Aircraft having a vertical lift system

• US 9,266,605 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2010
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Richter, Martin, Lcken, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Hara, Brian M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dixon, Keith L
• Application Number:
  US13/322,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20120138751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,099 Days
• Field of Search: 244/99.2, 244/99.4, 244/194, 244/195, 244/220, 244/221
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/503 Fly-by-Wire
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/001 for indicating symmetry of flaps deflection
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0005 Devices specially adapted to indicate the position of a movable element of the aircraft, e.g. landing gear

Abstract

An aircraft having a high lift system, including a control computer, high lift bodies on each wing, a drive coupled to these, an activation device connected to the drive via an analog connection, an input device, and sensors detecting a state of the high lift bodies connected via analog lines to the activation device. The input device connects via a digital connection to the activation device for transmitting commands for adjusting the high lift bodies. The activation device is installed in the payload area of the fuselage and in an area extending from a location spaced from the front of the wingbox by a distance of one third of the fuselage length extending from there to the aircraft'"'"'s tip, as far as a location spaced from the rear of the wingbox by a distance of one third of the fuselage length extending from there to the aircraft'"'"'s tail end.

Claims

1. An aircraft having a high lift system, comprising:

a flight control computer installed in a cockpit of the aircraft;

at least one high lift body disposed on each respective wing of the aircraft, each high lift body being adjustable relative to the respective aircraft wing;

a drive device coupled with the high lift bodies, which is configured such that it adjusts the high lift bodies between a retracted position and an extended position on the basis of activation commands;

an activation device connected to the drive device via an analog data connection and including an activation function that generates activation commands for setting an adjustment state of the high lift bodies and that generates monitoring and locking commands for locking the high lift bodies in the event of a system failure, wherein the activation device is connected via a digital data connection to the flight control computer for receiving flight state-related data;

an input device arranged in the cockpit of the aircraft, the input device receiving input of target commands for adjusting the high lift bodies;

sensors configured to detect an adjustment state of the high lift bodies which are connected via analog signal lines to the activation device; and

wherein

the input device is connected via a digital data connection to the activation device for the transmission of target commands for adjusting the high lift bodies; and

the activation device of the high lift system is installed in a payload area of the aircraft'"'"'s fuselage and in an area extending, when viewed in a longitudinal direction of the aircraft'"'"'s fuselage, from a location which is spaced apart from a front side of a wingbox by a distance of one third of a fuselage length extending from the front side of the wingbox to a tip of the aircraft, as far as a location which is spaced apart from a rear side of the wingbox by a distance of one third of a fuselage length extending from the rear side of the wingbox to a fuselage end at a tail end of the aircraft, such that the flight control computer and the activation device are installed in separate areas of the aircraft'"'"'s fuselage in a decentralized arrangement.

2. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the high lift system is a leading edge lift system having adjustable leading edge lift bodies and an activation device, wherein the activation device of the leading edge lift system is functionally connected to the leading edge lift bodies for adjusting them.

3. The aircraft according to claim 2, wherein the activation device of the leading edge lift system is installed in the payload area of the aircraft'"'"'s fuselage and in an area extending from the front side of the wingbox to a location which is spaced apart from the front side of the wingbox by a distance of one third of the fuselage length extending from the front side of the wingbox to the tip of the aircraft.

4. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the high lift system is a trailing edge lift system having adjustable trailing edge lift bodies and an activation device, wherein the activation device of the trailing edge lift system is functionally connected to the trailing edge lift bodies for adjusting them.

5. The aircraft according to claim 4, wherein the activation device of the trailing edge lift system is installed in the payload area of the aircraft'"'"'s fuselage and in an area extending from the rear side of the wingbox to a location which is spaced apart from the rear side of the wingbox by a distance of one third of the fuselage length extending from the rear side of the wingbox to the end of the fuselage at the tail end of the aircraft.

6. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the at least one activation device(s) are formed of respective computers and hardware interfaces which are implemented in their hardware so as to be identical, in order to ensure an exchangeability of computers with hardware interfaces between activation devices and/or within activation devices.

7. The aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the aircraft is a rear-drive aircraft.