United Technologies Corporation

Usbi Co

Usb I, LLC

Advanced Systems Technology, Inc

Jeffrey A Fisher

Edward V Miller

Dennis Van Dam

Preston S Craig

A deployable wing that is folded so as to fit into a carrier such as an airplane that is released and automatically with the aid of parachutes to deploy and fly a given distance without assistance other than steering to reach a given destination and a propeller driven by a gas powered engine is actuated to propel the wing an extended distance. A guard is disposed adjacent to the propeller to assure that the lines of the parachutes do not get tangled into the propeller blades.

Deployable wing with propulsion for range extension

The deployable wing of the present invention comprises an internal structure having diverging leading edge spars attached to a keel spar and cross spars to form a delta wing configuration. This internal structure is enclosed within a volume defined by a fabric sail having an upper section, a lower section, and fabric ribs disposed therebetween. This fabric sail volume is internally pressurized through a ram air intake at the nose stagnation point. This deployable wing can be folded, extracted from an aircraft and deployed in the air.

Method and apparatus for deploying a wing

The deployable wing of the present invention comprises an internal structure having diverging leading edge spars attached to a keel spar and cross spars to form a delta wing configuration. This internal structure is enclosed within a volume defined by a fabric sail having an upper section and a lower section. This fabric sail volume is internally pressurized through a ram air intake at the nose stagnation point. This deployable wing can be folded closed, extracted from an aircraft, deployed in the air and landed with the aid of parachutes.

Method and apparatus for landing a wing

The deployable wing of the present invention comprises an internal structure having diverging leading edge spars attached to a keel spar and cross spars to form a delta wing configuration. This internal structure is enclosed within a volume defined by a fabric sail having an upper section, a lower section, and fabric ribs disposed therebetween. This fabric sail volume is internally pressurized through a ram air intake at the nose stagnation point. This deployable wing can be folded and deployed in the air.

Deployable wing

A towable gliding flexible wing craft for hauling a payload including a passive control means for responding to deviations from level flight. The gliding wing craft comprises a gliding flexible wing, spreader bar, support means for securing said gliding flexible wing to said spreader bar, a bridled tow line secured to said spreader bar for towing said gliding craft, means for securing said payload to said spreader bar and control means for causing wing tip lift or control dragulation of said wing. The control means is capable of passively responding in an opposing manner to deviations from level flight resulting in substantially level flight.

Passive control assembly for gliding device

A grappling device comprises an arm formed from a closed ended, inflatable tube (5) having a plurality of generally parallel, longitudinally spaced bands (15) disposed therearound for limiting the radial distention of the arm when inflated. A longitudinally inelastic, laterally flexible band (20) disposed on a surface of the arm causes the arm, when inflated, to wrap around an object to be gripped. The extent of the inflation of the arm determines the gripping force and geometry of the device.

Growing community of inventors

Huntsville, AL, United States of America

Jeffrey A Fisher