IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0785453
(2004-02-23)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Crouch, Jeffrey D.
- Foutch, David W.
- Smith, Matthew C.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
5 인용 특허 :
9 |
초록
▼
Methods and systems for removing material from aircraft flight surfaces are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an aircraft nacelle includes an inlet housing having a lip, a wiper positioned at the lip and movable relative to the lip, and a drive assembly positioned at least partially within the in
Methods and systems for removing material from aircraft flight surfaces are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an aircraft nacelle includes an inlet housing having a lip, a wiper positioned at the lip and movable relative to the lip, and a drive assembly positioned at least partially within the inlet housing and operably coupled to the wiper. The drive assembly is configured to move the wiper relative to the inlet housing to remove insect buildup and/or other material from at least a portion of the lip. The inlet housing can further include an interior surface and an exterior surface radially outward of the interior surface. The wiper can include a first end portion proximate to the interior surface and a second end portion proximate to the exterior surface.
대표청구항
▼
1. An aircraft system, comprising:an inlet housing having a lip;a wiper positioned at the lip and movable relative to the lip; anda drive assembly positioned at least partially within the inlet housing and operably coupled to the wiper, the drive assembly being configured to move the wiper relative
1. An aircraft system, comprising:an inlet housing having a lip;a wiper positioned at the lip and movable relative to the lip; anda drive assembly positioned at least partially within the inlet housing and operably coupled to the wiper, the drive assembly being configured to move the wiper relative to the inlet housing to remove material from at least a portion of the lip.2. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein:the inlet housing further includes an interior surface and an exterior surface radially outward of the interior surface;the wiper includes a first end portion at least proximate to the interior surface and a second end portion at least proximate to the exterior surface; andthe system further comprises a first attachment device coupling the first end portion to the inlet housing and a second attachment device coupling the second end portion to the inlet housing.3. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein:the wiper includes a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion;the system further comprises an attachment device coupled to the first end portion of the wiper; andthe drive assembly includes an annular member coupled to the attachment device and a motor operably coupled to the annular member to move the annular member and the first end portion of the wiper relative to the inlet housing.4. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein:the wiper includes a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion;the system further comprises an attachment device coupled to the first end portion of the wiper;the drive assembly includes an annular member coupled to the attachment device and a motor operably coupled to the annular member to move the annular member and the first end portion of the wiper relative to the inlet housing; andthe annular member includes a strap, a cable, a chain, and/or a ring.5. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein:the wiper includes a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion;the system further comprises an attachment device coupled to the first end portion of the wiper; andthe drive assembly includes a cart movable within the inlet housing and operably coupled to the attachment device to move the first end portion of the wiper.6. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein:the wiper includes a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion;the system further comprises an attachment device coupled to the first end portion of the wiper, the attachment device having a first magnet; andthe drive assembly includes a cart having a second magnet and being movable relative to the inlet housing, the first and second magnets being positioned to interact so that the attachment device moves with the cart.7. The aircraft of claim 6 wherein the wiper is configured to fail at a force less than a force required to dislodge the attachment device.8. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein:the wiper includes a first end portion coupled to the drive assembly and a second end portion opposite the first end portion; andthe system further comprises a drag member having a first portion coupled to the second end portion of the wiper and a second portion opposite the first portion, the drag member being movable between a stowed position and a deployed position, with the second portion of the drag member being unsecured to the inlet housing when the drag member is in the deployed position.9. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein:the wiper includes a first end portion coupled to the drive assembly and a second end portion opposite the first end portion;the system further comprises a drag member having a first portion coupled to the second end portion of the wiper and a second portion opposite the first portion, the drag member being movable between a stowed position and a deployed position, with the second portion of the drag member being unsecured to the inlet housing when the drag member is in the deployed position; andthe inlet housing has a recess sized and positioned to receive the drag member in the stowed position.10. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein the wiper includes a wire.11. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein the wiper includes a strap.12. The aircraft of claim 1, further comprising an axially resilient member positioned to provide tension to the wiper as the wiper moves relative to the inlet housing during a cleaning cycle.13. The aircraft of claim 1, further comprising a cleaning fluid reservoir and a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the wiper and the fluid reservoir to provide cleaning fluid to the wiper.14. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein:the wiper includes a wicking material to move cleaning fluid through at least a portion of the wiper; andthe system further comprises a cleaning fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the wicking material.15. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein:the inlet housing further includes a first portion, a second portion, and a groove between the first and second portions; andthe drive assembly is configured to move the wiper from a stowed position in which the wiper is received at least partially in the groove and a deployed position in which the wiper is external to the groove.16. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein:the lip of the inlet housing has a contour; andthe wiper is flexible to generally conform to the contour of the lip.17. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein:the lip has a generally annular configuration; andthe drive system is configured to move the wiper around the annular lip.18. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein the drive assembly is configured to move the wiper relative to the inlet housing to remove material during flight at an air speed of greater than 100 mph.19. The aircraft of claim 1, further comprising:a wing coupled to the inlet housing;a fuselage attached to the wing; anda tail coupled to the fuselage.20. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein the wiper includes:a body having a carrier and a plurality of discrete cleaning elements attached to the carrier; anda cord coupled to the carrier and the drive assembly to move the wiper relative to the inlet housing.21. An aircraft system, comprising:an inlet housing including a contoured exterior aircraft surface and a leading edge;a wiper having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a body extending between the first and second end portions, with at least a portion of the body contacting the leading edge; anda drive assembly operably coupled to at least one of the first and second end portions to move the wiper relative to the surface to remove material from the leading edge during flight at an air speed of greater than 100 mph.22. The system of claim 21, further comprising an attachment device coupled to the first end portion of the wiper, wherein the drive assembly includes an annular member connected to the attachment device and a motor operably coupled to the annular member to move the annular member and the first end portion of the wiper relative to the leading edge.23. The system of claim 21, further comprising an attachment device coupled to the first end portion of the wiper, wherein the drive assembly includes a cart movable within the inlet housing and operably coupled to the attachment device to move the first end portion of the wiper.24. The system of claim 21 wherein the body of the wiper includes at least one of a wire and a strap.25. An aircraft system, comprising:a contoured exterior aircraft surface defining a leading edge;a wiper having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a body extending between the first and second end portions, with at least a portion of the body contacting the leading edge; anda drive assembly operably coupled to at least one of the first and second end portions to move the wiper relative to the surface to remove material from the leading edge during flight at an air speed of greater than 100 mph;wherein the drive assembly includes:a first motor operably coupled to the first end portion of the wiper to move the first end portion relative to the surface; anda second motor operably coupled to the second end portion of the wiper to move the second end portion relative to the surface.26. The system of claim 21, further comprising:a wing coupled to the inlet housing;a fuselage attached to the wing; anda tail coupled to the fuselage.27. An aircraft system, comprising:an inlet housing having a lip;wiping means for removing material from at least a portion of the lip during flight; anddriving means for moving the wiping means relative to the lip, the driving means being operably coupled to the wiping means and positioned at least partially within the inlet housing.28. The system of claim 27 wherein the wiping means includes at least one of a wire and a strap.29. The system of claim 27 wherein the driving means includes:an annular member coupled to the wiping means; anda motor operably coupled to the annular member to move the annular member and the wiping means relative to the lip.30. The system of claim 27 wherein the driving means includes a cart movable within the inlet housing and operably coupled to the wiping means to move the wiping means relative to the lip.31. The system of claim 27 wherein:the inlet housing further includes an interior surface and an exterior surface radially outward of the interior surface; andthe wiping means includes a first wiping portion for wiping at least a portion of the interior surface and a second wiping portion for wiping at least a portion of the exterior surface.32. An aircraft system, comprising:an inlet housing having an exterior surface, an interior surface radially inward of the exterior surface, and a lip surface extending between the exterior and interior surfaces;a wiper having a first end portion proximate to the interior surface, a second end portion proximate to the exterior surface, and a body extending between the first and second end portions, the body being flexible to generally conform to the lip surface;an attachment device coupled to the first end portion of the wiper; anda drive assembly including an annular member operably coupled to the attachment device and a motor operably coupled to the annular member to move the wiper across the inlet housing and remove insects from at least a portion of the lip surface during flight.33. The system of claim 32 wherein the wiper includes at least one of a wire and a strap.34. The system of claim 32 wherein:the attachment device is a first attachment device;the system further comprises a second attachment device attached to the second end portion of the wiper; andthe drive assembly further includes a cart movable within the inlet housing and operably coupled to the second attachment device to move the second end portion of the wiper.35. The system of claim 32 wherein:the lip surface has a generally annular configuration; andthe drive system is configured to move the wiper around the annular lip surface.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.