Aeronautics and astronautics – Aircraft sustentation – Sustaining airfoils
Patent
1998-11-18
2000-09-26
Swiatek, Robert P.
Aeronautics and astronautics
Aircraft sustentation
Sustaining airfoils
244217, B64C 350
Patent
active
061232971
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to the field of segmented flaps having variable curvatures, intended for airplane wings and preferably intended to be used as leading-edge flaps.
STATE OF THE ART
There is a need for flaps having a variable curvature for civil and military aircraft. Airplane wings provided with such flaps the shape of which can be changed are denoted MAWs, which is interpreted "Mission Adaptive Wings". A multitude of designs has been proposed in order to provide such flaps, see for example the document SE-B-7703764-6 A having the title "Anordning begransad av profilyta med variabel valvning" ("A device limited by a profile surface having a variable curvature"). In said document a somewhat complicated device is described comprising links which are adjusted in relation to each other by means of rods and wedge means which are movable in the span direction.
An object of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple and light but still reliable design which allows a large freedom of adapting the curvature of the flap according to various requirements.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to an aspect of the invention a wing flap for variable curvature is divided in a number of segments. These segments are arranged to be angularly adjustable in relation to each other so that the segments together form a curved or arched surface forming the flap. The angular position of the segments in relation to each other and in relation to the very wing surface is accomplished by means of at least one articulating mechanism in a direction along a substantially vertical cross section of the wing. Said articulating mechanism comprises link means, constituted both of link arms and of sliding rods having variable lengths.
Each segment of the flap is connected to a sliding rod, the top and bottom shells of the segment being rigidly attached to the top side and bottom side respectively of said sliding rod. Thus the top and bottom shells of the first sliding rod constitutes the first segment in the wing flap etc.
The articulating mechanism has at its inner portion, i.e. at a portion closest to the wing, a first link arm, a cantilever, which is attached to the wing and extends in the direction of the articulating mechanism outwards from the wing.
A second link arm is rotatably attached to the cantilever by a first shaft. Both the cantilever and the second link arm are each provided with a longitudinal channel, which in one embodiment is configured as an elongated hole. The two channels extend side by side and are located in a small angle in relation to each other. A guide rail is arranged through the channels and is located in an opening commonly formed by the two channels. When this guiding rail is moved forwards or backwards in the two channels in the longitudinal direction of the link device, the second link arm is made to rotate about the first shaft through an angle which is proportional to the displacement of the guiding rail.
A plurality of sliding rods are rotatably attached in a row to the bottom edge of the cantilever. Since at least two of said sliding rods in their other ends are rotatably attached to the cantilever and since all of the sliding rods are rotatably attached and linked to each other, each sliding rod will rotate through a larger angle about its stationary shaft on the cantilever the longer out of the cantilever it is attached, when the guiding rail is moved along said channels. Thereby the sliding rods will form a polygon curve which determines the curvature of the segments of the flap, a curvature which is dependent on the position of the guiding rail.
The curvature is allowed by the fact that the sliding rods adapt their lengths depending on the instantaneous angle between the cantilever and the second link arm. The sliding rods are automatically shortened when the wing flap is curved and are prolonged when the wing flap is made more straight.
The link arms and the sliding rods are in an articulating mechanism preferably duplicated in order to accomplish a more relia
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patent: 2938680 (1960-05-01), Greene et al.
patent: 3704828 (1972-12-01), Studer et al.
patent: 3836099 (1974-09-01), O'Neill et al.
patent: 4131253 (1978-12-01), Zapel
patent: 4427168 (1984-01-01), McKinney et al.
patent: 4687162 (1987-08-01), Johnson et al.
Saab Aktiebolag
Swiatek Robert P.
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