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US 4,671,473 AGranted
Airfoil
OwnerKenneth W. Goodsoninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention is an improved airfoil in the form of a plurality of controllable winglets which are used to reduce the stall characteristics of wing tips and to give them better lift capabilities. This is accomplished through relatively simple and yet highly efficient controls.
Claims9
An improved lifting surface comprising:
- a plurality of airfoil shaped winglets mounted spanwise along the outer tip portion of said lifting surface such that the leading edges of said winglets are generally normal to the free air stream;
- said winglets being tapered from their root chords to their tip chords to provide a degree of tip flow relief;
- said winglets being staggered outward in a spanwise direction such that the tip of each trailing winglet extends beyond the tip of each leading winglet whereby each trailing winglet will absorb energy from the wing tip vortex of each leading winglet resulting in increased lift and reduced drag.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.