Recessed lift spoiler assembly for airfoils

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9845147-B2
Application number	US-201414262647-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2014
Priority date	May 1, 2013
Publication date	Dec 19, 2017
Grant date	Dec 19, 2017

Abstract

A spoiler assembly is provided that is engageable to a UAV that defines a body, an outer surface and an inner surface. The spoiler assembly comprises a spoiler, translatably connected to the UAV inner surface adjacent a first portion of the spoiler aperture. The spoiler defines an upper surface and an outer surface, the upper surface being substantially the same size and shape as the spoiler aperture. A spoiler shroud is connected to the UAV inner surface and extends within the UAV body about at least a portion of the spoiler aperture. A spoiler activating mechanism is secured to the UAV inner surface and connected the spoiler lower surface. The mechanism is operative to translate the spoiler between a first position wherein the spoiler upper surface is substantially flush with the UAV outer surface, and second a position, wherein the spoiler upper surface is disposed substantially within the UAV body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the UAV defining a UAV blended wing body having a center body portion and outboard wing portions, a UAV outer surface, a UAV inner surface, a UAV upper surface and ailerons disposed along a trailing edge of the UAV outer surface, the UAV upper surface defining first and second spoiler apertures formed therein, the UAV comprising:
a spoiler assembly for reducing lift of the UAV, the spoiler assembly including:
first and second spoilers disposed along the UAV upper surface of the center body portion upstream of the ailerons, each spoiler being translatably connected to the UAV inner surface adjacent a first portion of an associated spoiler aperture, the spoilers each defining a spoiler upper surface and a spoiler lower surface, the spoiler upper surfaces being substantially the same size and shape as the spoiler apertures;
first and second spoiler shrouds connected to the UAV inner surface, of the shrouds, each spoiler shroud extending within the center body portion of the UAV blended wing body about at least a portion of an associated spoiler aperture; and
first and second spoiler activating mechanisms disposed within the UAV, each spoiler activating mechanism being secured to the UAV inner surface and connected to an associated spoiler lower surface, the spoiler activating mechanisms being operative to increase the descent angle of the UAV by translating the first and second spoilers from a first position, wherein the first and second spoiler upper surfaces are substantially flush with the UAV outer surface, to a second position, wherein the first and second spoiler upper surfaces are both disposed substantially recessed within the center body portion of the UAV blended wing body.

2. The UAV as recited in claim 1 wherein, when the UAV is in flight, and the spoilers are in the first position, the boundary layer of airflow along the UAV outer surface remains attached thereto.

3. The UAV as recited in claim 2 wherein the spoilers do not significantly disturb airflow across the UAV outer surface when the spoilers are in the first position.

4. The UAV as recited in claim 2 wherein the UAV outer surface defines a low observable surface when the spoilers are in the first position.

5. The UAV as recited in claim 1 wherein, when the UAV is in flight, and the spoilers are in the second position, an airflow perturbation results along the UAV outer surface adjacent the spoiler apertures, causing the flow to separate from the top of the airfoil and a resulting reduction in lift of the UAV outer surface aft of the spoiler apertures.

6. The UAV as recited in claim 5 wherein when the first and second spoilers are disposed in the second position, each of the substantially wedge-shaped cavities within the center body portion of the UAV blended wing body disturbs the airflow across the UAV outer surface to reduce lift of the UAV outer surface.

7. The UAV as recited in claim 5 wherein when the spoilers translate to the second position, the spoiler upper surfaces do not extend into airflow across the UAV outer surface portion.

8. The UAV as recited in claim 5 wherein translation of the spoilers into the center body portion of the UAV blended wing body results in a controlled aerodynamic stall condition to occur over a portion of the UAV outer surface aft of the spoilers.

9. The UAV as recited in claim 1 wherein the spoilers are each hingedly connected to the UAV inner surface about a first side of the spoiler apertures, and each spoiler shroud is connected to the UAV inner surface about second, third and fourth sides of the associated spoiler aperture.

10. The spoiler assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein when the first and second spoilers are disposed in the second position, each spoiler and associated spoiler shroud collectively define a substantially wedge-shaped cavity within the center body portion of the UAV blended wing body.

11. The spoiler assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein each spoiler shroud defines a spoiler receiving seat such that, when the spoilers are in the second position, each spoiler lower surface is substantially disposed against and supported by the associated spoiler receiving seat.

12. The UAV as recited in claim 1 further comprising a UAV flight control computer disposed within the UAV blended wing body and in electrical communication with the spoiler activating mechanisms, the flight control computer being operative to regulate the translation of the spoilers.

13. The UAV as recited in claim 1 wherein the UAV outer surface defines a low observable surface when the spoilers are in the second position.

14. The UAV as recited in claim 1 wherein the spoilers each define a non-porous upper surface.

15. The spoiler assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein one of the spoilers, a spoiler shrouds, and spoiler activating mechanisms is disposed on opposing portions of airfoil body, the spoiler activating mechanisms being operative to translate both spoilers from the first position to the second position, to reduce the decent angle of the airfoil.

16. A spoiler assembly engageable to an airfoil for reducing lift of the airfoil, the airfoil defining an airfoil body, an airfoil outer surface and an airfoil inner surface, the airfoil outer surface defining first and second spoiler apertures formed therein, the spoiler assembly comprising:
first and second spoilers, each spoiler being translatably connected to the airfoil inner surface adjacent a first portion of an associated spoiler aperture, each spoiler defining a spoiler upper surface and a spoiler lower surface, the spoiler upper surface being substantially the same size and shape as the associated spoiler aperture;
first and second spoiler shrouds, each shroud being connected to the airfoil inner surface and extending within the airfoil body about at least a portion of an associated spoiler aperture; and
first and second spoiler activating mechanisms, each spoiler activating mechanism being secured to the airfoil inner surface and connected to an associated spoiler lower surface, the spoiler activating mechanisms being translatable into the spoiler shrouds to reduce lift of the airfoil by translating the spoilers between a first position, wherein the spoiler upper surfaces are both substantially flush with the airfoil outer surface, and a second position, wherein the spoiler upper surfaces are both recessed within the shroud, thereby reducing lift of the airfoil.

17. The spoiler assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein translation of the spoilers into the airfoil body results in a controlled aerodynamic stall condition to occur over a portion of the airfoil outer surface aft of the spoilers.

18. The spoiler assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein the airfoil defines a center body portion and wing portions, and the spoiler assembly is disposed on the center body portion.

19. The spoiler assembly as recited in claim 16 , wherein the airfoil defines a leading edge and a trailing edge, and the spoiler assembly is disposed intermediate the leading and trailing edge.

20. A method of reducing the descent angle of an aircraft defining an aircraft body, an aircraft outer surface and an aircraft inner surface, the aircraft outer surface defining first and second apertures formed therein the method comprising:
forming first and second spoiler apertures in the aircraft outer surface, the spoilers each defining an upper surface;
connecting a translatable spoiler to the aircraft inner surface adjacent each of the spoile

Assignees

• Northrop Grumman Systems Corp

Inventors

• Emerick Mark F

Classifications

• B64C2039/105

  of blended wing body type · CPC title

• B64C39/10

  All-wing aircraft · CPC title

• B64C2230/06

  by explicitly adjusting fluid flow, e.g. by using valves, variable aperture or slot areas, variable pump action or variable fluid pressure · CPC title

• B64C21/02 Primary

  by use of slot, ducts, porous areas or the like · CPC title

• Y02T50/166

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic