safe maneuvering and landing at standard airport facilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the wingspan of an aircraft is increased to reduce aerodynamic drag and fuel burn, then fuel efficiency is improved, but the aircraft cannot land and maneuver at conventional airports with limited gate and taxiway spacing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a folding wingtip assembly that can dynamically change its configuration between extended and folded positions. The wingtip includes multiple segments (first wingtip segment, second wingtip segment, third wingtip segment) that can be rotated and folded relative to each other, allowing the aircraft to adapt its wingspan for different operational phases: extended for flight to reduce drag and fuel consumption, folded for ground operations to accommodate conventional airport infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The wingtip is divided into multiple separable segments connected by folding joints. The first wingtip segment, second wingtip segment, and third wingtip segment can be independently positioned and folded. This segmentation allows the wingtip structure to be compacted into a smaller effective span for airport operations while maintaining the full extended span for aerodynamic efficiency during flight.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the wingspan of an aircraft is increased beyond conventional maximum length, then aerodynamic drag is reduced, but the aircraft cannot operate at airports with standard infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The folding wingtip assembly provides dynamic adjustability of the wingspan length. During flight, the wingtip segments are extended to achieve the longer wingspan necessary for reduced aerodynamic drag and improved fuel efficiency. During ground operations at conventional airports, the segments are folded to reduce the effective wingspan to within acceptable limits for gate and taxiway spacing, thus resolving the contradiction between drag reduction and airport compatibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a folding wingtip assembly is implemented to enable airport operations, then airport compatibility is improved, but the system complexity increases due to additional control and validation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The control system incorporates status monitoring of wingtip components and validation mechanisms that provide feedback to ensure proper configuration. The system validates commands based on the current status of wingtip components, ensuring that folding and extension operations are performed safely and correctly, thereby managing the complexity through structured control and validation protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to validate an aircraft control system command are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a monitor and annunciation module to determine a first status of a first component of a folding wingtip assembly coupled to a wing of an aircraft, identify a second component in response to the first status being invalid, the second component having a second status, and replace the first status with the second status when the first status is invalid, a sequence and control module to generate a command to control a movement of the folding wingtip assembly, and a gatekeeper module to validate the command based on either of the first status or the second status, use of the first status or the second status based on whether the first status is invalid, and facilitate the movement of the folding wingtip assembly based on the validated command.