Airflow interrupting devices
AssigneeTamarack Aerospace Group, Inc.
InventorNicholas R. Guida
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flow interrupting device may cause a flow to separate from a wingtip device at a desired angle of attack. The flow interrupting device may be coupled to a leading edge of a wingtip device where a flow disruptor may be configured to alleviate a load on the wingtip device. The flow disrupter may comprise an edge that extends into a boundary layer at a threshold angle of attack that may disrupt the boundary layer and cause a flow to separate from the wingtip device. This separated flow may reduce stresses experienced by the wingtip device and wing during various flight conditions where a transverse flow is encountered.
Claims19
A boundary layer interrupting device comprising:
- a first edge fixedly coupleable to a leading edge of a wingtip device, the wingtip device comprising a wingtip device airfoil and a wingtip device chord, the wingtip device airfoil substantially out of plane of a wing airfoil and a wing chord, the wingtip device airfoil extending substantially perpendicular with respect to the plane of the wing airfoil and the wing chord;
- and
- a second edge comprising a flow disruptor configured to alleviate a load on the wingtip device, the flow disruptor comprising a disrupting edge that extends into and is contained within a stagnation region of the wingtip device at a first angle of attack of the wingtip device and protrudes from the stagnation region at a second angle of attack of the wingtip device.
A boundary layer interrupting device comprising:
- a first edge fixedly coupleable to a leading edge of a wingtip device, the wingtip device comprising a wingtip device airfoil and a wingtip device chord, the wingtip device airfoil substantially out of plane of a wing airfoil and a wing chord, the wingtip device is disposed at the end of a wing;
- and
- a second edge comprising a flow disruptor configured to alleviate a load on the wingtip device, the flow disruptor comprising a disrupting edge that extends into and is contained within a stagnation region of the wingtip device at a first angle of attack of the wingtip device and protrudes from the stagnation region at a second angle of attack of the wingtip device.
A winglet comprising:
- a substantially vertical portion comprising a leading edge;
- and
- a boundary layer interrupting device coupled to a portion of the leading edge, the boundary interrupting device comprising:
- a first edge fixedly coupleable to a leading edge of a wingtip device, the wingtip device comprising a wingtip device airfoil and a wingtip device chord, the wingtip device airfoil substantially out of plane of a wing airfoil and a wing chord, the wingtip device is disposed at the end of a wing;
- and
- a second edge comprising a flow disruptor configured to alleviate a load on the wingtip device, the flow disruptor comprising a disrupting edge that extends into and is contained within a stagnation region of the wingtip device at a first angle of attack of the wingtip device and protrudes from the stagnation region at a second angle of attack of the wingtip device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.