Aircraft comprising a foldable aerodynamic structure and an articulation mechanism for a foldable aerodynamic structure
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B64C-003/56
B64C-023/06
출원번호
US-0064160
(2016-03-08)
등록번호
US-10214278
(2019-02-26)
우선권정보
GB-1503980.3 (2015-03-09)
발명자
/ 주소
Briancourt, Stephen Paul
Boye, Sylvain
출원인 / 주소
AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED
대리인 / 주소
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
3
초록▼
An aircraft, for example a passenger aircraft, comprises a foldable wing having an inner region and an outer region. The outer region is moveable relative to the inner region between a flight configuration, an intermediate configuration, and a ground configuration. In the flight configuration the in
An aircraft, for example a passenger aircraft, comprises a foldable wing having an inner region and an outer region. The outer region is moveable relative to the inner region between a flight configuration, an intermediate configuration, and a ground configuration. In the flight configuration the inner and outer regions are locked together via a multiplicity of connectors for transferring loads. In the intermediate configuration the outer region is displaced, for example forwardly, such that the connection is disengaged to unlock the outer region from the inner region. In the intermediate configuration the outer region is also connected to the inner region via a hinge. In the ground configuration, the outer region is rotated about the hinge, such that the span of the wing is reduced.
대표청구항▼
1. An aircraft comprising a foldable aerodynamic structure, the aerodynamic structure comprising an inner region and an outer region, the outer region being moveable relative to the inner region between: a) a flight configuration for use during flight,b) an intermediate configuration, andc) a ground
1. An aircraft comprising a foldable aerodynamic structure, the aerodynamic structure comprising an inner region and an outer region, the outer region being moveable relative to the inner region between: a) a flight configuration for use during flight,b) an intermediate configuration, andc) a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations, wherein in the flight configuration the inner and outer regions are locked together via a multiplicity of connectors, the connectors being arranged to transfer loads from the outer region to the inner region; in the intermediate configuration the outer region is displaced in a first direction, relative to the inner region, the displacement being such that the connection by the multiplicity of connectors is disengaged and being such that the outer region is unlocked from the inner region, and in the intermediate configuration the outer region is also connected to the inner region via a hinge about which the outer region may rotate, and in the ground configuration, the outer region is rotated about the hinge, such that the span of the aerodynamic structure is reduced, wherein each connector comprises a pin associated with the inner or outer region, and a socket associated with the corresponding other, outer or inner, region, the pin being engaged in the socket when the outer region is in the flight configuration, and wherein the pin and the socket of each connector is aligned with the first direction to allow movement of the outer region between the flight and intermediate configurations, but the multiplicity of connectors are located off a hinge line such that, in the flight configuration, they prevent relative rotation between the inner and outer regions. 2. An aircraft according to claim 1, further comprising an actuator, the actuator being arranged to effect the movement of the outer region between the flight configuration and the intermediate configuration. 3. An aircraft according to claim 2, wherein the actuator is also arranged to effect movement of the outer region between the intermediate configuration and the ground configuration. 4. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the first direction is forwards, in a generally chordwise direction. 5. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein in the flight configuration the outer region is also connected to the inner region via a further connector arranged to transfer loads from the outer region to the inner region, and wherein the further connector is arranged such that when the outer region is displaced forwardly in a chordwise direction, relative to the inner region, the further connector becomes the hinge. 6. An aircraft according to claim 1 comprising an articulation mechanism operable to effect movement of the outer region between the flight, intermediate and ground configurations. 7. An aircraft according to claim 6, wherein the articulation mechanism comprises a link and a pivotable crank, the link being connected at its first end to the crank, and being connected at its second end to either the inner or the outer region, and the crank being pivotably connected to the other of the outer and inner regions. 8. An aircraft according to claim 7, wherein in the flight configuration, the connections between the inner/outer region and link, the link and crank, and the crank and outer/inner region, are all substantially in line, thereby forming a geometric lock. 9. An aircraft according to claim 8, further comprising an actuator, the actuator being arranged to effect the movement of the outer region between the flight configuration and the intermediate configuration, wherein the actuator is arranged to effect rotation of the crank to make and break the geometric lock. 10. An aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the articulation mechanism is arranged such that rotation of the crank through a first angular displacement from its location in the flight configuration, displaces the outer region in the first direction such that the outer region is in the intermediate configuration. 11. An aircraft according to claim 10, wherein after rotation by the first angular displacement, the crank is prevented from further rotational movement by a stop thereby preventing further displacement of the outer region in the first direction. 12. An aircraft according to claim 11, wherein the first end of the link is located on the hinge line such that further actuation of the crank results in rotation about said hinge line. 13. An aircraft according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of locking arms, the aircraft being arranged such that in the flight configuration the locking arms are stowed, and in the ground configuration the locking arms are deployed such that they form a locking brace to lock the outer region in the ground configuration. 14. An aircraft according to claim 13, wherein the locking arms are pivotably connected together at one end and the locking arms are pivotably connected at their respective other ends to the inner and outer regions respectively, and the aircraft is arranged such that in the flight configuration the pair of locking arms are folded together, and in the ground configuration the locking arms are unfolded such that the arms form the locking brace. 15. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the aerodynamic structure is an aircraft wing, and the outer region is a wing tip device. 16. A foldable aerodynamic structure for use as the foldable aerodynamic structure of claim 1. 17. An articulation mechanism for use as the articulation mechanism according to claim 6. 18. A method of folding an aerodynamic structure on an aircraft from a flight configuration to a ground configuration, in which flight configuration an inner region of the aerodynamic structure and an outer region of the aerodynamic structure are locked together via a multiplicity of connectors, the connectors being arranged to transfer loads from the outer region to the inner region wherein the method comprises the steps of displacing the outer region of the structure in a first direction, relative to the inner region, such that the connection by the multiplicity of connectors is disengaged thereby unlocking the outer region from the inner region,and subsequently rotating the outer region about a hinge such that the span of the aerodynamic structure is reduced,wherein each connector comprises a pin associated with the inner or outer region, and a socket associated with the corresponding other, outer or inner, region, the pin being engaged in the socket when the outer region is in the flight configuration, andwherein the pin and the socket of each connector is aligned with the first direction to allow movement of the outer region between the flight and intermediate configurations, but the multiplicity of connectors are located off a hinge line such that, in the flight configuration, they prevent relative rotation between the inner and outer regions. 19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the step of displacing the outer region in the first direction is effected by an actuator, and the step of rotating the outer region about the hinge is effected by the same actuator.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (3)
Santini, Gregory M.; Sakurai, Seiya, Horizontal folding wingtip.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.