AEROSPACE VEHICLE YAW GENERATING SYSTEMS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

• US 20060284022A1
• Filed: 06/21/2005
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cabot Microelectronics Corporation (Entegris Incorporated), The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Beaufrere, Henry L., Harrigan, Jeffery S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,367,530 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/203
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/16 actuated automatically, e.g. responsive to gust detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/146 at an other wing location than the rear or the front wings provided with fixed fences or spoilers B64C3/58
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/34 collapsing or retracting against or within other surfaces or other members
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/30 Wing lift efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

Aerospace vehicle yaw generating systems and associated methods are disclosed herein. One aspect of the invention is directed toward a yaw generating system that can include an aerospace vehicle having a fuselage with a first portion and a second portion. The system can further include a movable control surface coupled to the fuselage and extending generally in a horizontal plane. The control surface can be movable to a deflected position in which the control surface can be positioned to create a flow pattern proximate to the fuselage when the aerospace vehicle is located in a flow field. The flow pattern can be positioned to create a pressure differential between the first portion of the fuselage and the second portion of the fuselage. The first and second portions can be located so that the pressure differential produces a yawing moment on the aerospace vehicle.

Claims

1. A yaw generating system, comprising:

an aerospace vehicle having a fuselage with a first portion and a second portion;

a wing section coupled to the fuselage; and

a movable control surface attached directly to the wing section and extending generally in a horizontal plane, the control surface being movable to a deflected position in which the control surface is positioned to create a flow pattern proximate to the fuselage when the aerospace vehicle is located in a flow field, the flow pattern being positioned to create a pressure differential between the first portion of the fuselage and the second portion of the fuselage, the first and second portions being located so that the pressure differential produces a yawing moment on the aerospace vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the yawing moment includes a first yawing moment and the control surface includes a first spoiler surface attached to a first wing section and located proximate to a first side of the fuselage opposite a second side of the fuselage, and wherein the pressure differential between the first portion of the fuselage and the second portion of the fuselage creates a side force that produces the first yawing moment, the side force having a direction extending outwardly from the fuselage and away from the second side of the fuselage, and wherein the system further comprises:

a second wing section located proximate to the fuselage and positioned generally opposite the first wing section relative to the fuselage;

a second movable spoiler surface coupled to the second wing section, the first and second spoiler surfaces being at least approximately symmetrically located in the horizontal plane with respect to the fuselage, the second spoiler surface being positionable to a selected position when the first spoiler surface is placed in the deflected position;

at least one of a mechanical flight control system and an electronic flight control system operatively coupled to the first spoiler surface to move the first spoiler surface to the deflected position when an asymmetric thrust condition creates a second yawing moment on the aerospace vehicle at one or more selected operating conditions, the first yawing moment being at least approximately opposite the second yawing moment; and

a vertical stabilizer coupled to the fuselage, the vertical stabilizer having a rudder surface that is movable to produce a third yawing moment, the third yawing moment at least approximately opposite the second yawing moment.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the control surface is located proximate to a first side of the fuselage opposite a second side of the fuselage, and wherein the pressure differential between the first portion of the fuselage and the second portion of the fuselage creates a side force that produces the yawing moment, the side force having a direction extending outwardly from the fuselage and away from the second side of the fuselage.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an electronic flight control system having a computer programmed to determine commands for the control surface, the electronic flight control system being operatively coupled to the control surface to move the control surface to the deflected position at one or more selected operating conditions in response to the commands.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the flow pattern proximate to the fuselage includes a first flow pattern, the pressure differential includes a first pressure differential, and the yawing moment includes a first yawing moment, and wherein the system further comprises a flow body having a first portion and a second portion, the control surface in the deflected position being positioned to create a second flow pattern proximate to the flow body when the aerospace vehicle is located in the flow field, the second flow pattern being positioned to create a second pressure differential between the first portion of the flow body and the second portion of the flow body, the first and second portions of the flow body being located so that the second pressure differential produces a second yawing moment on the aerospace vehicle in the same direction as the first yawing moment.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the control surface in the deflected position is positioned to create a flow pattern proximate to the fuselage to create a pressure differential between the first portion of the fuselage and the second portion of the fuselage while creating an at least approximately balanced net rolling moment on the aerospace vehicle when the vehicle is located in the flow field at one or more selected operating conditions.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the control surface includes a first control surface, and wherein the system further comprises a second movable control surface coupled to the fuselage and extending generally in a horizontal plane, the first and second control surfaces being at least approximately symmetrically located with respect to the fuselage, the second control surface being positionable to a selected position when the first control surface is placed in the deflected position.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the yawing moment includes a first yawing moment on the aerospace vehicle and wherein the control surface in the deflected position is positioned to create a drag force that produces a second yawing moment on the aerospace vehicle, the second yawing moment being smaller than the first yawing moment.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the movable control surface includes a first control surface, the pressure differential includes a first pressure differential, and the fuselage includes a third portion, a fourth portion, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side, and wherein the system further comprises:

a second control surface coupled to the fuselage and movable between a stowed position and a deflected position;

in the stowed position the second control surface being generally faired with a surface of the fuselage, in the deflected position the second control surface extending outwardly from the first side of the fuselage and away from the second side of the fuselage, and being positioned to create a flow pattern proximate to the fuselage when the aerospace vehicle is located in the flow field, the flow pattern being positioned to create a second pressure differential between the third portion of the fuselage and the fourth portion of the fuselage, the third and fourth portions of the fuselage being located so that the second pressure differential produces a yawing moment on the aerospace vehicle.

2. (canceled)

11. A method for making a yaw generating system, wherein the method comprises:

locating a movable control surface proximate to a fuselage of an aerospace vehicle, the fuselage having a first portion and a second portion;

coupling a wing section to the fuselage; and

attaching the movable control surface directly to the wing section, the control surface extending generally in a horizontal plane and being movable to a deflected position, in the deflected position the control surface being positioned to create a flow pattern when the aerospace vehicle is located in a flow field, the flow pattern being located to create a pressure differential between the first portion of the fuselage and the second portion of the fuselage, the first and second portions of the fuselage being located so that the pressure differential produces a yawing moment on the aerospace vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein:

coupling a wing section includes coupling a first wing section to a first side of the fuselage opposite a second side of a fuselage;

attaching a movable control surface includes attaching a first spoiler surface directly to the first wing section; and

the flow pattern being located to create a pressure differential includes the flow pattern being located to create a pressure differential between the first portion of the fuselage and the second portion of the fuselage to create a side force, the side force producing the yawing moment, the side force having a direction extending outwardly from the fuselage and away from the second side of the fuselage, the yawing moment including a first yawing moment; and

wherein the method further comprises;

coupling a second wing section to the fuselage generally opposite the first wing section relative to the fuselage;

coupling a second spoiler surface to the second wing section, the first and second spoiler surfaces being at least approximately symmetrically located in the horizontal plane with respect to the fuselage, the second spoiler surface being positionable to a selected position when the first control surface is placed in the deflected position;

configuring a control system to move the control surface to the deflected position when an asymmetric thrust condition creates a second yawing moment on the aerospace vehicle, the first yawing moment being at least approximately opposite the second yawing moment; and

positioning a rudder surface to create a third yawing moment on the aerospace vehicle, the third yawing moment being at least approximately opposite the second yawing moment.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein in the deflected position the control surface being positioned to create a flow pattern located to create a pressure differential between the first portion of the fuselage and the second portion of the fuselage to produce a yawing moment on the aerospace vehicle includes the control surface being positioned to create a first flow pattern to create a first pressure differential to produce a first yawing moment and to create a second flow pattern proximate to a flow body to create a second pressure differential between a first portion of the flow body and a second portion of the flow body to produce a second yawing moment on the aerospace vehicle in the same direction as the first yawing moment.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein in the deflected position the control surface being positioned to produce a yawing moment on the aerospace vehicle includes in the deflected position the control surface being positioned to produce a first yawing moment on the aerospace vehicle, and wherein the method further includes configuring a control system to move the control surface to the deflected position when a rudder surface is positioned to create a second yawing moment on the aerospace vehicle, the first yawing moment and the second yawing moment being at least approximately in a same direction.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the method further comprises operatively coupling an electronic flight control system having a computer programmed to determine commands for the control surface to the control surface, the electronic flight control system being configured to move the control surface to the deflected position at one or more selected operating conditions in response to the commands.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the method further comprises configuring the control surface to create the pressure differential while creating an at least approximately balanced net rolling moment on the aerospace vehicle when the aerospace vehicle is located in the flow field at one or more selected operating conditions.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein coupling a wing section includes coupling a first wing section and attaching a movable control surface includes attaching a first movable control surface to the first wing section;

and wherein the method further comprises;

coupling a second wing section to the fuselage generally opposite the first wing section relative to the fuselage; and

coupling a second movable control surface to the second wing section, the first and second control surfaces being at least approximately symmetrically located in the horizontal plane with respect to the fuselage, the second control surface being positionable to a selected position when the first control surface is placed in the deflected position.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the control surface in the deflected position being positioned to produce a yawing moment on the aerospace vehicle includes the control surface in the deflected position being positioned to create a first yawing moment and wherein the control surface in the deflected position is configured to create a drag force that produces a second yawing moment on the aerospace vehicle, the second yawing moment being smaller than the first yawing moment.

19. A method for creating a yawing moment, wherein the method comprises:

placing an aerospace vehicle in a flow field; and

positioning a control surface in a deflected position to create a pressure differential between a first portion of a fuselage and a second portion of the fuselage, the pressure differential producing a yawing moment on the aerospace vehicle, the control surface being attached directly to a wing section coupled to the fuselage, the control surface extending generally in a horizontal plane.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein:

positioning a control surface in a deflected position includes positioning a spoiler surface in a deflected position in response to a command from a flight control computer to create a pressure differential between the first portion of the fuselage and the second portion of the fuselage, the spoiler surface being located proximate to a first side of the fuselage opposite a second side of the fuselage the pressure differential creating a side force having a direction extending outwardly from the fuselage and away from the second side of the fuselage to produce a first yawing moment, the first yawing moment being at least approximately opposite a second yawing moment created by an asymmetric thrust condition on the aerospace vehicle; and

wherein the method further comprises;

positioning a rudder surface to create a third yawing moment on the aerospace vehicle, the third yawing moment being at least approximately opposite the second yawing moment.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein positioning a control surface in a deflected position includes positioning a control surface in a deflected position to create a first pressure differential to produce a first yawing moment and to create a second pressure differential between a first portion of a flow body and a second portion of the flow body to produce a second yawing moment in a same direction as the first yawing moment.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising moving a second control surface to a selected position, the second control surface being coupled to the fuselage and extending generally in a horizontal plane, the first and second control surfaces being at least approximately symmetrically located in the horizontal plane with respect to the fuselage.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the method further comprises using a computer to determine at least one of when to position the control surface to the deflected position, an amount of control deflection associated with the deflected position, and an amount of time the control surface remains in the deflected position based on an operating condition.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein positioning a control surface in a deflected position includes positioning a control surface in a deflected position to create a pressure differential to produce a yawing moment while creating an at least approximately balanced net rolling moment on the aerospace vehicle when the vehicle is placed in the flow field at one or more selected operating conditions.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein the yawing moment is a first yawing moment and wherein positioning a control surface includes creating a drag force that produces a second yawing moment, the second yawing moment being smaller than the first yawing moment.