초록 ▼

The present invention relates to a missile or aircraft with a hierarchical, modular, closed-loop flow control system and more particularly to aircraft or missile with a flow control system for enhanced aerodynamic control, maneuverability and stabilization and methods of operating the flow control s

The present invention relates to a missile or aircraft with a hierarchical, modular, closed-loop flow control system and more particularly to aircraft or missile with a flow control system for enhanced aerodynamic control, maneuverability and stabilization and methods of operating the flow control system. Various embodiments of the flow control system of the present invention involve flow sensors, active flow control device or activatable flow effectors and/or logic devices with closed loop control architecture. The sensors are used to estimate or determine flow conditions on surfaces of a missile or aircraft. The active flow control device or activatable flow effectors of these various embodiments create on-demand flow disturbances, preferably micro-disturbances, at different points along various aerodynamic surfaces of the missile or aircraft to achieve a desired stabilization or maneuverability effect. The logic devices are embedded with a hierarchical control structure allowing for rapid, real-time control at the flow surface.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A munition comprising: an aerodynamic surface or surfaces, and a forebody and an afterbody;at least two air flow control zones each comprising a discrete area or region and at least one adjustable control surface on the aerodynamic surface or surfaces of the munition, at least one air flow contro

1. A munition comprising: an aerodynamic surface or surfaces, and a forebody and an afterbody;at least two air flow control zones each comprising a discrete area or region and at least one adjustable control surface on the aerodynamic surface or surfaces of the munition, at least one air flow control zone being on the forebody and at least one air flow control zone being on the afterbody, the at least one adjustable control surface being activatable flow effectors adapted to be activated, and controlled once activated; andone or more digital logic devices, the one or more digital logic devices having a separate local, closed loop control system for adjusting the at least one adjustable control surface in each flow control zone to, in part, maneuver the munition, and a global control system to coordinate the local, closed loop control systems. 2. The munition in claim 1, wherein the activatable flow effectors are one or more of wings, tailfins, or canards. 3. The munition in claim 2, further comprising at least one sensor or device having an electrical signal, wherein the first local, closed loop control system activates and controls the at least one activatable flow effector on each of the forebody and afterbody based on at least in part the signal of the at least one sensor or device. 4. The munition in claim 3, wherein the at least one flow effector on the forebody and the at least one flow effector on the afterbody are adapted to be activated, controlled, and deactivated independently of each other to minimize or create side forces on the munition forebody and afterbody. 5. The munition in claim 4, further comprising a user interface adapted to allow interaction between a human operator and the munition. 6. The munition in claim 5, wherein the interface is adapted for the human operator to activate, control, and deactivate the activatable flow effectors based at least in part on the signals from the at least one sensor or device. 7. The munition in claim 2, wherein the at least one activatable control surface being activatable flow effectors is/are deactivated when the activatable flow effector is substantially flush with the aerodynamic surface or surfaces. 8. A munition comprising: an aerodynamic surface or surfaces, and a forebody and an afterbody;at least two air flow control zones each comprising a discrete area or region and at least one adjustable control surface on the aerodynamic surface or surfaces of the munition, at least one air flow control zone being on the forebody and at least one air flow control zone being on the afterbody, the at least one adjustable control surface being activatable flow effectors adapted to be activated, and controlled once activated;one or more digital logic devices, the one or more digital logic devices having a separate local, closed loop control system for adjusting the at least one adjustable control surface in each flow control zone to, in part, maneuver the munition, and a global control system to coordinate the local, closed loop control systems; anda user interface adapted to allow interaction between a human operator and the munition. 9. The munition in claim 8, wherein the activatable flow effectors are one or more of wings, tailfins, or canards. 10. The munition in claim 9, further comprising at least one sensor or device having an electrical signal, wherein the first local, closed loop control system activates and controls the at least one activatable flow effector on each of the forebody and afterbody based on at least in part the signal of the at least one sensor or device. 11. The munition in claim 10, wherein the at least one flow effector on the forebody and the at least one flow effector on the afterbody are adapted to be activated, controlled, and deactivated independently of each other to minimize or create side forces on the munition forebody and afterbody. 12. The munition in claim 11, wherein the interface is adapted for the human operator to activate, control, and deactivate the activatable flow effectors based at least in part on the signals from the at least one sensor or device. 13. The munition in claim 12, wherein input from the human operator is adapted to control the global control system to in turn operate and control the local control systems to activate, control, or deactivate the activatable flow effectors. 14. The munition in claim 9, wherein the at least one activatable control surface being activatable flow effectors is/are deactivated when the activatable flow effector is substantially flush with the aerodynamic surface or surfaces. 15. A munition comprising: an aerodynamic surface or surfaces, and a forebody and an afterbody;at least two air flow control zones each comprising a discrete area or region and at least one adjustable control surface on the aerodynamic surface or surfaces of the munition, at least one air flow control zone being on the forebody and at least one air flow control zone being on the afterbody, the at least one adjustable control surface being activatable flow effectors adapted to be activated, and controlled once activated;one or more digital logic devices, the one or more digital logic devices having a separate local, closed loop control system for adjusting the at least one adjustable control surface in each flow control zone to, in part, maneuver the munition, and a global control system to coordinate the local, closed loop control systems; andat least one sensor or device having an electrical signal, wherein the first local, closed loop control system activates and controls the at least one activatable flow effector on each of the forebody and afterbody based on at least in part the signal of the at least one sensor or device. 16. The munition in claim 15, wherein the activatable flow effectors are one or more of wings, tailfins, or canards. 17. The munition in claim 16, wherein the at least one flow effector on the forebody and the at least one flow effector on the afterbody are adapted to be activated, controlled, and deactivated independently of each other to minimize or create side forces on the munition forebody and afterbody. 18. The munition in claim 17, further comprising a user interface adapted to allow interaction between a human operator and the munition. 19. The munition in claim 18, wherein the interface is adapted for the human operator to activate, control, and deactivate the activatable flow effectors based at least in part on the signals from the at least one sensor or device. 20. The munition in claim 16, wherein the at least one activatable control surface being activatable flow effectors is/are deactivated when the activatable flow effector is substantially flush with the aerodynamic surface or surfaces.