Active drag modulation system and method
AssigneeBonutti 2003 Trust-A
InventorPeter M. Bonutti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle traveling through an environmental media such as air experiences drag. The drag is actively modulated by energy beams which may either increase or decrease the drag. The energy beams may be ultrasonic and provide acoustic energy at a transition region between turbulent and laminar flows or at the leading edge of a laminar flow in order to facilitate the respective increase or decrease in drag. The ultrasonic beams may be placed at various locations of an aircraft in order to provide some flight control. The ultrasonic beams may be placed on an automobile to facilitate desired operating modes of the vehicle. The ultrasonic beams may be a further component of a parametric array for communicating audio signals ahead and behind the vehicle in addition to drag modulation.
Claims26
A method for controlling a drag of a vehicle traveling through an environmental media, comprising:
- creating a first acoustic signal;
- directing the first acoustic signal into a transitional section between a laminar flow and a turbulent flow of a boundary layer adjacent to a surface of the vehicle;
- creating a second acoustic signal;
- and
- directing the second acoustic signal into the laminar flow of the boundary layer adjacent to the surface of the vehicle,
- wherein the drag is controlled independent of movement of the surface of the vehicle.
In a vehicle traveling through an environmental media and experiencing drag as a result of the environmental media, a device comprising:
- a first acoustic signal transmitter for transmitting a first acoustic signal into a transitional section between a laminar flow and a turbulent flow of a boundary layer adjacent to a surface of the vehicle, decreasing the drag on the surface of the vehicle;
- a second acoustic signal transmitter for transmitting a second acoustic signal into the laminar flow of the boundary layer adjacent to the surface of the vehicle, increasing the drag on the surface of the vehicle, increasing the drag on the surface of the vehicle;
- and
- an active drag controller for selectively enabling said first and second acoustic signals, wherein the device modulates drag independent of movement of the surface of the vehicle.
A directional control system for a vehicle traveling through an environmental media comprising a plurality of signal generators affixed proximal to the surface of the vehicle, the plurality of signal generators including a first group of signal generators directing a first acoustic signal into a transitional section between a laminar flow and a turbulent flow of a boundary layer adjacent to the surface of the vehicle and a second group of signal generators directing a second acoustic signal into the laminar flow of the boundary layer adjacent to the surface of the vehicle, the plurality of signal generators modulating drag independent of movement of the surface of the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.