Wing system for air vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12397937-B2
Application number	US-202118000840-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2021
Priority date	Jun 9, 2020
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

A wing system is provided for an air vehicle, the wing system having a stowed configuration, a pre-deployed configuration, and a deployed configuration. The wing system includes two wings, each wing having aerofoil profiles and being pivotably deployable about a respective pivot axis between the pre-deployed configuration and the deployed configuration. In the stowed configuration the two wings are in first general superposed spatial relationship with respect to one another and are capable of being accommodated within an envelope having an envelope cross-sectional profile and a corresponding envelope cross-sectional area. In the pre-deployed configuration, the two wings are in second general superposed spatial relationship with respect to one another and capable of deploying to the deployed configuration. In the deployed configuration the wings are each capable of generating aerodynamic lift in an airstream. Each aerofoil profile of each wing is a slotted aerofoil having a primary element, a secondary element and a chord, the secondary element being pivotable with respect to the primary element and spaced therefrom by a gap. Each aerofoil profile has a respective maximum thickness, and a respective maximum absolute thickness. In the stowed configuration, the respective second element of each aerofoil of one wing is set at a different flap angle as compared with the respective second element of each aerofoil of the other wing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wing system for an air vehicle, the wing system having a stowed configuration, a pre-deployed configuration and a deployed configuration, the wing system comprising:
two wings, each said wing having aerofoil profiles and being pivotably deployable about a respective pivot axis between the pre-deployed configuration and the deployed configuration, wherein:
in the stowed configuration the two wings are in first general superposed spatial relationship with respect to one another and are capable of being accommodated within an envelope having an envelope cross-sectional profile and a corresponding envelope cross-sectional area;
in the pre-deployed configuration the two wings are in second general superposed spatial relationship with respect to one another and capable of deploying to the deployed configuration without interfering with one another; and
in the deployed configuration the wings are each capable of generating aerodynamic lift in an airstream;
each said aerofoil profile of each wing being a slotted aerofoil having a primary element, a secondary element and a chord, the secondary element being pivotable with respect to the primary element and spaced therefrom by a gap, each said aerofoil profile having a respective maximum thickness, and a respective maximum absolute thickness;
wherein in said stowed configuration, the respective second element of each said aerofoil of one said wing is set at a different flap angle as compared with the respective second element of each said aerofoil of the other said wing.

2. The wing system according to claim 1 , including one of the following:
wherein said two wings comprise a first said wing having a first said aerofoil profile, the first aerofoil profile comprising a first leading edge and a first trailing edge, and a said second wing having a second said aerofoil profile, the second aerofoil profile comprising a second leading edge and a second trailing edge; or
wherein said two wings comprise a first said wing having a first said aerofoil profile, the first aerofoil profile comprising a first leading edge and a first trailing edge, and a said second wing having a second said aerofoil profile, the second aerofoil profile comprising a second leading edge and a second trailing edge, and, wherein in said pre-deployed configuration, said first leading edge is generally superposed over said second trailing edge.

3. The wing system according to claim 1 , wherein a respective maximum absolute thickness to chord ratio of each said wing is such as to enable the wings to deploy from the pre-deployed configuration to the deployed configuration without interference therebetween.

4. The wing system according to claim 1 , including one of the following:
wherein the respective second element of each said aerofoil profile of each said wing has a hinge axis for enabling pivoting of the respective second element with respect to the respective primary element;
wherein the respective second element of each said aerofoil profile of each said wing has a hinge axis for enabling pivoting of the respective second element with respect to the respective primary element, and, wherein said hinge axis is facing a pressure surface of the respective secondary element;
wherein the respective second element of each said aerofoil profile of each said wing has a hinge axis for enabling pivoting of the respective second element with respect to the respective primary element, and, wherein for each said aerofoil profile, the respective hinge axis is spaced from the pressure surface of the respective secondary element by a spacing;
wherein the respective second element of each said aerofoil profile of each said wing has a hinge axis for enabling pivoting of the respective second element with respect to the respective primary element, and, wherein said hinge axis is facing a pressure surface of the respective secondary element, and, wherein for each said aerofoil profile, the respective hinge axis is spaced from the pressure surface of the respective secondary element by a spacing;
wherein the respective second element of each said aerofoil profile of each said wing has a hinge axis for enabling pivoting of the respective second element with respect to the respective primary element, and, wherein for each said aerofoil profile, the respective hinge axis is spaced from the pressure surface of the respective secondary element by a spacing, and, wherein said spacing is less than 50% of a maximum thickness of the secondary element; or
wherein the respective second element of each said aerofoil profile of each said wing has a hinge axis for enabling pivoting of the respective second element with respect to the respective primary element, and, wherein said hinge axis is facing a pressure surface of the respective secondary element, and, wherein for each said aerofoil profile, the respective hinge axis is spaced from the pressure surface of the respective secondary element by a spacing, and, wherein said spacing is less than 50% of a maximum thickness of the secondary element.

5. The wing system according to claim 4 , wherein in said stowed configuration, the respective second element of each said aerofoil profile of each said wing is set at a respective second flap angle such that the respective said trailing edge and the respective hinge axis of the respective second element are on opposite sides of the respective chord line of the aerofoil profile.

6. The wing system according to claim 1 , including one of the following:
wherein in said pre-deployed configuration, the respective second element of each said aerofoil profile of each said wing is set at a respective negative flap angle;
wherein in said pre-deployed configuration, the respective second element of each said aerofoil profile of each said wing is set at a respective negative flap angle, and, wherein in said pre-deployed configuration, the respective second element of each said aerofoil profile of each said wing is set at an identical flap angle; or
wherein in said pre-deployed configuration, the respective second element of each said aerofoil profile of each said wing is set at a respective negative flap angle, and, wherein in said pre-deployed configuration, the respective second element of each said aerofoil profile of each said wing is set at a respective first flap angle such that no part of the respective second flap intersects an imaginary line that is tangential to the respective aerofoil leading edge and that intersects the respective hinge axis.

7. The wing system according to claim 1 , wherein each said aerofoil profile is configured with a minimum respective said absolute thickness and a maximum said chord such that in said stowed configuration the respective said aerofoil profiles of said two wings in said first general superposed spatial relationship are capable of being accommodated within said envelope cross-sectional profile while concurrently maximizing occupancy of said envelope cross-sectional area.

8. The wing system according to claim 1 wherein the wing system is configured for being mounted to an underside of a fuselage of the air vehicle.

9. The wing system according to claim 1 , including one of the following:
wherein the wing system is configured for being mounted to an upper side of a fuselage of the air vehicle;
wherein the wing system is configured for being mounted to an upper side of a fuselage of the air vehicle, and, wherein in said stowed configuration, the respective second element of each said aerofoil profile of each said wing is set at a respective positive flap angle;
wherein the wing system is configured for being mounted to an upper side of a fuselage of the air vehicle, and, wherein in said stowed

Assignees

• Israel Aerospace Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Abramov Danny
• Klein Yonatan

Classifications

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64C9/18 Primary

  by single flaps · CPC title

• B64C3/56 Primary

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

• Y02T50/30

  Wing lift efficiency · CPC title

• Y02T50/10

  Drag reduction · CPC title