Aerospace vehicle flow body systems and associated methods

• US 7,500,641 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2005
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Stephenson, Martin F., Finnila, James E., Sakurai, Seiya
• Primary Examiner(s): Mansen; Michael R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sanderson; Joseph W
• Application Number:
  US11/200,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20070034748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 244213-217
• US Class Current: 244/215
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/16 at the rear of the wing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/30 Wing lift efficiency

Abstract

Flow body systems and associated methods, including aerospace vehicle control surface systems are disclosed herein. One aspect of the invention is directed toward an aerospace vehicle system that includes a first flow body that can be coupleable to an aerospace vehicle. The system can further included a second flow body that includes a chord line and can be rotatably coupled to the first flow body at a hinge point positioned away from the chord line. The hinge point can have a hinge axis. The hinge line can extend through the hinge point, but being nonparallel with the hinge axis. The system can still further include at least one self-aligning mechanism coupled between the first flow body and the second flow body. The at least one self-aligning mechanism can be positioned to allow the second flow body to rotate about the hinge line and the hinge axis.

Claims

1. An aerospace vehicle system, comprising:

a first flow body coupleable to an aerospace vehicle;

a second flow body having a first portion rigidly connected to a second portion, the second portion of the second flow body being laterally disposed from the first portion of the second flow body, the first portion having a first chord line and being rotatably coupled to the first flow body at a first hinge point positioned away from the first chord line, the first hinge point having a first hinge axis, the second portion having a second chord line and being rotatably coupled to the first flow body at a second hinge point positioned away from the second chord line, the second hinge point having a second hinge axis, the second flow body being rotatable about a hinge line between a stowed position and a deployed position, the hinge line being positioned to be swept relative to a longitudinal axis of the aerospace vehicle when the first flow body is coupled to the aerospace vehicle, the hinge line being nonparallel with the first hinge axis; and

at least one self-aligning mechanism coupled between the first flow body and the second flow body at the first hinge point, the at least one self-aligning mechanism including a non-cylindrical interface between a first surface connected to the first flow body and a second surface connected to the second flow body, at least one of the first and second surfaces being rotatable relative to the other to allow the second flow body to rotate about the hinge line and the first and second hinge axes along a generally conical motion path between the stowed position and the deployed position.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first flow body includes an airfoil section, the second flow body includes a flap section, and the at least one self-aligning mechanism includes a first self-aligning mechanism, a second self-aligning mechanism, and a third self-aligning mechanism, and wherein the system further comprises:

a drive device having a first portion and a second portion movable relative to the first portion of the drive device, the first portion of the drive device being coupled to the airfoil section and the second portion of the drive device being coupled to the flap section, the drive device being positioned so that the first and second portions of the drive device move relative to one another in a plane having an axis that runs at least approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aerospace vehicle when the airfoil section is coupled to the aerospace vehicle;

a support having a first portion coupled to the airfoil section and a second portion;

a first link having a first portion and second portion, the first portion of the first link being coupled to the first portion of the flap section via the first self-aligning mechanism; and

a second link having a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, the first portion of the second link being coupled to the second portion of the first link and the second portion of the support via the second self-aligning mechanism, the second self-aligning mechanism being positioned to create at least a portion of the first hinge point, the second portion of the second link being coupled to the first portion of the flap section via the third self-aligning mechanism, the third portion of the second link being coupled to the second portion of the drive device.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first flow body includes an airfoil section, the second flow body includes a flap section, and the at least one self-aligning mechanism includes a first self-aligning mechanism, a second self-aligning mechanism, and a third self-aligning mechanism, and wherein the system further comprises:

a drive device coupled between the airfoil section and the first portion of the flap section, the drive device being positioned to rotate the flap section relative to the airfoil section;

a first link having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the first link being coupled to a first portion of the flap section via the first self-aligning mechanism; and

a second link having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the second link being coupled to the second portion of the first link and to the airfoil section via the second self-aligning mechanism, the second portion of the second link being coupled to the first portion of the flap section via the third self-aligning mechanism, the second self-aligning mechanism being positioned to create at least a portion of the first hinge point.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first flow body is coupled to the aerospace vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the hinge line is nonparallel with the second hinge axis.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the second flow body follows a first curvilinear path and the second portion of the second flow body follows a second curvilinear path as the second flow body is rotated between the stowed and deployed positions, the first curvilinear path being (a) longer than the second curvilinear path, and (b) having a different radius of curvature than the second curvilinear path.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one self-aligning mechanism includes at least one first self-aligning mechanism coupled between the first portion and the first flow body and at least one second self-aligning mechanism between the second portion and the first flow body.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the first flow body includes a trailing edge with a cutout between a first edge of the first flow body and a second edge of the first flow body, the first edge of the first flow body being laterally disposed from the second edge of the first flow body;

the second flow body includes a first edge and a second edge laterally disposed from the first edge of the second flow body, the second flow body being positioned in the cutout of the first flow body with the first edge of the second flow body being spaced apart from the first edge of the first flow body by a first lateral distance and the second edge of the second flow body being spaced apart from the second edge of the first flow body by a second lateral distance, the first and second lateral distances remaining at least approximately unchanged as the second flow body rotates between the first and second positions.

9. An aerospace vehicle system, comprising:

a first flow body that includes a wing connected to an aerospace vehicle;

a second flow body that includes a flap having a chord line and being rotatably coupled to the first flow body at two hinge points positioned away from the chord line, each hinge point having a hinge axis, the second flow body being rotatable about a hinge line between a first position and a second position, the hinge line extending through the hinge points, but being nonparallel with the hinge axes; and

at least one self-aligning mechanism coupled between the first flow body and the second flow body at each of the two hinge points, the at least one self-aligning mechanism including a non-cylindrical interface between a first surface connected to the first flow body and a second surface connected to the second flow body, at least one of the first and second surfaces being rotatable relative to the other as the second flow body rotates about the hinge line and the hinge axes along a generally conical motion path between the first position and the second position.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the at least one self-aligning mechanism includes a first self-aligning mechanism, a second self-aligning mechanism, and a third self-aligning mechanism, and wherein the system further comprises:

a drive device coupled between the wing and the flap, the drive device being positioned to rotate the flap between the first position and the second position;

a first link having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the first link being coupled to the flap via the first self-aligning mechanism; and

a second link having a first portion, and a second portion, the first portion of the second link being coupled to the second portion of the first link and to the wing via the second self-aligning mechanism, the second portion of the second link being coupled to the flap via the third self-aligning mechanism.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the at least one self-aligning mechanism includes at least one self-aligning joint.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the interface includes a generally spherical interface.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising a drive device coupled between the first and second flow bodies to rotate the second flow body relative to the first flow body.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein:

the first flow body includes a trailing edge with a cutout between a first edge of the first flow body and a second edge of the first flow body, the first edge of the first flow body being laterally disposed from the second edge of the first flow body;

the second flow body includes a first edge and a second edge laterally disposed from the first edge of the second flow body, the second flow body being positioned in the cutout of the first flow body with the first edge of the second flow body being spaced apart from the first edge of the first flow body by a first lateral distance and the second edge of the second flow body being spaced apart from the second edge of the first flow body by a second lateral distance, the first and second lateral distances remaining at least approximately unchanged as the second flow body rotates between the first and second positions.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the second flow body includes a first portion and a second portion laterally disposed from the first portion, the chord line includes a first chord line of the first portion, the hinge point includes a first hinge point, and the hinge axis includes a first hinge axis, the second portion having a second chord line and being rotatably coupled to the first flow body at a second hinge point positioned away from the second chord line, the hinge line extending through the second hinge point, the second hinge point having a second hinge axis that is nonparallel to the hinge line, and wherein the at least one self-aligning mechanism is positioned to allow the second flow body to rotate about the hinge line and the first and second hinge axes.

16. A method for making an aerospace vehicle system, comprising:

rotatably coupling a flap to a wing at two hinge points positioned away from a chord line of the flap, each hinge point having a hinge axis, the first flow body being coupleable to an aerospace vehicle; and

coupling at least one self-aligning mechanism between the wing and the flap so that the second flow body simultaneously rotates about a hinge line and the hinge axes as the flap moves between a first position and a second position, the hinge line extending through the hinge points, but being nonparallel with the hinge axes, the self-aligning mechanism including a non-cylindrical interface between a first surface connected to the wing and a second surface connected to the flap, at least one of the first and second surfaces being rotatable relative to the other as the flap moves relative to the wing along a generally conical motion path between the first and second positions.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein coupling at least one self-aligning mechanism includes:

coupling a first portion of a drive device to the wing;

coupling a first portion of a first link to the flap via a first self-aligning mechanism, the first link including a second portion;

coupling a first portion of a support to the wing;

coupling a first portion of a second link to a second portion of the support and to the second portion of the first link via a second self-aligning mechanism, the second self-aligning mechanism being positioned to create at least a portion of one of the hinge points,

coupling a second portion of the second link to the flap via a third self-aligning mechanism; and

coupling a third portion of the second link to a second portion of a drive device, the second portion of the drive device being movable relative to the first portion of the drive device in a plane having an axis that runs at least approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aerospace vehicle when the wing is coupled to the aerospace vehicle, the drive device causing the flap to move between the first and second positions as the second portion of the drive device moves relative to the first portion.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising coupling the wing to the aerospace vehicle.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising coupling a drive device between the wing and the flap to move the flap relative to the wing.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein:

rotatably coupling the flap includes positioning the flap in a cutout of a trailing edge section of the wing between a first edge of the wing and a second edge of the wing, the first edge of the wing being laterally disposed from the second edge of the wing;

a first edge of the flap being spaced apart from the first edge of the wing by a first lateral distance and a second edge of the flap being spaced apart from the second edge of the wing by a second lateral distance; and

coupling at least one self-aligning mechanism includes coupling at least one self-aligning mechanism between the wing and the flap so that the first and second lateral distances remaining at least approximately unchanged as the second flow body moves between the first and second positions.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein:

coupling the flap includes rotatably coupling a first portion of the flap to the wing at a first hinge point positioned away from a first chord line of the flap, the first hinge point having a first hinge axis, and rotatably coupling a second portion of the flap to the wing at a second hinge point positioned away from a second chord line of the flap, the second hinge point having a second hinge axis, the first portion of the flap being laterally disposed from the second portion of the flap; and

coupling at least one self-aligning mechanism includes coupling at least one self-aligning mechanism between the wing and the flap so that the flap simultaneously rotates about the hinge line, the first hinge axis, and the second hinge axis as the flap moves between the first position and the second position, the hinge line extending through the first and second hinge points, but being nonparallel with the first and second hinge axes.

22. An aerospace vehicle system, comprising:

a first flow body connected to an aerospace vehicle, the first flow body including an airfoil section;

a second flow body that includes a flap section, the second flow body having a first portion rigidly connected to a second portion, the second portion of the second flow body being laterally disposed from the first portion of the second flow body, the first portion having a first chord line and being rotatably coupled to the first flow body at a first hinge point positioned away from the first chord line, the first hinge point having a first hinge axis, the second portion having a second chord line and being rotatably coupled to the first flow body at a second hinge point positioned away from the second chord line, the second hinge point having a second hinge axis, the second flow body being rotatable about a hinge line between a first position and a second position, the hinge line being positioned to be swept relative to a longitudinal axis of the aerospace vehicle when the first flow body is coupled to the aerospace vehicle, the hinge line being nonparallel with the first hinge axis;

first, second and third self-aligning mechanisms coupled between the first flow body and the second flow body, the self-aligning mechanisms being positioned to allow the second flow body to rotate about the hinge line and the first and second hinge axes;

a drive device having a first portion and a second portion movable relative to the first portion of the drive device, the first portion of the drive device being connected directly to the airfoil section and the second portion of the drive device being connected directly to the flap section, the drive device being positioned so that the first and second portions of the drive device move relative to one another in a plane having an axis that runs at least approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aerospace vehicle when the airfoil section is coupled to the aerospace vehicle;

a support having a first portion coupled to the airfoil section and a second portion;

a first link having a first portion and second portion, the first portion of the first link being structurally coupled to the first portion of the flap section via only the first self-aligning mechanism; and

a second link having a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, the first portion of the second link being structurally coupled to the second portion of the first link and the second portion of the support via only the second self-aligning mechanism, the second self-aligning mechanism being positioned to create at least a portion of the first hinge point, the second portion of the second link being structurally coupled to the first portion of the flap section via only the third self-aligning mechanism, the third portion of the second link being coupled to the second portion of the drive device.