Back to results
US 12,491,985 B2Granted
Slotted wing flaps for a VTOL aircraft
AssigneeOverair, Inc.
InventorsAbe Karem, John Paul Parcell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Devices and systems of the inventive concept provide an aircraft flap system is deflected to achieve minimum drag in cruise, maximum coefficient of lift (CL) at low speed, and minimum download in hover. It does so by opening a gap or slot between an aircraft's wing body and an associated trailing flap during hover flight, while providing a continuous aerodynamic contour under other conditions.
Claims9
A method of operating a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft,
- wherein the VTOL aircraft comprises a wing, wherein the wing comprises 1) a wing body having an upper and a lower surface and comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the trailing edge comprises a channel, 2) a trailing flap, and 3) an intermediate body interposed between the wing body and the trailing flap;
- the method comprising:
- maintaining the intermediate body within the channel when the trailing flap is in a stowed position;
- extending the intermediate body and trailing flap away from the channel and at least 75° downward relative to the wing body, so that the aircraft wing is in a hover position when the aircraft is in a hover flight condition;
- and
- forming a vertical gap between the wing body and the intermediate body, wherein the entire intermediate body is below the entire wing body;
- and wherein the vertical gap is sufficiently large to provide a break in the aerodynamic contour represented by the wing body and the trailing flap when the aircraft wing is in the hover position.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.