Skin actuated morphing wing
OwnerSidaard Gunasekaran, Julian Pabon +1inventors
InventorsSidaard Gunasekaran, Julian Pabon, Jielong Cai
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Abstract
A wing comprises a skin shaped like an airfoil and includes a length and an interior. A latching structure is coupled to the interior of the skin and includes a T-shaped structure. Further, a first motor couples to a first rod, near a top of the skin, that spans at least a portion of the length of the skin. A second rod spans at least a portion of the length of the skin and is near a bottom of the skin. A rigid leading edge disposed in the interior of the outer skin and includes a T-shaped hollow corresponding to the T-shaped structure of the latching structure, which limits the skin from buckling when the first motor is activated.
Claims16
A wing comprising:
- an airfoil shaped skin, the skin including:
- a length;
- and
- an interior;
- a latching structure coupled to the interior of the skin, wherein the latching structure includes a T-shaped structure;
- a first motor coupled to:
- a first rod that spans at least a portion of the length of the skin, wherein the first rod is near a top of the skin;
- and
- a second rod that spans at least a portion of the length of the skin, wherein the second rod is near a bottom of the skin;
- and
- a rigid leading edge disposed in the interior of the outer skin, wherein the rigid leading edge includes:
- a T-shaped hollow corresponding to the T-shaped structure of the latching structure, which limits the skin from buckling when the first motor is activated.
A segment of a wing comprising:
- an airfoil shaped skin, the skin including:
- a length;
- and
- an interior;
- a latching structure coupled to the interior of the skin, wherein the latching structure includes a T-shaped structure;
- a first motor coupled to:
- a first rod that spans at least a portion of the length of the skin, wherein the first rod is near a top of the skin;
- and
- a second rod that spans at least a portion of the length of the skin, wherein the second rod is near a bottom of the skin;
- a rigid leading edge disposed in the interior of the outer skin, wherein the rigid leading edge includes:
- a T-shaped hollow corresponding to the T-shaped structure of the latching structure, which limits the skin from buckling when the first motor is activated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.