Aircraft wing shift device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10046850-B2
Application number	US-201615088615-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2016
Priority date	Apr 1, 2016
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

An aerial vehicle includes a fuselage, a wing, and a wing shift device. The wing shift device is configured to be coupled to the fuselage. The wing shift device comprises a plurality of apertures for coupling the wing to the aerial vehicle. The plurality of apertures are configured to permit the wing to be shifted in a forward or aft direction along the fuselage based on a center of gravity of the aerial vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
a fuselage;
a wing; and
a wing shift device configured to be coupled to the fuselage, the wing shift device being generally rectangular in shape and comprising a plurality of apertures for coupling the wing to the UAV, wherein:
the plurality of apertures are positioned along a first side and a second side of the wing shift device, the first side and the second side being generally parallel to each other; and
the plurality of apertures are configured to permit the wing to be shifted in a forward or aft direction along the fuselage based on a center of gravity of the UAV.

2. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the wing is detachable from the UAV and is configured to be coupled to the wing shift device using one or more fasteners.

3. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the wing shift device is removably coupled to the fuselage.

4. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the wing shift device is coupled to a top portion of the fuselage.

5. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the wing shift device is coupled to a bottom portion of the fuselage.

6. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein:
the wing shift device is coupled to an interior portion of the fuselage; and
the fuselage comprises a plurality of apertures configured to permit the wing to pass through the fuselage.

7. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the wing shift device further comprises an aeroskirt configured to decrease drag.

8. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the UAV is configured to fly without ballast.

9. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the wing is affixed to the wing shift device at a position which aligns the center of gravity of the UAV with a center of lift of the wing.

10. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein:
the wing comprises a first portion and a second portion;
the wing shift device comprises a first side and a second side; and
the first wing portion couples to the first side of the wing shift device and the second wing portion couples to the second side of the wing shift device.

11. An aircraft comprising:
a wing; and
a wing shift device configured to be coupled to the aircraft, the wing shift device being generally rectangular in shape and comprising a plurality of apertures for coupling the wing to the aircraft, wherein:
the plurality of apertures are positioned along a first side and a second side of the wing shift device, the first side and the second side being generally parallel to each other; and
the plurality of apertures are configured to permit the wing to be shifted in a forward or aft direction based on a center of gravity of the aircraft.

12. The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein the wing is detachable from the aircraft and is configured to be coupled to the wing shift device using one or more fasteners.

13. The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein the wing shift device is removably coupled to the aircraft.

14. The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein the wing shift device is coupled to a top portion of the aircraft.

15. The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein the wing shift device is coupled to a bottom portion of the aircraft.

16. The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein:
the wing shift device is coupled to an interior portion of the aircraft; and
the aircraft comprises a plurality of apertures configured to permit the wing to pass through the aircraft.

17. The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein the wing shift device further comprises an aeroskirt configured to decrease drag.

18. The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein the aircraft is configured to fly without ballast.

19. The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein the wing is affixed to the wing shift device at a position which aligns the center of gravity of the aircraft with a center of lift of the wing.

20. The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein:
the wing comprises a first portion and a second portion;
the wing shift device comprises a first side and a second side; and

the first wing portion couples to the first side of the wing shift device and the second wing portion couples to the second side of the wing shift device.

Assignees

• Lockheed Corp

Inventors

• Gamble Dustin Eli
• Curran Matthew

Classifications

• B64C3/42 Primary

  Adjusting about chordwise axes · CPC title

• B64C3/38

  Adjustment of complete wings or parts thereof · CPC title

• B64C2201/028

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64C2201/10

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64C39/024

  of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV · CPC title