Patent ID: 8113470

Claim:
An airfoil assembly comprising: an elongated leading edge member; an elongated trailing edge member spaced apart from said leading edge member; at least one rib member interconnecting said leading edge member and said trailing edge member, said rib member having an integrally formed body portion and a deformable cap strip, said cap strip having a first end, an opposite second end, and a central portion disposed between said first end and said second end, said first end and said second end being connected to said body portion, and said central portion being spaced apart from said body portion; an elastic skin connected to and extending across said leading edge member, an exterior surface of said central portion of said cap strip, and said trailing edge member to define an airfoil profile; and a biasing member positioned between said body portion of said rib member and an interior surface of said central portion of said cap strip, said biasing member exerting biased outward pressure against a central portion of said elastic skin through said cap strip to automatically create a varying thickness of said airfoil profile wherein lift and drag of said airfoil assembly are proportionately reduced with increasing airspeed.