초록 ▼

Compliant mechanisms are arranged to enable airfoil and other structures to adapt their shapes to different flight conditions and thereby achieve optimum lift:drag ratios in plural flight conditions. The compliant mechanisms can be formed integrally whereby a compliant frame thereof, or the skin of

Compliant mechanisms are arranged to enable airfoil and other structures to adapt their shapes to different flight conditions and thereby achieve optimum lift:drag ratios in plural flight conditions. The compliant mechanisms can be formed integrally whereby a compliant frame thereof, or the skin of the airfoil, undergo elastic or other deformation to produce the desired displacements in direct response to applied forces. In an airfoil context, shape changes can be effected by the leading and trailing edges of the entire airfoil system. In addition, the driver arrangements of the compliant mechanisms can be controlled individually to effect a desired surface contour throughout the length of the wing, illustratively a twist therein.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An arrangement for producing a variable contour of a compliant surface, the arrangement comprising:a compliant frame member having a variable contour arranged to communicate with the compliant surface, the variable contour of the compliant surface being responsive to the variable contour of said

1. An arrangement for producing a variable contour of a compliant surface, the arrangement comprising:a compliant frame member having a variable contour arranged to communicate with the compliant surface, the variable contour of the compliant surface being responsive to the variable contour of said compliant frame member; an actuator element arranged in predetermined first relation with respect to said compliant frame member; at least one linkage element coupled at a first end thereof to said compliant frame member and at a second end thereof to said actuator element, whereby displacement of said actuator element results in a corresponding displacement of the variable contour of said compliant frame member, said linkage element having a predetermined resilience characteristic having a directional aspect with a resilient compression characteristic.