Wing-drive mechanism and vehicle employing same
OwnerMichael J. C. Smithinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wing-drive mechanism is described that permits, with proper control, movement of a wing about multiple wing trajectories. The wing-drive is capable of independent movement about three rotational degrees of movement; movement about a flap axis is independent of movement about a yaw axis, and both are independent of changes in the pitch of the wing. Methods of controlling the wing-drive mechanism to affect a desired wing trajectory include the use of a non-linear automated controller that generates input signals to the wing-drive mechanism by comparing actual and desired wing trajectories in real time. Specification of wing trajectories is preferably also accomplished in real time using an automated trajectory specification system, which can include a fuzzy logic processor or a neural network.
Claims7
A wing-drive mechanism for a vehicle having a fuselage, comprising
- a) an outwardly extending spar that is moveable independently in flap, yaw and pitch directions about a pivot point;
- b) an inwardly extending spar that is moveable independently in flap, yaw and pitch directions about the pivot point,
- c) a drive wing mounted on the outwardly extending spar;
- d) a first axis drive mechanism for moving said drive wing about the pivot point in a flap direction in response to a first movement input signal, said first drive mechanism including a first arcuate guide rail which moves in response to said first movement input signal and a first sleeve slidably mounted on said first arcuate guide rail;
- e) a second axis drive mechanism for moving said drive wing about the pivot point in a yaw direction in response to a second movement input signal, said second drive mechanism including a second arcuate guide rail which moves in response to said second movement input signal, a second sleeve slidably mounted on said second arcuate guide rail and wherein said second axis drive mechanism operates independently of said first axis drive mechanism;
- and
- f) a third axis drive mechanism for adjusting the pitch of said drive wing in response to a third movement input signal, wherein said third axis drive mechanism operates independently of said first and second axis drive mechanisms,
- wherein said inwardly extending spar is connected directly or indirectly to said second sleeve and said first sleeve is connected to said second sleeve, such that movement of said first axis drive mechanism is transferred to the outwardly extending spar through movement of said first sleeve, second sleeve and inwardly extending spar, and movement of said second axis drive mechanism is transferred to the outwardly extending spar through movement of said second sleeve and said inwardly extending spar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.