Model Aircraft

This invention relates to model aircraft, particularly gliders, which have a fuselage and separate wings.

In some model gliders, see for example co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 163,426, filed June 27, 1980, and commonly assigned herewith, the fuselage and wings are integrally formed. In other designs, however, e.g., gliders having a significant wing span, it may be expedient to manufacture and package the fuselage and wings separately and to assemble the glider in situ. This allows for more compact and secure packaging and transportation.

With the latter type of structure, it is necessary to provide a suitable connection for assembling the fuselage and wings. Such connection should have sufficient strength to withstand forces developed during launching and flight. It may also be beneficial for the connection to be designed to absorb impact forces, at least to a degree, so that on landing, for example, the impact forces involved may not cause separation of the wings from the fuselage. Clearly, the connection should also allow for simple assembly and disassembly of the aircraft.

The present invention provides a clip-type connection between a fuselage and separable wings of a model aircraft, which is simple to assemble, which has adequate strength in flight, and which does not detract from the overall appearance and aerodynamic characteristics of the aircraft.

In accordance with the invention, at least in one aspect thereof, model aircraft apparatus comprises an aircraft fuselage, wings, and a generally U-shaped clip for attaching the wings to the fuselage in a flying position, the wings having openings disposed on opposite sides of the fuselage respectively when the wings are in said position and the clip including a bridge portion and opposed depending limbs, the bridge portion being adapted to fit over the fuselage, with the limbs on opposite sides of the fuselage and with the limbs fitting in said openings in the wings, thereby securing the wings to the fuselage.

In one form of the invention, for example, the wings may comprise separate port and starboard wing members having inboard sections formed with the above-noted openings, the inboard sections fitting in a wing slot in the fuselage. The fuselage may, for example, have an arch portion which leads into the slot and which receives the clip. Preferably, so as not to detract from the overall appearance and aerodynamic characteristics of the aircraft, the arch portion may be recessed so that when the clip is received therein, the outer surfaces of the clip and adjacent portions of the fuselage are substantially flush.

The bridge portion of the clip may be resilient, and the limbs may be adapted to fit in the openings of the wings with a friction fit. The design of the clip and openings in the wings may be such as to allow slight movement of the wings so that impact forces may be absorbed without separation of the wings from the fuselage.

Additional features of the invention will become apparent from the ensuing description and claims, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a model glider in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a part of the fuselage of the glider with inboard parts of the wings shown in phantom;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of that part of the fuselage shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section on line 4--4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view on line 5--5 of FIG. 3, but also showing the inboard parts of the wings in position;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a clip used in assembling the glider;

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the clip; and

FIG. 8 is an underneath plan view of the clip.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, there is shown a model glider comprising a fuselage 10, separate port and starboard wing members 12 and 14, defining the aircraft wings, and a clip 16 for connecting the fuselage and wing members together. The fuselage may be formed integrally with a tail plane 18 and stabilizer 20, or the stabilizer may be slotted into or otherwise connected to the fuselage. The fuselage and wings may be made in a relatively rigid molded foam plastic material, such as styrofoam, and the nose of the fuselage may be provided with a relatively soft impact-absorbing bumper 22, which may be of the type referred to in the aforementioned co-pending application.

The fuselage has a wing slot 24, which may extend completely through the fuselage and which may be provided front and rear with wing-locating tabs 26 (see FIGS. 3 and 5). Wing members 12 and 14 have thickened flange sections 28, 30 at their inboard ends with front and rear recesses 32 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). The flange sections fit into apertures provided by the open opposite ends of wing slot 24, with recesses 32 registering with tabs 26 so as to properly locate each wing member laterally and longitudinally, whereby the wings are received in the slot in flying position. A recessed arch section 36 at an upper portion of the fuselage leads into the wing slot, for receiving clip 16 as will be described. The arch section has a vertically extending groove 38 on each side, the grooves aligning with respective openings 40 in the flange sections of the wings.

Clip 16 (FIGS. 6-8) which may, for example, be molded in a plastic such as high impact styrene or the like, preferably is of a generally U-shaped form having a relatively thin resilient bridge portion 44 and depending hollow circular section limbs 46. In use, with the wing members properly positioned in the wing slot, bridge portion 44 of the clip is placed over arch section 36 of the fuselage, with the limbs 46 locating in grooves 38. The clip can then be pressed down so that the bridge portion 44 fits into and rests upon arch section 36 and so that the limbs 46 are received in the openings 40 in the respective wing sections. The spacing between limbs 46 and openings 40 and the cross-sectional dimensions of the limbs and openings may be such that when the clip is pressed fully home (see FIG. 4) the limbs have a friction fit in openings 40 sufficient to hold the wings and fuselage in an assembled condition. As shown in FIG. 4, the limbs 46 have free ends that terminate within the fuselage. The bridge portion 44 of the clip has a degree of resiliency to accommodate any small discrepency in spacing between the limbs 46 and openings 40. Bridge portion 44 of the clip may be provided with lengthwise ribs 48 which aid in gripping the clip.

The thickness of bridge portion 44 of the clip may conform to the depth of arch section 36, so that when assembled, the clip is substantially flush with adjacent surfaces of the fuselage. Thus, the appearance and aerodynamic properties of the glider are substantially unimpaired by the presence of the clip. It will be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, and FIGS. 6 and 8, that limbs 46, 48 are offset from the transverse centerline of the clip, as are the grooves 38 relative to the arch section 36 of the fuselage. This is to ensure that the clip can only fit in arch section 36 in the correct direction, so as to preserve the contours of the fuselage.

The resilience of bridge portion 44 of the clip, and lateral enlargement of portions of the openings 40 relative to limbs 46 (see FIGS. 4 and 5 where the limbs are shown in phantom) may allow a degree of vertical hinging of the wings when assembled. This provides the glider with an impact absorption characteristic, which may, for example, prevent separation of the wings from the fuselage due to landing impact.

It will be undersood that the glider may be disassembled simply by removal of the clip, and may be reassembled as previously described. Thus, the invention provides a simple means for assembling separate fuselage and wing members of a model aircraft, which can provide the strength required during launching and flight without detracting from the overall appearance or performance of the aircraft.

While only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described herein in detail, the invention is not limited thereby, and modifications may be made within the scope of the attached claims.