Aerospace vehicle fairing systems and associated methods

• US 20060261217A1
• Filed: 05/20/2005
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Voogt, Nicolaas
• Granted Patent: US 7,300,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/216
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 7/00 Structures or fairings not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/16 at the rear of the wing
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/22 at the front of the wing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/30 Wing lift efficiency

Abstract

Aerospace vehicle fairing systems and associated methods, including fairings that house flap surface drive mechanisms on aircraft, are disclosed herein. One aspect of the invention is directed toward a fairing system that includes a fairing mounted to an airfoil. The fairing can have a longitudinal axis and a fairing section extending along the longitudinal axis forward and aft of a trailing edge portion of an airfoil section. In one embodiment of the invention, the fairing section can have a wide portion located aft of the airfoil section with a single spanwise width that is greater than or equal to a spanwise width of any other portion of the fairing section. In another embodiment of the invention the fairing section can have a first side and a second side, each with a point of maximum curvature. At least one point of maximum curvature can be located aft of the airfoil section.

Claims

1. A fairing system, comprising:

an airfoil having a trailing edge and an airfoil section with a trailing edge portion; and

a fairing mounted to the airfoil section, the fairing having a longitudinal axis and a fairing section extending along the longitudinal axis forward and aft of the trailing edge portion of the airfoil section, with the airfoil section corresponding to a planform projection of a segment of the fairing sections on the airfoil, the fairing section having a wide portion, at least part of the wide portion of the fairing section being located aft of the airfoil section, the wide portion of the fairing section having a single spanwise width measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fairing that is greater than or equal to a spanwise width of any other portion of the fairing section.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the airfoil includes a wing with a flap surface, the wing being coupled to a fuselage of an aircraft; and

the fairing includes a flap fairing that houses a least a portion of a drive mechanism for the flap surface, the flap surface being movable from a retracted position to at least one position extended.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the airfoil includes an airfoil couplable to an aerospace vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the airfoil includes one or more adjacent trailing edge points, the one or more adjacent trailing edge points being located on the trailing edge of the airfoil and immediately adjacent to the fairing; and

at least part of the wide portion of the fairing section is located aft of at least one of the one or more adjacent trailing edge points.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein at least a part of the trailing edge portion of the airfoil section is movable between at least two positions and wherein the wide portion of the fairing section is located aft of the airfoil section when the at least a part of the trailing edge portion is in a selected position.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the entire wide portion of the fairing section is located aft of the airfoil section.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the fairing houses at least a portion of a drive mechanism.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the fairing section includes a first side and a second side, each side being laterally displaced from the longitudinal axis, each side having a point of maximum curvature, the point of maximum curvature for at least one of the first and second sides being located aft of the airfoil section.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the fairing section includes at least one of multiple pieces and the entire fairing.

10. A fairing system, comprising:

an airfoil having trailing edge and an airfoil section with a trailing edge portion; and

a fairing mounted to the airfoil section, the fairing having a longitudinal axis and a fairing section extending along the longitudinal axis forward and aft of the trailing edge portion of the airfoil section, with the airfoil section corresponding to a planform projection of a segment of the fairing section on the airfoil, the fairing section having a first side and a second side, each side being laterally displaced from the longitudinal axis, each side having a point of maximum curvature, the point of maximum curvature for at least one of the first and second sides being located aft of the airfoil section.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein:

the airfoil includes a wing with a flap surface, the wing being coupled to a fuselage of an aircraft; and

the fairing includes a flap fairing being configured to house a least a portion of a drive mechanism for the flap surface, the flap surface being from a retracted position movable to at least one extended position.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the airfoil includes an airfoil couplable to an aerospace vehicle.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein both the point of maximum curvature of the first side and the point of maximum curvature of the second side are located aft of the airfoil section.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein at least a part of the trailing edge portion of the airfoil section is movable between at least two positions and wherein the point of maximum curvature for the at least one of the first and second sides is located aft of the airfoil section when the at least a part of the trailing edge portion is in a selected position.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein:

the airfoil includes one or more adjacent trailing edge points, the one or more adjacent trailing edge points being located on the trailing edge of the airfoil and immediately adjacent to the fairing; and

the point of maximum curvature for at least one of the first and second sides being located aft of at least one of the one or more adjacent trailing edge points.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the fairing houses at least a portion of a drive mechanism.

17. A method for making a fairing system, comprising:

locating a fairing proximate to an airfoil, the airfoil having a trailing edge and an airfoil section with a trailing edge portion, a section of the fairing extending along a longitudinal axis of the fairing forward and aft of the trailing edge portion of the airfoil section, the airfoil section corresponding to a planform projection of a segment of the faring section on the airfoil;

mounting the fairing to the airfoil so that;

(a) at least part of a wide portion of the fairing section is located aft of the airfoil section, the wide portion of the fairing section having a single spanwise width measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fairing that is greater than or equal to a spanwise width of any other portion of the fairing section;

(b) a point of maximum curvature for at least one of a first side and a second sides is located aft of the airfoil section, the first side and the second side each being laterally displaced from the longitudinal axis;

or

(c) both (a) and (b).

18. The method of claim 17 wherein mounting the fairing to the airfoil, includes mounting a flap fairing to a wing having a movable flap surface, the flap fairing housing at least a portion of a drive mechanism for the flap surface, the wing being coupled to a fuselage of an aircraft.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein mounting the fairing to the airfoil includes mounting a fairing to an airfoil that is couplable to an aerospace vehicle.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein mounting the fairing to the airfoil includes mounting the fairing to the airfoil so that both the point of maximum curvature of the first side and the point of maximum curvature of the second side are located aft of the airfoil section.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein mounting the fairing to the airfoil includes mounting a fairing to an airfoil, wherein at least part of the trailing edge portion is movable between at least two positions, the movable part of the trailing edge portion being positioned in a selected position.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein mounting the fairing to the airfoil includes mounting a fairing to an airfoil so that the entire wide portion of the fairing section is located aft of the airfoil section.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein mounting the fairing to the airfoil includes mounting a fairing that is configured to house at least a portion of a drive mechanism.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein:

locating the fairing proximate to the airfoil includes locating the fairing proximate to the airfoil so that there are one or more adjacent trailing edge points, the one or more adjacent trailing edge points being located on the trailing edge of the airfoil and immediately adjacent to the fairing;

mounting the fairing to the airfoil includes mounting the fairing to the airfoil so that;

(a) at least part of the wide portion of the fairing section is located aft of at least one of the one or more adjacent trailing edge points;

(b) the point of maximum curvature for at least one of the first and second sides being located aft of at least one of the one or more adjacent trailing edge points;

or

(c) both (a) and (b).

25. The method of claim 17 wherein mounting the fairing to the airfoil includes mounting a second fairing to the airfoil, and wherein the method further comprises removing a first fairing from the airfoil.