Elevon control system

• US 9,108,713 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2010
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aerovironment
• Original Assignee: Aerovironment
• Inventors: Tao, Tony Shuo, Olson, Nathan, Miralles, Carlos Thomas, Plumb, Robert Nickerson
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Tien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hawk, Steven
• Application Number:
  US13/318,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20120267473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,804 Days
• Field of Search: 244/38, 244/46, 244/87, 244/89, 244/90.R, 244/99.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 11/00 Propellers, e.g. of ducted type; Features common to propellers and rotors for rotorcraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/18 using automatic pilot
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/34 using toothed gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2009/005 Ailerons
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/44 Varying camber
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/50 by leading or trailing edge flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/56 Folding or collapsing to reduce overall dimensions of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 5/12 for retraction against or within fuselage or nacelle
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/02 Mounting or supporting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/08 bodily displaceable
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/18 by single flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/36 the members being fuselages or nacelles
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/50 Foldable or collapsible UAVs with frangible components B64U20/30
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/15 for conventional or electronic warfare
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/00 UAVs characterised by their flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/12 Variable or detachable wings, e.g. wings with adjustable sweep
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/293 : Foldable or collapsible rotors or rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/40 : Empennages, e.g. V-tails foldable or collapsible UAVs B64U20/50
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 40/10 : for adjusting control surfaces or rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/00 : Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/10 : Drag reduction

Abstract

A system comprising an aerial vehicle or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (100, 400, 1000, 1500) configured to control pitch, roll, and/or yaw via airfoils (141, 142, 1345, 1346) having resiliently mounted trailing edges opposed by fuselage-house deflecting actuator horns (621, 622). Embodiments include one or more rudder elements (1045, 1046, 1145, 1146, 1245, 1345, 1346, 1445, 1446, 1545, 1546) which may be rotatably attached and actuated by an effector member (1049, 1149, 1249, 1349) disposed within the fuselage housing (1001) and extendible in part to engage the one or more rudder elements.

Claims

1. An aerial vehicle comprising:

a fuselage, comprising a housing;

a first airfoil, rotatably attached to the fuselage housing, the first airfoil comprising a first control surface resiliently mounted to the first airfoil, wherein the first control surface is articulated at a lineal joint about the first airfoil; and

a first actuator horn, disposed in the fuselage housing, the first actuator horn extendible via a first fuselage housing aperture, wherein the first actuator horn is extendible to oppose and contact the first control surface.

2. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a second airfoil, rotatably attached to the fuselage housing, the second airfoil comprising a second control surface resiliently mounted to the second airfoil, wherein the second control surface is articulated at a lineal joint about the second airfoil; and

a second actuator horn, disposed in the fuselage housing, the second actuator horn extendible via a second fuselage housing aperture, wherein the second actuator horn is extendible to oppose the second control surface; and

wherein the second airfoil opposes the first airfoil about the fuselage housing.

3. The aerial vehicle of claim 2, further comprising:

a third airfoil, rotatably attached to the fuselage housing;

a fourth airfoil, rotatably attached to the fuselage housing; and

wherein the third airfoil opposes the fourth airfoil about an aft portion of the fuselage housing.

4. The aerial vehicle of claim 3, wherein the first airfoil and the second airfoil are disposed at a position distal from the position of the third airfoil and the fourth airfoil.

5. The aerial vehicle of claim 3, further comprising:

a third control surface resiliently mounted to the third airfoil, wherein the third control surface is a trailing edge of the third airfoil articulated at a lineal joint about the third airfoil.

6. The aerial vehicle of claim 5, further comprising:

a third actuator horn, disposed in the fuselage housing, the third actuator horn extendible via a third fuselage housing aperture, wherein the third actuator horn is extendible to oppose the third control surface.

7. The aerial vehicle of claim 6, further comprising:

a fourth control surface resiliently mounted to the fourth airfoil, wherein the fourth control surface is a trailing edge of the fourth airfoil articulated at a lineal joint about the fourth airfoil.

8. The aerial vehicle of claim 7, further comprising:

a fourth actuator horn, disposed in the fuselage housing, the fourth actuator horn extendible via a fourth fuselage housing aperture, wherein the fourth actuator horn is extendible to oppose the fourth control surface.

9. The aerial vehicle of claim 2, wherein the aerial vehicle is unmanned during operation.

10. The aerial vehicle of claim 2, wherein the first airfoil is a port airfoil and the second airfoil is a starboard airfoil.

11. The aerial vehicle of claim 3, wherein the first airfoil and the third airfoil are port airfoils, and wherein the second airfoil and the fourth airfoil are starboard airfoils.

12. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first fuselage housing aperture is located on a bottom of the fuselage housing, and wherein the first actuator horn is extendible through the first fuselage housing aperture to contact a top surface of the first control surface.

13. The aerial vehicle of claim 2, wherein the second fuselage housing aperture is located on a bottom of the fuselage housing proximate to the first fuselage housing aperture, and wherein the second actuator horn is extendible through the second fuselage housing aperture to contact a top surface of the second control surface.

14. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the lineal joint about the first airfoil further comprises a coating to fill a lineal gap between the first airfoil and the first control surface.

15. The aerial vehicle of claim 2, wherein the lineal joint about the second airfoil further comprises a coating to fill a lineal gap between the second airfoil and the second control surface.

16. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first control surface is a trailing edge of the first airfoil articulated at the lineal joint about the first airfoil.

17. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first control surface is a leading edge of the first airfoil articulated at the lineal joint about the first airfoil.

18. The aerial vehicle of claim 2, wherein the second control surface is a trailing edge of the first airfoil articulated at the lineal joint about the first airfoil.

19. The aerial vehicle of claim 2, wherein the second control surface is a leading edge of the first airfoil articulated at the lineal joint about the first airfoil.

20. The aerial vehicle of claim 3, wherein the first airfoil, the second airfoil, the third airfoil, and the fourth airfoil are rotatable between a retracted position disposed on a bottom portion of the fuselage housing and a deployed position perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the fuselage housing.