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US 6,994,294 B2Granted
Stabilization of a drogue body
AssigneeSmiths Aerospace, Inc.
InventorsFrank Saggio, III, William B. Ribbens, Kean K. Ooi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A refueling drogue adapted to connect to a refueling hose extending from a refueling aircraft. The drogue may include a rotatable mass adapted to effectively stabilize the refueling drogue via a gyroscopic effect of the rotating mass on the refueling drogue when the refueling drogue is placed in an airstream.
Claims136
A refueling drogue, comprising:
- a rotatable mass;
- and
- a flexible joint located between the rotatable mass and a connector on the refueling drogue adapted to connect the refueling drogue to a refueling hose;
- wherein the rototable mass is adapted to effectively stabilize the refueling drouge via a gyroscopic effect of the rotating mass on the refueling drouge when the refueling drogue is connected to a refueling hose and placed in an airstream.
1 more element
A refueling drouge, comprising:
- a rotatable mass;
- wherein
- the rotatable mass is adapted to effectively stabilize the refueling drouge via a gyroscopic effect of the rotating mass on the refueling drogue when the refueling drogue is placed in an airstream;
- wherein the rotating mass is connected to an air turbine;
- wherein the air turbine is adapted to rotate the rotatable mass when exposed to the air stream when the air stream has a relative velocity to the refueling drouge in excess of about 50 KEAS to produce the gyroscopic effect;
- and wherein the air turbine is adapted to extend outward away from the refueling drogue and retract inward towards the refueling drouge.
3 more elements
A refueling drogue spin stabilization kit comprising:
- a spin stabilization pack including a rotatable mass, wherein the spin stabilization pack is adapted to connect to a conventional refueling drogue, and wherein the spin stabilization pack is adapted such that when connected to the refueling drogue, the spin stabilization pack effectively stabilizes the refueling drogue via a gyroscopic effect of the rotating mass on the refueling drogue when the refueling drogue is placed in and airstream.
A method of effectively stabilizing a refueling drogue, comprising:
- extending a refueling drogue connected to a refueling hose from an aircraft into an air stream;
- and
- rotating a rotatable mass to create an effective gyroscopic effect on the refueling drogue to effectively stabilize the refueling drogue, wherein a flexible joint is located between the rotatable mass and the refueling hose.
A refueling drogue, comprising:
- a rotatable mass;
- an active control system;
- and
- a flexible joint located between the rotatable mass and a connector on the refueling drogue adapted to connect the refueling drogue to a refueling hose;
- wherein
- the rotatable mass is adapted to effectively stabilize the refueling drogue via a gyroscopic effect of the rotating mass on the refueling drogue when the refueling drogue is connected to a refueling hose and placed in an airstream.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.