초록 ▼

An air duct for supplying ambient air in an aircraft includes an air inlet, a flow duct portion and a feed device that is devised to feed ambient air through the air inlet and the flow duct portion. A flow control flap closes the air inlet in a first position, releases a first flow cross-section of

An air duct for supplying ambient air in an aircraft includes an air inlet, a flow duct portion and a feed device that is devised to feed ambient air through the air inlet and the flow duct portion. A flow control flap closes the air inlet in a first position, releases a first flow cross-section of the air inlet in a second position and releases a larger second flow cross-section of the air inlet in a third position. The flow control flap is designed to not increase drag significantly in the second position while still enabling flow through the flow duct portion, while increasing drag to increase air fow through the flow duct portion in the third position.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An air duct for supplying ambient air in an aircraft, comprising: an air inlet,a flow duct portion extending downstream of the air inlet,a feed device that is devised to feed ambient air through the air inlet and the flow duct portion, anda flow control flap comprising a first surface portion ext

1. An air duct for supplying ambient air in an aircraft, comprising: an air inlet,a flow duct portion extending downstream of the air inlet,a feed device that is devised to feed ambient air through the air inlet and the flow duct portion, anda flow control flap comprising a first surface portion extending from a first terminal end to a junction point and a second surface portion extending from a second terminal end to the junction point, the flow control flap movable to at least first, second, and third positions via rotation about a pivot axis, with the pivot axis located between the first and second surface portions such that the pivot axis is positioned between a first plane defined through the first and second terminal ends and a second plane parallel to the first plane and defined through the junction point,wherein in the first position, the flow control flap closes the air inlet; in the second position, the flow control flap releases a first flow cross section of the air inlets; and in the third position, the flow control flap releases a second flow cross section that is larger than the first flow cross section,wherein the flow control flap is so designed and disposed that in the second position, the first surface portion is aligned in the region of the air inlet substantially parallel to and substantially flush with an aircraft outer skin portion surrounding the air inlet, andin the third position, the first surface portion is aligned in the region of the air inlet at an angle to the aircraft outer skin portion surrounding the air inlet. 2. The air duct according to claim 1, wherein the flow control flap is so designed and disposed that a third surface portion of the flow control flap in the second position of the flow control flap is aligned at an angle to a wall portion of the flow duct portion such that the flow cross section of the flow duct portion increases in a flow direction of the ambient air flowing through the flow duct portion. 3. The air duct according to claim 2, wherein the flow control flap is so designed and disposed that the third surface portion of the flow control flap in the third position of the flow control flap is aligned substantially parallel to the wall portion of the flow duct portion. 4. The air duct according to claim 1, wherein the flow control flap is so designed and disposed that in the third position of the flow control flap, one of the first and second terminal ends projects into an air flow flowing around the aircraft. 5. The air duct according to claim 1, wherein the flow control flap has a substantially triangular cross section. 6. The air duct according to claim 1, wherein the pivot axis is disposed in the region of the center of gravity of the flow control flap. 7. The air duct according to claim 6, wherein the pivot axis is disposed substantially in the region of a central longitudinal axis extending through the flow duct portion. 8. The air duct according to claim 1, further comprising: an actuating device that is devised to move the flow control flap steplessly between the first and third positions. 9. The air duct according to claim 1, further comprising: a retaining device that is devised to retain the flow control flap in a desired position. 10. The air duct of claim 1, wherein the flow control flap for supplying ambient air to an aircraft device during cruising of an aircraft equipped with the air duct is configured to be moved into its second position and wherein the flow control flap for supplying ambient air to the aircraft device during ground operation of the aircraft equipped with the air duct is configured to be moved into its third position. 11. The air duct according to claim 1, wherein the flow duct portion includes a wall portion extending inwardly from the aircraft outer skin portion, and the flow control flap in the first position is located such that the first terminal end engages with the wall portion of the flow duct portion to block air flow through the flow duct portion and such that the second terminal end engages with the aircraft outer skin portion to block air flow through the flow duct portion. 12. An air duct for supplying ambient air in an aircraft comprising: an air inlet surrounded by an aircraft outer skin portion;a flow duct portion extending downstream of the air inlet,a feed device operable to feed ambient air through the air inlet and the flow duct portion, anda flow control flap located at least in part in the flow duct portion and comprising a first surface portion extending from a first terminal end to a junction point and a second surface portion extending from a second terminal end to the junction point, the flow control flap movable to at least a first position, a second position, and a third position via rotation about a pivot axis, with the pivot axis located between the first and second surface portions such that the pivot axis is positioned between a first plane defined through the first and second terminal ends and a second plane parallel to the first plane and defined through the junction point wherein: in the first position, the flow control flap closes the air inlet, with one of the first and second terminal ends closing the air inlet at the aircraft outer skin portion and the other of the first and second terminal ends closing the air inlet at a wall portion of the flow duct portion that is located inboard of the aircraft outer skin portion,in the second position, the flow control flap releases a first flow cross section of the air inlet, and the first surface portion is aligned substantially parallel to and substantially flush with the aircraft outer skin portion which surrounds the air inlet, and neither of the first and second terminal ends of the flow control flap closes off the air inlet; andin the third position, the flow control flap releases a second flow cross section that is larger than the first flow cross section, and the first surface portion is aligned at an angle to the aircraft outer skin portion which surrounds the air inlet. 13. The air duct of claim 12 wherein when the flow control flap is in the second position and the third position, ambient air is capable of flowing along the flow duct portion both fore and aft of the pivot axis. 14. The air duct of claim 12, wherein the flow control flap also includes a third surface portion extending from the first terminal end and facing towards the wall portion of the flow duct portion, wherein: in the second position, the third surface portion is angled from the wall portion of the flow duct portion such that the flow cross section of the flow duct portion increases in a flow direction of air flow through the flow duct portion; andin the third position, the third surface portion is parallel to the wall portion of the flow duct portion. 15. The air duct according to claim 12, wherein the flow control flap is so designed and disposed that in the third position of the flow control flap, one of the first and second terminal ends projects into an air flow flowing around the aircraft. 16. The air duct according to claim 15, wherein the flow control flap is so designed and disposed that in the third position, the flow control flap releases a maximum flow cross section of the air inlet larger than all other flow cross sections releasable by the flow control flap. 17. The air duct according to claim 16, wherein the flow control flap is blocked from rotating beyond the first position in one rotational direction about the pivot axis and is blocked from rotating beyond the third position in another rotational direction about the pivot axis. 18. The air duct according to claim 4, wherein the flow control flap is so designed and disposed that in the third position, the flow control flap releases a maximum flow cross section of the air inlet larger than all other flow cross sections releasable by the flow control flap. 19. The air duct according to claim 18, wherein the flow control flap is blocked from rotating beyond the first position in one rotational direction about the pivot axis and is blocked from rotating beyond the third position in another rotational direction about the pivot axis.