Single use logistic glider
First Claim
1. An expendable logistic glider comprising:
- a fuselage having a nose and a tail, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, portions of the fuselage between the nose and the tail defining a cargo bay;
a fuselage bridging spar which is fixedly mounted to the fuselage;
a port wing spar pivotally mounted to the fuselage bridging spar, and a starboard wing spar pivotally mounted to the fuselage bridging spar, opposite the port wing spar;
wherein the port wing spar extending at least partly through a rigid airfoil to form a port wing;
wherein the starboard wing spar extending at least partly through a rigid airfoil to form a starboard wing;
a first source of stored energy mounted within the port wing to act on a first anchor attached to the fuselage to rotate the port wing from a first position at least partially over the fuselage to a second position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage;
a second source of stored energy mounted within the starboard wing to act on a second anchor attached to the fuselage to rotate the starboard wing from a first position at least partially over the fuselage to a second position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A disposable airdropped glider. The glider body is constructed from precut panels cut from (MDO) or (HDO) plywood and assembled with pocket-screw joinery or piano hinges. A skid board forms a landing surface and a cargo deck roll-off surface. The glider has pivoting wings and struts. The glider has a triple-tail, a flat nose and honeycomb paperboard panels between the nose and the cargo. Wings are pivoted from a position overlying the fuselage to a flying position by gas springs in wing spars which are compressed by a chain attached to the fuselage through a rotating bracket such that the gas springs are compressed when the wings are folded. The airfoils are plastic extrusions with openings that hold the wing spars and co-formed jury spars which attach the upper and lower surface of the wing. A parachute uses a part of the tail structure to form a deployment drogue.
19 Citations
8 Claims
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1. An expendable logistic glider comprising:
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a fuselage having a nose and a tail, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, portions of the fuselage between the nose and the tail defining a cargo bay; a fuselage bridging spar which is fixedly mounted to the fuselage; a port wing spar pivotally mounted to the fuselage bridging spar, and a starboard wing spar pivotally mounted to the fuselage bridging spar, opposite the port wing spar; wherein the port wing spar extending at least partly through a rigid airfoil to form a port wing; wherein the starboard wing spar extending at least partly through a rigid airfoil to form a starboard wing; a first source of stored energy mounted within the port wing to act on a first anchor attached to the fuselage to rotate the port wing from a first position at least partially over the fuselage to a second position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage; a second source of stored energy mounted within the starboard wing to act on a second anchor attached to the fuselage to rotate the starboard wing from a first position at least partially over the fuselage to a second position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An expendable logistic glider comprising:
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a fuselage having a nose and a tail, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, portions of the fuselage between the nose and the tail defining a cargo bay; two wing spars pivotally mounted to the fuselage on opposite sides of the fuselage; wherein each wing spar extends through a rigid plastic extrusion having a plurality of jury spars connecting an upper and a lower surface which form a wing; wherein each wing has a wing strut pivotally connected to the corresponding one of the wing spars, the wing strut pivotally connected to the fuselage spaced vertically from where the wing spar is mounted to the fuselage such that the wing strut pivots with the wing; a first source of stored energy mounted within the port wing to act on a first anchor attached to the fuselage to rotate the port wing from a first position at least partially over the fuselage to a second position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage; a second source of stored energy mounted within the starboard wing to act on a second anchor attached to the fuselage to rotate the starboard wing from a first position at least partially over the fuselage to a second position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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Specification