Leading edge flap apparatuses and associated methods
First Claim
1. An aircraft system, comprising:
- an airfoil having a leading edge, a lower surface, and a chord line; and
a leading edge device having a first flow surface and a second flow surface, the first flow surface being coupled to the airfoil and the second flow surface being coupled to the first flow surface, the leading edge device being movable along a motion path among;
a retracted position;
an extended position; and
an intermediate position with the first flow surface at least approximately perpendicular to the chord line of the airfoil, and wherein the motion path has;
a first segment between the retracted position and the intermediate position along which the second flow surface is positioned at least one of generally behind and generally above the first flow surface; and
a second segment between the extended position and the intermediate position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed generally toward leading edge flap apparatuses and corresponding methods. One aspect of the invention is directed toward an aircraft system having an airfoil, an actuator driver, and a leading edge device with two flow surfaces and six links. In a further aspect of the invention, the flow surfaces of the leading edge device are at least approximately located in the same position when the actuator driver is in two different positions. Another aspect of the invention is directed toward an aircraft system having an airfoil and a leading edge device movable between at least a retracted position and an extended position along a motion path having two segments. The second flow surface can be positioned generally behind and/or generally above the first flow surface when the first and second flow surfaces are located in the first segment of the motion path.
127 Citations
40 Claims
-
1. An aircraft system, comprising:
-
an airfoil having a leading edge, a lower surface, and a chord line; and
a leading edge device having a first flow surface and a second flow surface, the first flow surface being coupled to the airfoil and the second flow surface being coupled to the first flow surface, the leading edge device being movable along a motion path among;
a retracted position;
an extended position; and
an intermediate position with the first flow surface at least approximately perpendicular to the chord line of the airfoil, and wherein the motion path has;
a first segment between the retracted position and the intermediate position along which the second flow surface is positioned at least one of generally behind and generally above the first flow surface; and
a second segment between the extended position and the intermediate position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. An aircraft system, comprising:
-
an airfoil;
an actuator driver coupled to the airfoil; and
a leading edge device having;
a first flow surface coupled to the airfoil;
a second flow surface coupled to the first flow surface;
a first link being pivotally coupled to the actuator driver;
a second link being pivotally coupled to the airfoil and to the first link;
a third link being pivotally coupled to the second link and to the first flow surface;
a fourth link being pivotally coupled to the airfoil;
a fifth link being pivotally coupled to the fourth link and to the first flow surface, and wherein;
(a) the second link is coupled to both the first link and the third link at a first common point;
or(b) both the third link and the fifth link are pivotally coupled to the first flow surface at a second common point;
orboth (a) and (b); and
a sixth link being coupled to the fifth link and the second flow surface. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method for making an aircraft system, comprising:
-
coupling a first flow surface and a second flow surface;
providing first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth links;
pivotally coupling the first link to the second link;
pivotally coupling the fourth link to the fifth link;
pivotally coupling the fifth link to the first flow surface, and;
(a) pivotally coupling the second link to both the first link and the third link at a first common point;
or(b) pivotally coupling both the third link and the fifth link to the first flow surface at a second common point;
orboth (a) and (b);
pivotally coupling the sixth link to the fifth link; and
pivotally coupling the sixth link to the second flow surface. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. A method of making an aircraft system, comprising:
-
configuring a leading edge device to be couplable to an airfoil, the airfoil having a leading edge, a lower surface, and a chord line, the leading edge device having a first flow surface and a second flow surface; and
configuring the leading edge device to be movable along a motion path among;
a retracted position;
an extended position; and
an intermediate portion with the first flow surface at least approximately perpendicular to the chord line of the airfoil, and wherein the motion path has;
a first segment between the retracted position and the intermediate position along which the second flow surface is positioned at least one of generally behind and generally above the first flow surface; and
a second segment between the extended position and the intermediate position. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
- 34. A method for configuring an aircraft for various phases of flight, comprising moving a leading edge device from a stationary retraced position to a stationary extended position, the leading edge device being coupled to an airfoil and having a first and second flow surface, and wherein the second flow surface remains positioned at least one of generally behind and generally above the first flow surface while moving from the retracted to the extended position until the first flow surface passes through an intermediate position where the first flow surface is at least approximately perpendicular to a chord line of the airfoil.
-
36. An aircraft system, comprising:
-
an airfoil having a leading edge, a lower surface, and a chord line; and
leading edge means for forming a retractable extension of the leading edge of the airfoil, the leading edge means having a first flow surface and a second flow surface, the leading edge means coupled to the airfoil and movable along a motion path among;
a retracted position;
an extended position, and an intermediate position with the first flow surface at least approximately perpendicular to the chord line of the airfoil, and wherein the motion path has;
a first segment between the retracted position and the intermediate position along which the second flow surface is positioned at least one of generally behind and generally above the first flow surface; and
a second segment between the extended position and the intermediate position. - View Dependent Claims (37)
-
-
38. An aircraft system, comprising:
-
an airfoil;
an actuator driver coupled to the airfoil, leading edge means for forming a retractable extension of the leading edge of the airfoil, the leading edge means having;
a first flow surface coupled to the airfoil;
a second flow surface coupled to the first flow surface;
a first link being pivotally coupled to the actuator driver;
a second link being pivotally coupled to the airfoil and to the first link;
a third link being pivotally coupled to the second link and to the first flow surface;
a fourth link being pivotally coupled to the airfoil;
a fifth link being pivotally coupled to the fourth link and to the first flow surface, and wherein;
(a) the second link is coupled to both the first link and the third link at a first common point;
or(b) both the third link and the fifth link are pivotally coupled to the first flow surface at a second common point;
orboth (a) and (b); and
a sixth link being coupled to the fifth link and the second flow surface. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
-
Specification