Patent ID: 9145198
Filing Date: 2015-09-29
Classification: B64C,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A system for varying a camber of an airfoil of a wing of an aircraft, the system comprising: an airfoil having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper and lower surfaces meeting to form a leading edge and a trailing edge, the upper and lower surfaces each including an outer skin having non-metal outer structural layers; at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface having a first actuator including a shape memory alloy sheet embedded and bonded between the non-metal outer structural layers of the at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface; a controller including a plurality of heating elements attached to the shape memory alloy sheet for selectively heating the shape memory alloy sheet of the first actuator to a temperature above ambient to deform the at least one upper surface and the lower surface having a first actuator along a chord-wise direction to morph a geometry of a camber of the upper surface and the lower surface of the airfoil thereby; and a computer control connected to selectively control individual activation of the plurality of heating elements to heat the shape memory alloy sheet to a selected temperature to effect a selected deflection, and to allow the plurality of heating elements to cool and the shape memory alloy sheet to cool, and the geometry of the camber of the upper surface and the lower surface of the airfoil to resume a non-morphed state; wherein the controller further includes a cooling device for lowering a temperature of the shape memory alloy sheet of the first actuator, the cooling device including vents in the leading edge that may be selectively opened to allow ambient air to enter the wing and exit over the first actuator.