阅读说明：本技术 用于应用在扑翼式飞行器中的机翼组件 (Wing assembly for application in a flapping wing aircraft ) 是由 R·穆格劳尔 于 2021-05-06 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种用于应用在扑翼式飞行器中的机翼组件,所述机翼组件具有支柱组件(10),所述支柱组件包括承载支柱(11)和分别在30度至90度之间的角度区间中相对于所述承载支柱(11)取向的多个支撑支柱(15至25),其中,所述支撑支柱的至少一部分(16至24)具有前部区段(36至44)、毗邻所述前部区段的连接区段(95至105)和毗邻所述连接区段的背部区段(45至55),并且其中,所述支撑支柱(15至25)中的每个借助所述连接区段(95至105)固定在所述承载支柱(11)处,所述机翼组件以及具有一组衬面件(65至75),所述衬面件由弹性的并且形状稳定的薄膜材料制造并且所述衬面件与所述支柱组件(10)连接。(The invention relates to a wing assembly for use in a flapping wing aircraft, having a strut assembly (10), the strut assembly comprises a load-bearing strut (11) and a plurality of supporting struts (15 to 25) which are oriented relative to the load-bearing strut (11) in angular intervals of between 30 and 90 degrees, wherein at least a part (16 to 24) of the supporting strut has a front section (36 to 44), a connecting section (95 to 105) adjacent to the front section and a back section (45 to 55) adjacent to the connecting section, and wherein each of the supporting struts (15 to 25) is fixed at the carrying strut (11) by means of the connecting section (95 to 105), the wing assembly also has a set of facing components (65 to 75) which are made of a flexible and dimensionally stable film material and which are connected to the strut assembly (10).)

1. Wing assembly for application in a flapping wing aircraft, the wing assembly having a strut assembly (10), the strut assembly comprises a load-bearing strut (11) and a plurality of supporting struts (15 to 25) which are oriented relative to the load-bearing strut (11) in angular intervals of between 30 and 90 degrees, wherein at least a part (16 to 24) of the supporting strut has a front section (36 to 44), a connecting section (95 to 105) adjacent to the front section and a back section (45 to 55) adjacent to the connecting section, and wherein each of the supporting struts (15 to 25) is fixed at the carrying strut (11) by means of the connecting section (95 to 105), the wing assembly also has a set of facing components (65 to 75) which are made of a flexible and dimensionally stable film material and which are connected to the strut assembly (10).

2. The wing assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the load-bearing strut (11) extends along a straight line and/or at least one of the support struts (15 to 25) extends along a straight line.

3. The wing assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the end sections of the front sections (36 to 44) spaced apart from the connecting sections (95 to 105) are connected to arcuately configured edge struts (26) which extend between the end regions of the maximally spaced-apart support struts (15, 25) of the strut assembly (10).

4. Wing assembly according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the length (60) of the back section (45 to 55) of the support strut (15 to 25) is at least 2 times, preferably at least 3 times, the maximum spacing (27) between the load strut (11) and the edge strut (26).

5. The wing assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting section (95 to 105) is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a carrier strut (11), in particular a torsionally elastically designed carrier strut (11).

6. The wing assembly according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that adjacently arranged support struts (15 to 25) enclose an angle of between 0 and 25 degrees with each other.

7. Wing assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a front surface region, which, proceeding from the carrier strut, spans the front section of the support strut, is provided with a front lining element (76) belonging to a group of lining elements (65 to 76), which are fixed at the carrier strut (11) and at the front section (36 to 44).

8. Wing assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, proceeding from the carrier strut (11), between the adjacently arranged back sections (45 to 55), a back lining part (65 to 75) belonging to a group of lining parts (65 to 76) extends along the back section (45 to 55) of one of the support struts (15 to 25), which is fixed by means of a fixing region at the back section (45 to 55) and which covers with a free end region the back section (45 to 55) of the adjacent support strut (15 to 25) or a projection (85) belonging to a further back lining part (65 to 75) fixed at the back section (45 to 55) of the adjacent support strut (15 to 25).

Technical Field

The invention relates to a wing assembly for application in a flapping wing aircraft.

Background

From GB 885,273, an ornithopter with movable wings is known, wherein each of the wings has a rigid front part with a wing cross section and a flexible rear part which is movable upwards or downwards relative to the rigid front part when the wing moves upwards or downwards, wherein the part tapers outwards such that its surface is greatest at the inner end of the wing and the surface of the part is greatest at the outer end of the wing. The back part comprises a number of overlapping flap sections with rigid rods, which are connected to the front part 4 and arranged such that when the wing moves downwards, air is enclosed under the wing, but when the wing moves upwards, air can pass through the wing from top to bottom.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to provide a wing assembly with improved aerodynamic efficiency.

This object is achieved for a wing assembly of the type mentioned at the outset by the features of claim 1. To this end, the wing assembly comprises a strut assembly comprising a carrier strut and a plurality of support struts which are each oriented in an angular interval of between 30 and 90 degrees relative to the carrier strut, wherein at least some of the support struts have a front section, a connecting section adjacent to the front section and a back section adjacent to the connecting section, and wherein each of the support struts is fastened to the carrier strut by means of the connecting section, the wing assembly and a set of lining elements which are manufactured from a flexible and dimensionally stable film material and which are connected to the strut assembly.

An advantageous operating principle of the wing assembly is based on the support struts being configured for a continuous force flow between the front section, the connecting section and the back section, and the type of carrying struts to turn bearings for the respective support struts. It is thereby ensured that the deformation-induced relative movement of the back section relative to the supporting strut, which occurs during the intended use of the wing assembly as a result of aerodynamic forces, also always causes a corresponding relative movement of the front section relative to the carrying strut.

Purely exemplarily, it can be provided that the support struts are manufactured from a fiber-reinforced plastic material in order to obtain an advantageous compromise in terms of weight and stability. The fibers provided for reinforcement are illustratively embodied as natural fibers, glass fibers, kevlar fibers (kevlar fibers), carbon fibers or fiber mixtures made of these. Purely by way of example, the fibers provided for reinforcement are constructed in the form of a woven, knitted, nonwoven material or knitted fabric, which are molded into the respective support struts with a hardenable binder material, in particular a synthetic resin.

The support struts are, for example, carbon fiber-reinforced round rods with a round cross section, which are only elastically deformed by the action of aerodynamic forces during the intended use of the wing assembly. Preferably, it is provided that the support struts are deformed at least in sections up to the limit range between elastic and plastic deformation when the wing assembly is used as intended in a flapping wing aircraft. This results in advantageous deformation of the wing assembly during the upper and lower flapping movements, which have a large similarity to the wing flapping of the wings of birds.

In this case, it is particularly important that the support strut is fastened to the support strut by means of a connecting section, wherein the support strut is oriented at least substantially transversely to the flight direction of the ornithopter equipped with the wing assembly during the intended use of the wing assembly. Accordingly, the upper and lower flapping movements of the wing assembly, due to the aerodynamic forces occurring here, result in force effects which act substantially in the vertical direction on the support struts. The force action causes a torque introduction from the respective support strut to the support strut, wherein the torque introduced from the front section onto the support strut can be reversed with respect to the torque introduced from the back section. In practice, in particular a rocking movement of the respective front section relative to the respective back section occurs, wherein the bearing strut forms a rocking axis.

The task of the lining element is to ensure the necessary compression of the air for generating lift and/or propulsion when the wing assembly is moved by a suitably designed drive of the ornithopter. Purely by way of example, it is provided that the facing elements are designed in different geometric designs or are connected to the strut assembly in such a way that, for example, as little as possible a squeezing of the air takes place during upward flapping movements of the wing assembly, while as much as possible a squeezing of the air takes place downward in the vertical direction in order to ensure lift during downward flapping movements of the wing assembly. The lining part is made of a film material, which is selected with respect to its thickness and its elasticity such that, on the one hand, it can perform a deviating movement due to elastic deformation during the upward flapping movement in order to achieve a desired small pressure on the air, and, on the other hand, a desired pressure on the air is ensured during the downward flapping movement by means of the support provided at the strut assembly.

Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

Suitably, the load bearing struts extend along a straight line, and/or at least one of the support struts extends along a straight line. When using linearly constructed supporting struts and/or linearly constructed supporting struts, cost-effective semi-finished products, such as, for example, round rods made of fiber-reinforced plastic, can be used, as a result of which cost-effective production of the strut assembly is achieved. Furthermore, the linearly formed support struts or the linearly formed support struts enable the same components to be used, which likewise leads to suitable production costs. In addition, the deformation behavior for a wing assembly having a support strut or a support strut configured in this way can be advantageously set and, if appropriate, simulated.

It is preferably provided that the end regions of the front section which are spaced apart from the connecting section are connected to arcuately configured edge struts which extend between the end regions of the maximally spaced-apart supporting struts of the strut arrangement. The task of the edge strut is to ensure a stable wing front edge for the wing assembly in conjunction with the front section of the support strut, in order to be able to ensure a favorable circulation of the wing assembly when used in a flapping wing aircraft and thus also to ensure a high aerodynamic efficiency for the wing assembly.

In a further development of the invention, it is provided that the length of the back section of the support strut is at least 2 times, preferably at least 3 times, the maximum distance between the support strut and the edge strut. In such a design of the support struts, it is ensured that deformations of the wing assembly (as can occur if the wing assembly is used as intended for a flapping wing aircraft) occur essentially at the rear part of the wing assembly, which is defined by the back section, while the front part of the wing assembly, which is defined by the front section and the edge struts, experiences comparatively smaller deformations in contrast.

In a further embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the connecting section is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a support strut, in particular a support strut which is configured in a rotationally elastic manner. Due to the rotationally fixed coupling of the connecting section to the support strut, a too strong pivoting movement is avoided for the support strut during the intended use of the wing assembly, as can occur, for example, when the connecting section is rotationally coupled to the support strut. In order to ensure the desired interaction between the deflection of the back section and the corresponding deflection of the front section, it can nevertheless be provided that the carrier strut is dimensioned in such a way that it undergoes, in the intended use of the wing assembly, an elastic torsional deformation as a result of the resultant torques which result from the torques introduced from the respective back section and from the associated front section, and that said torsional deformation effects a pivoting movement of the support strut about the carrier strut, by means of which a favorable aerodynamic behavior of the wing assembly is ensured.

Advantageously, adjacently arranged support struts enclose an angle of between 0 and 25 degrees with each other. This ensures an advantageous distribution of the support struts over the entire surface of the strut assembly.

Expediently, a front surface section, which extends from the support strut over the front section of the support strut, is provided with a front lining part belonging to a group of lining parts, which front lining part is fastened to the support strut and to the front section. The front facing element should always bear against the strut assembly independently of the state of motion of the wing assembly, in order to thereby always ensure a favorable circulation of the region of the wing assembly formed by the back section and the associated facing element.

It is preferably provided that, proceeding from the support struts, between the adjacently arranged back sections, a back lining element belonging to a group of lining elements extends along the back section of one of the support struts, said back lining element being fixed by means of a fixing region at the back section and covering with a free end region the back section of the adjacent support strut or a projection belonging to a further back lining element fixed at the back section of the adjacent support strut. The back lining part has the task of achieving a variable air resistance depending on the state of motion of the wing assembly. This makes it possible for the wing assembly to be able to squeeze a smaller air volume during upward flapping movements due to a lower air resistance than during downward flapping movements, in which case the wing assembly is able to squeeze a larger air volume due to a higher air resistance. The back lining element is designed for this purpose with a geometry resembling bird feathers. The culm of the bird feathers is here simulated by the supporting struts, but it differs from the bird feathers that are typically used for edge-side support.

Drawings

The invention is explained in more detail subsequently with the aid of the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a top view of a strut assembly towards a wing assembly, an

Fig. 2 shows a top view towards a wing assembly comprising a strut assembly according to fig. 1 and a facing element.

Detailed Description

The strut assembly 10 shown in fig. 1 serves as a support structure for the wing assembly 1 shown in fig. 2, which is configured for use in a flapping wing aircraft, in particular a flapping wing aircraft, not shown.

In the strut arrangement 10 according to fig. 1, it is provided that the support strut 11 is oriented transversely to the pivot axis 12, wherein the pivot axis 12 can be, for example, a pivot axis of a coupling device, as described in the publication DE 102013004188 a 1.

The strut arrangement 10 comprises purely exemplarily a total of eleven support struts 15 to 25, which are exemplarily oriented in an angular interval of 45 to 90 degrees with respect to the carrying strut 11. The following description of the strut arrangement 10 and of the wing arrangement 1 shown in fig. 2 proceeds from the fact that the carrier strut 11 and the support struts 15 to 25 are oriented parallel to the plane of the views in fig. 1 and 2. In the intended use of the wing assembly 1, an elastic deformation of the respective support struts 15 to 25 can occur as a result of the action of flow forces which can be caused by the oscillating, in the atmosphere, pivoting movement of the wing assembly 1 about the pivot axis 12, which can be manifested as a bending of the respective support strut 15 to 25.

The support struts 16 to 24 each have a front section 36 to 44, which extends to the left of the support strut 11 in the view according to fig. 1 and 2. Furthermore, the support struts 15 to 25 each have a back section 45 to 55, which extends to the right of the support strut 11 in the view according to fig. 1 and 2. Furthermore, each of the support struts 15 to 25 is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the support strut 11 by means of a connecting section 65 to 75.

Furthermore, it is provided that the support struts 25, adjacent to the back section 55, transition purely exemplarily in one piece into the arcuately curved edge struts 26, which extend as far as the connection region 65 of the support strut 15. In this case, the end regions of the support struts 16 to 24, which are not described in greater detail, facing away from the respective back sections 46 to 54 are connected to the edge struts 26.

It is provided by way of example that the minimum length 60 of the support struts 15 to 25 corresponds to a multiple of the maximum distance 27 between the support strut 11 and the edge strut 26.

Purely exemplarily, it is provided that the support struts 15 to 20 are oriented parallel to one another, while the support struts 21 to 25 are each oriented at an acute angle to one another.

As can be seen from the views in fig. 1 and 2, the support struts 15 to 25 and the carrier strut 11 are each constructed linearly and can therefore be produced in a simple manner from round rods, for example from fiber-reinforced plastic rods.

It is provided by way of example that the free end region 14 of the carrier strut 11 is designed for coupling with a non-illustrated hinge of the aforementioned coupling device, wherein a coupling strut 28 is additionally provided for stable connection of the wing assembly to the non-illustrated hinge, said coupling strut being oriented at an acute angle to the carrier strut 11 and being connected to the carrier strut 11 and to the edge strut 29 at the end, respectively.

As can be further seen from the views in fig. 1 and 2, the cross section of the support struts 11 is selected to be greater than the cross sections of the support struts 15 to 25 and of the coupling struts 28 and of the edge struts 29. This ensures that the forces occurring during the pivoting movement of the wing assembly 1 about the pivot axis 12 (which forces are introduced via the support strut 11) do not cause an undesired bending deformation of the support strut 11. The contour profiling, not shown in greater detail, of the support strut 11 is preferably implemented circularly in a cross-sectional plane, not shown, which is oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis 30 of the support strut 11. This results in a torsional elasticity for the support strut 11, which, when the pivoting movement about the pivot axis 12 is carried out, results in a certain pivoting movement of the respective support strut 15 to 25, with a suitable material selection and dimensioning of the support strut 11.

By the one-piece design of the support struts 16 to 24 and the design of the length ratios of the front sections 36 to 44 and the associated back sections 46 to 54 of the support struts 16 to 24, in combination with the torsional elasticity of the support struts 11, it is possible for forces acting on the back sections 46 to 54 during the flapping movement of the wing assembly 1 to cause an elastic deformation of the respective back sections 46 to 54 on the one hand and a consequent introduction of torque on the support struts 11 on the other hand. As a result of the torque introduction, the support strut 11 executes a torsional movement about its longitudinal axis 30, thereby causing a change in the spatial orientation of the front sections 36 to 44 and the edge struts 26 connected thereto. With a suitable adaptation of the elastic deformation properties for the back sections 46 to 54 and the torsional elasticity of the support strut 11, an advantageous overall deformation of the wing assembly 1 can thus be achieved when it is used in a flapping wing aircraft, not shown.

Fig. 2 shows a view of a complete wing assembly 1, which, in addition to the strut assembly 10 shown in fig. 1, also comprises lining elements 65 to 76, which are made of an elastic and dimensionally stable film material and which are connected to the strut assembly 10. In the view of fig. 2, the facing elements 65 to 75 are shown in an undeformed state, which they occupy, for example, in the rest state of the wing assembly 1. The facing elements 65 to 75 are at least substantially planar.

Preferably, at least the lining elements 65 to 75, also referred to as back lining elements, are made of a plastic material which, on the one hand, is sufficiently elastic in the intended use of the wing assembly 1 in order to ensure that air passes through the wing assembly 1 by elastic deformation of the respective lining element 65 to 75 during the flapping movement on the wing assembly 1. On the other hand, the plastic material of the facing elements 65 to 75 should also be sufficiently dimensionally stable in order to achieve a maximum compression of the air during the flapping movement of the wing assembly 1, wherein correspondingly air should be prevented from passing through the wing assembly 1 during the flapping movement.

The arrangement of the lining parts 65 to 75 is explained by way of example on the basis of the lining part 74, wherein the following description also applies at least substantially to the other lining parts 65 to 73 and 75.

As can be taken from the view of fig. 2, the facing element 74 covers the surface extending between the support strut 23 and the support strut 24. Here, the lining part 74 is cut purely exemplarily in such a way that it has an outer edge 80 oriented parallel to the support struts 24 and spaced apart from the support struts 24, and it has an inner edge 81 oriented parallel to the support struts 23 and spaced apart from the support struts 23. Furthermore, the lining part 74 has a front edge 82, which is aligned purely exemplarily parallel to the support strut 11 and which is arranged, by way of example, adjacent to the support strut 11 in the region of the back section 54 and not in the region of the front section 44. The rear edge 83 of the facing element 74 is configured purely exemplarily in a rounded manner and extends between the support strut 24 and the support strut 23.

The facing element 74 is connected to the support strut 24 in a manner not shown in greater detail, for example by gluing. The inner edge 80 of the facing element 74 is arranged parallel and adjacent to the support strut 23, so that a strip-shaped projection 84 of the facing element 74 is present in the direction of the inwardly adjacent support strut 23. The outer edge 81 of the facing element 74 is oriented parallel and adjacent to the support strut 24, so that an extension 84 of the facing element 74 is present in the direction of the outwardly adjacent support strut 25.

The lining elements 65 to 75 are arranged in a roof shingle-like manner overlapping one another in a scale-like manner, wherein, when viewed from the top side of the wing assembly 1, the lining elements 65 to 74 which are respectively further on the inside, i.e. which are arranged closer to the pivot axis 12, are arranged above the adjacent, further on the outside lining elements 66 to 75.

In the case of a dynamic movement of the wing assembly 1, which can be described as a sequence of an upward flapping movement of the wing assembly 1 about the pivot axis 12 and an opposite downward flapping movement for the wing assembly 1 about the pivot axis, during the upward flapping movement an elastic deformation of the lining pieces 65 to 75 is caused, wherein the respective projection (exemplary projection 84) is directed downward away from the respective immediately adjacent support strut (exemplary support strut 23).

By means of the elastic deformation, which during the upward flapping movement is manifested as a bending of the lining part 74 fixed at the support strut 24, as little air compression as possible should be ensured, which applies in the same way also to the other lining parts 65 to 73 and 75.

In contrast, during the subsequent downward flapping movement, the facing element 74 should rest as tightly as possible against the adjacent facing element 73, for which purpose a projection 84 is used, which rests against the underside of the facing element 73 in the region of the support strut 23. This achieves that the lining elements 84 are compressed with air as much as possible during the downward flapping movement, which applies in the same way also to the other lining elements 65 to 73 and 75.

The front sections 36 to 44 are covered by a front facing 76 which is connected, in particular adhesively bonded, to all the front sections 36 to 44 and which does not undergo noticeable elastic deformation during the flapping movement of the wing assembly.