Patent ID: 6015115
Filing Date: 2000-01-18
Classification: B64C

Abstract:
An airfoil for an aircraft, said airfoil having a leading edge and a trailing edge and comprising:a rigid structural member adapted to be stationarily mounted to the aircraft, said structural member having a leading side and a trailing side;at least one inflatable section located on one of said leading and trailing sides of said structural member and having a plurality of bladders mounted to said member;an elastic skin covering said member and said plurality of bladders in the inflatable section to define one of said leading and trailing edges;a control system for selectively inflating and deflating said bladders in said inflatable section independently from one another for modifying the shape of said elastic skin to cause desired flight characteristics; andwherein said plurality of bladders comprises at least one selectively inflatable upper bladder and at least one selectively inflatable lower bladder for controlling a deflection of said elastic skin, said inflatable section further comprising a movable structure member having a first end and a second end, said first end being attached to one of said leading and trailing edges of said airfoil, said second end being attached to said rigid structural member, said movable structure comprising a plurality of rigid sections connected together by joints to allow articulated movement of said movable structure member between said first and second ends to decrease the effective distance between said first and second end, thus changing an effective chord length of said airfoil.