Wavy airfoil
OwnerJohn Sullivan, Collin Robert Sullivaninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention uses a novel shape of airfoil to achieve an improved lift to drag ratio and to improve performance at higher angles of attack. The airfoil has a three dimensional wave pattern that modifies the shape of a traditional airfoil to coordinate the airflow through channels on both the top and bottom sides. The uniquely shaped airfoil of this invention could have many uses including a wind turbine blade. This invention not only provides for a more efficient device by improving the effective angle of attack and lift/drag ratio, but also provides for a quiet airflow thus greatly reducing nuisance noise over conventional devices.
Claims15
An airfoil comprising a leading edge, a trailing edge and upper and lower surfaces wherein said airfoil has a lateral wave-like shape forming a surface waveform comprised of a plurality of alternating peaks and troughs such that the airfoil surfaces are synchronized such that the upper surface peak, or convexity is directly over the lower surface trough, or concavity and the peaks and troughs extends substantially for the entire chord length of the airfoil from the leading edge to the trailing edge and said alternating peaks and troughs are integral to the waveform cross-section and not additions and subtractions to a flat airfoil.
A method of delaying the boundary layer separation of airflow over an airfoil;
- said airfoil having a wave shape such that the upper and lower surfaces are aligned such that the convexity of one surface is aligned with the concavity of the other surface and said wave shape extends from the leading edge to the trailing edge and runs the entire chord length;
- wherein said concavities and convexities are integral with the airfoil cross-section and are not additions to a flat airfoil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.