3118results about "Wing adjustments" patented technology

A vehicle including a fuselage having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, two Ducted Fan lift-producing propellers carried by the fuselage on each side of the transverse axis, a pilot's compartment formed in the fuselage between the lift-producing propellers and substantially aligned with one side of the fuselage, a payload bay formed in the fuselage between the lift-producing propellers and opposite the pilot's compartment, and two pusher fans located at the rear of the vehicle. Many variations are described enabling the vehicle to be used not only as a VTOL vehicle, but also as a multi-function utility vehicle for performing many diverse functions including hovercraft and ATV functions. Also described is an Unmanned version of the vehicle. Also described are unique features applicable in any single or multiple ducted fans and VTOL vehicles.

A safe, quiet, easy to control, efficient, and compact aircraft configuration is enabled through the combination of multiple vertical lift rotors, tandem wings, and forward thrust propellers. The vertical lift rotors, in combination with a front and rear wing, permits a balancing of the center of lift with the center of gravity for both vertical and horizontal flight. This wing and multiple rotor system has the ability to tolerate a relatively large variation of the payload weight for hover, transition, or cruise flight while also providing vertical thrust redundancy. The propulsion system uses multiple lift rotors and forward thrust propellers of a small enough size to be shielded from potential blade strike and provide increased perceived and real safety to the passengers. Using multiple independent rotors provides redundancy and the elimination of single point failure modes that can make the vehicle non-operable in flight.

An airflow control device comprises a body and an active material in operative communication with the body. The active material, such as shape memory material, is operative to change at least one attribute in response to an activation signal. The active material can change its shape, dimensions and / or stiffness producing a change in at least one feature of the airflow control device such as shape, dimension, location, orientation, and / or stiffness to control vehicle airflow to better suit changes in driving conditions such as weather, ground clearance and speed, while reducing maintenance and the level of failure modes. As such, the device reduces vehicle damage due to inadequate ground clearance, while increasing vehicle stability and fuel economy. An activation device, controller and sensors may be employed to further control the change in at least one feature of the airflow control device such as shape, dimension, location, orientation, and / or stiffness of the device. A method for controlling vehicle airflow selectively introduces an activation signal to initiate a change of at least one feature of the device that can be reversed upon discontinuation of the activation signal.

A wing pivot mechanism that is configured to pivot two wings about a single pivot axis of a vehicle, such as an aircraft. The wing pivot mechanism includes a hub, a set of gears positioned at least partially within an interior region of the hub, and two wings that are rotatably connected to the hub. Each wings includes a gear surface extending therefrom. Each gear of the hub assembly engages a gear of a respective wing such that rotation of the gears of the hub assembly causes rotation of the gears of the wings and pivoting of the wings about the single pivot axis in opposite rotational directions between a stowed position and a deployed position. A releasable locking mechanism is provided for locking the wings in a fixed rotational position in both the deployed position and the stowed position.

The present invention provides electroactive polymer transducers that produce out-of-plane deflections. The transducers form a set of surface features based on deflection of an electroactive polymer. The set of surface features may include elevated polymer surface features and / or depressed electrode surface features. Actuation of an active area may produce the polymer deflection that creates one or more surface features. A passive layer may operably connect to a polymer. The passive layer may comprise a thicker and softer material to amplify polymer thickness changes and increase surface feature visibility.