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An aerial device in the form of a wing having upper and lower flexible layers and a leading edge and a trailing edge, a wall of the wing having an opening facing outward from the bottom or a side of the wing forming an inlet for flow of pressurized air into the wing, and a normally open flexible valve for the opening closeable by the air pressure to seal the opening when pressurized air is admitted to the wing.

Inventor: Domina C. Jalbert
Primary Examiner: Barry L. Kelmachter
Current U.S. Classification: 244/145
International Classification: B64D 1702

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Citations

Cited PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US2759694Jan 10, 1955Aug 21, 1956 LEMOIGNE
US3524613Apr 8, 1968Aug 18, 1970FLEXIBLE GLIDING WING
US3558087Feb 27, 19671971CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION

Referenced by

Citing PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US4129272Aug 19, 1977Dec 12, 1978Aerofoil structure
US4215836Oct 30, 1978Aug 5, 1980The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInflatable decelerator
US4406433Dec 18, 1980Sep 27, 1983Aerovironment, Inc.Leading edge inlet for ram air pressurized airfoil
US4930728Apr 21, 1989Jun 5, 1990Ram air aerial device with lower skin pressure regulator
US5172874Jul 9, 1991Dec 22, 1992Device for supplying air to a double surface-aerodynamic-profile
US5678784Jan 10, 1995Oct 21, 1997Vanguard Research, Inc.Space vehicle and method
US7178762Jun 23, 2004Feb 20, 2007Atair Aerospace, Inc.Reinforcing material for parachutes and methods for reinforcing parachutes

Claims

1. An aerial device comprising a flexible wing having upper and lower flexible walls, each wall having a forward edge and rearward edge, said rearward edges of said upper and lower flexible walls forming a wing trailing edge, said forward edges of said upper and lower walls being spaced apart forming first opening means at the forward edges, flexible side walls defining a hollow space with said flexible upper and lower flexible walls, said first opening means providing for a flow of air into said wing for pressurizing said wing, a first flexible valve means for said first opening means, said first flexible valve means being openable by said flow and closeable by air pressure in said wing, shroud means connected to said lower flexible wall, a second opening means being located in said lower flexible wall aft of said first opening means, and a second flexible valve means for said second opening means.

2. An aerial device as set forth in claim 1 wherein a grill means covers said opening means, said first and second flexible valve means being closeable against its grill means.

3. An aerial device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said first flexible valve means comprises flexible material fixed to a flexible wall on one side of said first opening means.

4. An aerial device as set forth in claim 2 wherein a plurality of flexible ribs connect the upper and lower flexible walls dividing the interior of said wing into a plurality of cells giving shape to the wing when it is pressurized.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein connectors connect said shroud means to said lower flexible wall, a plurality of flexible ribs connect the upper and lower flexible walls dividing the interior of said wing into a plurality of cells giving shape to the wing when it is pressurized, said ribs extending through said lower flexible wall to form said connectors.

6. An aerial device as set forth in claim 5 wherein the portion of each rib extending through said lower flexible wall forms a wedge shaped connector.

7. An aerial device as set forth in claim 6 wherein a reinforcing strip is fixed along the edge of each wedge and is connected to the upper wall.

Drawings