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US 11,891,165 B2Granted
Aircraft with tail portion having convergent and divergent winglets and related manufacturing method
AssigneeLeonardo S.P.A.
InventorsPierre Abdel Nour, Matteo Pecoraro
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aircraft is described that comprises: a fuselage with a first axis of longitudinal extension; and a tail portion arranged at a tail end of the fuselage; the tail portion comprises two surfaces arranged in a V-shape, inclined to each other and symmetrical with respect to the first axis; each surface comprises an associated winglet arranged transversely with respect to the surface and fixed with respect to the surface.
Claims6
An aircraft (1, 1′, 1″) comprising:
- a fuselage (2) with an axis (A) of longitudinal extension;
- and
- a tail portion (14) arranged at a tail end (13) of said fuselage (2);
- said tail portion (14) comprising two surfaces (15a, 15b) arranged in a V-shape, inclined with respect to each other and symmetrical with respect to said axis (A);
- each said surface (15a, 15b) comprising an associated winglet (19a, 19b) arranged transversally with respect to the associated said surface (15a, 15b) and fixed with respect to the associated said surface (15a, 15b);
- said first and second surfaces (15a, 15b) comprising:
- respective first faces (17a, 17b) facing each other;
- respective second faces (18a, 18b) opposite to the respective first faces (17a, 17b);
- and
- respective end edges (16a, 16b) opposite to said fuselage (2) from which the associated said winglets (19a, 19b) extend;
- each said winglet (19a, 19b) comprising:
- a respective first portion (20a, 20b) extending in a cantilevered way from the associated end edge (16a, 16b) on a side of said respective first face (17a, 17b);
- starting from the associated said end edge (16a, 16b), said first portions (20a, 20b) being convergent to one another;
- wherein each said winglet (19a, 19b) further comprises a respective second portion (21a, 21b) extending in a cantilevered way from the associated end edge (16a, 16b) on a side of said respective said second face (18a, 18b);
- starting from the associated said end edge (16a, 16b), said second portions (21a, 21b) being divergent from one another;
- wherein a median plane of each said winglet (19a, 19b) is parallel to a median plane of each said surface (15b, 15a) from which the other said winglet (19b, 19a) extends.
13 more elements
A method of manufacturing an aircraft (1), the method comprises the steps of:
- i) making a fuselage (2) with an axis (A) of longitudinal extension;
- ii) arranging two mutually inclined surfaces (15a, 15b) symmetrically to said axis (A) so as to form a V-shape on a tail end (13) of said fuselage (2);
- and
- iii) forming an angle between said surfaces (15a, 15b) so as to confer said aircraft (1) with a preliminary value of longitudinal static stability and lateral-directional stability;
- said surfaces (15a, 15b) comprising respective end edges (16a, 16b) opposite to said fuselage (2);
- iv) making two winglets (19a, 19b), which are arranged transversely to the respective said surfaces (15a, 15b), fixed with respect to said respective surfaces (15a, 15b) and extending from respective end edges (16a, 16b) of the respective said surfaces (15a, 15b);
- and
- v) determining the area of said winglets (19a, 19b) and the inclination of said winglets (19a, 19b) with respect to the respective said surfaces (15a, 15b) based on a corrective value of said preliminary value of the longitudinal static stability and the lateral-directional stability;
- said steps iv) and v) being carried out after said steps i), ii) and iii);
- said first and second surfaces (15a, 15b) comprising:
- respective first faces (17a, 17b) facing each other;
- respective second faces (18a, 18b) opposite to the respective first faces (17a, 17b);
- and
- said winglets (19a, 19b) extending from said respective end edges (16a, 16b);
- each said winglet (19a, 19b) comprising:
- a respective first portion (20a, 20b) extending in a cantilevered way from the associated end edge (16a, 16b) on the side of said respective first face (17a, 17b);
- starting from the associated said end edge (16a, 16b), said first portions (20a, 20b) being convergent to one another;
- each said winglet (19a, 19b) further comprises a respective second portion (21a, 21b) extending in a cantilevered way from the associated end edge (16a, 16b) on the side of said respective said second face (18a, 18b);
- starting from the associated said end edge (16a, 16b), said second portions (21a, 21b) being divergent from one another.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.