Transactions of Nanjing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics
Application of Shape Memory Alloy Torsion Tube in Folding Wingtip Mechanism of Morphing Aircraft
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Abstract:
Morphing aircraft are designed to adaptively adjust their shape for changing flight missions， which enables them to improve their flight performance significantly for future applications. The folding wingtips represent a key research aspect for morphing aircraft， since they can lead to potential improvements in flight range， maneuverability， load alleviation and airport compatibility. This paper proposes a hinge mechanism design for folding wingtips based on the shape memory alloy torsion tube， aiming to achieve successful folding using the actuation effect of the shape memory alloy. The proposed design employs a shape memory alloy torsion tube as the actuator for the active folding of the wingtip， which is motivated by the characteristics of the tube， enabling a simplified structure for the integration with high energy density. Through numerical simulation and testing of the folding wingtip structure， the concept is verified， which shows its potential as an actuator for folding wingtips.
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This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China （No.52305262）， the Aeronautical Science Foundation of China（No.20230015052002）， and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities （No.NT2024001）.
Clc Number:
V224.3
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