Telescoping Aircraft Launcher Reduces Launch Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing UAV launchers are large and cumbersome, making them difficult to transport and deploy in tactical environments, prone to reliability issues due to size, and may impose excessive launching loads on UAVs, reducing their endurance.
Innovation Solution
A compact aircraft launcher design featuring a base frame and two sliding frames that telescope to extend the launch stroke without increasing the length of the base frame, utilizing a drive apparatus and timing system to coordinate movement, and an arresting system to manage acceleration forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a long rail is used to reduce launching loads on UAV, then the launching loads are reduced, but the launcher size increases making it difficult to transport and deploy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a telescoping mechanism where the rail is divided into nested segments that can be extended and retracted. During launch, the rail extends to provide a long stroke for reducing launching loads on the UAV. After launch, the rail retracts to a compact size for easy transport and deployment, effectively solving the contradiction between needing a long rail for low launch loads and a short rail for mobility.
2Ease of operation
If the launcher is made compact for easy transport, then transportability is improved, but the launch stroke becomes insufficient leading to high launching loads
Solution Approach 1:
The launcher uses a dynamic telescoping rail system that can change its length based on operational requirements. The rail extends to a long configuration during launch operations to provide sufficient stroke and reduce launching loads. For transport and deployment, the rail retracts to a compact configuration, improving transportability. This dynamic adaptability resolves the contradiction between compact size for transport and long stroke for reducing launch loads.
3Duration of action of moving object
If the rail length is increased to reduce launching loads, then UAV endurance is improved, but the launcher becomes too large for shipboard applications
Solution Approach 1:
The telescoping rail allows the launcher to provide a long effective launch stroke when needed for UAV endurance, while retracting to a compact footprint for storage on ship decks. The nested segments enable the rail to extend beyond the launcher's stored dimensions during operation, resolving the contradiction between needing long rails for UAV performance and maintaining a small footprint for shipboard storage.
4Force
If the launcher is made large to provide sufficient launch stroke, then launching loads are reduced, but redirection and repositioning become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The telescoping rail system allows the launcher to extend to a long configuration during launch operations to reduce launching loads on the UAV, then retract to a compact configuration for easy redirection and repositioning. This dynamic size adjustment enables the launcher to adapt to different operational requirements, resolving the contradiction between providing sufficient launch stroke for low launching loads and maintaining adaptability for rapid redirection.
Data Source
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AI summary
An aircraft launcher includes a base frame, a first sliding frame that slides with respect to the base frame, a second sliding frame that slides with respect to the first sliding frame, an aircraft support located on the second sliding frame, and a drive apparatus adapted to slide at least one of the first sliding frame and the second sliding frame with respect to the base frame.