Flyer assembly

US6576880B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Richard T. Martorana · Reading, US
• Jamie Anderson · Watertown, US
• Simon Mark Spearing · Newton, US
• Seth Kessler · Cambridge, US
• Brent Appleby · Holliston, US
• Edward Bergmann · Hopkinton, US
• Sean George · San Francisco, US
• Steven Jacobson · Shrewsbury, US
• Donald C. Fyler · Needham, US
• Mark Drela · Cambridge, US
• Gregory A. Kirkos · Seattle, US
• William W. McFarland · Spartanburg, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 17, 2002
• Grant date: Jun 10, 2003
• Expiry date: May 17, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B64U2201/20
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A flyer assembly is adapted for launching with, transit in, and deployment from an artillery shell having a central void region extending along a ballistic shell axis. The flyer assembly includes a jettisonable shroud and a flyer. The shroud extends along a shroud axis, and is positionable within the central void region with the shroud axis substantially parallel to the shell axis. The flyer is adapted to withstand a launch acceleration force along a flyer axis when in a first state, and to effect aerodynamic flight when in a second state. When in the first state, the flyer is positionable within the shroud with the flyer axis parallel to the shroud axis and the shell axis. The flyer includes a body member disposed about the flyer axis, and a foldable wing assembly mounted to the body member. The wing assembly is configurable in a folded state characterized by a plurality of nested wing segments when the flyer is in the first state. The wing assembly is configurable in an unfolded state characterized by a substantially uninterrupted aerodynamic surface when the flyer is in the second state. The flyer assembly is adapted to be launched from a ballistic delivery system such as an art…