Aeronautics and astronautics – Aircraft structure – Airfoil construction
Patent
1986-10-17
1988-02-16
Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
Aeronautics and astronautics
Aircraft structure
Airfoil construction
244219, B64C 330
Patent
active
047250216
ABSTRACT:
An inflatable wing is formed from a pair of tapered, conical inflatable tubes in bonded tangential contact with each other. The tubes are further connected together by means of top and bottom reinforcement boards having corresponding longitudinal edges lying in the same central diametral plane passing through the associated tube. The reinforcement boards are made of a stiff reinforcement material, such as Kevlar, collapsible in a direction parallel to the spanwise wing axis upon deflation of the tubes. The stiff reinforcement material cooperates with the inflated tubes to impart structural I-beam characteristics to the composite structure for transferring inflation pressure-induced tensile stress from the tubes to the reinforcement boards. A plurality of rigid hoops shaped to provide airfoil definition are spaced from each other along the spanwise axis and are connected to the top and bottom reinforcement boards. Tension lines are employed for stabilizing the hoops along the trailing and leading edges thereof.
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R. J. Oldfield, et al., "The Structural Behavior of Inflated Cantilever Beams", Report No. 260, Dept. of Aeronautical Eng., University of Bristol, Jun., 1981.
Chafin James H.
Corl Rodney
Daniel Anne D.
Hightower Judson R.
Peters Jr. Joseph F.
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