IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0905479
(2007-10-01)
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등록번호 |
US-7404530
(2008-07-29)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Saggio, III,Frank
- Ribbens,William B.
- Ooi,Kean K.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
3 인용 특허 :
2 |
초록
▼
A refueling drogue adapted to connect to a refueling hose extending from a refueling aircraft. The refueling drogue may include an active control system, wherein, in an exemplary embodiment, the active control system is adapted to regulate the position of the drogue to maintain a substantially fixed
A refueling drogue adapted to connect to a refueling hose extending from a refueling aircraft. The refueling drogue may include an active control system, wherein, in an exemplary embodiment, the active control system is adapted to regulate the position of the drogue to maintain a substantially fixed orientation relative to a refueling aircraft.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A refueling drogue comprising: a refueling drogue body including a refueling probe receptacle; an active control system; and a sensor adapted to measure a varying angle representative of a varying angle formed by an axis through the center of a refueling hose at a location wh
What is claimed is: 1. A refueling drogue comprising: a refueling drogue body including a refueling probe receptacle; an active control system; and a sensor adapted to measure a varying angle representative of a varying angle formed by an axis through the center of a refueling hose at a location where the refueling hose is connected to the refueling drogue body and a direction of an air stream in which the refueling drogue is placed. 2. The refueling drogue of claim 1, wherein the active control system is adapted to regulate the vertical and horizontal position of the drogue to maintain a substantially fixed orientation relative to a refueling aircraft. 3. The refueling drogue of claim 2, wherein the active control system is adapted to regulate the vertical and horizontal position of the drogue to maintain a substantially fixed orientation relative to a refueling aircraft when the refueling aircraft is flying at a substantially constant altitude, airspeed and heading. 4. The refueling drogue of claim 1, wherein the active control system comprises a plurality of control surfaces located on the refueling drogue hose connector. 5. The refueling drogue of claim 1, wherein the active control system is adapted to actively regulate the location of the refueling drogue at substantially any rotation angle of the control surfaces from at least one of a horizontal plane and a vertical plane. 6. The refueling drogue of claim 1, wherein the refueling drogue body is adapted to be connected to a refueling hose, and wherein the active control system further comprises a control system adapted to regulate an angle θ and an angle ψ of an axis through the center of the refueling hose at the location where the refueling hose connects to the refueling drogue body. 7. The refueling drogue of claim 1, further comprising a refueling hose connector rigidly connected to a refueling hose, wherein at least a portion of the refueling hose connector is adapted to move relative to a main body of the refueling drogue body, and wherein the angle θ and the angle ψ of the axis through the center of the refueling hose is regulated by regulating angles of the refueling hose connector relative to the airstream. 8. The refueling drogue of claim 7, wherein the control system is adapted to substantially maintain the angle θ and the angle ψ of the axis through the center of the refueling hose at respective reference angles. 9. The refueling drogue of claim 1, further comprising: a first sensor adapted to measure a first varying angle between an axis through the center of the refueling hose and a velocity vector of the air stream; and a second sensor adapted to measure a second separate varying angle between an axis through the center of the refueling hose and the velocity vector of the air stream; wherein the active control system is adapted to regulate the location of the refueling drogue based on the measured first varying angle and the measured second varying angle. 10. The refueling drogue of claim 9, wherein the drogue is adapted to permit the first sensor and the second sensor to rotate relative to the horizontal plane and the vertical plane. 11. The refueling drogue of claim 9, wherein the first varying angle lies on a plane that is substantially orthogonal to a plane on which the second varying angle lies. 12. The refueling drogue of claim 9, wherein the first varying angle lies on a plane that is not substantially orthogonal to a plane on which the second varying angle lies. 13. The refueling drogue of claim 11, further comprising a pair of control surfaces orthogonal to another pair of control surfaces, wherein the plane on which the first varying angle lies is on a plane through an axis of symmetry of the refueling drogue body and orthogonal to a plane on which one of the pairs of control surfaces lies. 14. The refueling drogue of claim 11, further comprising a first pair of control surfaces orthogonal to a second pair of control surfaces, wherein the plane on which the first varying angle lies is on a plane through the first pair of control surfaces and wherein the plane on which the second varying angle lies is on a plane through the second pair of control surfaces. 15. The refueling drogue of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor includes a rotary vane adapted to pivot about a vane axis and a sensor adapted to output a signal indicative of the angle of pivot about the vane axis. 16. The refueling drogue of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first and second sensors is located substantially at a refueling hose-refueling drogue pivot point. 17. The refueling drogue of claim 1, wherein the active control system is adapted to reduce displacement of the refueling drogue to about 12 inches or less when exposed to moderate turbulence. 18. The refueling drogue of claim 1, wherein the active control system is adapted to reduce displacement of the refueling drogue to about 6 inches or less when exposed to moderate turbulence. 19. The refueling drogue of claim 1, wherein the active control system is adapted to reduce displacement of the refueling drogue to a few inches or less when exposed to moderate turbulence. 20. The refueling drogue of claim 1, wherein the refueling drogue body is connected to a refueling hose, wherein the active control system is adapted to compute a pitch angle θ' and a yaw angle ψ' of an axis through the center of the refueling hose at a location where the refueling hose connects to the refueling drogue body. 21. The refueling drogue of claim 20, further comprising a computer adapted to calculate at least one of a displacement and a position of the refueling drogue based on the measured pitch angle and the yaw angle of the axis through the center of the refueling hose. 22. The refueling drogue of claim 20, further comprising a computer adapted to calculate at least one of a displacement and a position of the refueling drogue based on the measured pitch angle and the yaw angle of the axis through the center of the refueling hose and a proportionality constant. 23. The refueling drogue of claim 1, further comprising an autonomous docking system. 24. The refueling drogue of claim 23, wherein the autonomous docking system is adapted to vary the position of the refueling drogue so that a centerline of the refueling drogue body remains substantially coaxial with a centerline of a refueling probe of a receiver aircraft that is not yet in contact with the refueling drogue. 25. The refueling drogue of claim 21, wherein the refueling drogue body is adapted to be connected to a refueling hose, and wherein the active control system further comprises a control system to regulate an angle θ and an angle ψ of an axis through the center of the refueling hose with respect to at least one of (i) an air stream velocity vector of the air stream in which the refueling drogue is located and (ii) a gravitational vector, at the location where the refueling hose connects to the refueling drogue body, while the refueling drogue body is being drug through the atmosphere.
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