MODULARIZED AIRPLANE STRUCTURES AND METHODS

• US 20140061380A1
• Filed: 09/04/2012
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Zhao Jie
• Original Assignee: Zhao Jie
• Inventors: Zhao, Jie
• Application Number:
  US13/602,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20140061380A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/99.3
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/30 using cable, chain, or rod mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2211/00 Modular constructions of airplanes or helicopters

Abstract

A modularized airplane includes two separably interconnected modules. A first module, incorporating substantial airplane styles, includes a fuselage portion and at least one wing or stabilizer with an associated control surface. A second module carries a set of essential flight components sufficing airplane operations, including propulsion unit, servo for moving control surface, and power source. Magnetic connectors affixed on the modules facilitate inter-modular structural connection. A control linkage assembly, linking control surface on first module and associated servo on second module, is formed with two portions longitudinally movable and separably connected by two magnetic connectors oppositely affixed on each portion. The structural connection and the servo-to-control surface linkage assembly facilitate substantially effortless inter-modular connections to form a functional airplane, as well as nondestructive inter-modular disconnection. The second module can be connected to different aerodynamic styled first modules to form airplanes for different applications, using same essential components.

Claims

1. A separable motion transmission linkage comprising:

first linkage portion, substantially elongated, having a first coupling end and a second coupling end, said first coupling end operatively connectable to an actuating device;

second linkage portion, substantially elongated, having a first coupling end and a second coupling end, said first coupling end operatively connectable to a control element;

separable connection means for longitudinally connecting said second coupling end of said first linkage portion to said second coupling end of said second linkage portion, comprising a pair of mutually magnetically attractive members oppositely affixed at said second coupling end of said first linkage portion and said second coupling end of said second linkage portion, enabling said linkage portions to be longitudinally and separably connectable to one another by said attractive magnetic force to form one linkage for motion transmission from said actuating device to said control element;

the strength of said mutual magnetic attraction force sustaining the connection of said first linkage portion to said second linkage portion is sufficient for the linkage connection to withstand the linkage stress under allowed motion transmission operation conditions without disconnection and to disconnect said linkage portions when the linkage parting stress reaches a predetermined level.

2. The separable motion transmission linkage of claim 1, further comprises:

guide means for limiting transverse movement of second coupling end of each said linkage portion to a region in which said linkage portions are oriented substantially toward one another, while not obstructing linkage motion under allowed operation.

3. The separable motion transmission linkage of claim 2, wherein said limited transverse movement region for second coupling end of each said linkage portion formed by said guide means further defines a limited spatial region in which said mutually magnetically attractive members of said first and second linkage portions are sufficiently close to one another to experience sufficient mutual magnetic attraction to result in magnetic force induced connection, and to permit linkage motion under allowed motion transmission operation.

4. The separable motion transmission linkage of claim 2, wherein said guide means comprises:

a rigid member having a fixed positional relationship with said actuating device, having a through hole forming an aperture through which said first linkage portion extends;

a rigid member having a fixed positional relationship with said control element, having a through hole forming an aperture through which said second linkage portion extends;

the shapes and sizes of said apertures are adapted for said linkage portions to be oriented substantially toward one another, un-obstructive to linkage motion under allowed operation.

5. The separable motion transmission linkage of claim 3, wherein said guide means comprises:

a rigid member having a fixed positional relationship with said actuating device, having a through hole forming an aperture through which said first linkage portion extends;

a rigid member having a fixed positional relationship with said control element, having a through hole forming an aperture through which said second linkage portion extends;

the shapes and sizes of said apertures are adapted to define a limited spatial region in which said mutually magnetically attractive members of said first and second linkage portions are sufficiently close to one another to experience sufficient mutual magnetic attraction to result in magnetic force induced connection.

7. The separable motion transmission linkage of claim 1, further comprises rotation engagement means for engaging said first and second linkage portions for axial rotation about the linkage axis defined by said first coupling ends of said first and second linkage portions when the linkage portions are connected by said magnetic force, comprising two physically matching and interlocking elements provided oppositely at the second coupling ends of said first and second linkage portions respectively, adapted to be un-obstructive to the connection of said linkage portions by said magnetically attractive members and to interlock with one another when said linkage portions are connected, thus engaging said linkage portions for axial rotation.

8. The separable motion transmission linkage of claim 7, wherein at least one of said linkage portions has the section between the coupling end of said first end and the magnet member of said second end formed with two elongated sections connected by a linkage-length-variation buffer device comprising two elements provided oppositely to one end of said two sections having structures adapted to coaxially couple one another permitting substantial free relative longitudinal movement between said two sections to a predetermined finite extent while preventing relative transverse and axial rotational movements between the two sections, thus allowing said linkage portion length variation to said finite extent.

9. The separable motion transmission linkage of claim 8, wherein

both said first and second linkage portions are formed by means defined therein, allowing linkage length variation to a predetermined finite extent;

a first additional coupling point is provided at a predetermined location on the section of said first linkage portion between said magnet member and said linkage-length-variation buffer device, operatively connectable to a second actuating device;

second additional coupling point is provided at a predetermined location on the section of said second linkage portion between said magnet member and said linkage-length-variation buffer device, operatively connectable to a second control element;

when said first and second linkage portions are connected the section between two said linkage-length-variation buffer devices is freely movable longitudinally relative to the rest of the linkage to a finite extent limited by that of said linkage-length-variation buffers, un-obstructive to the motion transmission by linkage axial rotation between the first coupling ends of said first and second linkage portion, thus permitting independent and simultaneous motion transmissions by linkage linear longitudinal motion between said first and second additional coupling points and by linkage axial rotational motion between the first coupling ends of said first and second linkage portion.

10. The separable motion transmission linkage of claim 9, wherein

the operative connections coupling said actuating device and control element to said linkage allow motion transmission by linkage axial rotational motion;

the operative connections coupling said second actuating device and second control element to said linkage section allow motion transmission by linkage section linear longitudinal motion.

11. The separable motion transmission linkage of claim 7, further comprises:

guide means for limiting transverse movement of second coupling end of each said linkage portion to a region in which said linkage portions are oriented substantially toward one another, not obstructing linkage motion under allowed operation.

12. The separable motion transmission linkage of claim 11, wherein said guide means comprises:

a rigid member having a fixed positional relationship with said actuating device, having a through hole forming an aperture through which said first linkage portion extends;

a rigid member having a fixed positional relationship with said control element, having a through hole forming an aperture through which said second linkage portion extends;

the shapes and sizes of said apertures are adapted for said linkage portions to be oriented substantially toward one another, un-obstructive to linkage motion under allowed operation.

13. A combination comprising:

(a) a modularized airplane having two modules,

a first module having a fuselage and a control surface movably attached to said fuselage or to a fin fixedly joined with said fuselage;

a second module having operatively interconnected airplane flight components for airplane operation including a servo device, a flight components support structure with said flight components mounted thereon;

(b) a separable motion transmission linkage of claim 1 for linking and transmitting control motions from said servo device to said control surface;

(c) a separable connection means for structurally connecting said first module and said second module, and for disassembling the airplane into separate said first module and said second module.

14. The combination of claim 13, wherein

said fuselage of said first module of the modularized airplane (a) comprises two portions, connectable to one another by a separable connection means, forming fuselage internal space adapted to substantially accommodate said second module and to connect said first and second modules by said linkage means (b) and connection means (c);

said second module accesses said internal fuselage through a fuselage opening formed when said two fuselage portions are disconnected and apart.

15. The combination of claim 14, wherein

said separable connection means (c) comprises

at least one pair of connectors or connecting structures separably connectable to one another, provided to be oppositely affixed to said first module and said second module at predetermined locations, facilitating inter-modular structural connection and disconnection;

said separable connection means for connecting said two fuselage portions comprises at least one pair of connectors or connecting structures separably connectable to one another, provided to be oppositely affixed to said two fuselage portions at predetermined locations, facilitating fuselage portions connection and disconnection;

said linkage means (b) further comprises guide means for limiting transverse movement of second coupling end of each said linkage portion to a region in which said linkage portions are oriented substantially toward one another, while not obstructing linkage motion under allowed operation;

16. The combination of claim 15, wherein

at least one pair of connectors or connecting structures of said separable connection means (c) are mutually magnetic attractive to one another, and connectable by attractive magnetic force with strength sufficient for the connection to withstand the stress under allowed airplane operation conditions without disconnection and to disconnect when the parting stress between connected said first and second module reaches a predetermined level.

17. The combination of claim 16, wherein

at least one pair of connectors or connecting structures of said separable connection means for connecting said two fuselage portions are mutually magnetic attractive to one another, and

connectable by attractive magnetic force with strength sufficient for the connection to withstand the stress under allowed airplane operation conditions without disconnection and to disconnect when the parting stress between connected fuselage portions reaches a predetermined level.

18. The combination of claim 15, wherein

said first module of the modularized airplane (a) further comprises

a support structure adapted to be positioned and attached to one of said fuselage portions, having at least one connector or connecting structure of a said connector or connecting structure pair of the separable connection means (c) affixed thereto at said predetermined location opposite to its pairing connector or connecting structure affixed to said second module, facilitating inter-modular structural connection and disconnection, and incorporated with said guide means at predetermined location for said second linkage portion coupled to said control surface;

said second module is incorporated with said guide means at predetermined location for said first linkage portion coupled to said servo device.

19. The combination of claim 18, wherein

at least one pair of connectors or connecting structures of said separable connection means (c) are mutually magnetic attractive to one another, and connectable by attractive magnetic force with strength sufficient for the connection to withstand the stress under allowed airplane operation conditions without disconnection and to disconnect when the parting stress between connected said first and second module reaches a predetermined level;

said support structure of first module has at least one connector or connecting structure of a said connector or connecting structure pair of said separable connection means (c) affixed thereto at said predetermined location opposite to its pairing connector or connecting structure affixed to opposing position on said second module, facilitating structural connection and disconnection of said first and second modules;

said guide means comprises;

a rigid member having a fixed positional relationship with said servo device, having a through hole forming an aperture through which said first linkage portion extends, incorporated to said second module;

a rigid member having a fixed positional relationship with said control surface, having a through hole forming an aperture through which said second linkage portion extends, incorporated to said support structure of said first module;

the shapes and sizes of said apertures are adapted for said linkage portions to be oriented substantially toward one another, un-obstructive to linkage motion under allowed operation.

20. The combination of claim 19, wherein

at least one pair of connectors or connecting structures of said separable connection means for connecting said two fuselage portions are mutually magnetic attractive to one another, and connectable by attractive magnetic force with strength sufficient for the connection to withstand the stress under allowed airplane operation conditions without disconnection and to disconnect when the parting stress between connected fuselage portions reaches a predetermined level;

said support structure of first module has at least one connector or connecting structure of a said connector or connecting structure pair of said separable connection means for connecting said two fuselage portions affixed thereto at said predetermined location opposite to its pairing connector or connecting structure affixed to opposing fuselage portion, facilitating connection and disconnection of two fuselage portions.

6. The separable motion transmission linkage of 1, further comprises means for preventing device coupled to the linkage from being damaged by excessive linkage tension having:

first structure, rigid, in fixed positional relationship with said device coupled to the linkage;

second structure, rigid, provided at or extending from a predetermined location on the linkage portion said device is coupled to, in physical relationship with said first structure forming a longitudinal movement limit for said linkage portion hence forming a limited operating range for said device;

whereby, upon reaching said longitudinal movement limit said first structure is in physical contact with said second structure, preventing said linkage portion from further longitudinal movement, and further longitudinal movement will cause linkage parting stress to reaches said predetermined level, resulting linkage disconnection into said first linkage portion and second linkage portions.