Injection molded wing structure for aerial vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10933971-B2
Application number	US-201715836782-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2017
Priority date	Dec 8, 2017
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

An example method of manufacturing a wing includes providing a wing frame. The wing frame includes a primary spar, a drag spar, a plurality of transverse frame elements having at least one spar joiner, and a plurality of mounting elements. The primary spar is coupled to the drag spar via the at least one spar joiner. The method further includes placing the wing frame into a mold, wherein the mold defines a shape of the wing. The method also includes injecting the mold with an air-filled matrix material, such that the air-filled matrix material substantially encases the wing frame and fills the defined shape of the wing, and such that the plurality of transverse frame elements provide torsional rigidity to the wing.

First claim

We claim:

1. A wing, comprising:
a wing frame, wherein the wing frame comprises a primary spar, a plurality of transverse frame elements, a secondary spar parallel to the primary spar, and a plurality of mounting elements configured to couple one or more components to the wing, wherein the plurality of transverse frame elements are each coupled between the primary spar and the secondary spar, and wherein the plurality of mounting elements are each part of a transverse frame element; and
a body, wherein the body comprises an air-filled matrix material;
wherein the wing frame is fixedly encased in a single piece of the air-filled matrix material of the body such that the plurality of transverse frame elements provide torsional rigidity to the wing and such that separating the encased wing frame from the body has an internecine effect, and wherein the mounting elements are exposed via openings in the body.

2. The wing of claim 1 , wherein the internecine effect of separating the encased wing frame from the body comprises breaking cells of the single piece of the air-filled matrix material of the body.

3. The wing of claim 1 , wherein the air-filled matrix material is a foam material.

4. The wing of claim 1 , wherein the mounting elements comprise at least one electrical component mount coupled to the wing frame.

5. An aerial vehicle, comprising:
a wing;
a fuselage;
a plurality of booms coupled to the wing; and
a plurality of propellers coupled to the plurality of booms;
wherein the wing comprises a wing frame and a body;
wherein the wing frame comprises:
a primary spar;
a plurality of transverse frame elements coupled to the primary spar; and
a plurality of mounting elements coupled to the primary spar, and

wherein the body comprises an air-filled matrix material;
wherein the wing frame is fixedly encased in a single piece of the air-filled matrix material of the body such that the plurality of transverse frame elements provide torsional rigidity to the wing and such that separating the encased wing frame from the body has an internecine effect, and
wherein the mounting elements are substantially embedded in the air-filled matrix material, wherein the booms are connected to the mounting elements via boom ports in the air-filled matrix material that expose the mounting elements, and wherein the booms are connected to the frame via the mounting elements.

6. The aerial vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of booms coupled to the wing comprise a pair of booms.

7. The aerial vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of propellers coupled to the plurality of booms comprise twelve propellers, wherein six of the propellers are coupled to each of the pair of booms.

8. The aerial vehicle of claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the fuselage and the wing body comprise a single piece of air-filled matrix material.

9. The aerial vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the mounting elements of the wing comprise a plurality of boom joiners, and the plurality of booms are coupled to the wing via the plurality of boom joiners.

10. The aerial vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the wing frame further comprises a secondary spar parallel to the primary spar, wherein the plurality of transverse frame elements are each coupled to both the primary spar and the secondary spar, and wherein the transverse frame elements also serve as one or more of the plurality of mounting elements.

11. The aerial vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the mounting elements comprise at least one electrical component mount.

Assignees

• X Dev Llc
• Wing Aviation Llc

Inventors

• Woodworth Adam
• Rudin Adem
• Benson Stephen

Classifications

• B64U2101/20

  for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64U2101/67

  the UAVs comprising tethers for lowering the goods · CPC title

• B64U10/25

  Fixed-wing aircraft (VTOL aircraft B64U10/20) · CPC title

• B64U20/00

  Constructional aspects of UAVs (of lift-producing means B64U30/00) · CPC title