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An aircraft comprises a foldable airfoil. The airfoil includes inboard and outboard sections that are hinged together about a hinge line. The airfoil further includes a first latching mechanism on an inboard side of the hinge line, and a second latching mechanism on an outboard side of the hinge lin

An aircraft comprises a foldable airfoil. The airfoil includes inboard and outboard sections that are hinged together about a hinge line. The airfoil further includes a first latching mechanism on an inboard side of the hinge line, and a second latching mechanism on an outboard side of the hinge line for latching the outboard section to the inboard section.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A foldable airfoil apparatus comprising: inboard and outboard sections that are movable about a hinge line; anda hinge assembly to hinge the inboard and outboard sections, the hinge assembly defining the hinge line, the hinge assembly including: a torque box;a first latching mechanism on an inboa

1. A foldable airfoil apparatus comprising: inboard and outboard sections that are movable about a hinge line; anda hinge assembly to hinge the inboard and outboard sections, the hinge assembly defining the hinge line, the hinge assembly including: a torque box;a first latching mechanism on an inboard side of the hinge line, the first latching mechanism including a first retractable latch pin actuator positioned entirely within the torque box; anda second latching mechanism on an outboard side of the hinge line, the second latching mechanism including a second retractable latch pin actuator positioned entirely within the torque box, the first and second retractable latch pin actuators to actuate the first and second latching mechanisms to latch the inboard and outboard sections when the outboard section is in a deployed position. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the airfoil is a foldable wing of a wing assembly. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the torque box extends in a spanwise direction from a closeout rib of at least one of the inboard section or the outboard section. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the hinge line is aligned with the closeout rib, and perpendicular to a front spar of the inboard section. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the torque box includes first and second spanwise walls, the hinge assembly further includes fixed structures opposing the spanwise walls, and each of the first and second retractable latch pin actuators is to actuate first and second retractable latch pins that extend through openings in the fixed structures to latch the inboard and outboard sections when the outboard section is in the deployed position. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second retractable latch pin actuators are oriented parallel to the hinge line. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second retractable latch pin actuators are equidistant from the hinge line. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second retractable latch pin actuators includes a housing extending between spanwise walls of the torque box, each of the first and second latch pin actuators to actuate first and second retractable latch pins at opposite ends of the housing, each of the retractable latch pins being movable between an extended position and a retracted position. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the torque box is a second torque box, the hinge assembly including first and third torque boxes interleaved with, and hinged to, the second torque box. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the torque box includes a single torque box, and the hinge assembly includes a spanwise shear wall structure on opposite sides of the torque box, the torque box to be hinged to the shear walls about the hinge line. 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein motive forces to actuate the first and second latching mechanisms originate within the torque box via the first and second retractable latch pin actuators. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the torque box includes an inboard edge, the inboard edge to rotate out of plane from the inboard section when the outboard section is in a folded position. 13. A foldable wing comprising: a fixed section;a foldable section; anda hinge assembly to hinge the foldable section and the fixed section, the hinge assembly defining a hinge line, the hinge assembly including: a torque box positioned between spanwise walls;a first retractable latch pin actuator positioned on a first side of the hinge line; anda second retractable latch pin actuator positioned on a second side of the hinge line opposite the first side, the first and second retractable latch pin actuators to actuate retractable latch pins to latch the torque box to the spanwise walls when the foldable section is in a deployed position, wherein motive forces to actuate the retractable latch pins originate within the torque box via the first and second retractable latch pin actuators. 14. The foldable wing of claim 13, wherein the first and second retractable latch pin actuators are double-ended and are located entirely within the torque box. 15. The foldable wing of claim 13, wherein the torque box includes an inboard edge, the inboard edge to rotate out of plane from the fixed section when the foldable section is in a folded position. 16. A method of enhancing aerodynamic performance of a foldable wing including a foldable section and a fixed section, the method comprising: turning a torque box positioned between spanwise walls about a hinge line to rotate the foldable section to a deployed position; andlatching the torque box to the spanwise walls when the foldable section is in the deployed position by actuating retractable latch pins via a first retractable latch pin actuator positioned on an inboard side of the hinge line and a second retractable latch pin actuator positioned on an outboard side of the hinge line, the first and second retractable latch pin actuators being positioned entirely within the torque box. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the torque box includes an inboard edge, the inboard edge to rotate out of plane from the fixed section when the foldable section is in a folded position. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein motive forces to actuate the retractable latch pins originate within the torque box via the first and second retractable latch pin actuators. 19. A foldable wing comprising: a foldable section;a fixed section; anda hinge assembly to pivotally couple the foldable section and the fixed section, the hinge assembly defining a hinge line, the hinge assembly including: a first torque box, a second torque box and a third torque box, the second torque box being hinged between the first torque box and the third torque box, the second torque box including an inboard edge, the inboard edge to rotate out of plane from the fixed section when the foldable section is in a folded position;a first outboard latch mechanism including a first retractable latch pin actuator, the first retractable latch pin actuator to actuate a first retractable latch pin, the first retractable latch pin to engage a first opening formed in at least one of the first torque box or the third torque box when the first retractable latch pin is in an extended position; anda first inboard latch mechanism including a second retractable latch pin actuator, the second retractable latch pin actuator to actuate a second retractable latch pin, the second retractable latch pin to engage a second opening formed in at least one of the first torque box or the third torque box when the second retractable latch pin is in an extended position. 20. The foldable wing of claim 19, wherein the hinge assembly further includes a fourth torque box and a fifth torque box. 21. The foldable wing of claim 20, wherein the fourth torque box is positioned between the third torque box and the fifth torque box. 22. The foldable wing of claim 21, further comprising a second outboard latch mechanism including a third retractable latch pin actuator, the third retractable latch pin actuator to actuate a third retractable latch pin, the third retractable latch pin to engage a third opening formed in at least one of the third torque box or the fifth torque box when the third retractable latch pin is in an extended position. 23. The foldable wing of claim 22, further comprising a second inboard latch mechanism including a fourth retractable latch pin actuator, the fourth retractable latch pin actuator to actuate a fourth retractable latch pin, the fourth retractable latch pin to engage a fourth opening formed in at least one of the third torque box or the fifth torque box when the fourth retractable latch pin is in an extended position. 24. The foldable wing of claim 23, wherein the third retractable latch pin actuator and the fourth retractable latch pin actuator are positioned entirely within the fourth torque box. 25. The foldable wing of claim 19, wherein the first retractable latch pin actuator and the second retractable latch pin actuator are positioned entirely within the second torque box. 26. The foldable wing of claim 19, wherein motive forces to actuate the first and second retractable latch pins originate within the torque box via the first and second retractable latch pin actuators.