Abstract:
A modularized airplane includes two separably interconnected modules. A first module, incorporating substantial airplane styles, includes a fuselage portion and at least one wing or stabilizer with an associated control surface. A second module carries a set of essential flight components sufficing airplane operations, including propulsion unit, servo for moving control surface, and power source. Magnetic connectors affixed on the modules facilitate inter-modular structural connection. A control linkage assembly, linking control surface on first module and associated servo on second module, is formed with two portions longitudinally movable and separably connected by two magnetic connectors oppositely affixed on each portion. The structural connection and the servo-to-control surface linkage assembly facilitate substantially effortless inter-modular connections to form a functional airplane, as well as nondestructive inter-modular disconnection. The second module can be connected to different aerodynamic styled first modules to form airplanes for different applications, using same essential components.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of PPA Ser. No. 60/905,480, filed 2007 Mar. 7 by the present inventor. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to modularized airplanes. More specifically, it relates to radio controlled and/or autonomously controlled modularized airplane structures and methods which enable rapid and substantially effortless inter-modular connection to form modularized airplanes, enable differing airplanes to be formed using the same set of essential airplane components, and allow nondestructive module-wise disconnection to protect the airplane modules and the components from damage in high impact events. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     The technology advancement in microelectronics, propulsion components, powerful lightweight batteries and new materials have enabled unmanned airplanes to be built ever lighter and smaller. Radio controlled and/or autonomously controlled airplanes of a few grams in weight and a few inches in wingspan have already become reality. Airplanes of such scale have a range of applications from sport recreation to scientific and military applications that conventional larger airplanes are unable to carry out. For an owner of such airplanes it is often desirable to have multiple airplanes of differing specifications to meet various application requirements. 
     Conventionally airplanes in general have been designed and constructed as integral units with fixedly-mounted components and inseparable control linkages, and each has its own designated body and essential components. For radio controlled and/or autonomously controlled airplanes the main disadvantage of the conventional construction is that it is costly to own multiple airplanes for applications of various natures due to the lack of mechanisms for conveniently sharing expensive components and structures among airplanes. Another disadvantage is its relatively high susceptibility to damages during high impact events due to its inseparable integral structure and interconnections. Yet another drawback of the conventional integral airplane construction is that it makes maintenance and repair more laborious. 
     Therefore, it would be advantageous for radio controlled and/or autonomously controlled airplanes to be modularized into a component module collectively carrying essential airplane components and another style-specific module incorporating substantial airplane style characteristics and aerodynamic specifications, wherein the module members are arranged to operatively and separably interconnect to one another to form a functional airplane. The component module is relatively more expensive than the style-specific module because of the essential airplane components therein, and it can be selectively integrated with differing style-specific modules to form differing airplanes, thus enabling the sharing of essential airplane components among multiple airplanes. 
     For airplanes that weigh a few grams the handling of the small and delicate structures and components poses challenges to untrained hands. Therefore modularized airplanes of small scale would be more practical if substantially effortless and automatic means were provided for inter-modular structural and functional connection and disconnection without involving extensive physical handling. 
     There have been attempts to modularize airplane structure. A simple and popular method is to render the main lifting wings structurally separate from, yet attachable to, the rest of the airplane body to form a functional airplane. This modular wing method is typically used for convenient airplane transportation and storage, and is unable to offer substantial airplane variation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,979 to Ragan et al. disclosed a chassis module for radio controlled airplanes to collectively mount essential components, which can be removably mounted inside the fuselages of differing airplane. However the invention lacks means for non-strenuously transferring the module from airplane to airplane, and it also lacks means for substantially effortlessly linking and de-linking the airplane control linkages. U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,113 to Navickas revealed a method for modularizing helicopters, which provides the mechanism to mix differing helicopter modules into helicopters. However the processes for disintegrating and reintegrating a modular helicopter are still complex and laborious. 
     In view of the prior art at the time the present invention was made, while many took the advantages that the modularization concept offers, such as component sharing and maintenance accessibility, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art that a modularized airplane with connection means capable of substantially automatic and effortless inter-modular integration and disintegration is desirable, nor was it obvious how such a modularized airplane could be provided. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new modularized radio controlled and/or autonomously controlled airplane construction that enables effortless and substantially automatic inter-modular integration and nondestructive disintegration. Such modularized airplanes allow for swift, routine and effortless module mixing to form differing airplanes, sharing essential airplane components among differing airplanes, and improving crash damage resistance, which makes modularized airplanes, especially small modularized airplanes, highly practical and reduces the cost of owning multiple airplanes. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises: 
     a style-specific airplane module having a fuselage portion, wings and stabilizers with control surfaces and incorporating substantial airplane style characteristics and aerodynamic specifications; 
     a shared component airplane module carrying essential airplane components including power supply units, propulsion units, control actuating devices, control-commands providing electronics units, interconnected operatively; 
     structural connection means having magnetic-attraction operated connection interfaces and alignment structures that enables substantially effortless inter-modular structural connection and excessive structural tension induced nondestructive inter-modular disconnection; 
     control linkage means having a control linkage assembly formed by two linkage portions separably connected by magnetic attraction means that facilitates substantially automatic forming of control motion transmission linkage as well as excessive-tension induced nondestructive linkage disconnection. 
     Upon being brought to physical proximity within the magnetic attraction range of the structural connecting means, the style-specific module and the shared-component module will structurally connect to one another by the structural connection means substantially automatically, which in turn will result in the two control linkage portions of the linkage assembly being brought to within the magnetic connecting force range, and control link connection will subsequently take place by the control linkage means substantially automatically, thus forming a structurally and functionally complete modular airplane, which allows modular disconnection and control transmission de-linking in excessive structural and transmission linkage tension situations, thus preventing airplane module and component damage, and facilitating routine substantial effortless methods for disassembling airplane. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide modularized airplane structures and methods that facilitate routine, rapid and substantially automatic inter-modular connection and disconnection to maximize efficiency and practicality for forming and unforming modularized airplanes, especially light-weight unmanned modularized airplanes. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide inter-modular connection means for modularized airplanes to allow nondestructive inter-modular disconnection in situations of excessive structural stress and control linkage tension, such as airplane crash, to minimize possible structural and component damages. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a modularized airplane design enabling routine sharing of common and essential airplane components among differing airplanes to reduce costs of owning and maintaining multiple airplanes. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a modularized airplane design that allows substantial airplane style characteristics and aerodynamic specifications to be incorporated into interchangeable modules which can routinely and effortlessly integrate to a commonly shared module of essential airplane components to form airplanes for various applications. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a modularized airplane construction that facilitates greater structural and component accessibility for maintenance and repair. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages be within the scope of the present invention. 
     To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a modularized airplane embodying the current invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a modularized airplane shown in  FIG. 1  with module members fully connected. 
         FIG. 3  is a simplified close-up perspective view of an embodiment of the inter-modular structural connection means of the current invention employed in the airplane shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the control linkage means of the current invention employed in the airplane shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . The components in this view are for illustrating the principle only and not physically identical with the components in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2   
         FIG. 4B-4G  are perspective views of additional embodiments of the control linkage means of the current invention, for illustrating principles and not to scale. 
         FIG. 5A  is a simplified two-dimensional side view of an embodiment of the stress isolation means of the current invention as employed in the airplane shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . The components in this view is for illustrating the principle only and not physically identical with the components in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2   
         FIG. 5B-5D  are simplified two-dimensional side views of additional embodiments of the stress isolation means of the current invention. 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of a modularized airplane embodying the current invention employing alternative embodiments of the inter-modular structural connection means and control linkage means from that shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 7  is an illustrative view of a differing modularized airplane formed by the same component module in  FIG. 6  interconnected with a differing character module. 
         FIG. 8  is a symbolic schematic diagram of operatively interconnected airplane essential components. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views. 
     Referring to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 to 3 ,  FIG. 4A ,  FIG. 5A ,  FIG. 8  a modularized airplane according to the present invention is referenced generally by reference numeral  5  in the preferred embodiment. The modularized airplane  5  comprises an airplane style-characteristics-specific module (“character module” hereinafter), denoted  10  in  FIG. 1 , and a shared component module (“component module” hereinafter), denoted  20  in  FIG. 1 . 
     Character module  10  comprises a fuselage portion  50 , airplane wings  38 ,  38 ′ and stabilizers  39 ,  39 ′ conjoint to the fuselage portion, control surfaces including ailerons  51 ,  52 , elevators  53 ,  54  and rudder  55  operatively attached to the wings, horizontal stabilizers and vertical stabilizer, respectively. A plurality of torque transmitting rods  64 ,  65 ,  66 ,  67 , are fixedly joined with control surfaces  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  55 , respectively, transmitting rod  66  is also fixedly joined with control surface  54 . A plurality of control levers  60 ,  61 ,  62 ,  63 , are fixedly mounted on torque rods  64 ,  65 ,  66 ,  67  of control surfaces, respectively, for the purpose of transmitting control motion to control surfaces by control linkage means which is shown in  FIGS. 4A ,  5 A and will be described later herein. A plurality of magnetic inter-modular structural connector members  56 ,  57 ,  58 ,  59  are distributed in fuselage portion  50  and affixed at selected locations. Inter-modular structural connection alignment structures  34 ,  35 ,  36 ,  37  are provided for assisting inter-modular structural connection by connection means which is shown in  FIG. 3  and will be described in detail later in this document. 
     It is to be understood that the numbers, locations and configurations of wings, stabilizers, and the number of control surfaces can vary according to the airplane design, and should not be limited by the embodiment herein presented. 
     It is to be appreciated substantial airplane style characteristics and aerodynamic specifications can be incorporated into character module  10 . 
     Component module  20  comprises a fuselage portion  88  complementing fuselage portion  10  to form a complete airplane fuselage, essential airplane components sufficient for airplane operations including a propulsion unit having engine  69  and propeller  68 , electronics unit  70  for processing remote control and/or auto-piloting signals to control on-board components, power sources  71  to provide power for onboard power consuming components, actuating devices  40 ,  41 ,  42 , to provide mechanical control motion for control surfaces rudder  55 , elevators  53 ,  54 , and ailerons  51 ,  52 , respectively, and support structures adhered to fuselage portion  88  provided for attaching essential airplane components thereto. Said essential airplane components are mounted on said support structures. In current embodiment said support structures are incorporated into the fuselage portion  88 , and therefore not explicitly shown. Operative interconnection of essential airplane components, as shown in  FIG. 8 , are implied, but not explicitly shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     A plurality of inter-modular structural connectors  72 ,  73 ,  74 ,  75 , magnetically attractive to the inter-modular structural connectors  56 ,  57 ,  58 ,  59  of character module  10 , respectively, are distributed on fuselage portion  88  and affixed at locations opposite and properly connectable to inter-modular structural connector members  56 ,  57 ,  58 ,  59 , respectively, forming magnetically attractive connector member pairs. Inter-modular structural interface alignment structures  76 ,  77 ,  78 ,  79  are provided on the component module opposite to complementary structures  34 ,  35 ,  36 ,  37  on the character module for assisting inter-modular structural connection by connection means which is shown in  FIG. 3  and will be described in detail later herein. 
     A plurality of control motion transmission rods  80 ,  81 ,  82 ,  83 , have one end operatively coupled to motion output levers  99 ,  99 ′,  97 ,  98  of servo devices  42 ,  40 ,  41 , respectively. Cylindrically shaped and axially magnetized magnet elements  84 ,  85 ,  86 ,  87  are fixedly and coaxially attached to the free end of rods  80 ,  81 ,  82 ,  83 , respectively, so that the free end surfaces of the magnets are perpendicular to the axes of the rods to which the magnets are attached. A plurality of control rod guide members  43 ,  44 ,  45 ,  46 , attached to said support structure incorporated in the fuselage portion  88 , each having an aperture through which the control motion transmission rods  80 ,  81 ,  82 ,  83  pass, respectively, provide both support and lateral movement limits for said control motion transmission rods. Optional landing gear  89 ,  90  are removably attached to the component module. Optional openings  91 ,  92  are provided on fuselage portion  88  for control coupling inspection and adjustment after module members are interconnected. 
     It is to be understood that the number and type of components onboard the component module should be sufficient for the types of airplane intended by the modular system, and not be limited to those embodied herein. 
     It is also to be understood that although not reflecting the advantages represented by this invention fins, with or without control surfaces, are not excluded by this invention in the component module embodiment. 
     It is to be appreciated that said support structures for attaching essential airplane components can take various forms, such as a frame mounted with essential components attached to fuselage portion  88 , or fuselage portion  88  itself incorporating support structures for attaching said essential components. The specific structure, however, does not directly relate to the advantages of this invention. 
     The embodiment FIGS presented herein do not show interconnections among said essential components, however it is to be understood that an operatively interconnected electrical, control and power environment sufficient for normal functioning of components shown is implied.  FIG. 8  illustrates operational interconnection of the essential airplane components in the form of a simplified schematic diagram. 
     In  FIG. 3  the inter-modular structural connection means is shown in detail. It is to be understood that although said plurality of connector member pairs and said plurality of alignment structures collectively contribute to the inter-modular structural connection means it is sufficient to illustrate the operation using only one of the connector pairs  58 ,  75  and one section of the alignment structures  37 ,  79  of current embodiment. 
     The inter-modular structural connection means comprises a mutually magnetically attractive member pair  58 ,  75  oppositely affixed on opposing module members  10 ,  20  at predetermined locations for ensuring airplane structural and aerodynamic integrity when the module members are connected and held together by mutual magnetic attraction force. The magnetic attraction strength between members in said pair is selected to ensure the airplane&#39;s structural integrity under allowable operating conditions and also to enable nondestructive inter-modular structural disconnection under intentional or unintentional excessive structural tension situations. 
     An interlocking mechanism comprises physically matching structural members  37 ,  79  joined at or being an extension of opposing modules  10 ,  20 , respectively. Structure member  79  forms a valley shaped opening wider at the top than at the bottom. The shape and size of structure member  37  substantially complements the valley shape and size of structure member  79 . During the process of inter-modular structural connection modules  10  and  20  are brought to physical proximity where member  79  starts to accept member  37 . The wider opening of the valley of member  79  provides relative position tolerance for the two approaching modules. The structure  79  provides guidance for the approach to interconnection. The matching shapes of members  37 ,  79  provide precise inter-modular structural connection alignment and inter-modular lateral interlocking once modules  10 ,  20 , are structurally interconnected. 
     As the modules  10 ,  20  approach one another and reach the proximity of the range of sufficient attractive magnetic force between members  58  and  75  the subsequent inter-modular structural connection will proceed substantially automatically by the attractive magnetic force. 
     The magnetic attraction strength between the connector members  58  and  75  is chosen such that in the event of excessive inter-modular structural parting stress of intentional or unintentional cause, inter-modular structural disconnection will occur before the stress exceeds the maximum allowed structural stress for modules  10  and  20 , resulting in nondestructive module-wise disconnection. 
     It is to be appreciated that the interlocking mechanism can be achieved with differing structure forms, and in cases where requirements on inter-modular structural alignment and lateral displacement are not stringent the interlocking mechanism may not be necessary. 
     There are four similar control linkages in current embodiment, coupling the rudder, elevator and two ailerons to the associated servo devices, respectively. A representative control linkage assembly according to current invention in current embodiment is illustrated in  FIGS. 4A ,  5 A, and is sufficient to illustrate the principle. 
     It is to be understood that the purpose of  FIG. 4A  is to illustrate the operation principle of the control linkage means. Although the numerical notations of the linkage between rudder  55  and associated servo device  40  in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  are used, the illustration in  FIG. 4A  is not intended to scale or to be graphically identical to any of the linkage assemblies shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4A , the control linkage means provides control motion linkage from a servo device  40  having motion lever  97  to a control surface member  55  via a control motion linkage assembly. 
     Said control motion linkage assembly comprises a rod member  82  with one end operatively coupled to servo lever  97 , a linkage guide member  45  secured on component module  20  and having an aperture through which the rod member  82  passes, a cylindrically shaped magnet  86  attached coaxially to the free end of rod member. The aperture of the guide member  45  defines a limited spatial orientation region for the rod  82  while not restricting the control motion transmission movement of the rod. 
     Said control linkage assembly further comprises a control-motion-receiving lever  62  perpendicularly affixed to a torque rod  67  extended from the control surface  55 , a magnetically attractive member  95  fixedly attached to the coupling end of lever  62  extending substantially perpendicular to both the lever body  62  and the torque rod  67  toward the servo lever  97 . The exposed surface of member  95  is smooth and spherical in shape. 
     The relative angle between lever  62  and control surface  55  is chosen such that the control surface is at neutral position when controlling servo lever  97  is at its neutral position. 
     When the magnetic end surface of the magnet member  86  on the rod  82  connects to the magnetic attractive member  95  on the lever  62 , shown as  86 ′ in dashed lines in  FIG. 4A , the attractive magnetic force will maintain the contact so long as the linkage tension at the connection point does not exceed the magnetic attraction force. This connection means allows the lever  62  to pivot about the connecting point and therefore it allows control motion to be transmitted from the servo arm  97  through the rod  82  to the lever  62  which in turn moves the control surface, thus forming a control motion linkage. The magnetic attraction strength between the coupling members  86  and  95  is chosen to sustain the coupling linkage under allowed operation conditions. 
     With reference to  FIG. 5A , the preferred embodiment of means for isolating the control surface from excessive pulling tension present in the control linkage is disclosed, based on the preferred control linkage embodiment shown in  FIG. 4A . The lever  62  has an end portion  162  extending beyond coupling member  95  and forming a spatial relationship with coupling member  95 , such that as the rod  82  is pulled in the direction away from lever  62  causing the angle between rod  82  and lever  62  to increase from the neutral position of about 90 degrees, at a certain angle the flat coupling surface of the coupling magnet  86  will be in contact with both the spherical surface of the coupling member  95  on lever  62  and the end portion  162  of the lever  62 , as shown in  FIG. 5A  in the solid lined position, which will prevent further increase in angle without disconnecting member  86  from member  95  and therefore de-linking the control linkage. Continued pulling of the rod  82  along the same direction will cause decoupling of the linkage. This mechanism isolates and therefore protects the control surface and associated structures from excessive tension present in the control linkage. 
     The length of the motion transmitting rod  82  and the location of the guide member  45  are adjusted such that when airplane modules  10  and  20  are structurally interconnected the magnetic coupling member  95  on lever  62  will be able to operatively couple with the coupling magnet member  86  on the rod  82  to form a control linkage. 
     The size and shape of the guide aperture is adjusted to limit the rod orientation to ensure the magnetic coupling members  95  and  86  stay within sufficiently close range of one another while not restricting control motion transmission, where magnetic attraction induced coupling will occur substantially automatically when the two modules are interconnected structurally. 
     The main advantage of the inter-modular structural connection and control linkage means of the current invention of the modularized airplane is that the processes for inter-modular connection and disconnection can be achieved by simply placing the modules together allowing magnetic auto-connection and simply pulling the modules apart from one another, and therefore it enables swift, effortless and substantially automatic inter-modular structural connections and control linkage couplings to form a functional airplane, as well as nondestructive module-wise disconnection under excessive structural and control linkage stress situations facilitating both rapid, substantially effortless module-wise disconnection of an airplane and heightened resistance to high impact damage. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , a modularized airplane having module members  10  and  20  as in  FIG. 1  interconnected by inter-modular connection means and control linking means according to current invention is revealed. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 4B to 4G , a number of alternative embodiments of control linkage means are disclosed. 
     The first alternative embodiment is illustrated in  FIG. 4B , in which the control surface member  55  has no torque rod attached, and the control motion receiving lever  62  is directly mounted on the control surface. 
     A variation of the embodiment revealed in  FIG. 4B  is illustrated in  FIG. 4C , in which the control surface member  55  has no transmission lever, and the magnetically attractive coupler  95  is attached to a mounting structure  95 ′ provided on the control surface  55 , linking the control surface to the control rod  82  substantially perpendicularly. The distance between the coupling member  95  and the operation axis  55 ′ of the control surface serves effectively as a lever. 
     An alternative of the preferred embodiment disclosed in  FIG. 4A  is disclosed in  FIG. 4D , in which the magnetically attractive coupling member  195  is cylindrical in shape and coaxially secured on a base member  102  which in turn is pivotally coupled to the control motion receiving lever  62 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 4E , another alternative of the preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 4A  is disclosed, in which the methods for linking the servo lever member  97  to the control surface lever  62  is the exact reverse of the linkage shown in  FIG. 4A . An alternative embodiment for the means for isolating the control surface from excessive pulling tension, involving member  110 , is shown which will be described in detail later herein. The main advantage of the alternative embodiment for the control linkage means shown in  FIG. 4E  is that it allows more dimensional freedom in designing the airplane style-characteristics-specific module member, denoted as character module  10  in current embodiment by varying the length of control link rod  82 , now linked pivotally to control surface lever  62  by coupling end  102 , as shown in  FIG. 4E . 
     With reference to  FIG. 4F , another alternative embodiment of the control linkage method is shown, in which the methods for linking the servo lever member  97  to the control surface lever  62  is the exact reverse of the linkage shown in  FIG. 4D . An alternative embodiment for the means for isolating control surface from excessive pulling tension, involving member  110 , is shown which will be described in detail later herein. This alternative embodiment has the same advantage as that described in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4E . 
     With reference to  FIG. 4G , another alternative control linkage embodiment is disclosed, in which the control rod comprises two separate portions,  182  with coupling end  101  and  82  with coupling end  102 , pivotally coupled to servo lever  97  and control surface lever  62 , respectively. Two mutually magnetically attractive members  86 ,  103 , cylindrical in shape, are coaxially attached at the free ends of the two control rod portions  182  and  82 , respectively. Two guide members,  45  affixed on module  20  and  145  affixed on module  10 , are provided to guide the two control rod portions  182  and  82 , respectively. An alternative embodiment for the means for isolating the control surface from excessive pulling tension, involving member  110 , is shown which will be described in detail later herein. This alternative embodiment has the same advantage as that described in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4E . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 5B to 5D , a number of alternative embodiment for the means for isolating the control surface from excessive pulling tension according to current invention are disclosed. 
     With reference to  FIG. 5B , an embodiment variation of the means for isolating the control surface from excessive pulling tension shown in  FIG. 5A  is disclosed, the control linkage embodiment herein is based on that shown in  FIG. 4C , in which the control surface  55  has no control lever, and the coupling member  95  is attached to a mounting structure  95 ′ provided on the control surface  55  having a portion  162  extending beyond coupling member  95  in the direction away from the control surface operation axis  55 ′. The functional principle in this embodiment is identical to that disclosed in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5A . 
     With reference to  FIG. 5C , an alternative embodiment of the means for isolating the control surface from excessive pulling tension present in the control linkage is disclosed, based on the control linkage embodiment disclosed in  FIG. 4D . The lever  62  has an end portion  162  extending beyond the lever coupling point and forming a spatial relationship with coupling base member  102 , such that as the rod  82  is pulled in the direction away from lever  62  causing the angle between rod  82  and lever  62  to increase from the neutral position of about 90 degrees, at a certain angle the coupling base member  102  will be in physical contact with the end portion  162  of the lever  62 , as shown in  FIG. 5C  in the solid lined position, which will prevent further increase in angle without disconnecting member  86  from coupling base member  102  and therefore de-linking the control linkage. Continued pulling of the rod  82  along the same direction will cause decoupling of the linkage. This mechanism isolates and therefore protects the control surface and associated structures from excessive tension present in the control linkage. 
     With reference to  FIG. 5D , an alternative embodiment of the means for isolating the control surface from excessive pulling tension present in the control linkage is disclosed, based on the control linkage portion from the control surface lever  62  to the member  103  in the embodiments disclosed in  FIGS. 4E to 4G . A rigid structure  110  is extended transversely from a predetermined location on rod  82 , impassible through the aperture in guide  45 , forming a spatial relationship with the guide member  45 , such that as the rod  82  is pulled in the direction away from lever  62  causing the angle between rod  82  and lever  62  to increase from the neutral position of about 90 degrees, at a certain angle the rigid structure  110  will be in physical contact with the guide member  45 , as shown in  FIG. 5D  in the solid lined position, which will prevent further increase in angle without disconnecting member  103  from the other linkage portion and therefore de-linking the control linkage. Continued pulling of the rod  82  along the same direction will cause decoupling of the linkage. This mechanism isolates and therefore protects the control surface and associated structures from excessive tension present in the control linkage. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , an alternative embodiment of the modularized airplane is disclosed, in which control linkages for the tail control surfaces and for the ailerons are based on the alternative embodiment revealed in  FIGS. 4G and 4C , respectively, the means for isolating the control surface from excessive pulling tension for the tail control surface linkages and for the aileron linkages are based on the alternative embodiment disclosed in  FIG. 5D  and  FIG. 5B , respectively. This embodiment has the advantages of permitting variable length of the character module  10  and independently variable control surface longitudinal locations. 
     With reference to  FIG. 7 , a differing modularized airplane formed with the component module shown in  FIG. 6  and a plane module different from the one shown in  FIG. 6  is illustrated, which represents one aspect of the advantages represented by current invention. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.