초록 ▼

The invention relates to an aircraft wing panel, for example, a trailing edge upper panel'1 which is joined to the wing skin (20) by means of spigots (19) which project and engage with slots (13). Preferably, the slots are provided in lips (10, 11, 12) which extend from the leading edge (5) of the p

The invention relates to an aircraft wing panel, for example, a trailing edge upper panel'1 which is joined to the wing skin (20) by means of spigots (19) which project and engage with slots (13). Preferably, the slots are provided in lips (10, 11, 12) which extend from the leading edge (5) of the panel and the spigots (19) are fastened to and extend from the wing skin (20).

대표청구항 ▼

1. An aircraft wing including (i) an attachment structure; (ii) a wing skin connected to the attachment structure; and (iii) at least one edge panel adjacent to the wing skin, wherein the edge panel is fastened to the attachment structure using a slidable joint, such that the edge panel is connected

1. An aircraft wing including (i) an attachment structure; (ii) a wing skin connected to the attachment structure; and (iii) at least one edge panel adjacent to the wing skin, wherein the edge panel is fastened to the attachment structure using a slidable joint, such that the edge panel is connected to the wing skin and able to slide relative to the wing skin during use of the aircraft wing in flight, and wherein either (a) the at least one edge panel includes, in the region of its edge adjacent the wing skin, at least one apertured member being a lip which extends into the interior of the wing, and having an aperture, the aperture engaging with a projecting member extending from the attachment structure; or(b) the attachment structure is provided with, in a region adjacent the at least one edge panel, at least one apertured member being a lip which extends into the interior of the wing and which has an aperture, the aperture engaging with a projecting member extending from the at least one edge panel;said projecting member extending generally transverse to the spanwise direction of the wing,and in which the aperture has a spanwise dimension greater than a spanwise dimension of the engaged projecting member thereby providing free play in one spanwise direction of the engaged projecting member in the aperture and thus allowing spanwise sliding movement of at least a portion of the edge panel relative to the wing skin; said lip slides relative to the projecting member, and in which the vertical dimension of the aperture is closely spaced to the vertical dimension of the engaged projecting member thereby minimizing free play in the vertical direction of the engaged projecting member in the aperture to prevent movement in a vertical direction of the engaged projecting member in the aperture. 2. An aircraft wing as claimed in claim 1(a), in which the at least one edge panel includes, in the region of its edge adjacent the wing skin, at least one apertured member being a lip which extends into the interior of the wing, and having an aperture, the aperture engaging with a projecting member extending from the attachment structure. 3. An aircraft wing as claimed in claim 2, in which the at least one edge panel has two apertured members, each apertured member being a lip extending from the edge of the edge panel adjacent the wing skin into the interior of the wing and each lip having one aperture. 4. An aircraft wing as claimed in claim 3, in which the at least one edge panel comprises a third lip which extends from a central region of the edge of the edge panel adjacent the wing skin into the interior of the wing. 5. An aircraft wing as claimed in claim 1, in which the at least one edge panel is a trailing edge panel. 6. An aircraft wing as claimed in claim 1(a), in which the lip extends from the edge of the at least one edge panel adjacent the wing skin into the interior of the wing. 7. An aircraft wing as claimed in claim 1, in which the aperture is a slot extending in a spanwise direction, the spanwise width of the slot being greater than the spanwise width of the corresponding projecting member. 8. A wing as claimed in claim 1, in which the at least one edge panel is fastened to at least one rib in a central portion of the panel and is connected to ribs at its inboard and outboard edges with sliding joints. 9. A wing as claimed in claim 1, in which the at least one edge panel is of a composite material. 10. An edge panel for a wing as claimed in claim 1, which includes either (a) an apertured member having an aperture, the apertured member being located in the region of one edge of the panel and projecting as a lip from the face of the panel which, in use, is in the interior of the wing so that, in use of the panel in the wing, the aperture can engage with a projecting member extending from the attachment structure; or(b) a projecting member which is so located and shaped that, in use of the panel in a wing, the projecting member can engage with an apertured member extending from the attachment structure into the interior of the wing;said projecting member extending generally transverse to the spanwise direction of the wing,and in which the at least one aperture and the at least one projecting member are sized to provide free play in the spanwise direction of the engaged projecting member in the aperture and thus allow spanwise movement of at least a portion of the edge panel relative to the wing skin; said lip slides relative to the projecting member, and while the at least one aperture and the at least one projecting member are also sized so as to minimize free play in the vertical direction of the engaged projecting member in the aperture and thus substantially preventing movement in a vertical direction of the projecting member or members in the aperture or apertures. 11. An aircraft comprising an edge panel according to claim 10. 12. An aircraft comprising the wing of claim 1. 13. An aircraft wing as claimed in claim 1 in which the aperture defined by the apertured member is at least 1 mm wider in a spanwise direction than the projecting member. 14. An aircraft wing as claimed in claim 13 wherein the apertured member includes a protective sleeve. 15. An aircraft wing as claimed in claim 1 in which the aperture defined by the apertured member is at least 5 mm wider in a spanwise direction than the projecting member. 16. An aircraft wing as claimed in claim 15 wherein the apertured member includes a protective sleeve. 17. An aircraft wing as claimed in claim 1(a) in which the edge panel is a trailing edge panel and the apertured member is integral with the edge panel and is an inwardly projecting extension of the leading edge of the trailing edge panel. 18. An aircraft wing as claimed in claim 1, in which the attachment structure comprises one or more ribs of the wing. 19. An aircraft wing comprising (i) an attachment structure; (ii) a wing skin connected to the attachment structure; and (iii) at least one edge panel adjacent to the trailing edge of the wing skin, wherein the edge panel is fastened to the attachment structure using a slidable joint, such that the edge panel is connected to the wing skin and able to slide relative to the wing skin during use of the aircraft wing in flight, and wherein the at least one trailing edge panel comprises at least one lip on its leading edge, the lip extending inwardly of the edge panel into the interior of the wing and being provided with at least one aperture, the attachment structure being provided with at least one projecting member, the or each projecting member extending through and engaging with one of the apertures to hold the edge panel in alignment with the trailing edge of the wing skin, said projecting member extending generally transverse to the spanwise direction of the wing, and in which the at least one aperture and the at least one projecting member are sized to provide free play in the spanwise direction of the engaged projecting member in the aperture and thus allow spanwise sliding movement of at least a portion of the edge panel relative to the wing skin while also sized so as to minimize free play in the vertical direction of the engaged projecting member in the aperture and thus substantially preventing movement in a vertical direction of the projecting member or members in the aperture or apertures. 20. An aircraft wing including (i) an attachment structure; (ii) a wing skin connected to the attachment structure; and (iii) at least one edge panel adjacent to the wing skin, wherein the edge panel is fastened to the attachment structure using a slidable joint, such that the edge panel is connected to the wing skin and able to slide relative to it during use of the aircraft using in flight, and wherein either (a) the at least one edge panel includes, in the region of its edge adjacent the wing skin, at least one apertured member being a lip which extends into the interior of the wing and having an aperture, the aperture engaging with a projecting member extending from the attachment structure; or(b) the attachment structure is provided with, in a region adjacent the at least one edge panel, at least one apertured member being a lip which extends into the interior of the wing and which has an aperture, the aperture engaging with a projecting member extending from the at least one edge panel;said projecting member extending generally transverse to the spanwise direction of the wing,and in which the aperture has a spanwise dimension at least 1 mm greater than a spanwise dimension of the engaged projecting member thereby providing free play in one spanwise direction of the engaged projecting member in the aperture and thus allowing spanwise sliding movement of at least a portion of the edge panel relative to the wing skin; said lip slides relative to the projecting member, and in which the vertical dimension of the aperture is closely spaced to the vertical dimension of the engaged projecting member thereby minimizing free play in the vertical direction of the engaged projecting member in the aperture to prevent movement in a vertical direction of the engaged projecting member in the aperture. 21. An aircraft wing including (i) an attachment structure; (ii) a wing skin connected to the attachment structure; and (iii) at least one edge panel adjacent to the wing skin, wherein the edge panel is fastened to the attachment structure using a slidable joint, such that the edge panel is connected to the wing skin and able to slide relative to it during use of the aircraft wing in flight, and wherein either (a) the at least one edge panel includes, in the region of its edge adjacent the wing skin, at least one apertured member being a lip which extends into the interior of the wing and having an aperture, the aperture engaging with a projecting member extending from the attachment structure; or(b) the attachment structure is provided with, in a region adjacent the at least one edge panel, at least one apertured member being a lip which extends into the interior of the wing and which has an aperture, the aperture engaging with a projecting member extending from the at least one edge panel;said projecting member extending generally transverse to the spanwise direction of the wing,and in which the aperture has a spanwise dimension at least 5 mm greater than a spanwise dimension of the engaged projecting member thereby providing free play in one spanwise direction of the engaged projecting member in the aperture and thus allowing spanwise sliding movement of at least a portion of the edge panel relative to the wing skin; said lip slides relative to the projecting member, and in which the vertical dimension of the aperture is closely spaced to the vertical dimension of the engaged projecting member thereby minimizing free play in the vertical direction of the engaged projecting member in the aperture to prevent movement in a vertical direction of the engaged projecting member in the aperture.