ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 9 -- United States Patent no. 12,491,985, issued on Dec. 9, was assigned to Overair Inc. (Santa Ana, Calif.).
"Slotted wing flaps for a VTOL aircraft" was invented by Abe Karem (N. Tustin, Calif.) and John Paul Parcell (Irvine, Calif.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "Devices and systems of the inventive concept provide an aircraft flap system is deflected to achieve minimum drag in cruise, maximum coefficient of lift (CL) at low speed, and minimum download in hover. It does so by opening a gap or slot between an aircraft's wing body and an associated trailing flap during hover flight, while providing a continuous aerodynamic contour under other conditions."
The patent was...