US 2022/0332406 A1 · Variable Morphing Wing Using Surface Actuated Origami Folds

Abstract

Morphable active corrugate structure and aeronautical wings are provided herein including one or more skins or envelopes, and a sheet having independently actuable hinge domains attached to the one or more skins or envelopes and independently actuable facet domains, each of the hinge domains and facet domains configured with through-thickness differential expansion coefficients, wherein differential strains in at least one of the hinge domains or the facet domains cause the sheet to expand or contract along a flexible axis of the sheet, wherein the sheet is attached to the upper and lower skins at respective upper and lower of the hinge domains.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A morphable active corrugate structure comprising:

upper and lower skins;
and
a sheet having independently actuable hinge domains and independently actuable facet domains, each of the hinge domains and facet domains configured with through-thickness differential expansion coefficients, wherein differential strains in at least one of the hinge domains or the facet domains cause the sheet to expand or contract along a flexible axis of the sheet, wherein the sheet is attached to the upper and lower skins at respective upper and lower of the hinge domains.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

17/721,962Filed 15 Apr 2022

Priority

15 Apr 2021

Published

20 Oct 2022

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B64C 3/48
Varying camber: by relatively-movable parts of wing structures
B64C 3/14
Shape of wings: aerofoil profile
B64C 3/26
Wings: construction, shape, or attachment of separate skins, e.g. panels
B64C 3/385
Adjustment of complete wings or parts thereof: variable incidence wings

Variable Morphing Wing Using Surface Actuated Origami Folds

Life of this patent

Variable Morphing Wing Using Surface Actuated Origami Folds

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21