Morphing wing for an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9856012-B2
Application number	US-201314408722-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2013
Priority date	Jun 21, 2012
Publication date	Jan 2, 2018
Grant date	Jan 2, 2018

Abstract

A morphing wing for an aircraft includes first and second structural ribs with four active members and four passive members connected therebetween. First and second active members and third and fourth active members attach at first and second positions. The first and third active members and the second and fourth active members attach at third and fourth positions. A first passive member connects between third and fifth positions. A second passive member connects between second and seventh positions. A third passive member connects between fourth and sixth positions. A fourth passive member connects between first and eighth positions. Adjustment of the four active members morphs the wing from a first configuration to a second configuration. The first and second positions are at corners of a first quadrilateral diagonally opposite to one another. The four passive members attach to the first structural rib at the corners of the first quadrilateral.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A morphing wing for an aircraft, comprising:
a top surface, a bottom surface, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a tip, and a root, wherein the root is adapted for connection to the aircraft;
a plurality of structural ribs disposed between the root and tip, wherein the structural ribs extend between the top surface and the bottom surface;
four active members connected between adjacent first and second structural ribs of the plurality of structural ribs, the four active members being actively adjustable, wherein:
a first active member and a second active member attach to the first structural rib proximate each other at a first position;
a third active member and a fourth active member attach to the first structural rib proximate each other at a second position;
the first active member and the third active member attach to the second structural rib proximate each other at a third position;
the second active member and the fourth active member attach to the second structural rib proximate each other at a fourth position; and

four passive members connected between the adjacent first and second structural ribs, the four passive members being passively adjustable, wherein:
a first passive member is connected between the third position on the second structural rib and a fifth position on the first structural rib;
a second passive member is connected between the second position on the first structural rib and a seventh position on the second structural rib;
a third passive member is connected between the fourth position on the second structural rib and a sixth position on the first structural rib; and
a fourth passive member is connected between the first position on the first structural rib and an eighth position on the second structural rib;

wherein adjustment of at least one of the four active members moves the adjacent first and second structural ribs with respect to one another, thereby morphing the wing from a first configuration to a second configuration,
wherein the four active members attach to the first structural rib such that the first position and the second position are at corners of a first quadrilateral diagonally opposite to one another, and
wherein the four passive members attach to the first structural rib in proximity to the corners of the first quadrilateral and to the second structural rib in proximity to corners of a second quadrilateral.

2. The morphing wing of claim 1 , wherein the root is connected to the aircraft, and wherein the adjustment of at least one of the four active members moves each of the adjacent first and second structural ribs in relation to a body of the aircraft.

3. The morphing wing of claim 1 , wherein morphing of the wing from the first configuration to the second configuration comprises at least one selected from a group comprising: a dihedral alteration of the wing, a sweep alteration of the wing, a twist alteration of the wing, and a span alteration of the wing.

4. The morphing wing of claim 1 , wherein the four active members are lockable in a rigid state.

5. The morphing wing of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the four active members comprises a linear actuator.

6. The morphing wing of claim 5 , wherein the linear actuator comprises at least one of an electromechanically operated actuator, a hydraulically operated actuator, or a pneumatically operated actuator.

7. The morphing wing of claim 1 , wherein the four passive members are lockable in a rigid state.

8. The morphing wing of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the four passive members is a linear bearing.

9. The morphing wing of claim 8 , wherein the linear bearing comprises a self-circulating valve.

10. The morphing wing of claim 1 , further comprising:
a skin covering the morphing wing.

11. The morphing wing of claim 1 , wherein:
at least one of the four active members lies between 0 and ±90° in relation to a plane of the first structural rib.

12. The morphing wing of claim 1 , wherein the four passive members are attached between the adjacent first and second structural ribs substantially perpendicular to a plane of the first structural rib.

13. The morphing wing of claim 1 , wherein the first quadrilateral is a first rectangle and the second quadrilateral is a second rectangle.

14. The morphing wing of claim 13 , wherein the third position and fourth position are at corners of the second rectangle diagonally opposite to one another.

15. A morphing wing for an aircraft, comprising:
a top surface, a bottom surface, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a tip, and a root, wherein the root is adapted for connection to the aircraft;
a first set of two adjacent structural ribs and a second set of two adjacent structural ribs, wherein the first set of two adjacent structural ribs and the second set of two adjacent structural ribs share a common structural rib, wherein each of the first set and second set of two adjacent structural ribs comprises:
four active members connected between adjacent first and second structural ribs, the four active members being actively adjustable, wherein:
a first active member and a second active member attach to the first structural rib proximate each other at a first position;
a third active member and a fourth active member attach to the first structural rib proximate each other at a second position;
the first active member and the third active member attach to the second structural rib proximate each other at a third position;
the second active member and the fourth active member attach to the second structural rib proximate each other at a fourth position; and

four passive members connected between the adjacent first and second structural ribs, the four passive members being passively adjustable, wherein:
a first passive member is connected between the third position on the second structural rib and a fifth position on the first structural rib;
a second passive member is connected between the second position on the first structural rib and a seventh position on the second structural rib;
a third passive member is connected between the fourth position on the second structural rib and a sixth position on the first structural rib; and
a fourth passive member is connected between the first position on the first structural rib and an eighth position on the second structural rib;

wherein adjustment of at least one of the four active members moves the respective adjacent first and second structural ribs with respect to one another, thereby morphing the wing from a first configuration to a second configuration,
wherein the four active members attach to the first structural rib such that the first position and the second position are at corners of a first quadrilateral diagonally opposite to one another, and
wherein the four passive members attach to the respective first structural rib in proximity to the corners of the first quadrilateral and to the respective second structural rib in proximity to corners of a second quadrilateral.

16. The morphing wing of claim 15 , wherein the root is connected to the aircraft, and wherein the adjustment of at least one of the four active member members moves each of the respective adjacent first and second structural ribs in relation to a body of the aircraft.

17. The morphing wing of claim 15 , wherein the four active members are lockable in a rigid state.

18. The morphing wing of claim 15 , wherein the the four passive members are lockable in a rigid state.

19. The morphing wing of claim 15 , wherein:
the four active

Assignees

• Bombardier Inc

Inventors

• Xi Fengfeng
• Finistauri Allan Daniel
• Moosavian Amin

Classifications

• B64C2003/445

  by changing shape according to the speed, e.g. by morphing · CPC title

• B64C3/52

  Warping · CPC title

• B64C2003/543

  by changing shape according to the speed, e.g. by morphing · CPC title

• B64C3/54

  Varying in area · CPC title

• B64C3/44 Primary

  Varying camber · CPC title