초록 ▼

Efficient wing tip devices for use with aircraft wings. In one embodiment, an aircraft wing/winglet combination includes a wing having a wing root portion and a wing tip portion spaced apart from the wing root portion. The wing tip portion can have a wash-out twist relative to the wing root portion.

Efficient wing tip devices for use with aircraft wings. In one embodiment, an aircraft wing/winglet combination includes a wing having a wing root portion and a wing tip portion spaced apart from the wing root portion. The wing tip portion can have a wash-out twist relative to the wing root portion. The aircraft wing/winglet combination can further include a winglet extending from the wing tip portion of the wing. The winglet can be swept at least generally forward relative to the wing to favorably change the lift distribution on the wing and in turn reduce the induced drag on the wing.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An airfoil/winglet combination comprising:an airfoil having an airfoil root portion and an airfoil tip portion spaced apart from the airfoil root portion, the airfoil tip portion having a wash-out twist relative to the airfoil root portion; and a winglet extending outwardly from the airfoil tip p

1. An airfoil/winglet combination comprising:an airfoil having an airfoil root portion and an airfoil tip portion spaced apart from the airfoil root portion, the airfoil tip portion having a wash-out twist relative to the airfoil root portion; and a winglet extending outwardly from the airfoil tip portion of the airfoil, the winglet being swept forward relative to the airfoil and fixedly attached directly to the airfoil tip portion in the absence of a second winglet extending outwardly from the airfoil tip portion, wherein the airfoil includes an airfoil trailing edge portion and the winglet includes a winglet trailing edge portion, the winglet trailing edge portion being positioned forward of the airfoil trailing edge portion defining a space therebetween. 2. The airfoil/winglet combination of claim 1 wherein the winglet includes a winglet root portion attached at least proximate to the airfoil tip portion, wherein the winglet root portion defines a winglet root chord and the airfoil tip portion defines an airfoil tip chord, the winglet root chord being different than the airfoil tip chord.3. The airfoil/winglet combination of claim 1 wherein the airfoil includes an airfoil leading edge portion and the winglet includes a winglet leading edge portion, the winglet leading edge portion being positioned at least proximate to the airfoil leading edge portion.4. The airfoil/winglet combination of claim 1 wherein the airfoil includes an airfoil leading edge portion and the winglet includes a winglet leading edge portion, the winglet leading edge portion being positioned at least proximate to the airfoil leading edge portion, and wherein the winglet further includes a winglet root portion defining a winglet root chord, the airfoil tip portion of the airfoil defining an airfoil tip chord greater than the winglet root chord.5. The airfoil/winglet combination of claim 1 wherein the airfoil includes an airfoil leading edge portion and the winglet includes a winglet leading edge portion, the winglet leading edge portion being positioned at least proximate to the airfoil leading edge portion, and wherein the winglet further includes a winglet root portion defining a winglet root chord, the airfoil tip portion of the airfoil defining an airfoil tip chord about twice as long as the winglet root chord.6. The airfoil/winglet combination of claim 1 wherein the airfoil extends in a first direction and the winglet extends in a second direction, the second direction being at least generally perpendicular to the first direction.7. The airfoil/winglet combination of claim 1 wherein the airfoil extends in a first direction and the winglet extends in a second direction, the second direction being at least generally perpendicular and upward relative to the first direction.8. The airfoil/winglet combination of claim 1 wherein the airfoil includes an aircraft wing, the aircraft wing having a wing root portion configured to be attached to an aircraft fuselage and a wing tip portion spaced apart from the wing root portion, the wing tip portion having a wash-out twist relative to the wing root portion.9. The airfoil/winglet combination of claim 1 wherein the airfoil includes a canard, the canard having a canard root portion configured to be attached to an aircraft fuselage and a canard tip portion spaced apart from the canard root portion, the canard tip portion having a wash-out twist relative to the canard root portion.10. An aircraft system comprising:a wing having a wing tip portion and a wing root portion, the wing root portion defining a wing root chord, the wing tip portion defining a wing tip chord, the wing tip chord having a wash-out twist relative to the wing root chord and being offset from the wing root chord along a wing quarter-chord line; and a winglet having a winglet tip portion and a winglet root portion, the winglet root portion defining a winglet root chord and being fixedly attached directly to the wing tip portion of the wing in the absence of a second winglet extending outwardly from the wing tip portion, the winglet tip portion defining a winglet tip chord and being offset from the winglet root chord along a winglet quarter-chord line, the winglet quarter-chord line being swept at least generally forward relative to the wing quarter-chord line wherein the wing includes a wing trailing edge portion and the winglet includes a winglet trailing edge portion, the winglet trailing edge portion being positioned forward of the wing trailing edge portion defining a space therebetween. 11. The aircraft system of claim 10 wherein the wing includes a wing leading edge portion and the winglet includes a winglet leading edge portion, the winglet leading edge portion being positioned at least proximate to the wing leading edge portion.12. The aircraft system of claim 10 wherein the wing includes a wing leading edge portion and the winglet includes a winglet leading edge portion, wherein the winglet leading edge portion is positioned at least proximate to the wing leading edge portion, and wherein the wing tip chord is greater than the winglet root chord.13. The aircraft system of claim 10 wherein the wing includes a wing leading edge portion and the winglet includes a winglet leading edge portion, wherein the winglet leading edge portion is positioned at least proximate to the wing leading edge portion, and wherein the wing tip chord is about twice as long as the winglet root chord.14. The aircraft system of claim 10 wherein the wing defines a first plane and the winglet defines a second plane, and wherein the first and second planes are at least generally parallel to each other.15. The aircraft system of claim 10 wherein the winglet quarter-chord line is swept forward to form an angle of about 55 degrees with respect to the wing tip chord.16. The aircraft system of claim 10, further comprising a fuselage, the wing extending outwardly from the fuselage.17. The aircraft system of claim 16 wherein the fuselage is aligned along a longitudinal axis, wherein the wing quarter-chord line is swept at least generally aft relative to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the winglet quarter-chord line is swept at least generally forward relative to the longitudinal axis.18. The aircraft system of claim 16 wherein the fuselage includes a passenger compartment configured to carry at least 50 passengers.19. A method for manufacturing an aircraft wing/winglet combination, the method comprising:providing a wing having a wing root portion and a wing tip portion, the wing root portion configured to be attached toward a fuselage of an aircraft and defining a wing root chord, the wing tip portion defining a wing tip chord and being offset from the wing root chord along a wing quarter-chord line, the wing tip chord having a wash-out twist relative to the wing root chord; providing a winglet having a winglet root portion and a winglet tip portion, the winglet root portion defining a winglet root chord, the winglet tip portion defining a winglet tip chord, the winglet tip chord being offset from the winglet root chord along a winglet quarter-chord line; and fixedly attaching the winglet root portion directly to the wing tip portion in the absence of a second winglet extending outwardly from the wing tip portion and such that the winglet quarter-chord line is swept at least generally forward relative to the wing quarter-chord line wherein the wing includes a wing trailing edge and the winglet includes a winglet trailing edge, the winglet trailing edge being positioned forward of the wing trailing edge defining a space therebetween. 20. The method of claim 19 wherein providing a wing includes providing a wing having a wing leading edge, wherein providing a winglet includes providing a winglet having a winglet leading edge, and wherein fixedly attaching the winglet root portion directly to the wing tip portion includes positioning the winglet leading edge at least proximate to the wing leading edge.21. The method of claim 19 wherein the wing tip chord is greater than the winglet root chord, wherein providing a wing includes providing a wing having a wing leading edge, wherein providing a winglet includes providing a winglet having a winglet leading edge, and wherein fixedly attaching the winglet root portion directly to the wing tip portion includes positioning the winglet leading edge at least proximate to the wing leading edge.22. The method of claim 19 wherein fixedly attaching the winglet root portion directly to the wing tip portion includes positioning the winglet quarter-chord at about a 90 degree angle relative to the wing quarter-chord line.23. The method of claim 19 wherein fixedly attaching the winglet root portion directly to the wing tip portion includes positioning the winglet to be at least generally in-plane with wing.24. A method for manufacturing a second wing from a first wing, the first wing having a wing root portion and a wing tip portion, the wing root portion configured to be attached toward a fuselage of an aircraft and defining a wing root chord, the wing tip portion defining a wing tip chord and being offset from the wing root chord along a wing quarter-chord line, the wing tip chord having a wash-out twist relative to the wing root chord, the method comprising:providing a winglet having a winglet root portion and a winglet tip portion, the winglet root portion defining a winglet root chord, the winglet tip portion defining a winglet tip chord and being offset from the winglet root chord along a winglet quarter-chord line; and fixedly attaching the winglet root portion directly to the wing tip portion in the absence of a second winglet extending outwardly from the wing tip portion and such that the winglet quarter-chord line is swept at least generally forward relative to the wing quarter-chord line wherein the first wing includes a wing trailing edge and the winglet includes a winglet trailing edge, the winglet trailing edge being positioned forward of the wing trailing edge defining a space therebetween. 25. The method of claim 24 wherein the first wing further includes a wing leading edge, wherein providing a winglet includes providing a winglet having a winglet leading edge, and wherein fixedly attaching the winglet root portion directly to the wing tip portion includes positioning the winglet leading edge directly to the wing leading edge.26. The method of claim 24 wherein the wing tip chord is greater than the winglet root chord and the first wing further includes a wing leading edge; wherein providing a winglet includes providing a winglet having a winglet leading edge, and wherein fixedly attaching the winglet root portion directly to the wing tip portion includes positioning the winglet leading edge directly to the wing leading edge.27. The method of claim 24 wherein the wing root portion is configured to be fixedly attached to an aircraft fuselage defining a longitudinal axis, wherein fixedly attaching the winglet root portion at least proximate to the wing tip portion includes fixedly attaching the winglet root portion such that the winglet quarter-chord line is swept at least generally forward relative to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage.28. The method of claim 24 wherein the wing root portion is configured to be fixedly attached to an aircraft fuselage defining a longitudinal axis, wherein fixedly attaching the winglet root portion at least proximate to the wing tip portion includes fixedly attaching the winglet root portion such that the winglet quarter-chord line is swept at least generally aft relative to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage.29. A method for improving the drag characteristics of a wing having a wing root portion and a wing tip portion, the wing root portion defining a wing root chord and being configured to be attached toward a fuselage of an aircraft, the wing tip portion defining a wing tip chord offset from the wing root chord along a wing quarter-chord line, the method comprising:changing the planform of the wing by: providing a winglet having a winglet root portion and a winglet tip portion, the winglet root portion defining a winglet root chord, the winglet tip portion defining a winglet tip chord, the winglet tip chord being offset from the winglet root chord along a winglet quarter-chord line; and fixedly attaching the winglet to the wing by fixing the winglet root portion directly to the wing tip portion in the absence of a second winglet extending outwardly from the wing tip portion, wherein when the winglet is fixedly attached to the wing, the winglet quarter-chord line is swept at least generally forward relative to the wing quarter-chord line wherein the wing includes a wing trailing edge and the winglet includes a winglet trailing edge, the winglet trailing edge being positioned forward of the wing trailing edge defining a space therebetween. 30. The method of claim 29 wherein the wing at least generally defines a first plane and the winglet at least generally defines a second plane, and wherein when the winglet is fixedly attached to the wing, the second plane is positioned at least generally perpendicular to the first plane.31. The method of claim 29 wherein fixing the winglet root portion at least proximate to the wing tip portion includes fixedly attaching the winglet to a portion of the wing having a wash-out twist relative to the wing root chord.32. A winglet for use with an aircraft, the winglet comprising:a winglet root portion, wherein the winglet root portion is configured to fixedly attached directly to a wing tip portion of a wing of the aircraft in the absence of a second winglet extending outwardly from the wingtip portion, the wing having a washout twist; and a winglet tip portion, wherein the winglet tip portion is swept forward relative to the winglet root portion a winglet trailing edge portion, wherein the winglet trailing edge portion is configured to be positioned forward of a trailing edge portion of the wing defining a space therebetween. 33. The winglet of claim 32 wherein the winglet root portion is configured to be attached to a wing having at least one strut carried on the wing for supporting a jet engine.