CONTROLLABLE REFUELING DROGUES AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS
First Claim
1. An airborne refueling system, comprising:
- a fuel delivery device having a deployable portion configured to be deployed overboard an aircraft during aerial refueling, the deployable portion including;
at least a portion of a flexible fuel line;
a drogue coupled to the flexible fuel line, the drogue having multiple vanes arranged around an axis, and movable in a circumferential direction relative to the axis;
an actuatable device operatively coupled to at least one of the to move the vane in a circumferential direction relative to the axis; and
a guidance system carried by the deployable portion and operatively coupled to the actuatable device, the guidance system including instructions to direct the operation of the actuatable device and move the drogue during flight.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Controllable refueling drogues and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A system in accordance with one embodiment includes a fuel delivery device having a deployable portion configured to be deployed overboard an aircraft during aerial refueling. The deployable portion can include at least a portion of a flexible fuel line, a drogue coupled to the flexible fuel line, and an actuatable device operatively coupled to at least one of the drogue and the fuel line. The deployable portion can further include a guidance system that is operatively coupled to the actuatable device and that includes instructions to direct the operation of the actuatable device and move the drogue during flight.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. An airborne refueling system, comprising:
a fuel delivery device having a deployable portion configured to be deployed overboard an aircraft during aerial refueling, the deployable portion including;
at least a portion of a flexible fuel line;
a drogue coupled to the flexible fuel line, the drogue having multiple vanes arranged around an axis, and movable in a circumferential direction relative to the axis;
an actuatable device operatively coupled to at least one of the to move the vane in a circumferential direction relative to the axis; and
a guidance system carried by the deployable portion and operatively coupled to the actuatable device, the guidance system including instructions to direct the operation of the actuatable device and move the drogue during flight. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 26, 27)
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10. An airborne refueling system, comprising:
a fuel delivery device having a deployable portion configured to be deployed overboard an aircraft during aerial refueling, the deployable portion including;
at least a portion of a flexible fuel line;
a drogue coupled to the flexible fuel line and arranged around a major axis;
actuation means for changing a shape of the drogue to be eccentric relative to the major axis; and
guidance means for directing the operation of the actuation means. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 28)
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15. An airborne refueling system, comprising:
a fuel delivery device that includes;
a flexible fuel line;
a drogue coupled to the flexible fuel line, the drogue including multiple vanes arranged around an axis, the drogue further including a canopy coupled to the vanes; and
at least one actuator coupled to at least one of the vanes to move the vane in a circumferential direction relative to the axis. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 29)
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20. A method for refueling an aircraft, comprising:
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aerially deploying from a tanker aircraft a portion of a refueling system that includes a flexible fuel line and a drogue arranged around a major axis; and
changing a position of the drogue by controlling an actuator operatively coupled to the drogue and carried by the deployed portion of the refueling system, wherein activation of the actuator causes the drogue to assume an eccentric shape relative to the major axis. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 30)
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31. An airborne refueling system, comprising:
a fuel delivery device that includes;
a flexible fuel line;
a drogue coupled to the flexible fuel line, the drogue including multiple vanes arranged around an axis; and
at least one actuator coupled to at least one of the vanes to move the at least one vane in a circumferential direction relative to the axis. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. An airborne refueling system, comprising:
a fuel delivery device having a deployable portion configured to be deployed overboard an aircraft during aerial refueling, the deployable portion including;
at least a portion of a flexible fuel line;
a drogue coupled to the flexible fuel line;
an actuatable device operatively coupled to at least one of the drogue and the fuel line;
a guidance system carried by the deployable portion and operatively coupled to the actuatable device, the guidance system including instructions to direct the operation of the actuatable device and move the drogue during flight; and
a wind-driven power system carried by the deployed portion and coupled to the guidance system.
Specification