Systems and methods for controlling an aerial refueling device
First Claim
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1. An aerial refueling system, comprising:
- a movable aerial refueling boom configured to be carried by an aerial refueling aircraft;
a boom support carried by the aerial refueling aircraft, wherein the boom support includes a first portion positioned to rotatably move about a first axis and a second portion at least partially aligned with a second axis generally normal to the first axis; and
two or more actuators operably coupled to at least one of the boom support and the boom to control motion of the boom relative to the refueling aircraft, wherein the two or more actuators include (a) a first actuator operably coupled to the boom support and positioned to rotatably move the boom about the first axis, and (b) a second actuator operably coupled to the boom support and positioned to pivotably move the boom about the second axis.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for refueling aircraft in flight are disclosed herein. An aerial refueling system in accordance with one aspect of the invention includes a movable aerial refueling boom configured to be carried by an aerial refueling aircraft. The system can also include two or more actuators operably coupled to the boom to control motion of the boom relative to the refueling aircraft. In several embodiments, the boom does not include any boom aerodynamic control surfaces to control motion of the boom relative to the refueling aircraft.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An aerial refueling system, comprising:
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a movable aerial refueling boom configured to be carried by an aerial refueling aircraft; a boom support carried by the aerial refueling aircraft, wherein the boom support includes a first portion positioned to rotatably move about a first axis and a second portion at least partially aligned with a second axis generally normal to the first axis; and two or more actuators operably coupled to at least one of the boom support and the boom to control motion of the boom relative to the refueling aircraft, wherein the two or more actuators include (a) a first actuator operably coupled to the boom support and positioned to rotatably move the boom about the first axis, and (b) a second actuator operably coupled to the boom support and positioned to pivotably move the boom about the second axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 19, 20)
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10. An aerial refueling system, comprising:
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a tanker aircraft; a boom mounting assembly carried by the tanker aircraft, the boom mounting assembly including a boom support having a first portion positioned to rotatably move about a first axis and a second portion at least partially aligned with a second axis generally normal to the first axis; a movable aerial refueling boom carried by at least one of the boom support and the tanker aircraft, wherein the boom does not include any boom aerodynamic control surfaces; and one or more actuators operably coupled to at least one of the boom support and the boom to control motion of the boom relative to the tanker aircraft, wherein the one or more actuators carried by the boom support include (a) a first actuator operably coupled to the boom support and positioned to rotatably move the boom about the first axis, and (b) a second actuator operably coupled to the boom support and positioned to pivotably move the boom about the second axis. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for refueling aircraft in flight, the method comprising:
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deploying a generally rigid aerial refueling boom without any boom aerodynamic control surfaces from a refueling aircraft; and controlling a position of the boom relative to the refueling aircraft by controlling one or more actuators operably coupled to at least one of the boom and a boom support carrying the boom, wherein controlling one or more actuators includes (a) moving the boom about a first axis with a first actuator operably coupled to the boom support, and (b) moving the boom about a second axis generally normal to the first axis with a second actuator operably coupled to the boom support. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 21)
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Specification