Aircraft trailing edge devices, including devices having forwardly positioned hinge lines, and associated mehtods

• US 20070114328A1
• Filed: 11/21/2005
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Sakurai, Seiya, Lacy, Douglas, Kordel, Jan, Huynh, Neal, Dovey, John, Balzer, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,708,231 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/34.R
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/16 at the rear of the wing
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/18 by single flaps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/30 Wing lift efficiency

Abstract

Aircraft trailing edge devices, including devices having forwardly positioned hinge lines, and associated methods are disclosed. An aircraft system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a wing and a trailing edge device coupled to the wing. The trailing edge device can be movable relative to the wing between a stowed position and a deployed position, with the trailing edge device having a leading edge, a trailing edge, an upper surface, and a lower surface. The upper surface can have an intersection point with the wing when the trailing edge device is in the stowed position. The motion of the trailing edge device relative to the wing can include rotational motion about a hinge line positioned forward of the intersection point, and a gap can be positioned between the trailing edge of the wing and the leading edge of the trailing edge device when the trailing edge device is in the deployed position.

Claims

1. An aircraft system, comprising:

a wing; and

a trailing edge device coupled to the wing, the trailing edge device being movable relative to the wing between a stowed position and a deployed position, the trailing edge device having a leading edge, a trailing edge, an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface having an intersection point with the wing when the trailing edge device is in the stowed position;

wherein

the motion of the trailing edge device relative to the wing includes rotational motion about a hinge line positioned forward of the intersection point; and

wherein

an airflow gap is positioned between a trailing edge of the wing and the leading edge of the trailing edge device when the trailing edge device is in the deployed position.

2. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein:

the trailing edge device has a chord length C between the leading and trailing edges of the trailing edge device; and

wherein

on a graph depicting locations forward and aft of the intersection point along an x-axis, and locations above and below the intersection point along a y-axis, the hinge point is positioned forward of and above a series of generally straight line segments line passing through the following coordinates;

(0.5*C, −

0.5*C), (0.1*C, −

0.2*C), (0.2*C, −

0.3*C), (0.5*C, −

0.4*C), and (1.0*C, −

0.5*C).

3. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the hinge line is a first hinge line, and wherein the wing includes a spoiler positioned forward of the trailing edge device, the spoiler being pivotable relative to the wing about a second hinge line to follow a motion of the trailing edge device both upwardly and downwardly from a neutral position, and wherein the intersection point is located at a point where the spoiler and the upper surface of the trailing edge device meet.

4. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the deployed position is a first deployed position in which the trailing edge device is deflected downwardly relative to the stowed position, and wherein the trailing edge device is movable to a second deployed position in which the trailing edge device is deflected upwardly relative to the stowed position.

5. The aircraft system of claim 4 wherein the trailing edge device is rotatable upwardly relative to the stowed position through an angle of up to 30 degrees.

6. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the trailing edge device has a device chord length, and wherein a portion of the wing overlaps the trailing edge device by 20% or less of the device chord length when the trailing edge device is in the stowed position.

7. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the trailing edge device does not include a flexible flow surface that is exposed to the freestream flow adjacent to the wing and that changes shape as the trailing edge moves from the stowed position to the deployed position.

8. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the hinge line is positioned forward of the leading edge of the trailing edge device.

9. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the hinge line is a first hinge line, and wherein the wing includes a spoiler positioned forward of the trailing edge device, the spoiler being pivotable relative to the wing about a second hinge line, and wherein the intersection point is located at a point where the spoiler and the upper surface of the trailing edge device meet.

10. The aircraft system of claim 9 wherein the spoiler is mechanically coupled to the trailing edge device to move in a coordinated fashion with the trailing edge device.

11. The aircraft system of claim 9, further comprising a door coupled to the wing proximate to a lower surface of the wing, the door being movable relative to the trailing edge device between a stowed position in which the door provides a seal between the lower surface of the wing and the leading edge of the trailing edge device, and a deployed position in which the door is spaced apart from the leading edge of the trailing edge device.

12. The aircraft system of claim 1, further comprising a door coupled to the wing proximate to a lower surface of the wing, the door being movable relative to the trailing edge device between a stowed position in which the door provides a seal between the lower surface of the wing and the leading edge of the trailing edge device, and a deployed position in which the door is spaced apart from the leading edge of the trailing edge device.

13. The aircraft system of claim 12 wherein the door is mechanically coupled to the trailing edge device to move in a coordinated fashion with the trailing edge device.

14. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the trailing edge device includes a flaperon, and wherein the system further comprises:

a flap coupled to the wing proximate to the flaperon, the flap being movable relative to the wing between a stowed position and a deployed position;

a first actuator coupled between the wing and the flaperon, the first actuator having a first maximum actuation rate; and

a second actuator coupled between the wing and the flap, the second actuator having a second maximum actuation rate that is less than the first.

15. The aircraft system of claim 1 wherein the wing includes a first wing, and wherein the system further comprises:

a second wing;

a fuselage coupled to the first and second wings; and

an empennage coupled to the fuselage.

16. An aircraft, comprising:

a fuselage;

an empennage coupled to the fuselage;

a wing; and

a trailing edge device coupled to the wing, the trailing edge device having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a generally rigid upper surface extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge, a generally rigid lower surface extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge, and a chord length C extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge between the upper and lower surfaces, the trailing edge device being movable relative to the wing between a stowed position, a first deployed position in which the trailing edge device is moved downwardly from the stowed position, and a second deployed position in which the trailing edge device is moved upwardly from the stowed position;

a spoiler positioned forward of the trailing edge device, the spoiler being pivotable relative to the wing about a second hinge line to follow a motion of the trailing edge device both upwardly and downwardly from the stowed position;

wherein

the upper surface has an intersection point with the spoiler when the trailing edge device is in the stowed position;

the motion of the trailing edge device relative to the wing includes rotational motion about a first hinge line that is positioned (a) forward of the intersection point, and (b) below the intersection point;

on a graph depicting locations forward and aft of the intersection point along an x-axis, and locations above and below the intersection point along a y-axis, the hinge point is positioned forward of and above a series of generally straight line segments line passing through the following coordinates;

(0.5*C, −

0.5*C), (0.1*C, −

0.2*C), (0.2*C, −

0.3*C), (0.5*C, −

0.4*C), and (1.0*C, −

0.5*C); and

wherein

an airflow gap is positioned between a trailing edge of the wing and a leading edge of the trailing edge device when the trailing edge device is in at least one deployed position.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the first hinge line is positioned forward of the leading edge of the trailing edge device.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the spoiler is mechanically coupled to the trailing edge device to move in a coordinated fashion with the trailing edge device, and wherein the system further comprises a cam track positioned to guide the motion of the trailing edge device.

19. A method for operating an aircraft wing, comprising:

moving a wing trailing edge device from a stowed position to a deployed position by rotating the trailing edge device about a hinge line located forward of an intersection point between the trailing edge device and an upper surface of the wing so as to open an airflow gap between the leading edge and the wing; and

allowing freestream air to pass though the gap while the trailing edge device is in the deployed position.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein rotating the trailing edge device includes rotating the trailing edge device about a hinge line located forward of a leading edge of the trailing edge device.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein moving the trailing edge device includes rotating the trailing edge device downwardly from the stowed position, and wherein the method further comprises rotating the trailing edge device upwardly from the stowed position.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising actively controlling a rolling motion of the aircraft by deflecting the trailing edge device.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising actively controlling a spanwise lift distribution over the wing by deflecting the trailing edge device.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein the trailing edge device has a device chord length, and wherein the method further comprises stowing the trailing edge device by positioning the trailing edge device with the wing overlapping the trailing edge device by 20% or less of the device chord length.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein flow surfaces of the trailing edge device exposed to the freestream flow adjacent to the wing are generally rigid, and wherein moving the trailing edge device does not include a changing a shape of the surfaces.