Offset Telescopic Wings for Compact Roadable Aircraft Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft wing designs, such as folding and telescopic wing designs, fail to effectively reduce wing size for storage, leading to adverse wind loading and limited size reduction, making them unsuitable for roadable aircraft that require compactness.
Innovation Solution
The development of an aircraft with offset telescopic wings, featuring a spar assembly that connects wing panels to the fuselage, allowing for significant wing length reduction through telescopic retraction, with collapsible structures and actuation mechanisms for efficient conversion between extended and retracted positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If telescopic structural spars are used to significantly reduce wing length, then wing size reduction is improved, but manufacturing cost and mechanism complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wing is divided into multiple segments (wing root, intermediate sections, and tip sections) that can move independently. The spar assembly is segmented into fixed and movable portions, allowing different sections of the wing to retract at different rates and in different directions, simplifying the overall retraction mechanism while achieving significant length reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The wing retraction mechanism utilizes multiple spatial dimensions by offsetting the first and second wings from each other and allowing them to retract along different paths. The wing panels move not only longitudinally but also vertically and laterally, transforming a one-dimensional retraction problem into a multi-dimensional solution that reduces mechanism complexity.
2Volume of stationary object
If foldable wing designs are used, then storage space is reduced, but wind loading resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The wing design transitions from a static folded structure to a dynamic telescopic structure that can adjust its configuration. When in use, the wings extend to their full aerodynamic shape; when stored, they retract smoothly. This dynamic capability allows the wings to maintain structural integrity and resist wind loading effectively during operation while achieving compact storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The wing panels are designed to nest within each other during retraction, with outer panels sliding into inner panels. This nested configuration reduces the overall volume occupied by the wings during storage while maintaining the ability to extend fully for flight, and the overlapping structure provides aerodynamic fairness that reduces wind loading during transition phases.
3Ease of manufacture
If telescopic wing designs provide limited wing size reduction, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but adaptability for roadable aircraft deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The first and second wings are offset from each other in their retraction paths and configurations, with the ability to retract at different rates and to different extents. This asymmetric design allows the wings to achieve a more compact retracted profile that fits within roadable aircraft constraints, while the independent control of each wing maintains manufacturing simplicity through standardized components.
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft includes a fuselage, a first wing, and a second wing. The first wing and the second wing each have at least two wing panels, where the at least two wing panels of each wing are telescopically related to one another for movement between an extended position and a retracted position. The first wing and the second wing are both connected to the fuselage and are positioned with respect to the fuselage such that the first wing is offset with respect to the second wing.