Aerodynamic side-force alleviator means
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorsRobert A. Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, with respect to an invention of Frosch, Dhanvada M. Rao
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Abstract
Apparatus for alleviating high angle-of-attack side force on slender pointed cylindrical forebodies such as fighter aircraft, missiles and the like and employing a symmetrical pair of helical separation trips to disrupt the leeside vortices normally attained. The symmetrical pair of trips start at either a common point or at spaced points on the upper surface of the forebody and extend along separate helical paths along the circumference of the forebody.
Claims6
In combination;
- an aerodynamic body having a pointed forebody and a relatively long, slender, cylindrical afterbody, and means for alleviating abrupt and out-of-plane aerodynamic loads on the aerodynamic body during high angles of attack flight;
- said means consisting of a symmetrical pair of ridges disposed on the pointed forebody and starting on the upper surface of said forebody near but spaced from the nose tip thereof and diverging along separate helical paths along the circumference of said forebody.
In combination;
- an aerodynamic body having a pointed forebody and a relatively long, slender, cylindrical afterbody, and ridge means for alleviating abrupt and out-of-plane aerodynamic loads on the aerodynamic body during high angles of attack flight, said ridge means comprising a pair of symmetrical helical trips integrally secured to the circumference of the pointed forebody and starting at a common point near the nose tip of the pointed forebody;
- said pair of helical trips diverging along helical paths from said common point and terminating on the lower surface of said forebody.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.