Aircraft leading edge apparatuses and corresponding methods
First Claim
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1. An aircraft system, comprising:
- an airfoil;
a leading edge device having a flow surface, a first link coupled between the airfoil and the flow surface to move the flow surface relative to the air foil, and a second link coupled to the first link, the first link having a pin, the second link having an elongated slot in which the pin is received to pivotally couple the first link to the second link and to permit the second link to translate relative to the first link, the second link being coupled to the flow surface to move the flow surface relative to the first link and relative to the airfoil;
a first actuator coupled to the first link to move the first link relative to the airfoil; and
a second actuator coupled between the first and second links to move at least one link relative to the other.
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Abstract
Aircraft and leading edge apparatuses and corresponding methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, an aircraft system includes an airfoil with a leading edge device that is movable among a retracted position, at least one first extended position, and a second extended position. A first actuator can be operatively coupled to the leading edge device to move the flow surface between the retracted and the at least one first extended position. A second actuator can be operatively coupled to the leading edge device to move the flow surface between the at least one first extended position and the second extended position.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. An aircraft system, comprising:
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an airfoil; a leading edge device having a flow surface, a first link coupled between the airfoil and the flow surface to move the flow surface relative to the air foil, and a second link coupled to the first link, the first link having a pin, the second link having an elongated slot in which the pin is received to pivotally couple the first link to the second link and to permit the second link to translate relative to the first link, the second link being coupled to the flow surface to move the flow surface relative to the first link and relative to the airfoil; a first actuator coupled to the first link to move the first link relative to the airfoil; and a second actuator coupled between the first and second links to move at least one link relative to the other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An aircraft system, comprising:
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an airfoil having a leading edge and a lower surface; a leading edge device coupled to the airfoil, the leading edge device including a flow surface having a trailing edge, the leading edge device being movable among; a retracted position wherein the flow surface is positioned generally behind the leading edge of the airfoil to form a portion of the lower surface of the airfoil; at least one first extended position wherein at least a portion of the flow surface is positioned forward of the leading edge of the airfoil to form an extension of the leading edge with a first distance between the trailing edge of the flow surface and the leading edge of the airfoil; and a second extended position wherein at least a portion of the flow surface is positioned forward of the leading edge of the airfoil to form an extension of the leading edge with no distance or a second distance between the trailing edge of the flow surface and the leading edge of the airfoil, the second distance being smaller than the first distance; a first actuator operatively coupled to the leading edge device to move the leading edge device between the retracted position and the at least one first extended position; and a second actuator operatively coupled to the leading edge device to move the leading edge device between the at least one first extended position and the second extended position. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An aircraft system, comprising:
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an airfoil having a leading edge, a lower surface, and multiple attachment points, the airfoil being configured to be operatively coupled to a first leading edge device at the multiple attachment points, the first leading edge device having a first flow surface and a first number of extended positions; a second leading edge device coupled to the airfoil at the multiple attachment points, the second leading edge device having a second flow surface with a trailing edge and a second number of extended positions, the second number of extended positions being greater than the first number of extended positions, wherein the second leading edge device is movable among; a retracted position wherein the second flow surface is positioned generally behind the leading edge of the airfoil to form a portion of the lower surface of the airfoil; at least one first extended position wherein at least a portion of the second flow surface is positioned forward of the leading edge of the airfoil to form an extension of the leading edge with a first distance between the trailing edge of the second flow surface and the leading edge of the airfoil; and a second extended position wherein at least a portion of the second flow surface is positioned forward of the leading edge of the airfoil to form an extension of the leading edge with no distance or a second distance between the trailing edge of the second flow surface and the leading edge of the airfoil, the second distance smaller than the first distance; and
wherein the system further comprises;a first actuator operatively coupled to the second leading edge device to move the second leading edge device surface between the retracted position and the at least one first extended position; and a second actuator operatively coupled to the second leading edge device to move the second leading edge device between the at least one first extended position and the second extended position. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An aircraft system, comprising:
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an airfoil having a leading edge and a lower surface; a leading edge device coupled to the airfoil, the leading edge device including; a flow surface having a trailing edge; a drive arm, the drive arm being coupled to the flow surface and configured to rotate the flow surface generally forward and downward from the retracted position, the drive arm having a pin; a scissors link, the scissors link having a slot in which the pin is received to pivotally couple the drive arm and the scissors link and to permit the scissors link to translate relative to the drive arm, the scissors link being coupled to the flow surface to move the flow surface relative to the drive arm; and
wherein the leading edge device is movable among;a retracted position wherein the flow surface is positioned generally behind the leading edge of the airfoil to form a portion of the lower surface of the airfoil; at least one first extended position wherein at least a portion of the flow surface is positioned to form an extension of the leading edge with a first distance between the trailing edge of the flow surface and the leading edge of the airfoil; and a second extended position wherein at least a portion of the flow surface is positioned to form an extension of the leading edge with no distance or a second distance between the trailing edge of the flow surface and the leading edge of the airfoil, the second distance being smaller than the first distance; a first actuator operatively coupled to the drive arm to move the leading edge device between the retracted position and the at least one first extended position; and a second actuator operatively coupled to the scissors link and the drive arm to translate the scissors link and move the leading edge device between the at least one first extended position and the second extended position. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An aircraft system, comprising:
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an airfoil having a leading edge and a lower surface; leading edge extension means for extending the leading edge, the leading edge extension means having a flow surface with a trailing edge, the leading edge extension means being movable among; a retracted position wherein the flow surface is positioned generally behind the leading edge of the airfoil to form a portion of the lower surface of the airfoil; at least one first extended position wherein at least a portion of the flow surface is positioned forward of the leading edge of the airfoil to form an extension of the leading edge with a first distance between the trailing edge of the flow surface and the leading edge of the airfoil; and a second extended position wherein at least a portion of the flow surface is positioned forward of the leading edge of the airfoil to form an extension of the leading edge with no distance or a second distance between the trailing edge of the flow surface and the leading edge of the airfoil, the second distance being smaller than the first distance; first actuator means for moving the leading edge extension means between the retracted position and the at least one first extended position; and second actuator means for moving the leading edge extension means between the at least one first extended position and the second extended position. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for making an aircraft system, comprising:
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providing an airfoil; installing a leading edge device having a flow surface on the airfoil, the leading edge device having a first link coupled between the airfoil and the flow surface to move the flow surface relative to the air foil and a second link coupled to the first link, the first link having a pin, the second link having an elongated slot in which the pin is received to pivotally couple the first link to the second link and to permit the second link to translate relative to the first link, the second link being coupled to the flow surface to move the flow surface relative to the first link and relative to the airfoil; operatively coupling a first actuator to the first link to move the first link relative to the airfoil; and operatively coupling a second actuator between the first and second links to move at least one link relative to the other. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. A method for making an aircraft system, comprising:
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providing an airfoil having a leading edge and a lower surface; installing the leading edge device on the airfoil, the leading edge device including a flow surface and a trailing edge, the leading edge device being movable among; a retracted position wherein the flow surface is positioned generally behind the leading edge of the airfoil to form a portion of the lower surface of the airfoil; at least one first extended position wherein at least a portion of the flow surface is positioned forward of the leading edge of the airfoil to form an extension of the leading edge with a first distance between the trailing edge of the flow surface and the leading edge of the airfoil; and a second extended position wherein at least a portion of the flow surface is positioned forward of the leading edge of the airfoil to form an extension of the leading edge with no distance or a second distance between the trailing edge of the flow surface and the leading edge of the airfoil, the second distance being smaller than the first distance; operatively coupling a first actuator to the leading edge device to move the leading edge device between the retracted position and the at least one first extended position; and operatively coupling a second actuator to the leading edge device to move the leading edge device between the at least one first extended position and the second extended position. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for making an aircraft system, comprising:
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providing an airfoil having a leading edge, a lower surface, and multiple attachment points, the airfoil being operatively couplable to a first leading edge device at the multiple attachment points, the first leading edge device having a first number of extended positions; and operatively coupling a second leading edge device to the airfoil via the attachment points, the second leading edge device having a second number of extended positions, the second number of extended positions being greater than the first number of extended positions, wherein the second leading edge device is movable among; a retracted position wherein a flow surface of the second leading edge device is positioned generally behind the leading edge of the airfoil to form a portion of the lower surface of the airfoil; at least one first extended position wherein at least a portion of the flow surface is positioned forward of the leading edge of the airfoil to form an extension of the leading edge with a first distance between a trailing edge of the flow surface and the leading edge of the airfoil; and a second extended position wherein at least a portion of the flow surface is positioned forward of the leading edge of the airfoil to form an extension of the leading edge with no distance or a second distance between the trailing edge of the flow surface and the leading edge of the airfoil, the second distance being smaller than the first distance; and
wherein the method further comprises;operatively coupling a first actuator to the second leading edge device to move the second leading edge device surface between the retracted position and the at least one first extended position; and operatively coupling a second actuator to the second leading edge device to move the second leading edge device between the at least one first extended position and the second extended position. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method for configuring an aircraft for various phases of flight, comprising:
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activating a first actuator to move a leading edge device from a retracted position wherein a flow surface of the device forms a portion of a lower surface of an airfoil to at least one first extended position wherein at least a portion of the flow surface is positioned forward of the leading edge of the airfoil to form an extension of a leading edge of the airfoil with a first distance between a trailing edge of the flow surface and the leading edge of the airfoil; and activating a second actuator to move the leading edge device to a second extended position wherein at least a portion of the flow surface is positioned forward of the leading edge of the airfoil to form an extension of the leading edge with no distance or a second distance between the trailing edge of the flow surface and the leading edge of the airfoil, the second distance being smaller than the first distance. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48)
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Specification