Refueling device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12097970-B2
Application number	US-202118017741-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 25, 2021
Priority date	Jul 27, 2020
Publication date	Sep 24, 2024
Grant date	Sep 24, 2024

Abstract

Refueling devices for use in in-flight refueling operation are provided, including a body configured for being towed by a tanker aircraft and having a boom member that has a fuel delivery nozzle, a spatial control system and a longitudinal control system. The longitudinal displacement control system includes at least one panel element defining a front panel projected area orthogonal to a body longitudinal axis, each panel element being controllably and reversibly deployable incrementally to each one of a plurality of successive deployed positions between a fully retracted position and a fully deployed position, to provide a respective reversible incrementally increasing aft force to the refueling device at least during the in-flight refueling operation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refueling device for use in in-flight refueling operation, the refueling device comprising:
(a) a body configured for being towed by a tanker aircraft in a forward direction via a fuel hose at least during in-flight refueling operation, the body having a body longitudinal axis;
(b) a boom member carried by the body, the boom member having a fuel delivery nozzle, the fuel delivery nozzle being configured for selectively engaging with a fuel receptacle in a receiver aircraft to enable fuel to be transferred from said fuel hose to the receiver aircraft during said in-flight refueling operation;
(c) spatial control system configured for selectively providing stability and control to the refueling device;
(d) a longitudinal displacement control system, comprising:
at least one panel element defining a front panel projected area orthogonal to the body longitudinal axis, each said panel element being controllably and reversibly deployable incrementally to each one of a plurality of successive deployed positions between a fully retracted position and a fully deployed position, to provide a respective reversible incrementally increasing aft force to the refueling device at least during the in-flight refueling operation;

wherein at least one said panel element is in the form of a curved plate having a concave cylindrical surface facing the forward direction, and a center of curvature.

2. The refueling device according to claim 1 ,
wherein in the fully retracted position the respective said panel element is retracted within the body and a proportion of said front panel projected area exposed to an airflow over the body, at least during the in-flight refueling operation, is at a minimum, thereby providing a respective minimum said aft force to the refueling device;
wherein in the fully deployed position the respective said proportion of the front panel projected area of said panel element exposed to the airflow, at least during the in-flight refueling operation, is at a maximum, thereby providing a respective maximum said aft force to the refueling device, and
wherein in each said successive deployed position a corresponding said proportion of said front panel projected area of the panel element is correspondingly exposed to the airflow, at least during the in-flight refueling operation, thereby providing a corresponding said aft force to the refueling device;
wherein a magnitude of said proportion of said front panel projected area is reversibly incrementally increased as the panel element is deployed from the fully retracted position to the deployed position via said successive deployed positions to thereby provide a controllable and reversibly incrementally increasing said aft force having a force magnitude respectively increasing from said respective minimum aft force to said respective maximum aft force.

3. The refueling device according to claim 1 , wherein the concave cylindrical surface comprises arc-shaped cross-sections, each subtending an angle at the center of curvature of between 60 degrees and 90 degrees.

4. The refueling device according to claim 3 , wherein each panel element moves along an arc, corresponding to said curvature, about the respective pivot axis, between said fully retracted position and said fully deployed position.

5. The refueling device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one said panel element is pivotably mounted to the device to allow for pivoting of the at least one said panel element about a pivoting axis co-axial with the center of curvature.

6. The refueling device according to claim 5 , wherein said pivoting axis is located longitudinally aft of a center of gravity of the refueling device.

7. The refueling device according to claim 5 , including at least one of the following:
wherein said pivoting axis is located at a longitudinal position between 60% and 90% of a longitudinal dimension of the body; or
wherein said pivoting axis is located at a transverse position between 15% and 50% of a transverse dimension of the body.

8. The refueling device according to claim 5 , wherein each said pivoting axis is transversely located at a transverse position outside of the body.

9. The refueling device according to claim 5 , wherein said pivoting axis is parallel to a pitch axis of the refueling device.

10. The refueling device according to claim 1 , wherein each said panel element has a height to width aspect ratio in a range 0.3 to 0.9.

11. The refueling device according to claim 1 , wherein said body comprises a corresponding slot for each said panel element, into which the respective said panel is retracted into in the respective said fully retracted position.

12. The refueling device according to claim 1 , further comprising an actuator for controllably causing each said panel element to be deployed between the respective said fully retracted position and the respective said deployed position.

13. The refueling device according to claim 1 , further comprising two said panel elements, and including one of the following:
wherein one said panel element is mounted with respect to an upper part of the body, and wherein the other said panel element is mounted with respect to a lower part of the body;
wherein one said panel element is mounted with respect to a port part of the body, and wherein the other said panel element is mounted with respect to a starboard part of the body;
wherein one said panel element is mounted with respect to an upper part of the body, and wherein the other said panel element is mounted with respect to a lower part of the body, and, wherein the two said panel elements are pivotably mounted to the body at the same longitudinal spacing from a forward end of the body;
wherein one said panel element is mounted with respect to a port part of the body, and wherein the other said panel element is mounted with respect to a starboard part of the body, and, wherein the two said panel elements are pivotably mounted to the body at the same longitudinal spacing from a forward end of the body;
wherein one said panel element is mounted with respect to an upper part of the body, and wherein the other said panel element is mounted with respect to a lower part of the body, and, wherein the refueling device is configured for synchronized deployment of the two said panel elements; or
wherein one said panel element is mounted with respect to a port part of the body, and wherein the other said panel element is mounted with respect to a starboard part of the body, and, wherein the refueling device is configured for synchronized deployment of the two said panel elements.

14. The refueling device according to claim 1 , further comprising one of the following:
a controller for controlling said magnitude of said aft force by controlling said proportion of said front panel projected area;
a controller for controlling said magnitude of said aft force by controlling said proportion of said front panel projected area, and, wherein said controller is configured for controlling said magnitude of said aft force to provide and maintain a tension in said hose within a predetermined tension range;
a controller for controlling said magnitude of said aft force by controlling said proportion of said front panel projected area, and, wherein said controller is configured for controlling said magnitude of said aft force to provide a desired forward to aft displacement of the refueling device with respect to the tanker aircraft; or
a controller for controlling said magnitude of said aft force by controlling said proportion of said front panel projected area, and, wherein said contr

Assignees

• Israel Aerospace Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Skladman Rami
• Darmon Ilan

Classifications

• B64C9/326 Primary

  associated with fuselages · CPC title

• B64C9/36

  the members being fuselages or nacelles · CPC title

• B64D39/04 Primary

  Adaptations of hose construction · CPC title

• B64D3/00

  Aircraft adaptations to facilitate towing or being towed · CPC title

• B64D39/00 Primary

  Refuelling during flight · CPC title