158 results about "Aerodynamic lift" patented technology

Multiple horizontal axis type rotors are coaxially attached along the upper section of an elongate torque transmitting tower / driveshaft, The tower / driveshaft projects upward from a cantilevered bearing means, and is bent downwind, until the rotors become sufficiently aligned with the wind to rotate the entire tower / driveshaft, Power is drawn from the shaft at the base. Surface mount, subsurface mount, and marine installations, including a sailboat, are disclosed. Blade-to-blade lashing, and vertical axis rotor blades may also be included. Vertical and horizontal axis type rotor blades may be interconnected along the length of the tower / driveshaft to form a structural lattice, and the central shaft may even be eliminated. Aerodynamic lifting bodies or tails, buoyant lifting bodies, buoyant rotor blades, and methods of influencing the tilt of the rotors, can help elevate the structure. This wind turbine can have as few as one single moving part.

Lift propulsion and stabilizing system and procedure for vertical takeoff and landing aircraft that consists in applying simultaneously and combined as lifters during the initial portion of the climb and at the end of the descent of: a) some fans or electric turbines, EDF, and b) at least one rotor with external blades and / or rotary and / or c) the engine flow directed downwards and / or d) pressure air jets injected on leading edges control fins, and / or e) water jets and / or f) supplemented with aerodynamic lift produced during frontal advance of the aircraft, the stabilization is achieved by the gyroscopic stiffness of the rotor and two or more lifting fans oscillating fins and / or air jets located on two or stabilizers more peripheral points in a plane perpendicular to the vertical axis of the aircraft.

A golf club is fabricated with at least one vertical stability plate and / or at least one horizontal stability plate at a club head. The golf club is provided with a stability plate and an asymmetrical wing, or a combination of the same, which are installed at an upper side or left and right sides of the head of the golf club such as a driver, wood or iron, for example.An aerodynamic force generated in a downward direction by the loft of the club face is compensated by asymmetric wings applying an aerodynamic lifting force to an upper direction of the club head during a swing of the club. Even when a golfer has a swing speed or posture problem when swinging a club, the head of the club is guided to rotate along a desired proper orbit. A golf ball can be hit by a sweet spot of the head face of the club due to the stability and compensating force for achieving a straight drive, and enhanced flying distance.

Higher Order Sliding Mode (HOSM) control techniques are applied to the Guidance Control (G&C) of interceptor missile in which velocity may be steered by combination of main thrust, aerodynamic lift and lateral on-off divert thrusters, and attitude may be steered by continuous or on-off actuators. Methods include the pointing of the seeker, its associated estimation processes, a guidance law that uses concurrent divert mechanisms, and an attitude autopilot. The insensitivity of the controller to matched disturbances allows the concurrent usage of the divert mechanisms without adverse effect on the accuracy. The controller also allows the de-coupling of the control of roll, pitch and yaw channels, and usage quaternions to represent body attitude and it provides control perfect robustness. While it conceivable to design separately the components of the G&C method, it is widely accepted that designing them in an integrated fashion usually produces a better result.

In one aspect, a hybrid airship including an outer shell, a plurality of helium filled gas envelopes, and an all-electric propulsion system may have the shape of a delta-wing. In some embodiments, the hybrid airship may be launched using buoyancy lift alone and aerodynamic lift may be provided by the all-electric propulsion system. In one aspect, a photovoltaic array and a high energy density power storage system may be combined to power the propulsion system making the propulsion system regenerative. The delta-wing shape can provide a surface area large enough to accommodate very large circular or elliptical transmission devices. By continuously recharging the power storage system, the hybrid airship in accordance with some embodiments can stay aloft at an operational altitude of at least about 85,000 ft for months or even years. The hybrid airship may function as an airborne military communications relay platform.

In one aspect, a hybrid airship including an outer shell, a plurality of helium filled gas envelopes, and an all-electric propulsion system may have the shape of a delta-wing. In some embodiments, the hybrid airship may be launched using buoyancy lift alone and aerodynamic lift may be provided by the all-electric propulsion system. In one aspect, a photovoltaic array and a high energy density power storage system may be combined to power the propulsion system making the propulsion system regenerative. The delta-wing shape can provide a surface area large enough to accommodate very large circular or elliptical transmission devices. By continuously recharging the power storage system, the hybrid airship in accordance with some embodiments can stay aloft at an operational altitude of at least about 85,000 ft for months or even years. The hybrid airship may function as an airborne military communications relay platform.

An omni-directional wind turbine electric generation system including a wind rotor carrying wind responsive vanes which on one surface exert an aerodynamic lifting force and on the other a blocking force both of which exert a torque in the same rotational sense, and an electric generator directly connected to said wind rotor and coaxial therewith, without transmission means between them.

A system and method for harvesting the kinetic energy of a fluid flow for power generation with a vertically oriented, aerodynamic wing structure comprising one or more airfoil elements pivotably attached to a mast. When activated by the moving fluid stream, the wing structure oscillates back and forth, generating lift first in one direction then in the opposite direction. This oscillating movement is converted to unidirectional rotational movement in order to provide motive power to an electricity generator. Unlike other oscillating devices, this device is designed to harvest the maximum aerodynamic lift forces available for a given oscillation cycle. Because the system is not subjected to the same intense forces and stresses as turbine systems, it can be constructed less expensively, reducing the cost of electricity generation. The system can be grouped in more compact clusters, be less evident in the landscape, and present reduced risk to avian species.

A hybrid aerial vehicle is optimized, for example, and not by way of limitation, to operate above 100,000 feet in altitude and provide persistent and maneuverable flight while carrying a wide array of communications and sensing payloads. The hybrid vehicle may use the high altitude winds to gain altitude by pitching up with the center of gravity (CG) control and using its propulsion drive to thrust into the wind to create aerodynamic lift to rise above the neutral buoyancy altitude. The hybrid vehicle will pitch down with the CG control so as to use gravity and propulsion to accelerate. Yaw control directs the flight towards any compass direction by rotating the gondola. This maneuvering capability permits the vehicle to station operate persistently, even in high winds. The lighter-than-air inflatable saucer shape is optimized for maintaining an aerodynamic cross-section to the prevailing wind from any direction in the vehicle horizontal plane. A gondola below the saucer contains a motor, batteries, solar collector, sensors, and yaw and CG control mechanisms.

This apparatus is a new VTOL roadable aircraft having fore and aft sections joined by a seating midsection; with compact inlets built into its fuselage, also pairs of flight stabilizing surfaces and tail fins; the fuselage structure being a Lifting Body that provides aerodynamic lift during both forward flight and vertical descent; provided with intake chambers containing propelling surfaces rotating on longitudinal axis in opposite senses, and external pairs of swiveled nozzles producing thrust vectoring; these nozzles using conventional devices and having spins directed by original controls of corresponding identical movement directions; with standard automobile equipment integrated with the vehicle compact design and dimensions, making it compatible for road transport and enabling direct transitions to flight mode; and safe landing systems for emergencies are provided with half the technology being off the shelf devices as those in use by NASA and the US Airforce.

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for reducing sinkage and wetted surface, and thus hydrodynamic drag of a high-speed boat through the generation of aerodynamic lift while decreasing overall aerodynamic drag. At least one lift-generating front wing proximate a bow section of the boat with at least one corresponding front air channel may be provided. At least one lift-generating rear wing proximate a transom section of the boat with at least one corresponding rear air channel may also be provided. At least one of the wings may be adjustable to generate aerodynamic lift with one of: (1) a neutral; (2) a transom-lifting; and (3) a bow-lifting pitching moment about a center of inertia of the boat. At least one wing proximate the leading edge of the tunnel of a multi-hull boat may be provided to increase the operational envelope.

An omni-directional wind turbine electric generation system including a wind rotor carrying wind responsive vanes which on one surface exert an aerodynamic lifting force and on the other a blocking force both of which exert a torque in the same rotational sense, and an electric generator directly connected to said wind rotor and coaxial therewith, without transmission means between them.

The present invention relates to a device for generating aerodynamic lift and in particular an aircraft (100) for vertical take-off and landing. A wing arrangement (110) comprises at least one propulsion unit (111), wherein the propulsion unit (111) comprises a rotating mass which is rotatable around a rotary axis (117). The wing arrangement (110) is mounted to a fuselage (101) such that the wing arrangement (110) is tiltable around a longitudinal wing axis (112) of the wing arrangement (110) and such that the wing arrangement (110) is rotatable with respect to the fuselage (101) around a further rotary axis that differs to the longitudinal wing axis (112). An adjusting mechanism adjusts a tilting angle of the wing arrangement (110) around the longitudinal wing axis (112) under influence of a precession force (Fp) which forces the wing arrangement (110) to tilt around the longitudinal wing axis (112).

An auxiliary flap is movably arranged on a planar trailing edge of an aerodynamic element such as a wing, rudder, stabilizer, or flap. The auxiliary flap is rotatable and / or slidable relative to the aerodynamic element, to move selectively into three positions. In a first position, a free edge of the auxiliary flap protrudes into an airflow boundary layer on one side of the aerodynamic element, to decrease lift. In a second position, a free edge of the aerodynamic element protrudes into an airflow boundary layer on the other side of the aerodynamic element, to increase lift. In a third neutral position, the auxiliary element does not protrude into either boundary layer, so as not to influence lift. The auxiliary flap is simple and rapidly acting. The flap protrudes substantially perpendicularly into the boundary layer flow. The auxiliary flap has a planar plate shape.

The present disclosure relates to a wind turbine (10) including: a rotor (18) including a rotatable hub (20) and a plurality of rotor blades (22), each of the plurality of rotor blades (22) being attached to the hub (20); and at least one airfoil body (120) including an aerodynamic profile (156) and an airfoil body root portion (122); wherein the aerodynamic profile (156) is configured for increasing aerodynamic lift of at least an inner portion of a rotor blade (22); and the at least one airfoil body (120) is attached to the hub (20) at the airfoil body root portion (122). In addition thereto, the present disclosure relates to an aerodynamic assembly (118) for a wind turbine (10) and a method of assembling a wind turbine (10).

An airborne craft is provided comprising an aerodynamic lifting device having a radial drum fan and a thrust vectoring shroud. The radial drum or vertical axis fan comprises a fan with a rotor, the rotor having a rotational axis and comprising a plurality of rotor blades disposed in an annular ring about the rotational axis and a driving means for the rotor such that, on operation of the driving means, lift is generated.

The invention relates to the field of aeroelasticity, in particular to a wing aerodynamics modeling method. The airplane stiffness and mass distribution can be obtained in the early airplane design period under the condition of undefined wing structure arrangement. According to the wing aerodynamics modeling method provided by the invention, firstly, a finite element model of a wing pure metal plate element is built; the obtained aerodynamic lift is calculated; then, the thickness of the metal plate element is used as a variable, the wing tip deformation, the gravity center, the modal frequency, the flutter speed and the like are used as constraint conditions, and the wing weight is used as an optimization objective; finally, a group of metal plate element thickness distribution values is obtained through optimization calculation, so that the airplane stiffness and mass distribution is simulated; and the wing stiffness and mass distribution can be fast obtained in the early airplane design period under the conditions that the wing structure arrangement is not clear and only the wing pneumatic appearance and the weight are known, so that the wing aerodynamics feature analysis is carried out.

In one aspect, a hybrid airship including an outer shell, a plurality of helium filled gas envelopes, and an all-electric propulsion system can have a high-aspect ratio wing shape. In some embodiments, the hybrid airship may be launched using buoyancy lift alone and aerodynamic lift may be provided by the all-electric propulsion system. In one aspect, a photovoltaic array and a high energy density power storage system may be combined to power the propulsion system making the propulsion system regenerative. The high-aspect ratio wing shape provides low drag, and can allow the hybrid airship to fly at an altitude of at least about 100,000 ft. By continuously recharging the power storage system, the hybrid airship in accordance with some embodiments can stay aloft for months or even years. The hybrid airship may function as a military intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance and communications relay platform.

A wind-based power generating system provides a wind energy converter for converting wind energy into another form of energy using a lighter-than-air craft configured to produce a positive net lift. The net lift includes both a net aerodynamic lift and a net buoyant lift. A tethering mechanism is configured to restrain the lighter-than-air craft with respect to the ground. The lighter-than-air craft defines an interior volume for containing a lighter-than-air gas, and the lighter-than-air craft has a fore section and an aft section. The tethering system has at least one attachment point on the fore section of the lighter-than-air craft and at least one attachment point on the aft section of the lighter-than-air craft. The lighter-than-air craft provides a stable aerodynamic moment with respect to a yaw axis about a center-of-mass of the lighter-than-air craft. The craft can be formed in a variety of aerodynamic profiles / shapes.

Lift propulsion and stabilizing system and procedure for vertical takeoff and landing aircraft that consists in applying simultaneously and combined as lifters during the initial portion of the climb and at the end of the descent of: a) some fans or electric turbines, EDF, and b) at least one rotor with external blades and / or rotary and / or c) the engine flow directed downwards and / or d) pressure air jets injected on leading edges control fins, and / or e) water jets and / or f) supplemented with aerodynamic lift produced during frontal advance of the aircraft, the stabilization is achieved by the gyroscopic stiffness of the rotor and two or more lifting fans oscillating fins and / or air jets located on two or stabilizers more peripheral points in a plane perpendicular to the vertical axis of the aircraft.

A system and method for harvesting the kinetic energy of a fluid flow for power generation with a vertically oriented, aerodynamic wing structure comprising one or more airfoil elements pivotably attached to a mast. When activated by the moving fluid stream, the wing structure oscillates back and forth, generating lift first in one direction then in the opposite direction. This oscillating movement is converted to unidirectional rotational movement in order to provide motive power to an electricity generator. Unlike other oscillating devices, this device is designed to harvest the maximum aerodynamic lift forces available for a given oscillation cycle. Because the system is not subjected to the same intense forces and stresses as turbine systems, it can be constructed less expensively, reducing the cost of electricity generation. The system can be grouped in more compact clusters, be less evident in the landscape, and present reduced risk to avian species.

An aircraft which includes a float-wing having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and an airfoil shape to produce aerodynamic lift when the float-wing flows through air at a lift-producing angle of attack in a forward flight mode of operation. The float-wing further includes a submersible portion that includes at least the trailing edge and which is constructed of materials and in a shape selected to produce a buoyancy force sufficient to prevent at least a non-submersible portion of the aircraft from being submersed under conditions in which the aircraft is in a waterborne non-flight position in which at least the trailing edge of the float-wing is submersed but at least the non-submersible portion of the aircraft is not submersed.

A wind-based power generating system provides a wind energy converter for converting wind energy into another form of energy using a lighter-than-air craft configured to produce a positive net lift. The net lift includes both a net aerodynamic lift and a net buoyant lift. A tethering mechanism is configured to restrain the lighter-than-air craft with respect to the ground. The lighter-than-air craft defines an interior volume for containing a lighter-than-air gas, and the lighter-than-air craft has a fore section and an aft section. The tethering system has at least one attachment point on the fore section of the lighter-than-air craft and at least one attachment point on the aft section of the lighter-than-air craft. The lighter-than-air craft provides a stable aerodynamic moment with respect to a yaw axis about a center-of-mass of the lighter-than-air craft. The craft can be formed in a variety of aerodynamic profiles / shapes.

The invention discloses a micro-miniature multi-wing bionic flapping wing air vehicle and relates to the field of miniature air vehicles. The micro-miniature multi-wing bionic flapping wing air vehicle particularly comprises a chassis, four swing arms, a motor, two gears a, two gears b, a gear c, four connecting rods and four flapping wings. The motor is fixed at the center of the chassis; the gear c is mounted on an output shaft of the motor and engaged with the two gears b simultaneously; each gear b is engaged with the corresponding gear a; one ends of every two connecting rods are hinged together through the corresponding gear a, and the other end of each connecting rod is fixedly connected with the corresponding swing arm; meanwhile, the other end of each swing arm is fixedly connected with the corresponding flapping swing; and the swing arms drive the flapping swings to achieve low-frequency reciprocating flapping and produce aerodynamic lifting force in the vertical direction. The gears and a connecting rod mechanism are used to conduct transmission, manufacturing is simple, and higher design precision is easily obtained; and compared with a single pair flapping wing air vehicle, the effect among the multiple flapping wings can increase the lifting force, the high lifting force mechanism of insects is fully utilized, and higher efficiency is achieved.

The invention discloses a miniature semi-active folding flapping wing, which consists of a front beam, an inclined beam, wing ribs and covers. The front beam and the inclined beam are respectively divided into two sections from an middle part; the inner section and the outer section of the front beam are respectively fixed to a folding base and a folding head; a rocker arm of the folding head is connected with a soft steel wire rope; the soft steel wire rope penetrates through the inner section of the front beam and is fixedly connected with a frame of a flapping wing driving mechanism; and a root part of the inner section of the front beam is connected with an output rocker arm of the flapping wing driving mechanism in an inserting manner. In a process that the flapping wing downwardly flaps, the flapping wing keeps flat and straight, and in an upwardly flapping process, the outer section of the flapping wing is downwardly bent to a certain angle due to the action of aerodynamic forces, and further, gradually becomes flat and straight along with the straining of the steel wire rope. According to the miniature semi-active folding flapping wing, the asymmetric upward / downward flapping of the flapping wing is realized through a simple and reliable manner, a resultant force of the aerodynamic lifting forces in a flapping cycle is increased, the aerodynamic efficiency of the flapping wing is increased, and thus, the miniature semi-active folding flapping wing is applicable to a miniature flapping wing flying vehicle.

An auxiliary flap is movably arranged on a planar trailing edge of an aerodynamic element such as a wing, rudder, stabilizer, or flap. The auxiliary flap is rotatable and / or slidable relative to the aerodynamic element, to move selectively into three positions. In a first position, a free edge of the auxiliary flap protrudes into an airflow boundary layer on one side of the aerodynamic element, to decrease lift. In a second position, a free edge of the aerodynamic element protrudes into an airflow boundary layer on the other side of the aerodynamic element, to increase lift. In a third neutral position, the auxiliary element does not protrude into either boundary layer, so as not to influence lift. The auxiliary flap is simple and rapidly acting. The flap protrudes substantially perpendicularly into the boundary layer flow. The auxiliary flap has a planar plate shape.

A dimensionally size-efficient aircraft being of a twin-fuselage configuration that addresses long-range high-capacity passenger commercial or military application needs, unique in that propelling engines (two, three, or four engine arrangements) are centrally mounted aft of a central cross-wing section, that section addressing the structural requirements of fuselage attachment with a means of passage between fuselages, the outer main wings being free from hanging appendages, thereby enabling efficient aerodynamic-lift wing design, the configuration using a split stabilizer and a split vertical tail for stable aerodynamic control. Engine locations are biased high and aft with the central and outer wings providing ground noise abatement while in flight, passenger cabin noise low due to aft engine locations.Efficiencies of operation derive from: 1) a low overall weight / revenue seat ratio, 2) large and adaptable passenger floor plans, 3) compatibility with existing ground terminal facilities, 4) multiple engine configuration selections enabled by this aircraft layout, both turbo-fan and turbo-prop, and 5) opportunities of growth within this configuration. It is a low wave-drag configuration that better approaches the cross-sectional frontal-area shape ideal for minimum drag at near transonic speeds. This disclosure represents a general design concept and not a specific point design.

A system and method for docking various types of aircraft is disclosed. An aerodynamic lifting structure docking mechanism for docking two or more aircraft is provided comprising an aerodynamic lifting structure. The aerodynamic lifting structure includes a first and second airflow adjustment mechanism. The aerodynamic lifting structure further includes a first hard docking mechanism, and a second hard docking mechanism, and still further includes a soft docking mechanism. The first and second airflow adjustment mechanisms are configured to substantially remove any aerodynamic lifting structure vortices around each of the aerodynamic lifting structure tip areas. The soft docking mechanism is configured to soft dock a first aerodynamic lifting structure with a second aerodynamic lifting structure. The first hard docking mechanism is configured to hard dock with the second hard docking mechanism, thereby temporarily attaching the first aerodynamic lifting structure with the second aerodynamic lifting structure.