AIRFOIL BODY

• US 20190329861A1
• Filed: 04/26/2018
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solaero Technologies Corp.
• Original Assignee: Solaero Technologies Corp.
• Inventors: Kruse, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 10,933,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/185 Spars
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/187 Ribs
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/26 Construction, shape, or attachment of separate skins, e.g. panels
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/32 specially adapted for mounting power plant
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/353 using solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 10/40 Mobile PV generator systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/50 On board measures aiming to increase energy efficiency

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an airfoil body for an aircraft extending from an inner end to an outer end, and between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The airfoil body comprises an internal structure and a skin covering the internal structure. The skin has a pressure side and a suction side, and the suction side includes a light transmitting portion. The internal structure includes an array of solar cells configured to receive solar light through the light transmitting portion. The present disclosure further relates to wings and aerial vehicles.

Claims

1. An airfoil body for an aircraft extending from an inner end to an outer end, and between a leading edge and a trailing edge,

the airfoil body comprising an internal structure and a skin covering the internal structure, the skin having a pressure side and a suction side,

wherein the suction side includes a light transmitting portion,

wherein the internal structure includes an array of solar cells configured to receive solar light through the light transmitting portion.

2. The airfoil body according to claim 1, wherein the internal structure includes one or more planar sheets and the array of solar cells is arranged on the planar sheet.

3. The airfoil body according to claim 2, further comprising an actuator to control an inclination of the planar sheets.

4. The arifoil body according to claim 3, wherein the airfoil body further comprises a controller configured to acquire aircraft and/or atmospheric information, and to control the actuator.

5. The airfoil body according to claim 2, wherein the internal structure comprises a spar and one or more ribs attached to the spar and supporting the skin.

6. The airfoil body according to claim 5, wherein one or more of the planar sheets span a width between a first rib and a second rib.

7. The airfoil body according to claim 2, wherein one or more of the planar sheets are arranged substantially parallel to the skin.

8. The airfoil body according to claim 1, wherein the light transmitting portion is made from a substantially transparent material.

9. The airfoil body according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the light transmitting portion extend from the leading edge to the trailing edge.

10. A wing for an aerial vehicle, the wing extending from a blade root to a blade tip and from a leading edge to a trailing edge and defining a pressure side and a suction side comprising

a wing skin and a support structure for supporting the wing skin,

wherein the wing skin is configured to at least partially transmit light from an outside to an inside of the wing,

wherein one or more transducer elements are arranged in the inside of the wing.

11. The wing according to claim 10, wherein the wing skin comprises one or more light transmitting portions on a suction wide of the wing.

12. The wing according to claim 11, wherein the transducer elements include a plurality of solar cells, wherein the solar cells are arranged to receive light through the light transmitting portions.

13. The wing according to claim 10, wherein the solar cells are arranged on a plane, wherein the plane is inclined with respect to a local chord line.

14. The wing according to claim 13, wherein the plane is inclined such that a front edge of the plane is closer to a pressure side than a rear edge of the plane.

15. The wing according to claim 11, wherein the light transmitting portions extend along 30% or more of a length from root to tip.

16. The wing according to claim 11, wherein the light transmitting portions are arranged in a portion of the wing that is closer to the root than to the tip.

17. The wing according to claim 10, wherein the transducer elements comprise one or more of:

semiconductor sensors, antennas, piezoelectric transducers and thermal transfer elements.

18. An aerial vehicle comprising the wing according to claim 10.

19. The aerial vehicle according to claim 18, wherein the aerial vehicle is an unmanned aerial vehicle.

20. An airfoil body for an aircraft extending from an inner end to an outer end, between a leading edge and a trailing edge and having a pressure surface and a suction surface,

the airfoil body comprising an outer surface and an inner support structure,

wherein one or more sections of the suction surface are made of a transparent material such that solar radiation energy is received through the transparent material in an internal portion of the airfoil body,

wherein the internal portion comprises an array of solar cells configured to convert the solar radiation energy received into electricity.