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US4786009A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Yaw and pitch control of air vehicles at high angles of attack

Assignee: VIGYAN RESEARCH ASSOCIATES Inc 20 RESEARCH DR HAMPTON VA 23666
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Filing: 1987-01-05
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Granted: 1988-11-22
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Expires: 2007-01-05
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Abstract

Abstract Method and apparatus for controlling the yaw and pitch of air vehicles at high angles of attack by controlling the vortex pattern around the forebodies of the air vehicles by means of deflecting strakes 11 and 16.

Inventors

  • 👤 Dhanvada M. Rao
  • 👤 Daniel G. Murri

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 05:02
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64C; B64C9/00; B64C9/34; B64C9/36; B64C17/00; B64C19/00; B64C21/00; B64C23/00; B64C23/06; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T50/00; Y02T50/10

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 136 words
A method for controlling the yaw of an air vehicle, including a forebody which is the extended nose portion of the fuselage forward of the forward-most lifting surface of the air vehicle, at high angles of attack when the rudder of the air vehicle becomes ineffective comprising the steps of: providing two symmetrically hinged conformal strakes on either side of the forebody of the air vehicle and with each hinged near the outer surface of the forebody at equal and opposite strake location angles for altering the flow separations and resulting vortex patterns around the forebody; and anti-symmetrically controlling the deflections of the two strakes to produce asymmetric vortex patterns around the forebody thereby producing yaw side forces on the forebody which provide yawing moments that are used as a yaw control for said air vehicle.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 136 words
A method for controlling the yaw of an air vehicle, including a forebody which is the extended nose portion of the fuselage forward of the forward-most lifting surface of the air vehicle, at high angles of attack when the rudder of the air vehicle becomes ineffective comprising the steps of: providing two symmetrically hinged conformal strakes on either side of the forebody of the air vehicle and with each hinged near the outer surface of the forebody at equal and opposite strake location angles for altering the flow separations and resulting vortex patterns around the forebody; and anti-symmetrically controlling the deflections of the two strakes to produce asymmetric vortex patterns around the forebody thereby producing yaw side forces on the forebody which provide yawing moments that are used as a yaw control for said air vehicle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 57 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of anti-symmetrically controlling the deflections of the two strakes comprises conformally retaining one of the strakes and deflecting the other strake to provide yawing moments in one direction and retaining the said other strake and deflecting the said one strake to provide yawing moment in the other direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 36 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of anti-symmetrically controlling the deflections of the two strakes comprises initially symmetrically deflecting the two strakes through a selected angle and then anti-symmetrically deflecting the two strakes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 41 words
A method according to claim 1 including the step of symmetrically controlling the deflections of the two strakes to produce pitch side forces on the forebody which provide pitching moments that are used as a pitch control of said air vehicle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 174 words
Apparatus for controlling the yaw of an air vehicle at high angles of attack when the rudder becomes ineffective comprising: a forebody, included with said air vehicle, being the extended nose portion of the fuselage forward of the forward-most lifting surface of the air vehicle; a first strake means mounted at a selected strake location angle on one side of the forebody of said air vehicle by means of a first hinge such that the hinge line of the first hinge is near the surface of said forebody for altering the vortex pattern around said forebody; a second symmetrical strake means symmetrically mounted at said selected strake location angle on the opposite side of said forebody by means of a second hinge such that the hinge line of said second hinge is near the surface of said forebody for altering the vortex pattern around said forebody; and means for anti-symmetrically controlling the deflections of said first and second strake means to provide a yaw control of said air vehicle at high angles of attack.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 174 words
Apparatus for controlling the yaw of an air vehicle at high angles of attack when the rudder becomes ineffective comprising: a forebody, included with said air vehicle, being the extended nose portion of the fuselage forward of the forward-most lifting surface of the air vehicle; a first strake means mounted at a selected strake location angle on one side of the forebody of said air vehicle by means of a first hinge such that the hinge line of the first hinge is near the surface of said forebody for altering the vortex pattern around said forebody; a second symmetrical strake means symmetrically mounted at said selected strake location angle on the opposite side of said forebody by means of a second hinge such that the hinge line of said second hinge is near the surface of said forebody for altering the vortex pattern around said forebody; and means for anti-symmetrically controlling the deflections of said first and second strake means to provide a yaw control of said air vehicle at high angles of attack.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 48 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said means for anti-symmetrically controlling the deflections of said first and second strake means includes means for symmetrically controlling the deflections of said first and second strake means to provide a pitch control of said air vehicle at high angles of attack.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 62 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said means for anti-symmetrically controlling the deflections of said first and second strake means comprises retaining one of the strake means and deflecting the other strake means to provide yawing moments in one direction and retaining the said other strake means and deflecting the said one strake means to provide yawing moments in the other direction.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 31 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said means for anti-symmetrically controlling the deflections of said first and second strake means comprises anti-symmetrically deflecting the two strake means at the same time.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2338935A Cited
US2448075A Cited
US2743888A Cited
DE960053C Cited
US4161300A Cited
US4542866A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1991-11-22 1992-05-23 1992-11-22 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1995-11-22 1996-05-23 1996-11-22 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1999-11-22 2000-05-23 2000-11-22 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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