US 7,607,610 B1Granted

Ornithopter having a wing structure and a mechanism for imparting realistic, bird-like motion thereto

AssigneeRobert Sterchak

InventorRobert Sterchak

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Abstract

An ornithopter having segmented, flapping wings and capable of bird-like flight. A main drive system provides flapping motion to the wings. Servo systems are provided for independently moving each wing forward and backward along a major axis of the aircraft fuselage, thereby providing a balance subsystem. A single servomechanism controls upward and downward direction of the wings thereby providing a center angle control subsystem. Two additional servo systems are provided to control a tail assembly that provides steering and other ancillary control functions. Each subsystem is controlled by a dedicated, onboard microcontroller. One embodiment of the aircraft is remotely controlled by a wireless data communication link. The aircraft may be constructed to resemble a natural bird, in both static appearance and flight characteristics. The aircraft may be scaled from model size to a full-size, passenger carrying aircraft.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A mechanism for imparting flapping motion to a wing, comprising:

a) a wing;
b) a main drive mechanism for imparting upward and downward flapping motion to said wing, said flapping motion comprising a flap stroke having an upper extremity and a lower extremity and comprising:
i) a main drive shaft having an outboard, distal end;
ii) at least one motor operatively connected to said main drive shaft and adapted to impart rotary motion thereto;
iii) a universal joint having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end of said universal joint being operatively attached to said distal end of said main drive shaft;
iv) a gimbal block surrounding said universal joint;
v) a shaft director hingedly affixed to a proximal end of said wing, said shaft director being pivotally affixed to said gimbal block;
vi) an inner crank having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end being operatively connected to said distal end of said universal joint;
and
vii) a first scotch yoke interactive with said inner crank and operatively attached to said wing;
c) a center angle drive mechanism for modifying a dihedral angle of said wing relative to a longitudinal axis thereof, said dihedral angle being a midpoint between said upper extremity and said lower extremity of said flap stroke;
and
d) a balance drive mechanism for modifying a fore/aft direction of said wing.

10 more elements

A mechanism for imparting flapping motion to a wing, comprising:

a) an articulate wing comprising an inner wing segment and an outer wing segment pivotally attached thereto;
b) a main drive mechanism for imparting upward and downward flapping motion to said wing, said flapping motion comprising a flap stroke comprising an upper extremity and a lower extremity, said main drive mechanism comprising:
i) at least one motor operatively connected to a main drive shaft and adapted to impart rotary motion thereto;
ii) said main drive shaft having an outboard, distal end and operatively connected to said at least one motor;
iii) a universal joint having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end of said universal joint being operatively attached to said distal end of said main drive shaft;
iv) a gimbal block surrounding said universal joint;
v) a shaft director hingedly affixed to a proximal end of said wing, said shaft director being pivotally affixed to said gimbal block;
vi) an inner crank having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end being operatively connected to said distal end of said universal joint;
and
vii) a first scotch yoke interactive with said inner crank and operatively attached to said wing;
c) a center angle drive mechanism for modifying a dihedral angle of said wing at a midpoint between said upper extremity and said lower extremity of said flap stroke, said center angle drive mechanism comprising:
i) a worm;
ii) at least one motor operatively connected to said worm disposed substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said wing;
iii) a gimbal block;
and
iv) a gear segment adjacent and operatively connected to said worm, said gear segment being pivotally attached to said gimbal block;
d) a balance mechanism for modifying a fore/aft direction of said wing, said balance drive mechanism comprising:
i) a lead screw;
ii) a drive motor operatively connected to said lead screw and adapted for imparting rotary motion thereto;
iii) a lead screw follower operatively connected to said lead screw;
iv) a shaft director;
and
v) a balance link having a proximal end pivotally connected to said lead screw follower and a distal end pivotally connected to said shaft director;
and
e) a fanning mechanism for imparting a fanning motion to said wing, said fanning motion depending at least in part upon a position of said wing in said flap stroke, said fanning mechanism comprising at least one selected from the group:
an upper stop, and a lower stop.

23 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.