Modularized airplane structures and methods

• US 8,256,714 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2008
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zhao Jie
• Original Assignee: Zhao Jie
• Inventors: Zhao, Jie
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanderson, Joseph W
• Application Number:
  US12/074,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20080217470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,643 Days
• Field of Search: 244/13, 244/99.2, 244/99.3, 244/119, 244/120, 446/57, 446/58, 446/230, 446/232
• US Class Current: 244/120
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/02 Model aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 29/22 Electric drives power supply through track A63H18/12

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 modularized airplane, comprising:

(a) a first module member having a first fuselage portion, at least one aerodynamically functional fin fixedly joined with said first fuselage portion, and at least one flight control surface having a control coupling lever fixedly secured thereon, movably attached to at least one said fin;

(b) a second module member having a second fuselage portion complementary to the first fuselage portion of said first module member (a) in forming an airplane fuselage, support structures provided on said second fuselage portion, a plurality of operatively interconnected essential flight-providing and control-providing components mounted on said support structures including a propulsion device for providing thrust, at least one servo means associated with at least one said at least one flight control surface of said first module member (a) for controlling the angular position of the control surfaces, a device for controlling said propulsion device and said at least one servo means, and power means for powering onboard power consuming components including said propulsion device and said at least one servo means;

(c) a connection means for structurally interconnecting said complementary fuselage portions of said first module member (a) and said second module member (b) to ensure the structural and aerodynamic integrity of the integral modularized airplane, includes at least one pair of mutually magnetically attractive and operatively matching members connectable to one another by said mutual magnetic attraction force, and affixed oppositely at predetermined locations on said first module member (a) and said second module member (b), the magnitude of said magnetic attraction force is selected for the inter-modular structural connection to withstand the modularized airplane structure-wise stress under allowed operation conditions, as well as to enable structurally nondestructive disconnection of the modularized airplane into structurally separated individual module members under excessive structural stress;

whereby, when said first module member and said second module member are brought to a spatial proximity where at least one pair of said magnetically attractive members experience sufficient mutual magnetic attraction to result in progressive pair-wise connection, substantial automatic modular structural interconnection occurs, and said module members disconnect from one another nondestructively under inter-modular structural stress exceeding said selected magnitude;

(d) a linkage means for operatively interconnecting said at least one flight control surface of said first module member (a) and associated said at least one servo means of said second module member (b) for transmitting control motion from said at least one servo means to said at least one flight control surface, allowing excessive-linkage-stress-induced nondestructive linkage disconnection;

whereby, said linkage means (d) and said connection means (c) together enable a modularized airplane to be formed by connecting the control linkage between said modules (a and b) and structurally connecting said modules (a and b) substantially automatically by said magnetic attraction force, and such modularized airplane may be intentionally or unintentionally disassembled nondestructively into separate modules (a and b) by simply applying excessive parting force between the modules (a and b) to separate the modules structurally and to disconnect the control linkage between the modules;

whereby, both said module members can incorporate differing styles and aerodynamic characteristics to form differing airplanes.

2. The modularized airplane of claim 1, wherein said connection means (c) further includes two mutually physically matching and laterally interlocking structure sections provided oppositely at predetermined locations on said first module member (a) and said second module member (b), adapted to be in mutually matching and interlocking position when said first module member (a) and said second module member (b) are structurally interconnected;

whereby, one said structure section forms a physical acceptance for said matching structure section allowing progressively smaller lateral misalignment between said two opposing magnetically attractive members in each of said pairs as the mutually magnetically attractive members in said pairs approaching progressively closer to one another;

whereby, said two structure sections match and laterally interlock with one another ensuring precise inter-modular structural alignment when said opposing magnetically attractive members in said pairs connect to one another, thus providing guidance and alignment for inter-modular structural interconnection, as well as lateral relative movement limit for interconnected module members.

3. A modularized airplane, comprising:

(a) a first module member having a first fuselage portion, at least one aerodynamically functional fin fixedly joined with said first fuselage portion, and at least one flight control surface having a control coupling lever fixedly secured thereon, movably attached to at least one said fin;

(b) a second module member having a second fuselage portion complementary to the first fuselage portion of said first module member (a) in forming an airplane fuselage, support structures provided on said second fuselage portion, a plurality of operatively interconnected essential flight-providing and control-providing components mounted on said support structures including a propulsion device for providing thrust, at least one servo means associated with at least one said at least one flight control surface of said first module member (a) for controlling the angular position of the control surfaces, a device for controlling said propulsion device and said at least one servo means, and power means for powering onboard power consuming components including said propulsion device and said at least one servo means;

(c) a connection means for structurally interconnecting said complementary fuselage portions of said first module member (a) and said second module member (b) to ensure the structural and aerodynamic integrity of the integral modularized airplane, and allowing structurally nondestructive disconnection of the modularized airplane into structurally separated individual module members under inter-modular structural stress exceeding a predetermined limit;

(d) a linkage means for operatively interconnecting said at least one flight control surface of said first module member (a) and associated said at least one servo means of said second module member (b) for transmitting control motion from said at least one servo means to said at least one flight control surface, includes a first linkage portion and a second linkage portion, coupling means provided for said first linkage portion to operatively couple to said servo means, another coupling means provided for said second linkage portion to operatively couple to said control surface associated with said servo means, a pair of mutually magnetically attractive and operatively matching members affixed at predetermined locations on said first linkage portion and said second linkage portion, respectively, for connecting said two linkage portions to form one linkage assembly member operatively linking said control surface and said associated servo means, the magnitude of said mutual magnetic attraction force is selected for said one linkage assembly member to withstand the modularized airplane control-linkage-wise tension under allowed operation conditions, as well as to enable nondestructive disconnection of said linkage assembly member into said linkage portions under excessive control-linkage-wise tensions;

whereby, when first linkage portion and a second linkage portion are brought to a spatial proximity where said pair of mutually magnetically attractive and operatively matching members experience sufficient mutual magnetic attraction to result in progressive pair-wise connection, substantial automatic control linkage connection occurs to forming said linkage assembly member, and said linkage assembly member disconnects nondestructively into said linkage portions under excessive control-linkage-wise tensions;

whereby, said linkage means (d) and said connection means (c) together enable a modularized airplane to be formed by connecting the control linkage between said control surface in modules (a) and said associated servo means in module (b) substantially automatically by said magnetic attraction force, and structurally connecting said modules (a and b), and such modularized airplane may be intentionally or unintentionally disassembled nondestructively into separate modules (a and b) by simply applying excessive parting force between the modules (a and b) to separate the modules structurally and to disconnect the control linkage between the modules;

whereby, both said module members can incorporate differing styles and aerodynamic characteristics to form differing airplanes.

4. The modularized airplane of claim 3, wherein said linkage means (d) further includes a linkage guide means for limiting the spatial orientation for said linkage portions so that, when said first module member (a) and said second module member (b) are connected by connection means (c), said two mutually magnetically attractive members will be positioned sufficiently near one another to result in substantial automatic connection of said two linkage portions by magnetic attraction force, thus forming said one control linkage assembly.

5. The modularized airplane of claim 4, wherein said linkage guide means of said control linkage means (d) includes a rigid guide member for each of said linkage portions, said guide member has a through hole forming an aperture through which said linkage portion extends, said guide member is mounted on the same module member having said one control surface or one servo means said linkage portion is linked to, and the size and shape of said aperture are adapted not to obstruct linkage transmission of control motion.

6. The modularized airplane of claim 4, wherein said one linkage assembly further includes:

a first structure, rigid, provided or extending from a predetermined location on said one linkage member;

a second structure, rigid, provided on or extended from said first module member in physical relationship with said first structure forming a longitudinal movement limit for said one linkage assembly member and therefore forming a limited operating range for said at least one control surface;

whereby, upon reaching said longitudinal movement limit said first structure is in physical contact with said second structure, thus preventing said one linkage assembly from further longitudinal movement, and further longitudinal movement of the first linkage portion will cause said first linkage portion to disconnect from second linkage portion.

7. A combination comprising:

(a) a modularized airplane having two interconnectable modules, the first module having a fuselage portion, at least one aerodynamically functional fin fixedly joined with said fuselage portion and a flight control surface having a control lever fixedly secured thereon and movably attached to a said at least one fin, the second module having a fuselage portion complementary to the fuselage portion of said first module having support structures provided thereto, a set of operatively interconnected airplane flight components sufficient for airplane operation mounted on said support structures including at least one servo device;

(b) for linking said at least one servo device to said flight control surface, a separable control linkage assembly, comprising;

a first linkage member having a first coupling end and a second coupling end, said first coupling end operatively connectable to said servo device;

a second linkage member having a first coupling end and a second coupling end, said first coupling end operatively connectable to said flight control surface;

at least one guide member having an aperture through which one of said linkage members extends;

said second coupling end of said first linkage member and said second coupling end of said second linkage member are mutually magnetically attractive and separably connectable to one another by mutual magnetic attraction force for linking said first linkage member to said second linkage member to form one linkage assembly;

said mutual magnetic attraction force sustaining the connection of said first linkage member to said second linkage member having a strength sufficient for the linkage connection to withstand the linkage stress under allowed airplane operation conditions without disconnection and to disconnect before the linkage parting stress reaches the level destructive to connected linkage members;

said aperture having a shape and size defining a limited transverse spatial region for said linkage member extending through said aperture while not obstructing linkage motion transmission, therefore forming a limited spatial region for said mutually magnetically attractive ends of said first and second linkage members, in which said mutually magnetically attractive ends are sufficiently close to one another to experience sufficient mutual magnetic attraction to result in connection of said first and second linkage members to form one linkage assembly;

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

8. The combination of claim 7, wherein said set of interconnected airplane flight components further includes a propulsion unit for providing thrust, electronics circuitry for controlling said servo device and said propulsion unit, a power supply means for powering onboard power consuming components including said at least one servo device and said propulsion unit.

9. The combination of claim 7, wherein said connection means (c) comprises at least one pair of mutually magnetically attractive members connectable to one another by attractive magnetic force, affixed oppositely at predetermined locations on said first module and said second module for connecting said first module to said second module, having the magnetic force strength sufficient for the connection to withstand the stress under allowed airplane operation conditions without disconnection and to disconnect before the parting stress between connected modules reaches the level destructive to the connected modules.

10. The combination of claim 9, further comprises at least one set of two mutually physically matching and laterally interlocking structure sections provided oppositely at predetermined locations on said first module and said second module, adapted to be in mutually matching and interlocking position when said first module and said second module are interconnected, one of said two structure sections having a hollowed shape, wider at the opening, forming a physical acceptance for the other of said two structure sections for providing guidance for interconnecting said modules, and for preventing lateral relative movement between the connected modules.

11. The combination of claim 9, further comprises:

a first structure, rigid, provided or extending from a predetermined location on said separable control linkage assembly;

a second structure, rigid, provided in said first module in physical relationship with said first structure forming a longitudinal movement limit for said one linkage assembly and therefore forming a limited operating range for said control element;

whereby, upon reaching said longitudinal movement limit said first structure is in physical contact with said second structure, thus preventing said one linkage assembly from further longitudinal movement, and further longitudinal movement of the first linkage member will cause said first linkage member to disconnect from second linkage member.