Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Wing tip docking system for aircraft
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Application No.: US13299883Application Date: 2011-11-18
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Publication No.: US08226025B2Publication Date: 2012-07-24
- Inventor: Martin L. Gomez , Robert Parks , Adam J. Woodworth
- Applicant: Martin L. Gomez , Robert Parks , Adam J. Woodworth
- Applicant Address: US VA Manassas
- Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation
- Current Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation
- Current Assignee Address: US VA Manassas
- Agency: Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
- Main IPC: B64C37/02
- IPC: B64C37/02 ; B64C23/06 ; B64D5/00

Abstract:
A system and method for docking various types of aircraft is disclosed. An aerodynamic lifting structure docking mechanism for docking two or more aircraft is provided comprising an aerodynamic lifting structure. The aerodynamic lifting structure includes a first and second airflow adjustment mechanism. The aerodynamic lifting structure further includes a first hard docking mechanism, and a second hard docking mechanism, and still further includes a soft docking mechanism. The first and second airflow adjustment mechanisms are configured to substantially remove any aerodynamic lifting structure vortices around each of the aerodynamic lifting structure tip areas. The soft docking mechanism is configured to soft dock a first aerodynamic lifting structure with a second aerodynamic lifting structure. The first hard docking mechanism is configured to hard dock with the second hard docking mechanism, thereby temporarily attaching the first aerodynamic lifting structure with the second aerodynamic lifting structure.
Public/Granted literature
- US20120061505A1 WING TIP DOCKING SYSTEM FOR AIRCRAFT Public/Granted day:2012-03-15
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