Segmented variable sweep wing aircraft
AssigneeGrumman Aerospace Corporation
InventorAldo Arena
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A segmented variable sweep wing for an aircraft has a plurality of wing segments. A structural device movably affixes the wing segments to the fuselage of the aircraft adjacent each other at their root areas. The structural device moves the segments conjointly to a power position where the segments are perpendicular to the fuselage and spaced from each other. The structural device also moves the segments conjointly to a cruise position wherein the segments are swept back at an angle with the fuselage and in abutment with each other thereby forming a unitary continuous surface airfoil.
Claims17
A segmented variable sweep wing for an aircraft having a fuselage, said wing comprising
- a plurality of wing segments each having a root area and a tip area spaced from said root area;
- and
- structural means movably affixing said wing segments directly to said fuselage adjacent each other at their root areas for conjoint movement of said wing segments to a power lift position wherein said wing segments are substantially perpendicular to said fuselage in a substantially horizontal plane and spaced from each other and for conjoint movement of said wing segments to a cruise position wherein said wing segments are swept back at an angle with said fuselage in a substantially horizontal plane and substantially in abutment with each other thereby forming a substantially unitary continuous surface airfoil.
A method of providing a segmented variable sweep wing with a plurality of wing segments each having a root area and a tip area spaced from said root area, for an aircraft having a fuselage, said method comprising the steps of
- movably affixing the plurality of wing segments directly to said fuselage positioned adjacent each other at their root areas for conjoint movement;
- and
- controlling the movement of said wing segments so that they are conjointly movable to a power lifting position wherein said wing segments are substantially perpendicular to said fuselage in a substantially horizontal plane and spaced from each other and so that said wing segments are conjointly movable to a cruise position wherein said wing segments are swept back at an angle with said fuselage in a substantially horizontal plane and substantially in abutment with each other thereby forming a substantially unitary continuous surface airfoil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.