초록 ▼

An aircraft wing coupling arrangement couples services to and/or from a wing component which is translationally extendible from the wing of an aircraft. A housing is provided for mounting on the wing and includes a first coupling member. A hollow telescopic assembly extends from the housing for conn

An aircraft wing coupling arrangement couples services to and/or from a wing component which is translationally extendible from the wing of an aircraft. A housing is provided for mounting on the wing and includes a first coupling member. A hollow telescopic assembly extends from the housing for connection at a distal end to the wing component and has a second coupling member at the distal end. The telescopic assembly is extendible between a retracted and an extended position. A service carrying conduit arrangement carries the services to and/or from the wing component and extends through the hollow telescopic assembly from the second coupling member to the first coupling member. The service carrying conduit arrangement is flexible to locate excess thereof in the housing when the hollow telescopic assembly is in the retracted position.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement for coupling services with a wing component which is translationally extendible from the wing of an aircraft, the arrangement comprising: a housing for mounting in said wing and including a first coupling member; a hollow telescopic

The invention claimed is: 1. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement for coupling services with a wing component which is translationally extendible from the wing of an aircraft, the arrangement comprising: a housing for mounting in said wing and including a first coupling member; a hollow telescopic assembly extending from said housing for connection at a distal end to said wing component and having a second coupling member at said distal end, said hollow telescopic assembly being extendible between a retracted and an extended position; and a service carrying conduit arrangement for carrying said services to and/or from said wing component, said service carrying conduit arrangement extending through said hollow telescopic assembly from said second coupling member to said first coupling member, and being flexible, wherein said housing is adapted to locate excess said service carrying conduit arrangement in a flexed configuration when said hollow telescopic assembly is in said retracted position, and said hollow telescopic assembly contains said service carrying conduit arrangement only in a non-flexed configuration. 2. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said hollow telescopic assembly is adapted to retract along an axis different than a longitudinal axis of said housing. 3. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said housing extends substantially perpendicularly to said hollow telescopic assembly. 4. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said service carrying conduit arrangement is adapted to flex in only a plane to translationally locate excess thereof in said housing when said hollow telescopic assembly is in said retracted position. 5. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said service carrying conduit arrangement is adapted to be connected to said first coupling member to form a U shaped region which moves along said housing when said hollow telescopic assembly is moved between said extended and retracted positions. 6. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said housing extends substantially perpendicularly to said hollow telescopic assembly in said plane, said hollow telescopic assembly is connected to said housing at one end of said housing, and said service carrying conduit arrangement is adapted to be connected to said first coupling member to form a U shaped region which moves along said housing when said hollow telescopic assembly is moved between said extended and retracted positions. 7. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said service carrying conduit arrangement is adapted to flex only in one direction in said plane. 8. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 7, wherein said service carrying conduit arrangement is adapted to flex only in one direction in said plane, to flex through a right angle in said housing where said hollow telescopic assembly is attached to said housing, and to lie against inner walls of said housing, the arrangement including support members at said right angle and said U shaped region in said housing to maintain said service carrying conduit arrangement against said inner walls at least when said hollow telescopic assembly is in said retracted position. 9. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 8, including material having a low frictional coefficient applied to said inner walls. 10. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 8, including resilient material arranged in said housing between said housing and said service carrying conduit arrangement to dampen movement of said service carrying conduit arrangement in a direction out of said plane. 11. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 10, wherein said resilient material is arranged in two layers parallel to said plane and either side of said service carrying conduit arrangement. 12. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 11, including material having a low frictional coefficient applied to said layers. 13. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 1, including guides arranged in said hollow telescopic assembly through which said service carrying conduit arrangement extends and is guided. 14. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 1, including a wing component coupling arrangement for coupling said distal end of said hollow telescopic assembly to said wing component, said wing component coupling arrangement including a wing component coupling member for coupling with said second coupling member. 15. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 14, wherein said wing component coupling arrangement is adapted to break at a predetermined load, extension of said hollow telescopic assembly, or rotation of said hollow telescopic assembly to separate said hollow telescopic arrangement and said wing component. 16. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 14, wherein said wing component coupling arrangement is adapted to allow said hollow telescopic assembly to be detached from said wing component for fitting and/or maintenance. 17. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said housing includes a pivot arrangement to provide for the pivotal mounting of said aircraft wing coupling arrangement on said wing. 18. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 1, including a local controller coupled to or provided in said housing for providing local control of the services to and/or from said wing component. 19. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said hollow telescopic assembly comprises a plurality of coupled concentric tubes, each concentric tube which is coupled to another concentric tube has a bearing housing member housing a bearing arrangement to allow two said coupled concentric tubes to move relatively translationally, said bearing housing members define a radial gap between said two coupled concentric tubes, at least one radial hole is provided in an outer said concentric tube and/or said bearing housing member for communicating ambient conditions to said gap, and said bearing housing member of a radially inner of said two coupled concentric tubes has a shoulder shaped to close said gap when said hollow telescopic assembly is in the extended position. 20. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said service carrying conduit arrangement comprises a plurality of electrical power cables. 21. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 20, wherein said service carrying conduit arrangement includes electrical signal cables. 22. An aircraft wing coupling arrangement according to claim 20, wherein said wing component comprises a slat, said aircraft wing coupling arrangement is for coupling electrical power and signals to an electrical ice protection arrangement provided on said slat, and said service carrying conduit arrangement comprises electrical cables for carrying heater power for at least one heating element of said ice protection arrangement on said slat and feedback signals from at least one detector element of said ice protection arrangement.