초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for controlling the blowing of compressed air from an aerodynamic structure such as an aircraft wing or helicopter rotor blade and thus controlling the aerodynamic properties of the wing comprises a narrow slot (13) in the upper surface (15) of the structure near its trailing

A method and apparatus for controlling the blowing of compressed air from an aerodynamic structure such as an aircraft wing or helicopter rotor blade and thus controlling the aerodynamic properties of the wing comprises a narrow slot (13) in the upper surface (15) of the structure near its trailing edge (14). Inside the wing (12) is a chamber (23) that is connected to the narrow slot (13) in the wing surface (15). The chamber (23) houses a compressed air conduit (16) for supplying and holding compressed air. A passageway (25) connects the conduit (16) to the slot (13) in the upper surface (15) of the wing (12). The lower wall (27) of the passage (25) has a slit (32) allowing a shutter (31) to move selectively into the passage (25) and obstruct the flow of compressed air through the passageway (25). The shutter (31) is attached to a smart material actuator comprising a piezoelectrical bender (29). When a control voltage is applied to the bender (29), the bender (29) will bend. The bending of the bender (29) causes the shutter (31) to move up into the passage (25) and obstruct the flow of compressed air. In this way, the flow of air out of the slot (13) in the wing surface (15) may be dynamically controlled by application of selective control voltages to the bender (29).

대표청구항 ▼

[ Wherefore the following is claimed:] [1.] An apparatus for ejecting a controlled stream of fluid from a slot formed in the surface of an aerodynamic structure to control the aerodynamic properties of the structure, said apparatus comprising a source of fluid to be ejected from the slot, a passagew

[ Wherefore the following is claimed:] [1.] An apparatus for ejecting a controlled stream of fluid from a slot formed in the surface of an aerodynamic structure to control the aerodynamic properties of the structure, said apparatus comprising a source of fluid to be ejected from the slot, a passageway communicating between said source of fluid and the slot for delivering a flow of fluid to the slot, a shutter cooperatively associated with said passageway, said shutter being movable between a closed position at least partially disposed in said passageway and closing off communication therethrough and an open position retracted from said passageway and opening up communication therethrough, and an actuator coupled to said shutter for selectively moving said shutter between its open position and its closed position, said actuator being constructed of smart material that causes said actuator to deform and move said shutter toward one of its positions in response to application of a predetermined control voltage, and to return to its undeformed configuration to move said shutter toward the other one of its positions upon removal of the control voltage, whereby the shutter can be selectively positioned within the passageway to control the rate of flow of fluid therethrough and thus control the rate of ejection of fluid from the slot upon application of appropriate control voltages to the actuator, said apparatus further comprising and upper plate and a lower plate, said upper and lower plates extending between said source of fluid and the slot and being spaced apart from each other to define said passageway between said upper and lower plates, at least one of said plates being formed with a slit through which said shutter moves into and out of said passageway.