Adaptive pneumatic wing for fixed wing aircraft
AssigneeProspective Concepts AG
InventorsAndreas Reinhard, Frederick E. To, Otto Ramseier, Res Kammer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An adaptive pneumatic wing for a fixed wing aircraft having an airtight envelope (8) defined by a top skin (1) and a bottom skin (2) subdivided internally by a plurality of cells extending longitudinally of the wing, portions of the cells being airtight forming wing structure adapted to provide an aileron function, a landing flap function, and to change the shape of the wing profile.
Claims34
A pneumatic wing for an aircraft, to be filled with compressed air, with a leading edge (4) and a trailing edge (5) which comprises an airtight, textile envelope (8), divided into an airtight upper skin (1) forming the upper covering of the wing and an airtight lower skin (2) forming the lower covering of the wing and a plurality of textile webs (3) joining the upper skin (1) and the lower skin (2), characterised in that:
- the webs (3) extend longitudinally of the wing and are spaced apart across the wing in the direction of air flow dividing the wing into longitudinal cells, the webs (3) being secured with the upper skin (1) and the lower skin (2) along longitudinal lines of attachment so that forces generated by the interplay of tensile stress and pressure tensors in the webs (3) and the upper skin (1) and the lower skin (2) give the wing the intended shape;
- and the wing including air tight cells adapted to change the configuration of the wing to include a form selected from the group consisting of an aileron, a landing flap, and the height and the shape of the wing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.