The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 13, 2011
Filed:
May. 25, 2007
Scott L. Schwimley, Foristell, MO (US);
Donald V. Drouin, Jr., O'Fallon, IL (US);
Scott L. Schwimley, Foristell, MO (US);
Donald V. Drouin, Jr., O'Fallon, IL (US);
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
A system and method for controlling a freestream air flow over a surface of an airborne mobile platform, for example an aircraft. In one implementation the system includes a plurality of plasma actuators used on an undersurface of a fuselage of an aircraft upstream of a weapons bay of the aircraft. When the plasma actuators are energized an induced flow is created adjacent the actuators. The induced flow operates to deflect the shear layer created when the freestream air flow moves over the weapons bay (while the bay doors are open), away from the weapons bay. This significantly reduces the oscillating acoustic pressure waves that would normally be produced if the shear layer turns into the weapons bay. The system and method significantly reduces acoustic noise inside the weapons bay and improves separation of ordnance from the weapons bay.