Folding Wing and Canard Deployment Mechanisms for UAVs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mechanisms for deploying and actuating folding wings, canards, and vertical stabilizers on compressed carriage unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are inefficient, making it difficult to store and transport these vehicles on mother aircraft or submarines, and lack effective control surface actuation mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The deployment mechanisms utilize four-bar over-center mechanisms for canards and vertical stabilizers, and twist link mechanisms for elevator and rudder control, while linear actuators drive wing roots to pivot, enabling efficient folding, locking, and rapid deployment of airfoil-shaped bodies, supporting aerodynamic loads and facilitating compact storage and high-load recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If folding mechanisms are added to enable compressed carriage, then storage efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements folding mechanisms where wings, canards, and vertical stabilizers are folded and nested against the fuselage in a compressed carriage configuration. The four-bar over-center mechanisms enable these surfaces to fold neatly into compact positions, allowing the UAV to be stored in a small volume on mother aircraft or submarines while maintaining the capability to deploy to full size for flight operations.
2Reliability
If four-bar over-center mechanisms are used for deployment, then deployment reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs four-bar over-center mechanisms that utilize dynamic mechanical advantage to achieve reliable deployment. These mechanisms transition from a compressed stowed position to a deployed flight position through controlled motion, using the over-center geometry to lock into stable positions. The dynamic nature of the mechanism allows for controlled deployment while maintaining reliability through the self-locking over-center geometry.
3Manufacturing precision
If twist link mechanisms are used for control surface actuation, then control precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces twist link mechanisms as intermediary components between the control surfaces and the actuation system. These twist links serve as mediators that translate actuation inputs into precise control surface movements. The mechanism provides a mechanical advantage and control precision for elevators and rudders while isolating the complexity of the actuation system from the control surfaces themselves.
4Speed
If linear actuators are used to drive wing roots, then deployment speed is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical deployment systems with linear actuators that directly drive the wing roots. This substitution of the mechanical system with electromechanical actuators enables faster and more controlled deployment of the wings from the compressed carriage position to the deployed flight position, while reducing the overall mechanical complexity compared to traditional linkage-based deployment systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
Deployment and control actuation mechanisms are incorporated in unmanned aerial vehicles having folding wings and/or folding canards and/or a folding vertical stabilizer. The folding canards and folding vertical stabilizer can be deployed using respective four-bar over-center mechanisms. Elevators pivotably mounted to the folding canards and a rudder pivotably mounted to the folding vertical stabilizer can be controlled by means of respective twist link mechanisms. The folding wings have respective wing roots that are driven by respective gas springs to pivot on bearings about a wing root hub having control servo wire paths.