Notched blade seal for high performance aircraft

• US 20030057659A1
• Filed: 09/25/2001
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Guzzardo, Bryan J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,883,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 277/628
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/50 by leading or trailing edge flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 7/00 Structures or fairings not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/02 Mounting or supporting thereof

Abstract

A notched blade seal for covering a gap between a wing and a wing flap of a high performance aircraft includes a bottom seal strip of a flexible, resilient material having a plurality of spaced-apart notches defining a plurality of finger portions, and a top seal strip, also of a flexible, resilient material having a plurality of spaced-apart notches defining a plurality of finger portions. The top seal strip overlies and engages the bottom seal strip and is positioned relative to the bottom seal strip such that the finger portions of the top seal strip overlie and cover the notches in the bottom seal strip.

Claims

1. A notched blade seal for covering a gap between a wing and a wing flap of a high performance aircraft, comprising:

a bottom seal strip of a flexible, resilient material having a plurality of spaced-apart notches defining a plurality of finger portions, and

a top seal strip of a flexible, resilient material having a plurality of spaced-apart notches defining a plurality of finger portions,

the top seal strip overlying and engaging the bottom seal strip and being positioned relative to the bottom seal strip such that the fingers of the top seal strip overlie and cover the notches in the bottom seal strip.

2. The notched blade seal according to claim 1, wherein the notches in each seal strip are uniformly spaced apart.

3. The notched blade seal according to claim 1, wherein each of the notches in the bottom seal strip have parallel side edges and a radiused end edge.

5. The notched blade seal according to claim 3, wherein the radius of the end edge of each notch is substantially equal to one-half of the width of the notch between the side edges.

6. The notched blade seal according to claim 5, wherein the notches in the bottom seal strip are identical and are equally spaced apart.

7. The notched blade seal according to claim 1, wherein the bottom seal strip and top seal strip are identical.

8. The notched blade seal according to claim 6, wherein the bottom seal strip and top seal strip are identical.

9. The notched blade seal according to claim 1, wherein the notches in the top seal strip are triangular in plan and are arranged with a base of the triangle at the edge of the strip and the apex spaced apart from the edge.

10. The notched blade seal according to claim 9, wherein the triangular notches in the top seal strip are isosceles triangles.

11. The notched blade seal according to claim 1, wherein each seal strip is tapered widthwise and the notches and fingers are along the thinner edge.

12. The notched blade seal according to claim 1, wherein each seal strip is of a stainless steel, is of uniform width along its longitudinal extent and is tapered widthwise, and wherein the notches and fingers are along the thinner edge.

4. The notched blade seal according to claim 4, wherein the side edges of each of the notches in the bottom seal strip are substantially perpendicular to the edge of the bottom seal strip.

13. A notched blade seal for covering a gap between a wing and a wing flap of a high performance aircraft, comprising:

an elongated bottom seal strip having a plurality of spaced-apart notches defining a plurality of spaced-apart finger portions, and

an elongated top seal strip having a plurality of spaced-apart notches defining a plurality of finger portions,

the top seal strip overlying and engaging the bottom seal strip and being positioned relative to the bottom seal strip such that the fingers of the top seal strip overlie and cover the notches in the bottom seal strip,

each seal strip having a substantially uniform width along its longitudinal extent and being tapered widthwise from a thicker edge to a thinner edge, and

the notches and fingers being along the thinner edge.

14. The notched blade seal according to claim 13, wherein the notches in each seal strip are uniformly spaced apart.

15. The notched blade seal according to claim 13, wherein each of the notches in the bottom seal strip has parallel side edges and a radiused end edge and the side edges of each of the notches in the bottom seal strip are substantially perpendicular to the edge of the bottom seal strip, and the radius of the end edge of each notch is substantially equal to one-half of the width of the notch between the side edges.

16. The notched blade seal according to claim 15, wherein the notches in the bottom seal strip are spaced apart to reduce RF energy.

17. The notched blade seal according to claim 13, wherein the bottom seal strip and top seal strip are identical.

18. The notched blade seal according to claim 16, wherein the bottom seal strip and top seal strip are identical.

19. The notched blade seal according to claim 13, wherein the notches in the top seal strip are isosceles triangular in plan, are identical, are spaced apart to reduce RF energy, and are arranged with a base of the triangle at the edge of the strip and the apex spaced apart from the edge.