Auxiliary wing tips for an aircraft
AssigneeMesserschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
InventorHeinz G. Klug
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Auxiliary winglets or control surfaces for aircraft wings are tiltable ab an axis extending in the flight direction and about an axis extending substantially perpendicularly to the flight direction. The auxiliary wing tips have a configuration which assure a wing surface continuity, especially when the tips are in their normal wing extending position, but also in any other position of the winglets. Additionally, at least the leading auxiliary winglets are located upstream of the elastic wing axis, as viewed in the flight direction and they have a forward sweep or negative sweepback. The combination of these features permits a simultaneous reduction of induced drag and of stress caused by wind gusts, and for increasing the effectiveness of the wing's ailerons. Thus, these auxiliary winglets have three advantages simultaneously.
Claims9
An aircraft wing construction, comprising wings, each wing including a leading edge, a trailing edge, an elastic axis, an outer wing end, and auxiliary winglet means at said outer wing end, said auxiliary winglet means including first hinging means securing said auxiliary winglet means to said outer wing end, said first hinging means having a first hinging axis extending substantially perpendicularly to a flight direction, and first drive means arranged for tilting said auxiliary winglet means about said first hinging axis of said first hinging means, said winglet means comprising such a configuration that the winglet means merge into the respective outer wing end as an integral aerodynamic surface continuity of said outer wing end substantially in any position of said auxiliary winglet means relative to said outer wing end, said auxiliary winglet means comprising for each outer wing end at least one winglet located upstream of said elastic axis of the respective wing yet maintaining said integral aerodynamic surface continuity, said auxiliary winglet configuration having a forward sweep relative to said elastic axis, whereby said auxiliary winglet configuration simultaneously reduces stress caused by wind gust loads, directly reduces induced drag, and increases the effectiveness of an aileron.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.