Methods and apparatus to align and secure aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11046434-B2
Application number	US-201715708920-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2017
Priority date	Sep 19, 2017
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to align and couple aircraft are disclosed. An example apparatus for securing a first aircraft to a second aircraft includes a guide to direct movement of a first wing of the first aircraft relative to a second wing of the second aircraft to align the first wing with the second wing, and a lock configured to couple the first wing to the second wing after the guide aligns the first wing to the second wing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for securing a first aircraft to a second aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
a guide configured to direct movement of a first wing of the first aircraft relative to a second wing of the second aircraft, the guide including a first winglet to align the first wing with a second winglet of the second wing, the first winglet including a first shape with a first distal shallow angle portion and a first steep angle portion extending from the first shallow angle portion to a distal end of the first wing, the second winglet including a second shape with a second distal shallow angle portion and a second steep angle portion extending from the second shallow angle portion to a distal end of the second wing, wherein engagement of the first shape to the second shape is configured to cause alignment of the first wing to the second wing; and
a lock configured to secure the first wing to the second wing after the guide aligns the first wing to the second wing via the engagement of the first shape to the second shape.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second winglets includes an angled winglet.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the lock includes a pin configured to be inserted into a socket of the second wing.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first and second winglets are opposedly faced to one another when the first and second wings are aligned via the engagement.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first steep angle portion is is angled from an external surface of the first wing at a range from 15 to 45 degrees.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first shallow angle portion is angled from an external surface of the first wing at a range from 0 degrees to 15 degrees.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further including at least one actuator to rotate at least one of the first or second winglets.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further including a proximity sensor to detect a presence of at least one of the first or second winglets.

9. An aircraft comprising:
a first wing having a first guide;
a second wing having a second guide, the first and second guides configured to guide the aircraft to be aligned with a second and a third aircraft during flight or hovering of the aircraft, the first guide including a first winglet configured to be aligned with a second winglet of a third wing of the second aircraft, the first winglet including a first shape with a first distal shallow angle portion and a first steep angle portion extending from the first shallow angle portion to a distal end of the first wing, the second winglet including a second shape with a second distal shallow angle portion and a second steep angle portion extending from the second shallow angle portion to a distal end of the third wing, wherein engagement of the first shape to the second shape is configured to cause alignment of the first wing to the third wing;
a first lock coupled to the first wing, the first lock configured to secure the first wing to the third wing of the second aircraft; and
a second lock coupled to the second wing, the second lock configured to secure the second wing to a fourth wing of the third aircraft.

10. The aircraft as defined in claim 9 , wherein the first and second locks are asymmetrically arranged relative to a longitudinal axis of a fuselage of the aircraft.

11. The aircraft as defined in claim 9 , wherein each of the first and second winglets includes an angled winglet.

12. The aircraft as defined in claim 9 , wherein the first lock includes a first pin and the second lock includes a socket to receive a second pin of the second or third aircraft.

13. A method for securing a first aircraft to a second aircraft, the method comprising:
contacting a first guide of a first wing of the first aircraft to a second guide of a second wing of the second aircraft, wherein engagement of the first guide to the second guide aligns a first winglet of the first wing with a second winglet of the second wing, the first winglet including a first shape with a first distal shallow angle portion and a first steep angle portion extending from the first shallow angle portion to the distal end of the first wing, the second winglet including a second shape with a second distal shallow angle portion and a second steep angle portion extending from the second shallow angle portion to the distal end of the second wing, wherein engagement of the first shape to the second shape is to cause alignment of the first wing to the second wing; and
securing, via a lock, the first wing to the second wing after the engagement of the first and second guides aligns the first wing to the second wing.

14. The method as defined in claim 13 , wherein securing the first wing to the second wing includes extending a pin into a socket.

15. The method as defined in claim 13 , wherein contacting the first guide to the second guide includes engaging a first curved winglet of the first wing to a second curved winglet of the second wing.

16. The method as defined in claim 15 , wherein securing the first wing to the second wing includes inserting a rod into a socket.

17. The method as defined in claim 13 , further including rotating, via at least one actuator, at least one of the first or second winglets.

18. The method as defined in claim 13 , further including detecting, via a proximity sensor, a presence of at least one of the first or second winglets.

19. An apparatus for securing a first aircraft to a second aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
means for aligning a first wing of the first aircraft to a second wing of the second aircraft, the means for aligning including a first winglet of the first wing and a second winglet of the wing, the first winglet including a first shape with a first distal shallow angle portion and a first steep angle portion extending from the first shallow angle portion to a distal end of the first wing, the second winglet including a second shape with a second distal shallow angle portion and a second steep angle portion extending from the second shallow angle portion to a distal end of the second wing, wherein engagement of the first shape to the second shape is configured to cause alignment of the first wing to the second wing; and
means for securing the first wing to the second wing after the means for aligning aligns the first wing to the second wing.

20. A method for producing an aircraft, the method comprising:
defining a guide on a first wing, wherein the guide is to guide movement of a first winglet of the first wing towards a second winglet of a second wing, the first winglet including a first shape with a first distal shallow angle portion and a first steep angle portion extending from the first shallow angle portion to a distal end of the first wing, the second winglet including a second shape with a second distal shallow angle portion and a second steep angle portion extending from the second shallow angle portion to a distal end of the second wing, wherein engagement of the first shape to the second shape is configured to cause alignment of the first wing to the second wing; and
defining a lock on the first wing to secure the first wing to the second wing when the first and second wings are aligned by the guide.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Nesti Hugh William
• Levinson Jacob A

Classifications

• B64U2201/102

  adapted for flying in formations · CPC title

• B64U60/40

  foldable or retractable · CPC title

• B64U10/25 Primary

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

• B64C37/02 Primary

  Flying units formed by separate aircraft (towing B64D3/00; aircraft transported by aircraft B64D5/00; air-refuelling B64D39/00) · CPC title

• B64D39/00

  Refuelling during flight · CPC title