DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MOVABLY FASTENING A VEHICLE SYSTEM TO A PRIMARY STRUCTURE OF A VEHICLE

• US 20200130808A1
• Filed: 08/29/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Sarraf, Robert Cheikh
• Granted Patent: US 11,111,004 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/24 Transmitting means
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/28 mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/44 Varying camber
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/48 by relatively-movable parts of wing structures
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/10 Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor

Abstract

A device to fasten a system to a structure of a vehicle includes a drive unit that provides rotary movement of a drive element relative to the structure. The device has first and second supporting elements. The first supporting element is rotatably coupled to the drive element via a first rotation axis, and is rotatably mounted to the structure via a second rotation axis. The second supporting element is rotatably coupled to the first supporting element, and a first connecting element, which is rotatably mounted to the structure via a third rotation axis. The first connecting element is rotatably coupled to the second supporting element via a fourth rotation axis. The second supporting element is rotatably coupled to the first supporting element via a fifth rotation axis. During movement, the first supporting element has a different rotational speed than the second supporting element.

Claims

1. A device for movably fastening a vehicle system to a primary structure of a vehicle, comprising:

a drive unit to provide a rotatory movement of a drive element with respect to the primary structure;

a first supporting element coupled in a rotary manner to the drive element via a first rotation axis;

wherein the first supporting element is mounted in a rotary manner with respect to the primary structure of the vehicle via a second rotation axis;

a second supporting element coupled in a rotary manner to the first supporting element;

a first connecting element mounted in a rotary manner with respect to the primary structure of the vehicle via a third rotation axis;

wherein the first connecting element is coupled in a rotary manner to the second supporting element via a fourth rotation axis;

wherein the second supporting element is coupled in a rotary manner to the first supporting element via a fifth rotation axis, which is spaced apart from the fourth rotation axis such that during a movement of the first supporting element about the second rotation axis, the first supporting element is movable with a rotational speed which differs from a rotational speed of the second supporting element.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle system is an aircraft system, which has a trailing-edge flap system of an airfoil of an aircraft.

3. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first trailing-edge flap segment, which is fixed to the first supporting element and is movable together with the first supporting element; and

a second trailing-edge flap segment, which is fixed to the second supporting element and is movable together with the second supporting element.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit has a piston engine to bring about the rotary movement of the drive element with respect to the primary structure.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first connecting element has a first actuator to change the length of the first connecting element to adapt the rotational speed of the first supporting element with respect to the rotational speed of the second supporting element.

6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a third supporting element coupled in a rotary manner to the second supporting element;

a second connecting element mounted in a rotary manner with respect to the first supporting element via a sixth rotation axis;

wherein the second connecting element is coupled in a rotary manner to the third supporting element via a seventh rotation axis;

wherein the third supporting element is coupled in a rotary manner to the second supporting element via an eighth rotation axis, which is spaced apart from the seventh rotation axis such that during a movement of the second supporting element about the fifth rotation axis, the second supporting element is movable with a rotational speed which differs from a rotational speed of the third supporting element.

7. The device according to claim 6, further comprising a third trailing-edge flap segment fixed to the third supporting element and movable together with the third supporting element.

8. The device according to claim 6, wherein the first supporting element has a first longitudinal extent direction, along which the second rotation axis is spaced apart from the fifth rotation axis.

9. The device according to claim 6, wherein the second supporting element has a second longitudinal extent direction, along which the fifth rotation axis is spaced apart from the eighth rotation axis.

10. The device according to claim 6, wherein:

the first supporting element has a first longitudinal extent direction, along which the second rotation axis is spaced apart from the fifth rotation axis; and

the second supporting element has a second longitudinal extent direction, along which the fifth rotation axis is spaced apart from the eighth rotation axis.

11. The device according to claim 6, wherein the second connecting element has a second actuator to change the length of the second connecting element to adapt the rotational speed of the second supporting element with respect to the rotational speed of the third supporting element.

12. Use of a device according to claim 1 for fastening a trailing-edge flap system of an airfoil of an aircraft to a primary structure of the aircraft.

13. A method for movably fastening a vehicle system to a primary structure of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

providing a rotary fastening of a drive element with respect to the primary structure of the vehicle;

coupling a first supporting element to the drive element in a rotary manner via a first rotation axis;

mounting the first supporting element in a rotary manner with respect to the primary structure of the vehicle via a second rotation axis;

coupling a second supporting element to the first supporting element in a rotary manner;

mounting a first connecting element in a rotary manner with respect to the primary structure of the vehicle via a third rotation axis;

coupling the first connecting element to the second supporting element in a rotary manner via a fourth rotation axis;

coupling the second supporting element to the first supporting element in a rotary manner via a fifth rotation axis, which is spaced apart from the fourth rotation axis, such that during a movement of the first supporting element about the second rotation axis, the first supporting element is movable with a rotational speed which differs from a rotational speed of the second supporting element.