The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
대리인 / 주소
Edwards, Robin W.
인용정보
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0인용 특허 :
20
초록▼
A flap of the type that is movably connected to an aircraft wing to provide control of an aircraft in flight includes opposite ends, wherein at least a first opposite end includes a plurality of substantially rigid, laterally extending protrusions that are spaced apart to form a plurality of fluidly
A flap of the type that is movably connected to an aircraft wing to provide control of an aircraft in flight includes opposite ends, wherein at least a first opposite end includes a plurality of substantially rigid, laterally extending protrusions that are spaced apart to form a plurality of fluidly interconnected passageways. The passageways have openings adjacent to upper and lower sides of the flap, and the passageways include a plurality of bends such that high pressure fluid flows from a high pressure region to a low pressure region to provide a boundary condition that inhibits noise resulting from airflow around the end of the flap.
대표청구항▼
1. A flap of the type that is movably connected to an aircraft wing to provide control of an aircraft in flight, the flap comprising: an elongated flap structure defining first and second opposite ends and leading and trailing edges extending lengthwise between the opposite ends, the elongated flap
1. A flap of the type that is movably connected to an aircraft wing to provide control of an aircraft in flight, the flap comprising: an elongated flap structure defining first and second opposite ends and leading and trailing edges extending lengthwise between the opposite ends, the elongated flap structure defining upper and lower side surfaces extending lengthwise between opposite ends and fore-aft between the leading and trailing edges, and wherein, in use, air flow adjacent to the opposite ends forms high pressure and lower pressure regions;wherein at least a portion of the first opposite end includes a plurality of substantially rigid, laterally extending protrusions that are contained within the volume of the flap structure and are spaced apart to form a plurality of fluidly interconnected passageways between the protrusions, the passageways having openings adjacent to the upper and lower side surfaces of the elongated flap structure, wherein the protrusions maintain the profile of the flap and wherein the protrusion distribution is not segmented by significant voids in the fore-aft direction between the leading and trailing edges; and further wherein the passageways include a plurality of bends whereby, in use, high pressure fluid enters the openings at a high pressure region and flows through the passageways to a low pressure region to thereby provide a boundary condition that inhibits noise resulting from airflow around the first opposite end of the elongated flap structure. 2. The flap of claim 1, wherein: the protrusions form a plurality of continuous and generally horizontal rows. 3. The flap of claim 2, wherein: at least some of the horizontal rows are substantially linear. 4. The flap of claim 2, wherein: the protrusions of each row are horizontally spaced apart to form horizontal gaps having a horizontal gap dimension thereof, and wherein protrusions of vertically adjacent rows are generally aligned vertically with the horizontal gaps such that the passageways comprise a plurality of vertically juxtaposed S-shaped bends. 5. The flap of claim 4, wherein: the one end defines a base surface extending transversely between the upper and lower side surfaces, and wherein the protrusions extend from the base surface to define lengths, and wherein at least some of the protrusions are adjacent to the leading and trailing edges, and wherein the lengths of the protrusions adjacent to the leading edge are significantly less than the lengths of the protrusions adjacent to the trailing edge. 6. The flap of claim 5, wherein: the upper and lower sides of the elongated flap structure define a maximum thickness therebetween, and wherein the protrusions adjacent to the leading edge have a length that is in a range of about 30% to about 40% of the maximum thickness, and the protrusions adjacent to the trailing edge have a length that is in a range of about 100% to about 130% of the maximum thickness. 7. The flap of claim 6, wherein: the protrusions define generally planar end surfaces, and wherein the end surfaces are substantially coplanar. 8. The flap of claim 6, wherein: each protrusion defines a distance from the leading edge;the base surface is generally planar such that the lengths of the protrusions increase linearly as a function of the distances of the protrusions from the leading edge. 9. The flap of claim 4, wherein: the protrusions include forwardly and rearwardly facing surfaces that define a width therebetween, the protrusions further including upwardly and downwardly facing surfaces defining a thickness therebetween, and wherein a ratio of the width to the thickness of the protrusions is in a range of about 1.0 to about 5.0. 10. The flap of claim 9, wherein: a ratio of the horizontal gap dimension to the thickness is in a range of about 0.5 to about 1.2. 11. The flap of claim 9, wherein: the protrusions define centers, and the centers of adjacent pairs of protrusions in each row define a spacing dimension therebetween, and wherein a ratio of the spacing dimension to the width of at least one of the protrusions of each adjacent pair of protrusions falls in a range of about 1.2 to about 1.6. 12. The flap of claim 11, wherein: the protrusions of each row have substantially identical cross sectional shapes and sizes. 13. The flap of claim 12, wherein: the protrusions in each row are equally spaced apart from adjacent protrusions in each row. 14. A flap of the type that is movably connected to an aircraft wing to provide control of an aircraft in flight, the flap comprising: an elongated flap structure defining first and second opposite ends and leading and trailing edges extending lengthwise between the opposite ends, the elongated flap structure defining upper and lower side surfaces extending lengthwise between opposite ends and fore-aft between the leading and trailing edges, and wherein, in use, air flow adjacent to the opposite ends forms high pressure and lower pressure regions;wherein at least a portion of the first opposite end includes a plurality of substantially rigid, laterally extending protrusions that are contained within the volume of the flap structure and are spaced apart to form a plurality of fluidly interconnected passageways between the protrusions, the passageways having openings adjacent to the upper and lower side surfaces of the elongated flap structure, wherein the protrusions maintain the profile of the flap and wherein the protrusion distribution is not segmented by significant voids in the fore-aft direction between the leading and trailing edges; and further wherein the passageways include a plurality of bends whereby, in use, high pressure fluid enters the openings at a high pressure region and flows through the passageways to a low pressure region to thereby provide a boundary condition that inhibits noise resulting from airflow around the first opposite end of the elongated flap structure;wherein the protrusions form a plurality of continuous and generally horizontal rows;wherein the protrusions of each row are horizontally spaced apart to form horizontal gaps, and wherein protrusions of vertically adjacent rows are generally aligned vertically with the horizontal gaps such that the passageways comprise a plurality of vertically juxtaposed S-shaped bends;wherein the one end defines a base surface extending transversely between the upper and lower side surfaces, and wherein the protrusions extend from the base surface to define lengths, and wherein at least some of the protrusions are adjacent to the leading and trailing edges, and wherein the lengths of the protrusions adjacent to the leading edge are significantly less than the lengths of the protrusions adjacent to the trailing edge;wherein the upper and lower sides of the elongated flap structure define a maximum thickness therebetween, and wherein the protrusions adjacent to the leading edge have a length that is in the range of about 30% to 40% of the maximum thickness, and the protrusions adjacent to the trailing edge have a length that is in a range of about 100% to about 130% of the maximum thickness;wherein each protrusion defines a distance from the leading edge; the base surface is generally planar such that the lengths of the protrusions increase linearly as a function of the distance of the protrusions from the leading edge; and wherein:the elongated flap structure defines a chord length at the first opposite end;the elongated flap structure defines a smoothly curved concave outer surface extending along the leading edge such that the elongated flap structure is generally U-shaped in cross section adjacent to the leading edge, and wherein the upper and lower sides converge at the trailing edge such that the elongated flap structure is generally V-shaped in cross section adjacent to the trailing edge, and wherein the first opposite end of the elongated flap structure includes a generally planar forward surface portion that is generally orthogonal to the concave outer surface and intersects the concave outer surface to define a curved perimeter portion, the planar forward surface portion defining a generally vertical rear edge, the elongated flap further including a generally planar rearwardly facing vertical surface that intersects the planar forward surface portion along the vertical rear edge, and wherein the generally planar rearwardly facing vertical surface is spaced apart from the leading edge at a distance that is equal to approximately 10% of the chord length;the first opposite end of the elongated flap structure further including a generally planar rearward surface portion that is coplanar with the generally planar forward surface portion and with the generally planar end surfaces of the protrusions, the elongated flap structure further including a generally planar forwardly facing vertical surface that intersects the generally planar rearward surface portion such that the rearward surface portion defines a perimeter that is approximately triangular, and wherein the generally planar forwardly facing vertical surface is spaced apart from the trailing edge a distance that is equal to approximately 10% of the chord length. 15. A flap of the type that is movably connected to an aircraft wing to provide control of the aircraft in flight, the flap comprising: a flap structure having leading and trailing edges and defining a chord extending between the leading and trailing edges in a fore-aft direction, the flap structure having upper and lower surfaces extending between the leading and trailing edges, the flap structure further defining first and second opposite ends;wherein at least the first end includes end portions forming a plurality of passageways contained within the volume of the flap structure and extending vertically between the upper and lower surfaces, and a plurality of passageways extending fore-aft, and wherein the vertically extending passageways and the fore-aft passageways intersect and fluidly interconnect with each other at a plurality of horizontally and vertically spaced apart locations such that, in use, air flows from the vertically extending passageways into the fore-aft passageways, and wherein at least some of the vertical passageways and the fore-aft passageways are generally U-shaped in cross section and open outwardly away from the first end of the flap structure such that air can flow transversely out of the passageways. 16. The flap of claim 15, wherein: the end portions comprise a plurality of spaced apart rigid protrusions. 17. The flap of claim 16, wherein: the protrusions are disposed in rows, wherein the protrusions of adjacent rows are staggered such that the passageways form a plurality of vertically juxtaposed S-shaped bends. 18. A method of reducing noise radiated from a side edge of a partial-span wing flap during aircraft approach and landing, the method comprising: providing a plurality of rigid protrusions on the side portion of the wing flap;utilizing the protrusions to reduce a steady pressure differential experienced by the side edge in use;utilizing the protrusions to reduce the strength of local hydrodynamic fluctuations associated with scrubbing of unsteady flow over the side edge. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein: the protrusions form a plurality of interconnected non-linear passageways; and including:forming regions of high air pressure on the side edge and regions having lower air pressure on the side edge;causing at least some of the air to flow through the passageways from the high pressure regions to the lower pressure regions. 20. The method of claim 19, including: positioning at least some of the protrusions in generally parallel rows.
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