WING UNIT, IN PARTICULAR SPAR BOX, FOR FORMING AERODYNAMICALLY ACTIVE SURFACES OF AN AIRCRAFT, IN PARTICULAR AIRFOILS, HORIZONTAL TAIL UNITS OR RUDDER UNITS OF A PLANE

• US 20100006708A1
• Filed: 09/16/2009
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Law, Barnaby
• Granted Patent: US 7,909,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/219
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2003/142 with variable camber along the airfoil chord
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/18 Spars; Ribs; Stringers
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/42 Adjusting about chordwise axes
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/44 Varying camber
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/52 Warping
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/10 Drag reduction

Abstract

The invention relates to a wing unit, in particular a spar box for forming aerodynamically active surfaces of an aircraft, in particular airfoils, horizontal tail units, or rudder units of a plane.

Aerodynamic improvements can be obtained due to a surface geometry of the aerodynamically active surfaces, which surface geometry is adapted to the respective operating state of the plane by using the actuating members and/or weight savings due to minimizing of structural mechanical loads of the wing unit.

Claims

1. A wing unit, in particular a spar box, for forming an aerodynamically active surface of an aircraft, in particular airfoils, horizontal tail units, or rudder units of a plane, comprising:

an upper shell and a lower shell, the upper shell and the lower shell forming the aerodynamically active surface;

a rib arranged between the upper shell and the lower shell; and

at least one actuating member arranged substantially parallel to the rib in the region between the upper shell and the lower shell;

wherein in a region between the upper shell and the lower shell the at least one actuating member is arranged for modifying the surface geometry of the aerodynamically active surface and/or the mechanical properties of the wing unit.

2. The wing unit according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one actuating member is adapted in such a way that at least one of a surface geometry of an aerodynamically active surface and a bending/torsion coupling of the wing unit is changeable by using a control and regulation device, depending on loading states prevailing in the wing unit.

3. The wing unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one spar,

wherein the at least one spar is arranged between the upper shell and the lower shell, and

wherein the at least one spar may be designed to be shear flexible in the region of the at least one actuating member.

4. The wing unit according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one rib is designed to be transverse force flexible in the region of the at least one actuating member.

5. The wing unit according to claim 1,

wherein a length of the at least one actuating member is variable by a control and regulation device.

6. The wing unit according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one actuating member comprises at least one actuator,

wherein the at least one actuator is adapted to vary a length of the at least one actuating member.

7. The wing unit according to claim 6,

wherein the at least one actuator is formed with at least one piezoelectric element, in particular piezoelectric stacks, piezoelectric plates, piezoelectric filaments, or with at least one shape memory element,

wherein the at least one piezoelectric element is adapted in such a way that it is operateable through control signals generated by a control and regulation device.

8. The wing unit according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one actuating member comprises at least one sensor,

wherein the at least one sensor is adapted to detect loading states in the at least one actuating member or a length variation of the at least one actuating member.

9. The wing unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of spars;

a plurality of ribs; and

at least one sensor,

wherein the at least one sensor is arranged in a region of the upper shell, the lower shell, the plurality of spars, as well as the plurality of ribs,

wherein the at least one sensor is adapted to detect at least one loading state or at least one length variation in the region of the upper shell, the lower shell, of at least one of the plurality of spars, as well as of at least one of the plurality of ribs.

10. The wing unit according to claim 9,

wherein the at least one sensor is formed with at least one piezoelectric element, in particular piezoelectric stacks, piezoelectric plates, piezoelectric filaments, strain gauges, or the like.

11. A wing unit, in particular a spar box, for forming an aerodynamically active surface of an aircraft, in particular airfoils, horizontal tail units, or rudder units of a plane, comprising:

an upper shell and a lower shell, the upper shell and the lower shell forming the aerodynamically active surface;

at least one rib arranged between the upper shell and the lower shell;

at least two actuating members arranged crosswise to each other substantially in parallel to the at least one rib for forming a tension shear field; and

wherein in a region between the upper shell and the lower shells one of the at least two actuating members is arranged for modifying the surface geometry of the aerodynamically active surface and/or the mechanical properties of the wing unit.

12. The wing unit according to claim 11,

wherein the at least two actuating members are adapted in such a way that at least one of a surface geometry of an aerodynamically active surface and a bending/torsion coupling of the wing unit is changeable by using a control and regulation device, depending on loading states prevailing in the wing unit.

13. The wing unit according to claim 11, further comprising:

at least one spar,

wherein the at least one spar is arranged between the upper shell and the lower shell, and

wherein the at least one spar may be designed to be shear flexible in the region of the at least one actuating member.

14. The wing unit according to claim 11,

wherein the at least one rib is designed to be transverse force flexible in the region of the at least one actuating member.

15. The wing unit according to claim 11,

wherein a length of the at least one actuating member is variable by a control and regulation device.

16. The wing unit according to claim 11,

wherein the at least one actuating member comprises at least one actuator,

wherein the at least one actuator is adapted to vary a length of the at least one actuating member.

17. The wing unit according to claim 16,

wherein the at least one actuator is formed with at least one piezoelectric element, in particular piezoelectric stacks, piezoelectric plates, piezoelectric filaments or with at least one shape memory element,

wherein the at least one piezoelectric element is adapted in such a way that it is operateable through control signals generated by a control and regulation device.

18. The wing unit according to claim 11,

wherein the at least one actuating member comprises at least one sensor,

wherein the at least one sensor is adapted to detect loading states in the at least one actuating member or a length variation of the at least one actuating member.

19. The wing unit according to claim 11, further comprising:

a plurality of spars;

a plurality of ribs; and

at least one sensor,

wherein the at least one sensor is arranged in a region of the upper shell, the lower shell, the plurality of spars, as well as the plurality of ribs,

wherein the at least one sensor is adapted to detect at least one loading state or at least one length variation in the region of the upper shell, the lower shell, of at least one of the plurality of spars, as well as of at least one of the plurality of ribs.

20. The wing unit according to claim 19,

wherein the at least one sensor is formed with at least one piezoelectric element, in particular piezoelectric stacks, piezoelectric plates, piezoelectric filaments, strain gauges, or the like.