Matches 1 - 42 out of 42


Match Document Document Title
8118264 Shape memory alloy actuator  
An aircraft system may include an airfoil and a deployable device coupled to the airfoil. The system may further include a shape memory alloy actuator coupled between the airfoil and the deployable...
8083179 Composite material for geometric morphing wing  
An airfoil member and an airfoil member altering system are provided for significantly modifying the shape and size of the airfoil member while simultaneously providing an airfoil member with...
8074938 Active control of a body by altering surface drag  
A system and method is described generally for deforming a first surface of a body and deforming a second surface of a body to alter a fluid flow in order to change the characteristics of the fluid...
8074939 Active control of surface drag  
A system and method is described generally for deforming a surface of a body to alter a fluid flow in order to change the characteristics of the fluid flow about the body.
8061986 Wind turbine blades with controllable aerodynamic vortex elements  
A wind turbine blade has a suction side surface and a pressure side surface. A plurality of dynamic vortex elements are formed on at least one of the suction side or the pressure side surfaces. The...
8047233 Apparatus and method for generating vortexes in fluid flow adjacent to a surface  
An apparatus for generating vortexes in fluid flow generally adjacent to a surface includes: (a) at least one vortex generating element; and (b) a piezoelectric motor element coupled with the at...
7931240 Cellular support structures used for controlled actuation of fluid contact surfaces  
An assembly for controlling a vehicle, including a fluid contact surface constructed and arranged to act against a fluid passing over the fluid contact surface; and a support structure coupled to...
7901524 Actuation concepts for variable stiffness materials  
Apparatus and associated methods for actuating variable stiffness material (VSM) structures and achieving deformation of the structures. The apparatus and the associated methods use internal...
7896294 Cover skin for a variable-shape aerodynamic area  
A cover skin for a variable-shape aerodynamic area, such as a wing structure, tail unit structure, control surface structure or flap structure is described. A cover skin is deformable in one...
7878459 Aircraft systems with shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators, and associated methods  
Aircraft systems with shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators, and associated methods are disclosed. A system in accordance with one embodiment includes an airfoil, a deployable device coupled to the...
7878457 Retractable vortex generator  
A flow control device is disclosed including a flow control surface over which fluid is designed to flow in a predetermined direction. Vortex generators are associated with the flow control...
7798443 Composite material for geometric morphing wing  
An airfoil member and an airfoil member altering system are provided for significantly modifying the shape and size of the airfoil member while simultaneously providing an airfoil member with...
7777165 Methods and apparatus for adjustable surfaces  
Methods and apparatus for systems having deployable elements according to various aspects of the present invention comprise a system including a deployable surface and an adaptive actuator...
7728267 Methods and apparatus for adjustable surfaces  
Methods and apparatus for systems having deployable elements according to various aspects of the present invention comprise a system including a deployable surface and an adaptive actuator...
7726603 Sandwich-structure flat actuator and application to structural torsion  
The present invention relates to a sandwich-structure flat active actuator that is symmetrical relative to the mid-plane comprising at least one piezoelectric flat layer having an active direction...
7720582 Active suspension method and apparatus for a rotary wing aircraft  
In a method of controlling the hardness of a damper in an aircraft landing gear, the aircraft having a structure that is deformable at a natural frequency, the hardness of the damper is adjusted...
7628352 MEMS control surface for projectile steering  
A projectile includes a projectile body including a flow surface; the flow surface including at least one control surface formed therein. The controls surface is formed continuous with the flow...
7550189 Variable stiffness structure  
In some embodiments, a variable stiffness structure is provided having constant stiffness material layers and variable modulus material layers arranged in alternating layers. The variable modulus...
7338017 Methods and apparatus for vibration and buffet suppression  
Apparatus and methods for hybrid actuation and suppressing vibration are disclosed. In one embodiment, a hybrid actuator includes a first actuator and a second actuator linked to move a component a...
7216831 Shape changing structure  
In one preferred embodiment, a structure is provided that includes a body having a first wall and a second wall. At least one appending component extends from an end of the body and includes a...
6648599 Method and control arrangement for adjusting a flap that is pivotally supported in a rotor blade of a helicopter  
A force transmitting linkage connects a piezoelectric actuator to a flap that is pivotably connected to a helicopter rotor blade. In a flap actuation control arrangement and method, a force...
6481667 System and method for deflecting an aerodynamic control surface  
According to one embodiment of the invention, a system for deflecting an aerodynamic control surface includes a first piezoelectric actuator coupled to a first flexure member. The first flexure...
6371415 Aerodynamic component with a leading edge flap  
An aerodynamic component such as a helicopter rotor blade has an aerodynamic flow profile, a free end and a mounting end forming a blade root for attachment to a rotor mast. A blade section between...
6345792 Actuating device with at least three stable positions  
A mechanical actuating device for moving an aerodynamic or hydrodynamic surface includes plural flexure members confined in an elastically deformed condition. The flexure members are movable...
6231013 Airfoil member with a piezoelectrically actuated servo-flap  
An airfoil member, especially a rotor blade for a helicopter, includes an airfoil body and a servo-actuated flap tiltably connected to the airfoil body so as to form at least a portion of the...
6220550 Actuating device with multiple stable positions  
A mechanical actuating device for moving an aerodynamic or hydrodynamic surface includes at least one flexure member confined in an elastically deformed condition. The flexure member is movable...
6082672 Actuator for an aircraft flight control surface  
An actuator for a primary control surface of an air-craft, the actuator comprising at least one motor of the vibration type mounted in series with at least a second motor which is a piezoelectric,...
6076776 Profile edge of an aerodynamic profile  
In the case of a profile edge of an aerodynamic profile the profile edge (1, 20) comprises multifunctional material on its outside (3, 23) and/or inside (2, 22) or within its structure (11).
6065934 Shape memory rotary actuator  
A rotary actuator (18) is provided, including an actuator assembly (20). The actuator assembly includes a torque tube (24) formed of a shape memory alloy, a super elastic NiTinol return spring (26)...
6010098 Aerodynamic structure, for a landing flap, an airfoil, an elevator unit or a rudder unit, with a changeable cambering  
An aerodynamic structure (9) is provided for example for a landing flap. The aerodynamic structure comprises an outer skin (11), which is deformable in cross section longitudinal to an air stream...
5934609 Deformable propeller blade and shroud  
A propeller blade fabricated from composite material having a plurality of pper layers, each upper layer being flexible and having fibers oriented in a first direction. The material further...
5752672 Remotely controllable actuating device  
An actuating device can change a position of an active member that remains in substantially the same position in the absence of a force of a predetermined magnitude on the active member. The...
5626312 Piezoelectric actuator  
A piezoelectric actuator includes a plurality of linearly axially expandable hard piezoelectric rods located between two plates and are distributed about a central twistable core fastened between...
5529458 Circulation control aerofoils  
A circulation control aerofoil having an internal chamber for receiving during operation air for exhaust through a circulation control air exhaust slot defined by spaced-apart slot lips is provided...
5375793 Process for the control of the control surfaces of an aircraft for the low speed compensation of a lateral path deviation  
The present invention relates to a process for the automatic control of the control surfaces of an aircraft for the low speed compensation of a lateral path deviation, in which beyond a given...
5374011 Multivariable adaptive surface control  
An adaptive sheet structure with distributed strain actuators is controlled by a dynamic compensator that implements multiple input, multiple output control laws derived by model-based, e.g.,...
5366176 Feedback-stabilized aerodynamically overbalanced lifting/control surface for aircraft  
An airfoil of an aircraft is provided with one or more control flaps which are pivotally mounted on the airfoil in an aeromechanically unstable manner. The trailing edges of the control flaps are...
5150864 Variable camber control of airfoil  
An airfoil camber control apparatus utilizes a cable of shape memory alloy affixed at its ends to a front interior portion of the airfoil. A tensioning system is connected to a rear interior...
5114104 Articulated control surface  
An articulated control surface for flight control utilizes a moldable conl surface that is shaped by contracting and elongating shape memory alloys embedded within the control surface. The shape...
5046358 Deformable wall  
Deformable wall which is manufactured preferably from reinforced plastic includes least one closed cavity (2) and is arranged in the interior of the wall (1). A device (6) to change the cavity...
4845357 Method of actuation and flight control  
The method of the invention provides for actuating at least one actuator, such as a piezoelectric transducer in response to movement of a waveguide, such as an optical fiber. In a preferred...
4349169 Continuous force actuator  
A continuous force actuator having a housing, a pair of slidably mounted T-shaped pistons therein and a plurality of resilient, hollow pressure tubes surrounding each of the pistons. The insertion...
Matches 1 - 42 out of 42