Trailing edge device catchers and associated systems and methods

• US 20090146016A1
• Filed: 12/11/2007
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Sakurai, Seiya, Balzer, Michael A., Kordel, Jan A., Dovey, John V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,766,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/215
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/02 Mounting or supporting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/16 at the rear of the wing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/30 Wing lift efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

Trailing edge device catchers and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A system in accordance with one embodiment includes a wing having a wing support, a trailing edge device carried by and movable relative to the wing and having a device support, and a coupling connected between the wing and the trailing edge device. The coupling can include a pivot joint that includes a pivot element aligned along a pivot axis and connected between the wing support and the device support. The coupling can further include an actuator coupled between the wing and the trailing edge device, with the actuator having a first position in which the trailing edge device is stowed, and a second position in which the trailing edge device is deployed, with an air flow gap located between the wing and the trailing edge device when the trailing edge device is in the second position. A cam track is carried by one of the wing and the trailing edge device and has opposing cam track surfaces fixed relative to each other. A cam is carried by the other of the wing and trailing edge device and is positioned within the cam track between the opposing cam track surfaces. The cam is offset from the pivot axis and during normal operation the cam can carry no load or a first load along a load path that includes the cam track, and when a decrease in support provided by at least one of the pivot element, the wing support and the device support occurs, the cam can carry a second non-zero load greater than the first load along the load path.

Claims

1. An aircraft system, comprising:

a wing having a wing support;

a trailing edge device carried by and movable relative to the wing, the trailing edge device having a device support;

a coupling connected between the wing and the trailing edge device, the coupling including;

a pivot joint that includes a pivot element aligned along a pivot axis and connected between the wing support and the device support;

an actuator coupled between the wing and the trailing edge device, the actuator having a first position in which the trailing edge device is stowed, and a second position in which the trailing edge device is deployed, with an airflow gap located between the wing and the trailing edge device when the trailing edge device is in the second position;

a cam track carried by one of the wing and the trailing edge device and having opposing cam track surfaces fixed relative to each other; and

a cam carried by the other of the wing and the trailing edge device and positioned within the cam track between the opposing cam track surfaces, the cam being offset from the pivot axis, wherein during normal operation the cam carries no load or a first load along a load path that includes the cam track, and wherein the cam carries a second non-zero load greater than the first load along the load path when a decrease in support provided by at least one of the pivot element, the wing support and the device support occurs.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the cam is positioned to contact only one of the opposing cam track surfaces at a time.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the motion of the trailing edge device relative to the wing is simple rotational motion about the pivot axis.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the cam track is a third cam track, the cam is a third cam, and the system further comprises:

first and second generally parallel, laterally offset cam tracks carried by the wing;

first and second cams carried by the trailing edge device, each engaged with a corresponding one of the first and second cam tracks, the third cam track being discontinuous with both the first and second cam tracks;

a hinge panel carried by the wing and movable relative to the wing to control the size of the airflow gap; and

first and second hinge panel links coupled between the hinge panel and a corresponding one of the first and second cams.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the first and third cam tracks are formed in a unitary cam track member.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the first and third cam tracks are aligned with each other in a streamwise direction.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the cam track forms a constant radius arc around the pivot point.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the cam track forms less than a complete circular path.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a hinge panel carried by the wing and movable relative to the wing to control the size of the airflow gap.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein an outer surface of the wing and an outer surface of the trailing edge device together form a composite outer surface contour, and wherein the pivot axis is located external to the outer surface contour.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the airflow gap changes size as the trailing edge device moves relative to the wing.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the cam includes a roller.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the cam includes a generally fixed, cylindrical-shaped element positioned to slide along the cam track surfaces.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the cam is positioned out of contact with the cam track surfaces during normal operation, and wherein the load path does not include the pivot element.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the cam track is carried by the wing and the cam is carried by the trailing edge device.

16. An aircraft system, comprising:

a wing having a wing external contour and a wing support;

a trailing edge device carried by and movable relative to the wing, the trailing edge device having a device support and a device external contour, the wing external contour and the device external contour together forming at least in part a composite contour;

a coupling connected between the wing and the trailing edge device, the coupling including;

a pivot joint that includes a pin aligned along a pivot axis and connected between the wing support and the device support, the pivot axis being located outside the composite contour;

an actuator coupled between the wing and the trailing edge device, the actuator having a first position in which the trailing edge device is stowed and a second position in which the trailing edge device is deployed, with an airflow gap located between the wing and the trailing edge device when the trailing edge device is in the deployed position;

first and second generally parallel, laterally offset cam tracks carried by the wing;

first and second cams carried by the trailing edge device, each engaged with a corresponding one of the first and second cam tracks;

a third cam track carried by the wing, the third cam track being offset from the pivot axis and being curved at a constant radius about the pivot axis; and

a third cam carried by the trailing edge device and positioned within the third cam track, the third cam being out of contact with the surfaces of the third cam track during normal operation, and being in contact with the third cam track when a decrease in support occurs for at least one of the pin, the wing bracket and the device bracket.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the third cam track includes opposing fixed surfaces between which the third cam is positioned, and wherein the third cam contacts only one of the surfaces at a time.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a rigid panel coupled to the first and second cams with cam links, wherein motion of the rigid panel changes the size of the airflow gap as the trailing edge device is moved between the stowed and deployed positions.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the first and third cam tracks are aligned with each other in a streamwise direction.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the first and third cam tracks form a unitary structural element.

21. A method for operating an aircraft system, comprising:

movably supporting a trailing edge device relative to a wing with a coupling that includes a wing support, a device support, and a pivot element pivotably coupled between the wing support and the device support, the wing having one of a cam track and a cam and the trailing edge device having the other of the cam track and the cam, the cam track having opposing fixed cam track surfaces, the cam being positioned between the cam track surfaces;

during normal operation, pivoting the trailing edge device about the pivot element while the cam carries no load or a first load along a load path that includes the cam track; and

if support provided by the coupling decreases, supporting the trailing edge device relative to the wing while the cam carries a second non-zero load greater than the first load along the load path.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising positioning the cam out of contact with opposing cam track surfaces between which the cam is positioned during normal operation, and positioning the cam in contact with one of the opposing cam track surfaces if support provided by the coupling decreases.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein positioning the cam in contact with one of the opposing cam track surfaces includes positioning the cam in contact with only one of the cam track surfaces at a time.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein pivoting the trailing edge device includes opening an airflow gap between the trailing edge device and the wing when the trailing edge device is deployed relative to the wing.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein a decrease in support provided by the coupling includes a decrease in support provided by at least one of the pivot element, the wing support and the device support.