Leonardo Corporation

Carlo Cassinelli

Paolo Brughera

Riccardo Bianco Mengotti

Luca Sampugnaro

Pierre Abdel Nour

Andrea Bavetta

Matteo Pizzagalli

A wing having a wing box () defining a first wing profile with a first leading edge, a first trailing edge, a first top surface and a first bottom surface; a first appendage hinged on the wing box and defining a second wing profile, in turn comprising an end wall and a second trailing edge, a second top surface and a second bottom surface; the first appendage is movable between: a first position, in which the first and the second wing profiles are contiguous with each other and a second position, in which the second bottom surface and second top surface are respectively separated from the first bottom surface and first top surface; the wing box comprises a first spar having a curved section in a plane orthogonal to the associated first axis; the end wall is curved and arranged abutting against the first spar at least along the second top surface and the second bottom surface when the first movable appendage is in the first position.

Aircraft wing

A convertiplane is described that comprises: a fuselage, having a first longitudinal axis and, in turn, comprising a nose and a tail portion; a pair of wings arranged on respective opposite sides of the fuselage, carrying respective rotors and generating a lift value; and a pair of engines operatively connected to respective rotors; each rotor comprising a mast rotatable about a second axis between a helicopter configuration and an aeroplane configuration; each rotor is interposed between the fuselage and the relative rotor along the direction of extension of the relative wing.

Convertiplane

A method is described for the folding of a convertiplane with a fuselage having a first axis, a pair of wings and a pair of rotors arranged on respective mutually opposite sides of the respective wings; each rotor comprises a mast rotatable about a second axis and a plurality of blades; each wing comprises a first portion fixed with respect to the fuselage; a second tip portion opposite to the first portion; and a third intermediate portion, which is interposed between the associated first portion and second tip portion; the mast of each rotor is integrally tiltable with the second axis and associated second tip portion about a third axis transversal to the second axis and the fuselage so as to set said convertiplane between a helicopter configuration and an aeroplane configuration; the method comprises the steps i) of arranging the convertiplane in the helicopter configuration and ii) rotating a pair of assemblies of respective wings with respect to the fuselage and the associated first portion about respective fifth axes, so as to arrange the convertiplane in a stowage configuration.

Convertiplane and associated folding method

A convertiplane is described that comprises a fuselage, having a first longitudinal axis, with a nose and a tail portion; a pair of wings arranged on respective opposite sides of said fuselage, carrying respective rotors; a pair of engines operatively connected to respective said rotors; at least one first lifting surface arranged on said tail portion; and a pair of canards arranged on said nose of said fuselage and defining respective second lifting surfaces adapted to generate a third lift/negative lift value; each rotor comprising a mast rotatable about a second axis and about an relative third axis transversal to said second axis and with respect to the fuselage, so as to set said convertiplane between a helicopter configuration and an aeroplane configuration; each second axis, in use, being transversal to the first axis of said convertiplane in said helicopter configuration and being parallel to said first axis in said aeroplane configuration.

Convertiplane comprising a fuselage; a pair of wings, a pair of nacelles fixed with respect to the wings, and a pair of rotors rotatable about respective second axes and tiltable about a third axis between a first position, reached when the convertiplane is in an aeroplane configuration, and a second position, reached when the convertiplane is in a helicopter configuration. The wing comprises a wing box and a first appendage movable when the convertiplane is in the aeroplane configuration, between a first neutral position, a second raised operating position, and a third lowered operating position; the wing comprises a second appendage movable between a first neutral position assumed when the convertiplane is in the aeroplane configuration and in which it defines an extension of the wing box, and a second position assumed when the convertiplane is in the helicopter configuration and in which it defines, with the wing box, an opening through which the downwash generated by the rotor can flow.

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Samarate, Italy

Carlo Cassinelli