Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Northrop Corporation

Northrop Grumman Corpoation

Heinz A Gerhardt

Matthew N Mrdeza

James Franklin Kerswell

Kenneth E Seho

Robert V Dunkason

Joan Nolan

Randall B Hall

Berry Thomas Gibson

Richard Thomas Priestley

Thomas J Weir

A linear motion wind driven power plant utilizes a closed-loop track having a plurality of carriages configured to move thereabout. At least one sail is formed to each of the carriages so as to be rotatable 360 degrees of azimuth. At least one electrical power generator generates electrical power from the movement of the carriages around the track. A sail assembly is defined by the sail, a sensor system for sensing lift generated by the action of the wind upon the sail, and a controller which causes the sail to turn to a position wherein the sensed lift of the sail is approximately maximized.

Linear motion wind driven power plant

An aircraft with a variable forward-sweep wing and the method of configuring the wing in an optimal position for a desired flight regime. The variable forward-sweep wing is positionable from an essentially unswept position to a full-forward sweep position. In the unswept position the wing is approximately orthogonal to a fuselage centerline, while in the full-forward sweep position the wing has approximately a delta wing planform. Moreover, as the wing position changes from the unswept position to the full-forward sweep position the trailing edge becomes the leading edge. In addition, the aforementioned apparatus may be used in a method to configure the aircraft for flight in a desired flight regime. This method includes moving the wing to an optimal position for the desired flight regime.

Aircraft with variable forward-sweep wing

The present invention is a wingtip vortex device for induced drag reduction and vortex cancellation. The wingtip vortex device is an aerodynamic drag reduction system installed at the wingtips of an aircraft. The wingtip vortex device comprises an impeller located ahead of the wingtip chord, a wind turbine device located behind the wingtip chord, and an intermediate gear device for coupling the impeller with the wind turbine and/or for generating power. Thus, the wingtip vortex device is self-contained as the impeller is powered by the vortex-driven turbine. As a result, induced drag is reduced without requiring an external power source such as the aircraft propulsion system.

Wingtip vortex device for induced drag reduction and vortex cancellation

The present invention is a wingtip vortex device installed at the wingtips of an aircraft for induced drag reduction and vortex cancellation. Also, the wingtip vortex device is self-contained and is powered by the wingtip vortex. The wingtip vortex device comprises a shaft coupled between the wing and a spinner. The spinner is a streamlined body of revolution with a number of radial fins. The wingtip vortex of the aircraft induces spinner whirl, which is opposite to that of the wingtip vortex. As a result, the spinner-induced whirl produces an upwash superimposed on the downwash of the vortex. Thus, the total downwash, and hence the induced drag, are reduced.

Wingtip vortex impeller device for reducing drag and vortex cancellation

The present invention is a laminar supersonic transport aircraft having a reverse delta wing located between a forward section and a distal end of the aircraft, a set of jet engines superposed on another set of jet engines, a stabilizing vertical tail located near the distal end of the aircraft, a stabilizing canard surface located near the forward section of said aircraft. Also, a laminar flow control device can be incorporated within the wing. The reverse delta aerodynamic wing has a basic reverse delta wing portion bounded by a leading edge and by a pair of trailing edges extending from respective ends of the leading edge toward a trailing apex point and respective span-wise wing extensions in a natural laminar boundary layer wing region extending chordwise from the leading edge by a fraction of the chordlength of the wing and extending span-wise from opposing sides of said wing.

Laminar supersonic transport aircraft

Propulsion apparatus for a transportation system vehicle. At least one gas producer is mounted on the vehicle for discharging a propulsive fluid stream. The propulsive fluid stream is directed against at least one longitudinally extending linear turbine assembly to propel the vehicle. A manifold delivers the propulsive fluid stream to the linear turbine assembly. A plenum beneath the vehicle receives the propulsive fluid stream from the linear turbine assembly to support the vehicle on a gascushion. Each linear turbine assembly includes cooperating nozzle blades and turbine blades mounted on the vehicle. Each nozzle blade has a longitudinal axis which is transverse of the fluid stream, the longitudinal axes of the nozzle blades all being substantially parallel to one another and to the longitudinal axes of each of the turbine blades, all of the turbine blades being substantially equally spaced from the nozzle blades. A plurality of ground-based stator blades having longitudinal axes which are substantially parallel to and equally spaced from the turbine blades and from the nozzle blades are positioned intermediate the turbine blades and the nozzle blades. In another embodiment, two linear turbine assemblies are oppositely directed and a valve assembly receives and selectively directs the propulsive fluid stream to a first linear turbine assembly to propel the vehicle in a forward direction and to a second, oppositely-directed linear turbine assembly to propel the vehicle in a reverse direction. In another embodiment, the vehicle includes laterally extending reverse flow nozzles mounted to the base of the vehicle above the plenum for selectively receiving the propulsive fluid stream to generate reversing or braking forces.

Linear turbine propulsion system

A reverse delta aerodynamic wing has a basic reverse delta wing portion bounded by a leading edge and by a pair of trailing edges extending from respective ends of said leading edge toward a trailing apex point and respective span-wise wing extensions in a natural laminar boundary layer wing region extending chordwise from said leading edge by a fraction of the chordlength of said wing and extending span-wise from opposing sides of said wing. Laminar flow control in other regions of the wing employs fuel stored in the wing as a coolant.

Supersonic natural laminar flow wing

Aircraft

Aerodynamic control apparatus for an aircraft is provided which includes a pair of control surfaces, one for each side of the aircraft, each control surface extending between a root end at the fuselage and a distant tip end. The root end of each control surface is pivotally mounted on the fuselage on a stationary hinge axis which is angularly disposed relative to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. The hinge axis is elevated or depressed at the leading edge of the control surface relative to the trailing edge such that the hinge axis is in an oblique orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. An actuator enables selective movement of each control surface to any one of a range of positions between an inactive position flush with a contoured outer surface of the fuselage and a deployed position at which a tip end of the control surface is distant from the fuselage. In one instance, the control surfaces can be simultaneously moved about their associated hinge axis on both sides of the fuselage to achieve pitch control of the aircraft. In other instances, only the control surface on one side is moved about its hinge axis to achieve either yaw control or roll control. In another embodiment, the control surfaces are mounted on hinge arms which offset the control surfaces from the fuselage to provide an air gap between control surface and fuselage.

Skewed hinge control surface

An aircraft having vertical takeoff and landing capability having at least first and second laterally extending paddle wheels rotatable on a central axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft and between its nose and tail. Each of the paddle wheels has a plurality of blades pivoted by a system of linear actuators to a determined optimum blade pitch angle. One paddle wheel is positioned adjacent the port side of the aircraft and the other paddle wheel is positioned adjacent the starboard side. The pilot is able to operate the aircraft in all regimes of flight by differentially adjusting the pivot angle of each of the blades. In one embodiment utilizing only a pair of paddle wheels, differential operation of the blades provides lift, thrust, roll, and yaw control of the aircraft, while an aircraft pitch control rotor rotatable about a vertical axis distant from the paddle wheels is provided for controlling pitch of the aircraft. In another embodiment of the invention, the aircraft is provided with both forward and aft pairs of paddle wheels such that differential operation of the blades of the forward and aft paddle wheels provides pitch control of the aircraft without need of a separate pitch control rotor, while also providing lift, thrust, roll, and yaw control.

Paddle wheel rotorcraft

An outboard control surface for an aircraft. The control surface is operably connected to wing side edges of the aircraft and includes a forward flap and a rearward flap with at least one of the flaps being movable into and out of alignment with the plane of the wing.

Aircraft outboard control

Method and apparatus for reducing aerodynamic drag and enhancing lift by using ultrasound to alter the structure of boundary layers. In one embodiment, a continuous thin sheet of ultrasound is radiated transversely into the boundary layer parallel to an aerodynamic surface, such as an aircraft wing, carrying that boundary layer. To ensure that the ultrasound sheet remains under (or over) the wing, means are provided to compensate for any downstream drift of the sheet with wing flow by transmitting it in a forward direction in proportion to the Mach number of the flow. The ultrasonic sheet may be applied as periodic strips spaced at predetermined downstream intervals. In order to decrease the amount of acoustical energy required to implement the techniques of the present invention and to operate in a more efficient manner, the ultrasound transmission is modulated with audio frequencies. Means for tuning the audio frequency to match various flight conditions are provided.

Ultrasonic drag reduction and lift increase

Disclosed is a propulsive lift mechanism which improves the short takeoff and landing capabilities of an aircraft by generating transverse thrust lift augmentation by exhausting gasses ported from the main exhaust through a nozzle, close behind and parallel with the trailing edges of the wings of the aircraft, which transverse jet together with thrust vectoring means of the aircraft, provide improved aerodynamic lift on the wings of the aircraft. The transverse nozzle, having means adjustable for creating reverse thrust, and optionally for discharging said exhaust gasses with a swirling motion, may provide both increased circulation of air over the wings as well as improved flow separation control on the trailing edge flaps of the wings. Exhaust gas from the jet engine of the aircraft is ported to the transverse nozzles by flap valves operating in the exhaust of the jet engine.

Growing community of inventors

Redondo Beach, CA, United States of America

Heinz A Gerhardt