Transformable Vehicle Wing and Tail Retraction Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transformable motor transportation vehicles for ground, air, and water surfaces face inefficiencies in transformation processes, resulting in vehicles that are either too long or robust, and do not meet full-fledged air transport capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for transforming a motor transportation vehicle that minimizes wing footprint area by rotating wings around horizontal axes, adjusting body covers, retracting tail supports, and utilizing actuators and software for coordinated movements, allowing for efficient conversion between ground, air, and water modes while maintaining a compact length similar to standard ground vehicles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the vehicle is designed as a full-fledged plane with proper wings and tail surfaces, then air transport capability is improved, but the vehicle length becomes too long for practical ground use
Solution Approach 1:
The tail assembly is divided into separate components (tail surfaces and supports) that can be independently retracted. The supports are segmented into extendable sections that can be stored within the vehicle body, allowing the full tail assembly to be accommodated during ground transport while being available for air transport configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The tail supports are designed to nest within the vehicle body when retracted. The tail surfaces can be folded or nested against the supports, creating a compact configuration that fits within the vehicle's ground transport envelope while maintaining the capability to deploy the full tail assembly for flight.
2Length of moving object
If the vehicle is designed to be compact for ground use, then ease of ground operation is improved, but air transport capability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle incorporates dynamic transformation mechanisms that allow it to change its configuration between compact ground transport mode and full air transport mode. The tail supports can be extended or retracted, and the tail surfaces can be positioned in different configurations, enabling the vehicle to optimize its dimensions for each operational mode while maintaining both capabilities.
3Device complexity
If the transformation mechanism is simplified, then device complexity is reduced, but transformation precision and reliability are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The transformation mechanism incorporates hydraulic or electric actuators that replace complex mechanical linkages and manual adjustment systems. These powered actuation systems provide precise control over the tail support extension and tail surface positioning, ensuring accurate transformation between configurations while reducing the overall mechanical complexity compared to purely mechanical transformation systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for transformation of motor transportation vehicle for ground and air transport, motor transportation vehicle are disclosed. The motor transportation vehicle consists of the body with the cabin, the front and rear axles, an actuation system, wings, covers, and tail including the support and the tail surfaces, and for transformation of the motor transportation vehicle for air transport to the motor transportation vehicle for ground transport the following transformation steps are preformed: minimization of the wings footprint area by turning the wings around their horizontal axes, which axes run through the halves or near the halves of the wing widths; opening two body covers; turning the folded wings into the vertical position; turning the folded wings from the vertical position towards rear position around the horizontal axis perpendicular to the length of the motor transportation vehicle, followed by closing the body covers; tilting the support cover/covers out; retracting the support/supports of the tail surfaces under the opened support covers; closing the support cover/covers.