Airfoil
OwnerRobert Dean Harris, David Edward Barryinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An airfoil is disclosed that is adapted to be launched into the air using an elastomeric band. The device includes a nose portion that is generally in the shape of an elongate ellipsoid that has a front end and a rear end. An elongate rib depends from the rear end of the nose portion in a dkection generally along the long axis of the nose portion, and a pair of generally planar wings depend from the rib and from the rear of the nose portion. The plane of the first wing portion is generally parallel to and spaced apart from the plane of the second wing portion, and both wing portions have a tapered outer edge. The taper of the outer edge of the first wing portion is oppositely disposed to that of the second wing portion.
Claims16
An aerial toy that is adapted to be launched into the air using an elastomeric band, said toy including:
- (a) a nose portion that is generally in the shape of an elongate ellipsoid, said nose portion having a front end and a rear end;
- (b) an elongate rib depending from the rear end of the nose portion in a direction generally along the long axis of said nose portion;
- (c) a first generally planar wing portion and a second generally planar wing portion, wherein each of said wing portions:
- (i) depends from the rear end of the nose portion;
- (ii) depends from the rib;
- (iii) has a tapered outer edge;
- and
- wherein the plane of the first wing portion is generally parallel to and spaced apart from the plane of the second wing portion, and the taper of the outer edge of the first wing portion is oppositely disposed to that of the second wing portion.
An airfoil that is adapted to be launched into the air, said airfoil including:
- (a) a nose portion that is generally in the shape of an elongate ellipsoid, said nose portion having a front end and a rear end and comprising approximately 30-49% of the total mass of the airfoil;
- (b) an elongate rib depending from the rear end of the nose portion in a direction generally along the long axis of said nose portion;
- (c) a first generally planar wing portion and a second generally planar wing portion, wherein each of said wing portions:
- (i) depends from the rear end of the nose portion;
- (ii) depends from the rib;
- (iii) has a tapered outer edge;
- and wherein:
- (d) the plane of the first wing portion is generally parallel to and spaced apart from the plane of the second wing portion;
- (e) the taper of the outer edge of the first wing portion is oppositely disposed to that of the second wing portion;
- (f) the location of the center of mass of the airfoil is on the rib just behind the nose portion;
- (g) the airfoil is adapted to rotate about an axis defined by its rib as it ascends after launch to its maximum altitude, and to rotate about an axis defined by its rib as well as about an axis passing through its center of mass and generally through the center of mass of the Earth as it descends from its maximum altitude.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.