Missile Steering with Segmented Control Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing missile steering technologies face challenges in achieving precise control and stability during flight, particularly in small aerial missiles with elongate bodies and small nose portions, as they tend to rotate differently within a fluid medium, leading to discrepancies in flight paths.
Innovation Solution
A missile design featuring an elongate body with high inertia and a control portion of low inertia, equipped with fixed ailerons and elevators, along with detecting and steering means that generate error signals to adjust the rotation and induce lateral forces, using a clutch to limit free rotation and correct flight path discrepancies, guided by a laser beam or coherent electromagnetic radiation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the missile uses an elongate body with fixed flight surfaces that cause rotation in one direction and a small nose portion that rotates in the opposite direction, then the missile achieves compact size and maneuverability, but the body portion and control portion rotate at different rates causing flight path discrepancies
Solution Approach 1:
The missile is divided into two independently rotating portions: a body portion with main flight surfaces and a control portion (nose section) with smaller flight surfaces. This segmentation allows each portion to rotate independently at different rates, with the control portion able to correct flight path discrepancies caused by the body portion's rotation, thus maintaining overall flight stability despite the size constraints
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between the body portion and control portion is made dynamic through a clutch mechanism that can engage and disengage. When disengaged, the control portion rotates freely to correct flight path errors; when engaged, it locks to the body portion for stable flight. This dynamic connection allows the system to adapt between correction and stability modes, resolving the contradiction between size-induced rotation differences and flight path consistency
2Measurement precision
If the missile employs detecting means and steering logic to generate error signals and control the rotation, then the missile achieves precise flight path control, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The missile incorporates detecting means (such as sensors or beam-riding detectors) that continuously monitor the missile's position and generate error signals when the flight path deviates from the desired trajectory. These error signals are fed back to the steering logic, which adjusts the clutch engagement and control portion rotation to correct the deviation, creating a closed-loop feedback system that achieves precise flight path control
Solution Approach 2:
The clutch mechanism serves as an intermediary between the detecting/steering system and the physical flight control. Instead of directly controlling the control surfaces, the system uses the clutch to mediate the connection between the body and control portion, allowing indirect control through controlled slippage and engagement. This intermediary approach simplifies the steering system compared to direct control mechanisms while maintaining precision
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 solution enables controlled and stable flight by reducing flight path discrepancies through precise steering and stabilization, allowing the missile to maintain alignment with a chosen flight path, enhancing guidance and accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
the control portion has an aileron which is fixed at a predetermined and constant angle of incidence so that, in flight of the missile, the force of reaction between the aileron and the fluid medium gives to the control portion a tendency to rotate within the fluid medium
Implementation Method 2
the control portion includes an elevator which is fixed at a predetermined and constant angle of incidence to react at all times during the flight of the missile against the fluid medium incident upon it to impose an instantaneous lateral force on the missile
Implementation Method 3
The body of the missile, on the other hand, may contain one or more gyroscopes for maintaining the missile stable
Implementation Method 4
One convenient way of defining the chosen flight path is to provide a beam, such as a laser beam, emanating from a missile guidance station
Data Source
AI summary
A beam-riding missile (10) has a freely rotating control portion (11) forming its nose and carrying a pair of fixed ailerons (13) and a pair of fixed elevators (14). Detecting means (not shown) gather information indicative of the location of the missile in the beam and steering logic circuitry (not shown) provides signals to a clutch (18) which interfers with the free rotation of the nose in such a way that the elevators are effective to maintain the chosen flight path.The clutch can be electromagnetic, piezo-electric or function on the Johnson-Raebeck effect.The combination of fixed control surfaces and steering by a single actuator leads to the possibility of useful reductions in the size, weight and complexity of the missile.