Aircraft and methods of use for aerodynamic control with winglet surfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11897601-B2
Application number	US-202217672860-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2022
Priority date	Feb 16, 2022
Publication date	Feb 13, 2024
Grant date	Feb 13, 2024

Abstract

Aspects relate to aircraft and methods of use for aerodynamic control with winglet surfaces. In an aspect an exemplary aircraft includes a first wing having a first winglet at a distal end of the wing, wherein the first winglet comprises at least a first control surface at a first trailing edge of the first winglet and a second wing having a second winglet at a distal end of the wing, wherein the second winglet comprises at least a second control surface at a second trailing edge of the second winglet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft for transonic flight comprising:
a fuselage extending to a back portion lacking a vertical tailfin, wherein the back portion comprises a first main body control surface and a second main body control surface;
a propulsor configured to generate thrust;
a first substantially swept wing having a first winglet disposed beyond the back portion of the fuselage, the first winglet comprising a carbon-fiber composite with carbon fibers between 5-10 micrometers at a distal end of the wing, wherein the first winglet comprises at least a first control surface including a first trailing edge of the first winglet, wherein the fuselage and a leading edge of the first substantially swept wing creates a continuous curvilinear geometry;
a second substantially swept wing having a second winglet disposed beyond the back portion of the fuselage, the second winglet comprising a carbon-fiber composite with carbon fibers between 5-10 micrometers at a distal end of the wing, wherein the second winglet comprises at least a second control surface including a second trailing edge of the second winglet, wherein the fuselage and a leading edge of the second substantially swept wing creates a continuous curvilinear geometry;
wherein the at least a first control surface and the at least a second control surface are independently movable and the at least a first control surface and the at least a second control surface each comprise at least two control surface segments, wherein each of the at least two control surface segments are independently positioned;
a first actuator configured to move the at least first control surface; and
a second actuator configured to move the at least second control surface, wherein an actuator of the first actuator and second actuator comprises a pneumatic actuator.

2. The aircraft of claim 1 , further comprising a blended wing body.

3. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the at least a first control surface and the at least a second control surface each comprise a rudder.

4. The aircraft of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least a first actuator configured to move the at least a first control surface;
at least a second actuator configured to move the at least a second control surface; and
a controller configured to control each of the at least a first actuator and the at least a second actuator.

5. The aircraft of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to control each of the at least a first actuator and the at least a second actuator to reduce drag using the at least a first control surface and the at least a second control surface.

6. The aircraft of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to control one or more of the at least a first actuator and the at least a second actuator to introduce a yaw moment using one or more of the at least a first control surface and the at least a second control surface.

7. The aircraft of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to control one or more of the at least a first actuator and the at least a second actuator to introduce a side force using one or more of the at least a first control surface and the at least a second control surface.

8. The aircraft of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to control each of the at least a first actuator and the at least a second actuator to adjust wing bending using the at least a first control surface and the at least a second control surface.

9. The aircraft of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to control each of the at least a first actuator and the at least a second actuator to increase drag using the at least a first control surface and the at least a second control surface.

10. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein:
the at least a first control surface and the at least a second control surface each comprise at least two control surface segments; and
the controller is further configured to increase drag by moving the at least two control surface segments in opposite directions.

11. A method of using an aircraft for transonic flight comprising a fuselage extending to a back portion lacking a vertical tailfin, wherein the back portion comprises a first main body control surface and a second main body control surface; a propulsor configured to generate thrust; a first substantially swept wing having a first winglet extending beyond the back portion of the fuselage, the first winglet comprising a carbon-fiber composite with carbon fibers between 5-10 micrometers at a distal end of the wing, wherein the first winglet comprises at least a first control surface including a first trailing edge of the first winglet, wherein the fuselage and a leading edge of the first substantially swept wing creates a continuous curvilinear geometry and a second substantially swept wing having a second winglet extending beyond the back portion of the fuselage, the second winglet comprising a carbon-fiber composite with carbon fibers between 5-10 micrometers at a distal end of the wing, wherein the second winglet comprises at least a second control surface including a second trailing edge of the second winglet, wherein the fuselage and a leading edge of the second substantially swept wing creates a continuous curvilinear geometry, wherein the at least a first control surface and the at least a second control surface are independently movable and the at least a first control surface and the at least a second control surface each comprise at least two control surface segments, wherein each of the at least two control surface segments are independently positioned, the method comprising:
driving, by a controller incorporated in the aircraft, at least a first actuator to move the at least a first control surface;
driving, by the controller, at least a second actuator to move the at least a second control surface; and
wherein an actuator of the at least first actuator and the at least second actuator comprises a pneumatic actuator.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein driving the at least a first actuator and the at least a second actuator further comprises driving each of the at least a first actuator and the at least a second actuator to reduce drag.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising driving, using the controller, one or more of the at least a first actuator and the at least a second actuator to move one or more of the at least a first control surface and the at least a second control surface to introduce a yaw moment.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising driving, using the controller, one or more of the at least a first actuator and the at least a second actuator to move one or more of the at least a first control surface and the at least a second control surface to introduce a side force.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising driving, using the controller, the at least a first actuator and the at least a second actuator to move the at least a first control surface and the at least a second control surface to increase drag.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising driving, using the controller, the at least a first actuator and the at least a second actuator to move the at least a first control surface and the at least a second control surface to adjust wing bending.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising, driving, using the controller, the at least a first actuator and the at least a second actuator to move the at least a first control surface and the at least a second control surface to increase drag.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherei

Assignees

• Jetzero Inc

Inventors

• Page Mark Allan
• Rawdon Blaine Knight

Classifications

• B64C23/076 Primary

  the wing tip airfoil devices comprising one or more separate moveable members thereon affecting the vortices, e.g. flaps · CPC title

• B64C9/06

  with two or more independent movements · CPC title

• B64C39/10 Primary

  All-wing aircraft · CPC title

• B64C13/24

  Transmitting means · CPC title

• B64C2039/105

  of blended wing body type · CPC title