Wing sweep control system
AssigneeGrumman Aerospace Corporation
InventorsRobert W. Kress, Martin C. Stettler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for controlling the wing sweep angle of the wings of an aircraft over their entire sweep range, including a detector for determining aircraft speed and altitude, a digital computer for receiving signals from the detector to produce output signals in response to the input signals therefrom, control apparatus responsive to signals from the computer, an actuator for moving the wings of the aircraft in response to the control apparatus, and a cross-shaft for synchronizing the movement of the wings. A manual controller is also included for manual control of the actuator.
Claims30
A wing sweep control system for controlling the position of the wings of an aircraft, comprising:
- a digital computer;
- detector means for providing input signals representative of aircraft speed and altitude to said digital computer, said digital computer selecting a predetermined wing sweep angle within a given range of wing sweep angles in accordance with aircraft speed and altitude;
- control means responsive to output signals from said computer;
- actuator means mechanically coupled to the wings of the aircraft for positioning the wings in response to output signals from said control means;
- and
- coupling means for synchronizing the movement of the wings.
A wing sweep control system for controlling the position of the wings of an aircraft, comprising:
- means for determining the speed and altitude of the aircraft;
- computer means for aiding in automatically positioning the wings in response to the speed and altitude of the aircraft;
- means for manually determining the wing position;
- and
- means for returning control of the wing position from said manual means to said automatic positioning means when there is a correspondence in the wing position determined by said manual control means and said automatic positioning means.
A wing sweep control system for controlling the position of the wings of an aircraft, comprising:
- a digital computer;
- detector means for providing input signals representative of aircraft speed and altitude to said digital computer;
- control means responsive to output signals from said digital computer;
- actuator means mechanically coupled to the wings of the aircraft for positioning the wings in response to said control means, said control means being activated in response to signals from said digital computer to control said actuator means for providing a wing sweep angle of about 20.degree. to about 68.degree., dependent upon aircraft speed and altitude.
A wing sweep control system for controlling the position of the wings of an aircraft, comprising:
- a digital computer;
- detector means for providing input signals representative of aircraft speed and altitude to said digital computer;
- control means responsive to output signals from said digital computer to provide upper and lower wing sweep angle limits;
- actuator means mechanically coupled to the wings of the aircraft for positioning the wings in response to said control means;
- means for aynchronizing the movement of the wings;
- and
- means for overriding the upper wing sweep angle limit established by said digital computer and said control means.
A wing sweep control system for controlling the position of the wings of an aircraft, comprising:
- a digital computer;
- detector means for providing input signals representative of aircraft speed and altitude to said digital computer;
- control means responsive to output signals from said digital computer, said computer providing an output signal to said control means for establishing a minimum sweep angle of about 55.degree. during bombing;
- actuator means mechanically coupled to the wings of the aircraft for positioning the wings in response to said control means;
- and means for synchronizing the movement of the wings.
A wing sweep control system for controlling the position of the wings of an aircraft, comprising:
- a digital computer;
- detector means for providing input signal representative of aircraft speed and altitude to said digital computer;
- means for selecting one of a plurality of preprogrammed computer wing sweep angle position schedules dependent upon aircraft speed and altitude;
- control means responsive to output signals from said digital computer;
- actuator means mechanically coupled to the wings of the aircraft for positioning the wings in response to said control means;
- and
- means for synchronizing the movement of the wings.
A wing sweep control system for controlling the position of the wings of an aircraft, comprising:
- a digital computer;
- detector means for providing input signals representative of aircraft speed and altitude to said digital computer;
- control means responsive to output signals from said digital computer, said control means including a servo controller to receive output signals from said computer, servo drive control means coupled to said servo controller, and link means responsive to said servo drive control means;
- emergency actuating means coupled to said link means for arresting control of said link means from said servo drive control means upon the application of sufficient force on said link means from said emergency actuating means;
- actuating means mechanically coupled to the wings of the aircraft for positioning the wings in response to said control means;
- and
- means for synchronizing the movement of the wings.
A wing sweep control system for controlling the position of the wings of an aircraft, comprising:
- means for determining the speed and altitude of the aircraft;
- means for automatically positioning the wings in response to the speed and altitude of the aircraft to provide a wing sweep range of about 20.degree. to about 68.degree.;
- means for manually determining the wing position;
- and
- means for returning control of the wing position from said manual means to said automatic positioning means when there is a correspondence in the wing position determined by said manual control means and said automatic positioning means.
A wing sweep control system for controlling the position of the wings of an aircraft, comprising:
- means for determining the speed and altitude of the aircraft;
- means for automatically positioning the wings in response to the speed and altitude of the aircraft;
- means for manually determining the wing position;
- means for returning control of the wing position from said manual means to said automatic positioning means when there is a correspondence in the wing position determined by said manual control means and said automatic positiong means;
- and
- oversweep means for overriding the most aft wing position provided by said automatic positioning means.
A wing sweep control system for controlling the position of the wings of an aircraft, comprising:
- means for determining the speed and altitude of the aircraft;
- means for automatically positioning the wings in response to the speed and altitude of the aircraft to maintain a minimum wing position of about 55.degree. during bombing;
- means for manually determining the wing position;
- and
- means for returning control of the wing position from said manual means to said automatic positioning means when there is a correspondence in the wing position determined by said manual control means and said automatic positioning means.
A wing sweep control system for controlling the position of the wings of an aircraft, comprising:
- means for determining the speed and altitude of the aircraft;
- means for automatically positioning the wings in response to the speed and altitude of the aircraft, said automatic positioning means including a plurality of predetermined wing positions dependent upon aircraft speed and altitude;
- means for manually determining the wing position;
- and
- means for returning control of the wing position from said manual means to said automatic positioning means when there is a correspondence in the wing position determined by said manual control means and said automatic positioning means.
A wing sweep control system for controlling the position of the wings of an aircraft, in which the wings have maneuver flaps, comprising:
- means for determining the speed and altitude of the aircraft;
- means for automatically positioning the wings in response to the speed and altitude of the aircraft;
- means for manually determining the wing position;
- means for returning control of the wing position from said manual means to said automatic positioning means when there is a correspondence in the wing position determined by said manual control means and said automatic positioning means;
- means for activating the maneuver flaps;
- and
- means electrically coupled to said automatic positioning means for aignaling said automatic positioning means to limit the aft position of the wings to about 50.degree. when the maneuver flaps are extended.
A wing sweep control system for controlling the position of the wings of an aircraft in which the wings have auxiliary flaps, comprising:
- means for determining the speed and altitude of the aircraft;
- means for automatically positioning the wings in response to the speed and altitude of the aircraft;
- means for manually determining the wing position;
- means for returning control of the wing position from said manual means to said automatic positioning means when there is a correspondence in the wing position determined by said manual control means and said automatic positioning means;
- means for activating the auxiliary flaps;
- means electrically coupled to said automatic positioning means for signaling said automatic positioning means to limit the forward position of the wings to about 20.degree. when the auxiliary flaps are extended.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.