Aeronautics and astronautics – Aircraft sustentation – Sustaining airfoils
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-01
2001-09-11
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Aeronautics and astronautics
Aircraft sustentation
Sustaining airfoils
C244S198000, C244S003260
Reexamination Certificate
active
06286789
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to aerial vehicle aerosurfaces and more particularly, to a configurable aerial vehicle aerosurface for mounting on rockets, missiles and the like having reduced drag characteristics.
Rockets, missiles and like vehicles, hereinafter generally described as missiles, are conventionally provided with fixed and moveable aerosurfaces such as fins or wings for stabilizing and controlling vehicle flight though the atmosphere. As is well known, missiles are often carried in the open, underneath military aircraft for later deployment after the theatre of operations is reached. Today's military aircraft are designed for high performance applications and typically undergo high speed, high stress maneuvering in flight. Being carried in the open, underneath the aircraft, the missiles are directly exposed to undesirable atmospheric conditions such buffeting, etc. during flight and can be severely damaged.
Further, depending on the missile location, one or more of the missile aerosurfaces can also be subjected to severe stresses resulting from interaction of the atmosphere with the surfaces of the aircraft. For example, intense free vortices created from transient non-stable flight conditions such as throttle back or high angle of attack attitudes can be severe enough to cause physical damage to the aerosurfaces. Aerosurface position also is also a factor, because some aerosurfaces are subject to higher stress loading from atmospheric drag than others, depending on their position on the missile and their relative position to the various surfaces of the aircraft.
Numerous attempts have been made to date to reduce the effects of atmospheric drag and hence facilitate transport and reduce damage to missile aerosurfaces. For example, it is known to provide mechanical arrangements for folding the missile aerosurfaces during aircraft transport. The aerosurfaces are then unfolded or deployed concurrently with missile release. Representative of such arrangements is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,037 to Moorefield. Although somewhat effective, systems such as these tend to be complex, requiring the addition of intricate deployment mechanisms. This adds to system complexity, increases missile weight and cost.
A need exists therefore for a configurable aerial vehicle aerosurface exhibiting reduced drag qualities during aircraft transport. Such an aerosurface would exhibit reduced aerodynamic drag during aircraft transport and be configurable from a reduced drag position to an aerodynamic control surface position for missile lift and control, while not contributing appreciable weight or complexity to the missile.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a configurable aerial vehicle aerosurface overcoming the limitations and disadvantages of the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a configurable aerial vehicle aerosurface exhibiting reduced drag characteristics during aircraft transport.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a configurable aerial vehicle aerosurface having a first position exhibiting reduced drag during aircraft transport and a second, aerodynamic position for providing missile lift and control.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a configurable aerial vehicle aerosurface that can quickly be reset from a low drag configuration to an aerodynamic configuration.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a configurable aerial vehicle aerosurface that is lightweight and can be easily retrofitted onto a wide variety of existing aerial vehicles.
Additional objects, advantages and other novel features of the invention will be set forth, in part, in the description that follows and will, in part, become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned with the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the foregoing and other objects and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention as described herein, a configurable aerial vehicle aerosurface is provided that is configurable from a low drag transport position to an aerodynamic position to provide vehicle lift and/or vehicle control.
The preferred embodiment of the configurable aerial vehicle aerosurface of the present invention selected to illustrate the invention includes a pair of airfoil surfaces. The first airfoil surface can be mounted either directly to the missile body or to the aerosurface control mechanism depending on application. Thus, when the configurable aerial vehicle aerosurface is utilized solely to provide aerodynamic lift, the first airfoil surface is fixedly mounted to the missile body. Conversely, when the configurable aerial vehicle aerosurface is utilized as flight path control surface, the first airfoil surface is mounted to the existing aerosurface control mechanism.
A second airfoil surface is slidably received within the first airfoil surface. Together, and as will be described in more detail below, the first and second airfoil surfaces combine to form the configurable aerial vehicle aerosurface.
Each airfoil surface contains a plurality of apertures passing transversely therethrough. According to an important aspect of the present invention, each aperture in the first airfoil surface has a counterpart of like size and shape in the second airfoil surface. However, while the apertures are of like size and shape, they are offset from each other along the longitudinal axis. In this way, the second airfoil surface can be placed in a first position wherein the apertures are in alignment, allowing fluid passage therethrough, and a second position wherein the apertures are in non-alignment, preventing fluid passage.
Advantageously, the configurable aerial vehicle aerosurface of the present invention provides substantially reduced drag in the first position because air flows through passages created by the aligned apertures from one side of the aerosurface to the other. This serves to dramatically reduce the damaging effects of turbulent air and free vorticular airflow impingement on the aerosurface, allowing missiles to be carried under aircraft in a more secure, safer manner.
As the missile is released, a pyrotechnic actuator is ignited. The actuator causes the second aerosurface to slide to the second position wherein the apertures are in non-alignment. This closes off the passages through the apertures, preventing further airflow through the aerosurface. In this position, the aerosurface is fully functional as a lift or control surface suitable to guide the missile during flight.
REFERENCES:
patent: 935039 (1909-09-01), Malasomma
patent: 1464356 (1923-08-01), Fedoryszak
patent: 1702645 (1929-02-01), Ehrlich
patent: 1889477 (1932-11-01), Hitt
patent: 4884766 (1989-12-01), Steinmetz et al.
patent: 5085381 (1992-02-01), Spiroff et al.
patent: 5192037 (1993-03-01), Moorefield
Best Christian M.
Jordan Charles T.
Kundert Thomas L.
Lambert Richard A.
Scearce Bobby D.
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