Airfoil Body

Abstract

An airfoil body for an aircraft extending from an inner end to an outer end, and between a leading edge and a trailing edge, comprising an airfoil skin, a planar sheet disposed below the airfoil skin including an array of transducer elements attached to the planar sheet comprising one or more of: (i) an array of semiconductor sensors not including solar cells; (ii) an antenna array and (iii) thermal transfer elements.

1 . An airfoil body for an aircraft extending from an inner end to an outer end, and between a leading edge and a trailing edge, comprising:
 an airfoil skin; and   a planar sheet disposed below the airfoil skin including an array of transducer elements attached to the planar sheet comprising one or more of: (i) an array of semiconductor sensors not including solar cells; (ii) an antenna array; and (iii) thermal transfer elements.   
     
     
         2 . An airfoil body as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the transducer elements are semiconductors sensors. 
     
     
         3 . An airfoil body as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the transducer elements are antennas. 
     
     
         4 . An airfoil body as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the transducer elements are thermal transfer elements. 
     
     
         5 . An airfoil body as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the transducer elements are piezoelectric transducers. 
     
     
         6 . An airfoil body as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the planar sheet is composed of a fiber reinforced polymer. 
     
     
         7 . An airfoil body as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the airfoil skin is composed of a fiber reinforced composite in which the fibers include one or more of (i) glass fibers, (ii) carbon fibers, or (iii) Kevlar fibers. 
     
     
         8 . An airfoil body as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a control system disposed in the airfoil body for determining the angle of attack of the aircraft. 
     
     
         9 . An airfoil body as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a control system disposed in the airfoil body for acquiring atmospheric information. 
     
     
         10 . An airfoil body as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of planar sheets disposed below the airfoil skin in the airfoil body, the planar sheets being arranged in a non-parallel position with respect to the airfoil skin. 
     
     
         11 . An airfoil body as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the transducer elements are arranged on different ones of the planar sheets. 
     
     
         12 . An airfoil body as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a control unit that is located at a remote location with respect to the aircraft for controlling an aspect of the airfoil body. 
     
     
         13 . An airfoil body as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the planar sheet includes an antenna array, and the antenna array receives and sends signals to the control unit. 
     
     
         14 . An airfoil body as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the semiconductor sensors function to determine loads on the airfoil body. 
     
     
         15 . An airfoil body as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising an internal supporting structure in the airfoil body that includes a plurality of ribs connected to spars. 
     
     
         16 . An airfoil body for an aircraft extending from an inner end to an outer end, and between a leading edge and a trailing edge, comprising:
 an airfoil skin composed of a fiber reinforced composite in which the fibers include   one or more of (i) glass fibers, (ii) carbon fibers, or (iii) Kevlar fibers;   a planar sheet disposed below the airfoil sheet composed of a fiber reinforced polymer disposed below the airfoil skin;   an array of transducer elements attached to the planar sheet comprising: (i) an array of semiconductor sensors not including solar cells; and (ii) an antenna array; (iii) thermal transfer elements;   an actuator in the airfoil body, and   a control system for controlling operation of an actuator as a function of a flight condition of the aircraft so as to control an operation of the aircraft.