High efficiency, supersonic aircraft
OwnerRichard R. Tracyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A supersonic flight aircraft having a longitudinally forwardly extending axis in the direction of flight, and a wing, comprising a wing extending generally laterally relative to the axis, and having a leading edge angled forward or rearwardly relative to a normal to the axis at an angle .OMEGA., and the wing having a maximum thickness t; the angle .OMEGA. and thickness t characterized that in that in supersonic flight conditions, the forwardmost shock wave produced in association with the wing extends generally along or rearwardly of the leading edge, whereby laminar airflow conditions are maintained over the leading edge and adjacent the surface of the wing.
Claims20
A wing for use on an airplane designed for efficient supersonic flight, said wing having leading and trailing edges, a longitudinal axis extending directionally between said edges wing tip ends and upper and lower surfaces, said wing having a main portion and a tip portion:
- a) said main portion of the wing having leading edge sweep angularity .OMEGA., the absolute value of which is less than 30 degrees at all spanwise locations, wherein said leading edge sweep angularity at any spanwise location is defined as the angle between the tangent to the leading edge of said wing at said location, and the plane normal to the longitudinal axis of said airplane,
- b) the wing having leading edge sharpness defined by upper and lower wing surfaces which taper toward said leading edge to define an angle closely proximate said leading edge at all spanwise locations, and which is less than about 5 degrees,
- c) the wing having an airfoil cross sectional shape at each spanwise location, defined by the intersections of said upper and lower surfaces with a vertical plane parallel to said longitudinal axis at said spanwise location, said airfoil cross sectional shape being free from concavity for the majority of its longitudinal length measured from said leading edge,
- d) the wing having a thickness-to-chord ratio which is less than about 0.02, as an average along the span of said wing, wherein said thickness-to-chord ratio at any spanwise location is defined as the maximum vertical height of said airfoil cross sectional shape of said spanwise location, divided by said its longitudinal length at said spanwise location.
In combination with an airplane designed for efficient supersonic flight, a wing having leading and trailing edges, wing tip ends and upper and lower surfaces, said airplane having a longitudinally extending axis, and a body which extends forwardly and rearwardly relative to the wing, said wing having a main portion, a tip portion, and a wing fuselage juncture end portion:
- a) said main portion of the wing having leading edge sweep angularity, the absolute value of which is less than 30 degrees at all spanwise locations, wherein said leading edge sweep angularity at any spanwise location is defined as the angle between the tangent to the leading edge of said wing at said location, and the plane normal to the longitudinal axis of said airplane,
- b) the wing having leading edge sharpness defined by upper and lower wing surfaces which taper toward said leading edge to define an angle closely proximate said leading edge at all spanwise locations which is less than about 5 degrees,
- c) the wing having an airfoil cross sectional shape at each spanwise location, defined by the intersections of said upper and lower surfaces and a vertical plane parallel to said longitudinal axis at said spanwise location, said airfoil cross sectional shape being free from concavity for a distance of at least about 60% of its longitudinal length measured from said leading edge,
- d) the wing having a maximum thickness-to-chord ratio which is less than about 0.02, as an average along the span of said wing, wherein said maximum thickness-to-chord ratio at any spanwise location is defined as the maximum vertical height of said airfoil cross sectional shape at said spanwise location, divided by its longitudinal length at said spanwise location,
- e) the wing having an associated maximum thickness-to-chord ratio proximate the wing-body juncture ends and said ratio being less than about 0.025.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.