Inflatable wing
Abstract
An inflatable wing is formed from a pair of tapered, conical inflatable tubes in bonded tangential contact with each other. The tubes are further connected together by means of top and bottom reinforcement boards having corresponding longitudinal edges lying in the same central diametral plane passing through the associated tube. The reinforcement boards are made of a stiff reinforcement material, such as Kevlar, collapsible in a direction parallel to the spanwise wing axis upon deflation of the tubes. The stiff reinforcement material cooperates with the inflated tubes to impart structural I-beam characteristics to the composite structure for transferring inflation pressure-induced tensile stress from the tubes to the reinforcement boards. A plurality of rigid hoops shaped to provide airfoil definition are spaced from each other along the spanwise axis and are connected to the top and bottom reinforcement boards. Tension lines are employed for stabilizing the hoops along the trailing and leading edges thereof.
- Inventors:
-
- Albuquerque, NM
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 866498
- Patent Number(s):
- 4725021
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B64 - AIRCRAFT B64C - AEROPLANES
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- inflatable; formed; pair; tapered; conical; tubes; bonded; tangential; contact; connected; means; top; bottom; reinforcement; boards; corresponding; longitudinal; edges; lying; central; diametral; plane; passing; associated; tube; stiff; material; kevlar; collapsible; direction; parallel; spanwise; axis; deflation; cooperates; inflated; impart; structural; i-beam; characteristics; composite; structure; transferring; inflation; pressure-induced; tensile; stress; plurality; rigid; hoops; shaped; provide; airfoil; definition; spaced; tension; lines; employed; stabilizing; trailing; leading; leading edge; composite structure; direction parallel; tensile stress; inflatable tube; /244/
Citation Formats
Priddy, Tommy G. Inflatable wing. United States: N. p., 1988.
Web.
Priddy, Tommy G. Inflatable wing. United States.
Priddy, Tommy G. Fri .
"Inflatable wing". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/866498.
@article{osti_866498,
title = {Inflatable wing},
author = {Priddy, Tommy G},
abstractNote = {An inflatable wing is formed from a pair of tapered, conical inflatable tubes in bonded tangential contact with each other. The tubes are further connected together by means of top and bottom reinforcement boards having corresponding longitudinal edges lying in the same central diametral plane passing through the associated tube. The reinforcement boards are made of a stiff reinforcement material, such as Kevlar, collapsible in a direction parallel to the spanwise wing axis upon deflation of the tubes. The stiff reinforcement material cooperates with the inflated tubes to impart structural I-beam characteristics to the composite structure for transferring inflation pressure-induced tensile stress from the tubes to the reinforcement boards. A plurality of rigid hoops shaped to provide airfoil definition are spaced from each other along the spanwise axis and are connected to the top and bottom reinforcement boards. Tension lines are employed for stabilizing the hoops along the trailing and leading edges thereof.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988}
}