Patent Application
20050250407
This invention pertains to assembly components for a model aircraft and, more particularly, to an attachment mechanism that allows the wing to be attached to the fuselage.
When building a model of any kind, it is important to make sure that all of the various pieces of the model are aligned and securely attached to one another. This is important not only for aesthetic reasons but also to allow an operating model to function properly. One of the most important sections to assemble with respect to a model airplane is the wing section. This is because the wing section generates lift and includes the flight control surfaces known as the ailerons.
In order for an aircraft to fly, the wings must generate lift. Lift results from the camber in the wing causing the air passing over the top of the wing to travel a greater distance than the air traveling along the underside of the wing. Because the air on the top of the wing must travel a greater distance, the air must accelerate and flow faster than the air on the bottom of the wing. The accelerated airflow on the top of the wing results in less pressure on the top of the wing than on the bottom, thereby generating lift.
In a model airplane, particularly a radio-controlled model airplane, it is important that the wings be attached to the fuselage in such a manner that the wing will not break should a wingtip strike the ground during a landing. Various devices have been used in the prior art to protect the wings and fuselage in the event of a hard landing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,794 (Levy et al.) discloses the use of breakaway links that cause the wing to separate from the fuselage. This separation of the wing from the fuselage prevents the airframe from breaking apart should the wing strike the ground during a hard landing.
Although the breakaway links provide a more realistic look to the model airplane, they are limited in that every time a wing strike occurs, the operator is required to reinstall the wing. This task may be time-consuming and require the use of particular tools.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,912 (Lapierre) discloses the use of rubber or elastic bands to connect the wing to the fuselage. The use of these bands allows the wings to pivot under the effect of a hard landing. A shortcoming of this feature is that it does not allow for a realistic look to the airplane. Therefore, a wing attachment mechanism that allows the wing to absorb the shock of a crash landing while, on most occasions, remaining attached to the aircraft would be an important improvement in the art.
The invention is directed to a mechanism for attaching a wing to a fuselage of a model airplane. The mechanism is comprised of a wing bolt and a flexible support member that secures the wing bolt to the fuselage. In one version of the invention, the mechanism is further comprised of a mounting base, and the flexible support member secures the wing bolt in the mounting base. In still another version of the invention, a retaining device holds the wing bolt in the mounting base, and the flexible support member is positioned between the retaining device and the mounting base.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a wing assembly for a model airplane. The inventive wing assembly is comprised of a wing, a dowel extending from the wing, and a flexible support member, attached to a portion of an airplane fuselage, securing the wing bolt to the fuselage. In one version of this embodiment, the wing includes a first and a second wing section, a wing rib connecting the first wing section to the second wing section, a dowel extending from the wing rib, a mounting base attached to an aircraft fuselage, a wing bolt extending through the wing rib, and the flexible support member attached to a portion of the airplane fuselage, thereby securing the wing bolt to the fuselage. In still another version of the embodiment, a retaining device holds the wing bolt in the mounting base, and the flexible support member is positioned between the retaining device and the mounting base.
In yet another embodiment, the invention relates to a model airplane comprised of a fuselage having an opening in a top portion, a wing attached to the fuselage, a wing bolt passing through the wing and a flexible support member, whereby the flexible support member secures the wing to the fuselage.
In still another embodiment, the invention is directed to a means for connecting a wing assembly to a model airplane.
The invention relates to a model airplane 10, as shown in
The retaining device 22 used in the invention may be a threaded washer, as shown in FIGS. 5(a)-(d), which may be manufactured of nylon. The mounting base 18 may also include a wing-attachment surface 26 and a fuselage-attachment surface 28 that is substantially perpendicular to the wing-attachment surface 26. When installed in the aircraft 10, as shown in
Upon installation of the wing 14, a bolt 20, screw, or the like is used to attach the wing 14 to the wing-attachment surface 26, as shown in
When in use, the flexible support member 24, shown in FIGS. 6(a)-(d), allows the mounting mechanism 12 to “give” or flex along with the wing 14 itself should the aircraft 10 experience a hard landing or a wingtip strike. This results from the flexible support member 24 absorbing the forces generated by the shock of the landing, thereby allowing movement of the wing-mounting bolt 20 so as to cushion the entire wing.
The flexible support member 24 may be manufactured of rubber and may include an opening 54 that allows for receipt of the wing-mounting bolt 20. Two additional openings 56, 58 may be included to allow the flexible support member 24 to be attached to the mounting base 18 through the use of pins or protrusions 60, 62 on the underside of the wing-attachment surface 26, as shown in
The invention also is directed, as shown in
In order to install the wing assembly 36 on the airplane 10, the dowel 44 extending from the wing rib 42 is positioned in a receptacle 46 located in the front portion of the fuselage 16, as shown in
Positioned between the retaining device 22 and the mounting base 18, however, is a flexible support member 24. The flexible support member 24, which can be made out of rubber or any elastic substance, absorbs the shock associated with a hard landing and allows the retaining device 22 to flex should the wing 14 receive a large jolt. This flexing is facilitated because once the rear portion of the wing 14 is aligned with the mounting base 18, the wing bolt 20, which may be made of nylon, is inserted through the wing 14 and the mounting base 18 into the retaining device 22. Once this is completed, the retaining device 22 or nut is tightened, thereby pulling the retaining device 22 up slightly toward the underside 32 of the wing 14.
Should the aircraft 10 experience a hard landing, the flexible support member 24 and the retaining device 22 flex, thus allowing the wing 14 to absorb the shock of the landing. If the jolt caused by the landing is big enough, the retaining device 22 flexes enough to lift the wing dowel 44 out of the receptacle 46 in the front of the wing saddle 48, thereby allowing the wing 14 to separate from the fuselage 16. This separation prevents the wing 14 from breaking. If the jolt caused by the hard landing is strong enough, the wing bolt 20 attaching the rear portion of the wing 14 to the fuselage 16 may break. This too would allow the wing 14 to separate from the fuselage 16.
By allowing the wing 14 to separate from the fuselage 16 in the event of a hard landing, the structural integrity of the wing 14 is preserved. Therefore, the operator of the model airplane 10 need only reinstall the wing 14 or, at most, replace the wing bolt 20. Replacement of the wing bolt 20 is considerably less expensive than replacing the entire wing 14 of the aircraft 10.
Although in the embodiment described herein, the wing 14 was referred to as having a first and second wing portion 38, 40, a one-piece wing section could be used without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Furthermore, a multisection wing structure may also be used.
The invention also discloses a means for connecting a first and second wing portion 38, 40 to each other, as well as a means for attaching the wing portions 38, 40 to a fuselage 16 of a model airplane 10. The first and second wing portions 38, 40 may be secured to one another through the use of a connecting rib 42. The assembled wing section may then be attached to the fuselage 16 through the use of an attachment bolt 20, a means for retaining the attachment bolt 20 in the airplane 10, and a means for allowing the wing assembly 36 to flex with respect to the airplane fuselage 16.
The use of the terms “a,” “an,” “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any nonclaimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. It should be understood that the illustrated embodiments are exemplary only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention.
