Active dihedral control system for a torsionally flexible wing
US9764819B2 · kind B2 · utility
1Cited by
77References
11Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 27, 2015 |
| Grant date | Sep 19, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 27, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02T50/50
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A span-loaded, highly flexible flying wing, having horizontal control surfaces mounted aft of the wing on extended beams to form local pitch-control devices. Each of five spanwise wing segments of the wing has one or more motors and photovoltaic arrays, and produces its own lift independent of the other wing segments, to minimize inter-segment loads. Wing dihedral is controlled by separately controlling the local pitch-control devices consisting of a control surface on a boom, such that inboard and outboard wing segment pitch changes relative to each other, and thus relative inboard and outboard lift is varied.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.