Wing Deployment Lock Mechanism for Glide Bombs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Small flight vehicles, such as glide bombs and precision guided munitions, require lightweight, inexpensive, and reliable deployable wings for accurate flight control, but existing mechanisms often fail to ensure consistent and controlled deployment due to complexity and vulnerability to extreme forces during launch and flight.
Innovation Solution
A wing deployment and lock mechanism using a lock block with deploy pins and a wedge that moves from an aft to a forward position, pivoting the wings from a stowed to a deployed position and locking them in place using a resilient member, ensuring secure and accurate wing angle control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing wing deployment mechanisms are used, then wings can be deployed, but the mechanisms are complex and vulnerable to extreme forces during launch and flight
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: deploy pins that engage with wing grooves, a wedge for locking, and a resilient member for actuation. Each component has a specific function, allowing the system to be simple yet reliable under extreme forces
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient member automatically actuates the deploy pins to engage the wings during launch vibrations, and the wedge automatically locks the wings in position when deployed, eliminating the need for complex control systems
2Weight of moving object
If lightweight materials are used for the flight vehicle, then efficiency increases, but the wing deployment mechanism must still withstand extreme forces
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanism uses geometric parameters (wedge angle, pin dimensions, groove profiles) optimized to provide maximum strength with minimum material, allowing the lightweight flight vehicle to still withstand extreme forces during deployment
3Ease of manufacture
If the wing deployment mechanism is simplified to reduce cost, then manufacturing cost decreases, but deployment control and accuracy may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The wedge acts as an intermediary between the resilient member and the wings, providing a simple mechanical means to achieve precise locking at the correct wing angle without complex control systems or expensive components
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
The mechanism provides reliable, simultaneous deployment and locking of wings, enhancing flight accuracy and control by minimizing component complexity and material costs, while withstanding extreme forces and ensuring the wings remain securely deployed.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient member at the aft end configured to push the lock block from the aft position to the forward position
Implementation Method 2
a wedge on the lock block configured to be positioned between the inner ends of the two wings when in the deployed position... to contact and lock the inner end of the first wing and the inner end of the second wing in place
Data Source
AI summary
A lock block for use in a flight vehicle to deploy and lock wings in a deployed position with the lock block having a forward end and an aft end and including a support member, a resilient member adjacent the aft end of the lock block, a first deploy pin extending from the resilient member, a second deploy pin extending from the resilient member, and a wedge located on a bottom side of the resilient member. The first deploy pin and the second deploy pin are each configured to engage a groove in a wing of the flight vehicle to push each wing into a deployed position.