Aircraft wing assemblies

• US 9,550,559 B1
• Filed: 07/08/2013
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Droney, Christopher K., Rawdon, Blaine K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Tien
• Assistant Examiner(s): RODZIWICZ, AARON M
• Application Number:
  US13/936,790
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2009/143 comprising independently adjustable elements for closing or opening the slot between the main wing and leading or trailing edge flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/185 Spars
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/187 Ribs
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/26 Construction, shape, or attachment of separate skins, e.g. panels
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/18 by single flaps

Abstract

Aircraft wing assemblies are disclosed herein. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a trailing edge of a wing of an aircraft. The trailing edge has a flexible skin defining a first surface. The example apparatus also includes a flap movably coupled to the trailing edge. The flap defines a second surface. The first surface and the second surface form a substantially continuous surface when the flap is in a stowed position and when the flap is in a deployed position.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a trailing edge of a wing of an aircraft, the trailing edge having a flexible skin defining a first surface;

a flap movably coupled to the trailing edge, the flap defining a second surface, the first surface and the second surface form a substantially continuous surface when the flap is in a stowed position and when the flap is in a deployed position; and

a track coupled to the flap to provide a motion path of the flap relative to the trailing edge, the track positioned adjacent the second surface of the flap, the motion path to be provided by the track, the track having a curvature that is substantially similar to a curvature of the second surface of the flap.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first surface is to bend when the flap moves from the stowed position to the deployed position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the trailing edge is fixedly coupled to a spar of the wing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the skin has a first thickness and a second portion of the skin has a second thickness different than the first thickness.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the trailing edge includes at least one of a roller or a slider operatively coupled to the track.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flap is movable to a third position to provide a gap between the trailing edge and the flap.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the trailing edge includes a flexible rib coupled to the skin.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the trailing edge includes a stringer coupled to the skin and the rib.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flap is an upper surface blown flap.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first slope of the first surface and a second slope of the second surface are substantially similar at a juncture of the first surface and the second surface.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the track and the flap provide a unitary structure.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the track and a deflection of the trailing edge enable a turning radius of the flap to be smaller than a radius of curvature of the continuous surface formed by the first surface and the second surface.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the track enables the trailing edge to deflect between a first shape having a first curvature and a second shape having a second curvature different than the first curvature when the flap moves between a first position and a second position relative to the trailing edge via the track.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a trailing edge of a wing of an aircraft, the trailing edge having a first end fixed to the wing and a second end opposite the first end, the trailing edge having a flexible upper surface and a flexible lower surface, the flexible upper surface and the flexible lower surface being elastically deformable to enable the second end to bend relative to the first end; and

a flap movably coupled to the second end of the trailing edge, the flexible upper surface and the flexible lower surface of the trailing edge to elastically deform between a first shape and a second shape different from the first shape when the flap moves between a first position and a second position relative to the trailing edge, the flap and the trailing edge to provide a substantially continuous upper blown surface when the flap moves between the first position and the second position; and

a track formed in the flap, the track to provide a motion path of the flap relative to the trailing edge, the track being positioned adjacent an upper surface of the flap defining the upper blown surface, the track having a curvature that is substantially similar to a curvature of the upper surface of the flap.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an actuator operatively coupled to the flap to move the flap from the first position to the second position.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the actuator is to rotate the flap about a hinge to move the flap from the first position to the second position, the hinge to be substantially stationary relative to the wing.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the flap is to move in a circular path from the first position to the second position.

21. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first end of the trailing edge is directly attached to a spar of the wing without a hinge.

24. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an actuator operatively coupled to the second end of the trailing edge to apply a load to the trailing edge to elastically deform the trailing edge.

25. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the trailing edge is to bend to elastically deform as the flap moves between the first position and the second position.

26. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a slider coupled to the second end of the trailing edge, the slider to slidably engage the track.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the flap moves fore or aft relative to the trailing edge about a motion path defined by the track.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein an end of the track engages the slider to cause the second end of the trailing edge to elastically deform when the flap is in the second position.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a trailing edge of a wing of an aircraft, the trailing edge being elastically deformable, the trailing edge includes a first end fixed to the wing and a second end opposite the first end to move relative to the first end;

a flap movably coupled to the trailing edge, the trailing edge and the flap to define a substantially continuous upper blown surface, the flap to apply a load to the trailing edge to cause the trailing edge to elastically deform between a first position and a second position when the flap moves between a stowed position and a deployed position, the flap having a track formed in the flap to provide a motion path of the flap relative to the trailing edge, the track being positioned adjacent an upper surface of the flap, the track having a curvature that is substantially similar to a curvature of the upper surface of the flap.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a portion of the upper blown surface is to have a substantially constant radius of curvature.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a first section of the flap has a first radius of curvature and a second section of the flap has a second radius of curvature less than the first radius of curvature, the second section to be covered by the trailing edge when the flap is in the first position, the second section to define a portion of the upper blown surface when the flap is in the second position.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a change in curvature of the trailing edge is to be substantially uniform along a chord of the trailing edge.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the flap includes a first section and a second section, the first section movable relative to the second section to change a size of the flap.

29. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the track and a deflection of the trailing edge enable a turning radius of the flap to be smaller than a radius of curvature of the upper blown surface.

30. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the track is to receive a roller of the trailing edge.

31. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the track is positioned adjacent an upper surface defined by a first section of the flap and a second section of the flap.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the track includes a first portion having a first radius of curvature and a second portion having a second radius of curvature, the first portion of the track extending along the first section of the flap and the second portion of the track extending along the second section of the flap.

33. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a single actuator to move the flap relative to the trailing edge and cause the trailing to deflect relative to a wing box of the wing.

34. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the flap pulls on the trailing edge in a downward direction when the flap is in the deployed position to cause the trailing edge to elastically deform.

35. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the trailing edge has a first curvature when the flap is in a first position and a second curvature different than the first curvature when the flap is in a second position aft of the first position.