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US 12,351,298 B2Granted
Adjustable lift modification wingtip
AssigneeTamarack Aerospace Group, Inc.
InventorNicholas R. Guida
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustable lift modification wingtip may be attached to a baseline wing of an aircraft. The adjustable lift modification wingtip may comprise a horizontal portion including a control surface and a vertical portion coupled to the horizontal portion. The vertical portion may move about an axis that may be substantially perpendicular to the horizontal portion. The control surface and the vertical portion may be adjusted in conjunction to increase wing efficiency at a flight condition.
Claims20
A winglet comprising:
- a horizontal portion configured to couple to a wing of an aircraft, the horizontal portion including a control surface;
- a vertical portion moveably coupled to the horizontal portion, the vertical portion being configured to move about an axis substantially parallel with a central vertical plane of the aircraft;
- a first actuator coupled to the control surface;
- a second actuator coupled to the vertical portion;
- and
- a control system configured to:
- receive sensor data generated via one or more sensors,
- determine, based at least in part on the sensor data, a movement of the control surface and a movement of the vertical portion, and
- control (i) the movement of the control surface via the first actuator and (ii) the movement of the vertical portion via the second actuator, wherein the control system is configured to control the movement of the vertical portion independently of the movement of the control surface.
6 more elements
An aircraft comprising:
- a fuselage;
- a wing including:
- a first end coupled to the fuselage, and
- a second end opposite the first end;
- a wing extension including:
- a horizontal portion coupled to the second end, and
- a vertical portion coupled to the horizontal portion and configured to be disposed at a plurality of toe angles relative to a direction of free stream flow upstream of the aircraft, the vertical portion being configured to move about an axis substantially perpendicular to the horizontal portion;
- and
- a control system configured to;
- receive sensor data generated via one or more sensors,
- determine, based at least in part on the sensor data, a toe angle of the plurality of toe angles, and
- control position of the vertical portion to the toe angle, independently of a movement of the horizontal portion.
9 more elements
A method comprising:
- receiving first data associated with an aircraft;
- determining, based at least in part on the first data, a position associated with a control surface of a horizontal portion of a winglet of the aircraft;
- determining, based at least in part on the first data, a first toe angle associated with a vertical portion of the winglet, the vertical portion moveably coupled to the horizontal portion about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to a direction of travel of the aircraft;
- causing the control surface to be adjusted to the position;
- causing the vertical portion, independent of the control surface, to be adjusted to the first toe angle;
- receiving second data associated with the aircraft;
- determining, based at least in part on the second data, a second toe angle associated with the vertical portion of the winglet;
- and
- causing the vertical portion to be adjusted to the second toe angle.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.