US 12,214,875 B2
D-truss wing structure for an unmanned aerial vehicle
Greg T. Kendall, Simi Valley, CA (US)
Assigned to AeroVironment, Inc., Arlington, VA (US)
Appl. No. 17/797,808
Filed by AEROVIRONMENT, INC., Arlington, VA (US)
PCT Filed Feb. 5, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/016735
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 5, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/158862, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 12, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/970,827, filed on Feb. 6, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0058853 A1, Feb. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. B64C 3/18 (2006.01); B64C 3/10 (2006.01); B64C 3/26 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64U 10/25 (2023.01); B64U 30/10 (2023.01)
CPC B64C 3/187 (2013.01) [B64C 3/10 (2013.01); B64C 3/26 (2013.01); B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64U 10/25 (2023.01); B64U 30/10 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a leading edge tubular member;
an upper tubular member;
a lower tubular member;
one or more upper rib members connected between the leading edge tubular member and the upper tubular member;
one or more lower rib members connected between the leading edge tubular member and the lower tubular member;
a rigid sandwich shell disposed between the upper tubular member and the leading edge tubular member, wherein the rigid sandwich shell comprises one or more expansion joints; and
a sandwich shear web disposed between the upper tubular member and the lower tubular member;
wherein the rigid sandwich shell and the sandwich shear web form a D-shape.