Lift producing device exhibiting low drag and reduced ventilation potential and method for producing the same

Claim 1

A method for producing a lift producing device having opposed first and second major surfaces joined at a longitudinally extending leading edge and at a longitudinally extending trailing edge, at least a portion of said trailing edge being spaced from said leading edge by a predetermined mean chord length, said lift producing device being adapted to be connected to a vehicle and to provide lift to said vehicle when said vehicle is moved relative to a first fluid medium within a range of predetermined velocities, each of said velocities having a direction inclined from a plane extending through said leading edge and said trailing edge within a predetermined angular range, said first fluid medium having a first density, and viscosity and being in contact with a second fluid medium adjacent said vehicle, said second fluid medium having a second density different from said first density, and said first fluid medium being under a high pressure adjacent said first major surface of said lift producing device and being under a low pressure adjacent said second major surface of said lift producing device, said method comprising: providing a material capable of being shaped; specifying and predetermined mean chord length of said lift producing device; determining said range of predetermined velocities and said predetermined angular range; based on said predetermined mean chord length, said range of predetermined velocities, said predetermined angular range, said first density and said viscosity of said first fluid medium, determining at least one of a pressure distribution and a velocity distribution along said predetermined mean chord length such that said first fluid medium will exhibit attached laminar flow along said lift producing device for a portion of said predetermined mean chord length from said leading edge toward said trailing edge, will not form a laminar separation bubble adjacent said second major surface of said lift producing device and no turbulent separation occurs adjacent said second major surface of said lift producing device for substantially all of said predetermined mean chord length from said leading edge toward said trailing edge; wherein said at least one of pressure distribution and velocity distribution is determined such that said first fluid medium will exhibit attached laminar flow along said lift producing device for approximately the longest portion of said mean chord length possible while still exhibiting no turbulent separation adjacent said second major surface of said lift producing device for substantially all of said predetermined chord length from said leading edge toward said trailing edge; calculating a cross-sectional shape which will generate said at least one of pressure distribution and velocity distribution when said vehicle is moved relative to said first fluid medium at a velocity within said range of predetermined velocities and an angle within said predetermined angular range; and shaping said material to form said lift producing device having said predetermined mean chord length and said cross-sectional shape.

Claim 2

A method for producing a lift producing device having opposed first and second major surfaces joined at a longitudinally extending leading edge and at a longitudinally extending trailing edge, at least a portion of said trailing edge being spaced from said leading edge by a predetermined mean chord length, said lift producing device being adapted to be connected to a vehicle and to provide lift to said vehicle when said vehicle is moved relative to a first fluid medium within a range of predetermined velocities, each of said velocities having a direction inclined from a plane extending through said leading edge and said trailing edge within a predetermined angular range, said first fluid medium having a first density, and viscosity and being in contact with a second fluid medium adjacent said vehicle, said second fluid medium having a second density different from said first density, and said first fluid medium being under a high pressure adjacent said first major surface of said lift producing device and being under a low pressure adjacent said second major surface of said lift producing device, said method comprising: providing a material capable of being shaped; specifying and predetermined mean chord length of said lift producing device; determining said range of predetermined velocities and said predetermined angular range; based on said predetermined mean chord length, said range of predetermined velocities, said predetermined angular range, said first density and said viscosity of said first fluid medium, determining at least one of a pressure distribution and a velocity distribution along said predetermined mean chord length such that said first fluid medium will exhibit attached laminar flow along said lift producing device for a portion of said predetermined mean chord length from said leading edge toward said trailing edge, will not form a laminar separation bubble adjacent said second major surface of said lift producing device and no turbulent separation occurs adjacent said second major surface of said lift producing device for substantially all of said predetermined mean chord length from said leading edge toward said trailing edge; wherein said at least one of pressure distribution and velocity distribution is determined such that said first fluid medium will exhibit attached laminar flow along said lift producing device for approximately the longest portion of said mean chord length possible while still exhibiting no turbulent separation adjacent said second major surface of said lift producing device for substantially all of said predetermined chord length from said leading edge toward said trailing edge; calculating a cross-sectional shape which will generate said at least one of pressure distribution and velocity distribution when said vehicle is moved relative to said first fluid medium at a velocity within said range of predetermined velocities and an angle within said predetermined angular range; and shaping said material to form said lift producing device having said predetermined mean chord length and said cross-sectional shape.