Flight control surface having lithiated carbon fibers struts
AssigneesAirbus Americas, Inc., Airbus Operations GmbH
InventorsPeter LINDE, Michael TELKAMP, Jeffrey NANGLE
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flight control surface for an aircraft. The flight control surface has a skin with an upper surface and lower surface and an internal cavity and, a strut within the internal cavity, the strut extending diagonally between the upper surface and the lower surface of the skin. The strut includes lithiated fibers which elongate in response to an electric current to change a camber of the flight control surface. Also a method for changing such a flight control surface and an aircraft with such a flight control surface.
Claims15
A flight control surface for an aircraft, the flight control surface comprising:
- a skin having an upper surface and lower surface and forming an internal cavity;
- and,
- a strut within the internal cavity, the strut extending diagonally between the upper surface and the lower surface of the skin, the strut comprising lithiated carbon fibers configured to elongate in response to an electric current and change a camber of the flight control surface.
A process for changing a camber of a flight control surface, the flight control surface having a skin with an upper surface and lower surface and forming an internal cavity, and, a strut within the internal cavity, the strut extending diagonally between the upper surface and the lower surface of the skin, the strut comprising lithiated carbon fibers, the process comprising:
- applying an electric current to the strut so that the strut elongates and changes the camber of the flight control surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.