Winglet
US8366056B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 10, 2008 |
| Grant date | Feb 5, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 22, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02T50/10
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A winglet comprising a root connected to a distal end of a wing; an upwardly angled section; a tip; and a transition between the upwardly angled section and the tip at which an outboard cant angle of the winglet decreases relative to a reference plane of the wing. In one embodiment the winglet is continuously curved and includes a point of inflection at which the span-wise curvature of the winglet changes sign. In another embodiment the upwardly angled section is planar. The winglet generates a tip vortex when in flight. The tip vortex is displaced outboard from the winglet due to the decrease in outboard cant angle at the transition.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.