Space saving wing stowage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11754379-B2
Application number	US-201916982801-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2019
Priority date	Mar 23, 2018
Publication date	Sep 12, 2023
Grant date	Sep 12, 2023

Abstract

A guided projectile includes a body and a deployable wing in which the deployable wing is coupled to and enclosed by the body. A linear distance from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the wing defines a chord line that, in the stowed position, forms an angle with a plane containing the chord line and extending parallel to a longitudinal dimension of the wing in a deployed position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A projectile comprising:
a nose;
a body;
a tail boom opposite the nose along a longitudinal axis of the body;
a plurality of stabilizers extending from a mount on the tail boom; and
a deployable wing coupled to the body at a pivot, wherein:
rotation about the pivot moves the deployable wing from a stowed position to a deployed position;
a linear distance from a leading edge to a trailing edge of the deployable wing defines a chord line;
a reference plane is defined, in the deployed position, by the chord line and a longitudinal dimension of the deployable wing;
the deployable wing is enclosed by the body in the stowed position; and
the chord line forms an acute angle with the reference plane in the stowed position;

wherein a longitudinal plane extends along the longitudinal axis of the body, and wherein a lateral plane extends transversely to the body and perpendicularly to the longitudinal plane, and wherein the pivot defines a rotational axis having a first projection in the lateral plane forming an first acute angle with respect to the longitudinal plane and a second projection in the longitudinal plane forming a second acute angle with respect to the lateral plane.

2. The projectile of claim 1 , wherein the deployable wing extends from a proximal end to a distal end in which the proximal end is coupled to the body at the pivot.

3. The projectile of claim 2 , wherein the distal end of the deployable wing in the stowed position is between the proximal end of the deployable wing and the nose of the body.

4. The projectile of claim 2 , wherein the distal end of the deployable wing in the stowed position is between the proximal end of the deployable wing and the tail boom.

5. The projectile of claim 1 , wherein the rotational axis is angled laterally outward from the body and longitudinally forward towards the nose.

6. The projectile of claim 1 , wherein the rotational axis is angled laterally outward from the body and longitudinally aft towards the tail boom.

7. The projectile of claim 1 , and further comprising:
a lug at the proximal end of the deployable wing that defines a first planar surface normal to the rotational axis; and
a mount extending from an interior surface of the body that defines a second planar surface normal to the rotational axis and opposing the first planar surface;
wherein the pivot includes a shaft extending through aligned bores in the lug and the mount.

8. The projectile of claim 7 , and further comprising:
a bushing comprising:
a collar extending within the bore of the lug and along the shaft; and
a flange extending perpendicularly from the collar such that the lug is disposed between the flange and the mount, wherein a gap defined between the flange and the mount is greater than a thickness of the lug between the flange and the mount.

9. The projectile of claim 8 , wherein the shaft is a shank of a threaded fastener securing the bushing to the mount and retaining the lug of the deployable wing between the bushing and the mount.

10. The projectile of claim 1 , wherein the body defines a slot through which the deployable wing extends in the deployed position, and wherein the slot is tapered along the longitudinal axis of the body and in a direction moving away from the pivot.

11. The projectile of claim 1 , and further comprising:
a deployable flow guide coupled to the body at a flow guide pivot, wherein the deployable flow guide is disposed between the deployable wing and the nose.

12. A projectile comprising:
a nose;
a body, wherein a longitudinal plane extends along a longitudinal axis of the body, and wherein a lateral plane extends transversely to the body and perpendicularly to the longitudinal plane;
a tail boom opposite the nose along the longitudinal axis of the body;
a plurality of stabilizers extending from a mount on the tail boom;
a deployable wing extending longitudinally from a proximal end to a distal end and extending laterally from a leading edge to a trailing edge, the deployable wing comprising:
a lug at the proximal end of the deployable wing;
a lug bore extending through the lug; and
a chord line defined by a linear distance from the leading edge to the trailing edge;

a mount extending from an interior surface of the body; and
a pivot coupling the deployable wing to the body, the deployable wing configured to rotate about a rotational axis from a stowed position to a deployed position, the pivot comprising:
a washer plate disposed between the lug and the mount;
a bushing comprising:
a collar extending through the lug bore;
a flange extending perpendicularly from the collar such that the lug is disposed between the flange and the washer plate; and
a rabbet adapted to receive the washer plate;

wherein the rotational axis forms a first projection in the lateral plane forming a first acute angle with respect to the longitudinal plane and a second projection in the longitudinal plane forming a second acute angle with respect to the lateral plane; and
wherein the chord line forms an acute angle with the lateral plane of the projectile in the stowed position.

13. The projectile of claim 12 , and further comprising:
a plurality of followers affixed to the body of the projectile; and
a spherical bearing formed by the lug bore engaging an exterior surface of the collar;
wherein a linear distance measured perpendicularly between opposing surfaces of the washer plate and the flange is greater than a thickness of the lug; and
wherein each of the plurality of followers is received in a groove formed within a peripheral surface of the lug radially outward from the lug bore.

14. The projectile of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of followers includes:
a first follower engaging the groove at a location that is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the deployable wing in the stowed position; and
a second follower that is angularly spaced from the first follower about the axis of rotation, wherein the first follower is noncollinear with the second follower.

15. The projectile of claim 14 ,
wherein the groove includes a first portion bounded by positions of the first follower in the stowed and deployed positions, the entirety of the first portion extending parallel to a surface of the lug; and
wherein the groove includes a second portion bounded by positions of the second follower in the stowed and deployed positions, the second portion having at least a segment that extends obliquely to the surface of the lug.

16. The projectile of claim 12 , and further comprising:
a plurality of first followers affixed to the washer plate;
a plurality of second followers affixed to the flange; and
a spherical bearing formed by the lug bore engaging an exterior surface of the collar;
wherein a linear distance measured perpendicularly between opposing surfaces of the washer plate and the flange is greater than a thickness of the lug;
wherein each of the plurality of first followers is received in one or more first grooves formed within a first planar surface of the lug; and
wherein each of the plurality of second followers is received in one or more second grooves formed within a second planar surface of the lug opposite the first planar surface.

17. The projectile of claim 16 ,
wherein a first depth of the one or more first grooves varies along an arc length of the one or more first grooves; and
wherein a second depth of the one or more second grooves varies along an arc length of the one or more second grooves.

18. The projectil

Assignees

• Simmonds Precision Products

Inventors

• Buttolph Martin Edwy

Classifications

• B64C3/56 Primary

  Folding or collapsing to reduce overall dimensions of aircraft · CPC title

• F42B10/14 Primary

  using fins spread or deployed after launch, e.g. after leaving the barrel · CPC title

• F42B10/18

  using a longitudinally slidable support member · CPC title

• F42B10/20

  deployed by combustion gas pressure, or by pneumatic or hydraulic forces · CPC title