All wing aircraft

• US 5,082,204 A
• Filed: 06/29/1990
• Issued: 01/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leon J. Croston
• Original Assignee: Leon J. Croston
• Inventors: Croston, Leon J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mattix, Carla
• Application Number:
  US07/546,550
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 244/13, 244/36, 244/35 R, 244/35 A, 244/12.1, 244/12.6, 244/45 R, 244/87, 244/88, 244/89
• US Class Current: 244/126
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/066 having channel wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/10 All-wing aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/10 Drag reduction

Abstract

An all-wing aircraft is disclosed that has novel foreplane and depending aftplane, a center wing section and outer wing panel flying surfaces which cooperate aerodynamically to eliminate the need for conventional fuselage and tail structures. The foreplanes are strategically located to create a positive pitching moment which is sufficient to significantly reduce elevator forces and to balance the negative pitching moment induced by the outer wing panels and the downwardly extending aftplane units that provide static and dynamic pitch and yaw stability. At the same time, the foreplane structures serve as an unobstructed means to mount engines forward on the airframe to established a forward empty center of gravity. Additionally the aftplane structure serves as a means to mount main landing gears, elevators, ruddervators and to provide structural means for interconnecting outboard wing sections of the airplane.

The all-wing design is of a nature permitting adoption of the principles thereof in either a multi-engine airplane or single-engine airplane. In both instances, a center wing section, foreplane and aftplane structures and outer wing sections cooperate to provide stability in all three axes of movement of the airplane while decreasing fuel burn by virtue of an improved lift to drag ratio and empty weight reduction by removal of the conventional fuselage and tail structures.

Claims

1. In an all-wing aircraft, the combination of:

a center wing and foreplane section provided with a leading edge and a trailing edge, said center wing section being configured to define an airfoil between the leading and trailing edges thereof;

a pair of outer wing sections each having a leading edge and a trailing edge, each of said outer wing sections being shaped to present an airfoil between respective leading and trailing edges thereof;

means joining the outer wing sections to opposed sides of the center wing section in disposition such that the outer wing sections extend outwardly in opposite directions away from the center wing section,

at least a part of said center section being located ahead of the center of lift of the wing sections in disposition to generate a positive pitching moment when the aircraft is in flight; and

aftplane means associated with the wing sections and including at least two airfoil defining, generally planar members each having a leading edge and a trailing edge,

the members being disposed with the leading edges and trailing edges thereof oriented transversely of the aircraft with at least a part of the leading edges of each aft of the leading edges of the wing sections,

said members also extending downwardly below the wing sections in disposition for airflow therebetween and thereover and dimensioned and located aft of the center of gravity to enhance the static and dynamic pitch and yaw stability of the aircraft,

said generally planar members being disposed at an angle with respect to one another transversely of the aircraft and converging as the outer portions thereof are approached in a direction downwardly from the wing sections.

2. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 1, wherein is included power plant means carried by the wing sections for imparting forward motion to the aircraft.

3. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 1, wherein is provided shiftable means for controlling the pitch attitude of the aircraft.

4. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 3, wherein said shiftable means comprises elevators at the trailing edges of the outer wing sections located inboard of such outer sections adjacent the aftplane members.

5. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 1, wherein said aftplane generally planar members are provided with movable rudder means adjacent the trailing edges thereof.

6. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 1, wherein said aftplane generally planar members are provided with movable ruddervator means adjacent the trailing edges thereof.

7. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 1, wherein is provided means joining said outer portions of the generally planar members.

8. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 1, wherein is provided cockpit defining means on the center wing section for a pilot of the aircraft.

9. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 1, wherein the leading edges of each of the outer wing sections is stepped back from the leading edge of the center wing section.

10. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 9, wherein is provided upstanding winglets on opposed side of the center wing section between the leading edges of respective outer wing sections and the leading edge of the center wing section.

11. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 1, wherein the leading edges of the center wing section, the foreplane assemblies and the outer wings are configured to define a scalloped leading edge.

12. An all wing aircraft as set forth in claim 1, wherein is provided yaw augmenters mounted on the undersides of the aftplane units in disposition oriented fore and aft of respective aftplane members and projecting in a direction outward from the undersurfaces thereof.

13. In an all-wing aircraft, the combination of:

an airfoil defining center wing section having a leading edge and a trailing edge;

airfoil defining outer wing sections each having a leading edge and a trailing edge;

foreplane means joining each of the outer wing sections to a respective side of the center wing section with the outer wing sections extending outwardly in opposite directions in spaced relationship from the sides of the outer wing section,

said foreplane means each including an airfoil defining, generally planar element connected to a respective outer wing member and an opposed side of the center wing section such that the corresponding outer wing section is spaced outwardly from the center wing section,

each of the foreplane elements having a leading edge and a trailing edge extending transversely of the aircraft,

at least a part of said foreplane elements being located ahead of the center of lift of the wing sections in disposition to generate a positive pitching moment when the aircraft is in flight; and

aftplane means extending between each of the outer wing sections and the center wing section aft of an adjacent foreplane,

each of said aftplane means including at least two airfoil defining, generally planar members each having a leading edge and a trailing edge,

the members of each aftplane means being disposed with the leading edges and trailing edges thereof oriented transversely of the aircraft,

said members of each of the aftplane means extending downwardly below the adjacent foreplane in disposition for airflow therebetween and thereover,

at least a part of said aftplane members being located behind the center of gravity in disposition to generate forces that induce static and dynamic pitch and yaw stability.

14. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 13, wherein is provided power plant means carried by each of the foreplane elements for imparting forward motion to the aircraft.

15. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 13, wherein said power plant means each has a pusher propeller, said aftplane extending downwardly a sufficient distance for each pusher propeller arc of rotation to be unobstructed.

16. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 13, wherein is provided movable elevators on the trailing edges of at least one member of each of the aftplane means for controlling the pitch attitude of the aircraft.

17. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 13, wherein is provided movable rudder means on the trailing edge of at least one member of each of the aftplane means for controlling yaw.

18. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 13, wherein is provided a movable ruddervator on at least one member of each of the aftplane means for controlling pitch and yaw.

19. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 13, wherein said generally planar members of each of the aftplane means are disposed at an angle relatively to present a pair of relatively V-shaped aftplanes, joined near the apex of the V-shape thereof by a third member of substantial transverse width with respect to the horizontal, and wherein is provided movable elevator means on the trailing edge of the said horizontal third member.

20. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 13, wherein is provided vertical stabilizers projecting upwardly from opposite sides of the center wing section adjacent the trailing edge thereof and the movable rudder adjacent the rear portion of each vertical stabilizer.

21. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 13, wherein is provided movable means on the outer wing sections to control roll of the aircraft about the longitudinal axis thereof.

22. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 13, wherein is provided flap means on the trailing edge of the center wing section.

23. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 13, wherein is provided flap means on the trailing edges of each of the foreplane elements.

24. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 21, wherein is provided flap means on the trailing edges of the outer wing panels inboard of the roll control means.

25. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 21, wherein is provided flap means on the trailing edges of the center wing section, the trailing edges of the outer wing panels inboard of the roll control means, and the trailing edges of each of the foreplane elements, said foreplane element flap means being disposed such that when deployed, the foreplane element flaps generate a positive pitch trim function to offset the negative pitch moment generated by deployment of the center wing section flaps and the outer wing section flaps.

26. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 13, wherein is provided yaw augmenters mounted on the undersides of the aftplane units in disposition oriented fore and aft of respective aftplane members and projecting in a direction outward from the undersurfaces thereof.

27. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 13, wherein said generally planar members of each of the aftplane means are disposed at an angle relatively to present a pair of relatively V-shaped aftplanes.

28. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 13, wherein is provided wing fences at the zones of juncture of the foreplane elements and the outer wing sections and the zones of juncture of the aftplane members and the center wing sections.

29. An all-wing aircraft as set forth in claim 13, wherein is provided a retractable main landing gear mounted on the most forward extremity and underside of the aftplane units in disposition forward near the center of gravity to facilitate rotation of the airplane for establishment of a takeoff attitude at velocity rotate.

30. In an all-wing aircraft, the combination of:

a center wing and foreplane section provided with a leading edge and a trailing edge, said center wing section being configured to define an airfoil between the leading and trailing edges thereof;

a pair of outer wing sections each having a leading edge and a trailing edge, each of said outer wing sections being shaped to present an airfoil between respective leading and trailing edges thereof;

means joining the outer wing sections to opposed sides of the center wing section in disposition such that the outer wing sections extend outwardly in opposite directions away from the center wing section,

at least a part of said center section being located ahead of the center of lift of the wing sections in disposition to generate a positive pitching moment when the aircraft is in flight;

aftplane means associated with the wing sections and including at least two airfoil defining, generally planar members each having a leading edge and a trailing edge,

the members being disposed with the leading edges and trailing edges thereof oriented transversely of the aircraft with at least a part of the leading edges of each aft of the leading edges of the wing sections,

said members also extending downwardly below the wing sections in disposition for airflow therebetween and thereover and dimensioned and located aft of the center of gravity to enhance the static and dynamic pitch and yaw stability of the aircraft;

movable means on each of the outer wing sections for controlling rolling movement of the aircraft about the longitudinal axis thereof;

movable flap means on said outer wing section adjacent the trailing edges thereof inboard of the movable means for controlling roll; and

movable flap means on said center wing section adjacent the trailing edges thereof in disposition such that when the flap means is deployed it generates a positive pitch trim function to offset the negative pitch moment generated by deployment of the outer wing section flaps.