Horizontal stabilizer load transfer device, horizontal stabilizer and aircraft

Abstract

This invention relates to a horizontal stabilizer load transfer device, comprising: a support fixed to the horizontal stabilizer and including a first support and a second support spaced apart from the first support; a roller frame having a first joint and an opposing second joint, wherein the first joint is pivotally fitted to the first support; a support arm including a third joint and an opposing fourth joint, wherein the third joint fits to the second support, and the fourth joint fits to the roller frame; a roller pivotally supported by the second joint of the roller frame; and a guide rail fixed to the aft fuselage or vertical stabilizer, such that the roller faces the guide rail and a gap is formed between the guide rail and the roller. This arrangement allows for flexible and convenient adjustment of the fit gap between the roller and the guide rail, enabling gap calibration without complex tooling, significantly reducing on-site assembly and debugging time, and effectively improving the overall assembly efficiency of the aircraft's horizontal stabilizer components. Furthermore, this invention also relates to a horizontal stabilizer and an aircraft.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a horizontal stabilizer load transfer device. Additionally, this invention also relates to a horizontal stabilizer and an aircraft. Background Technology

[0002] Commercial aircraft typically employ adjustable horizontal stabilizers (HLS) to enhance handling performance. The HLS adjusts its angle of attack by rotating around a pivot axis to adapt to flight conditions. The HLS is usually located at the rear of the aircraft and can be mounted on the vertical stabilizer or the rear fuselage. It is connected to the vertical stabilizer or rear fuselage via three joints. One forward joint is located at the front of the HLS and connected to a actuator to drive the HLS to rotate around its pivot axis. Two rear joints are symmetrically located at the rear of the HLS relative to the entire aircraft, forming the pivot axis. The actuator drives the adjustable HLS to rotate around the pivot axis, generating lateral oscillation and lateral inertial loads during this rotation.

[0003] To transfer lateral inertial loads, two lateral load transfer devices are typically arranged: two support structures located near the front beam at the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer, and one support structure located inside the vertical stabilizer or aft fuselage. The lateral load transfer device may include rollers that rotate when the horizontal stabilizer rotates around its axis, roller frames that fix the rollers, and tracks for the rollers to roll. The rollers are mounted on the horizontal stabilizer, and the tracks are mounted on the vertical stabilizer or aft fuselage. To ensure load transfer, the clearance between the rollers and tracks requires high precision, typically less than 1 mm. However, during assembly, due to accumulated tolerances, the initial clearance between the rollers and tracks may be between 4 and 6 mm. Specialized design or machining is required to meet the desired clearance value.

[0004] In existing technologies, the gap between the roller and the track is usually adjusted by adding shims and grinding. However, this method has several drawbacks, including but not limited to: 1) it consumes a lot of assembly time and affects assembly efficiency; 2) sometimes the amount of grinding is too large, causing the manufactured slide rail or roller frame to be scrapped, requiring the design of special parts for treatment; 3) because the amount of grinding or shims varies from batch to batch, the flat tail cannot meet the interchangeability requirements.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to improve the existing horizontal tail load transfer device in order to provide an improved horizontal tail load transfer device that overcomes one or more disadvantages of the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a flat-tail load transfer device, particularly a flat-tail lateral load transfer device with easily adjustable gap, which overcomes the defects of the prior art, realizes the function of convenient adjustment of the gap between the roller and the roller track, realizes the quick installation or replacement of the flat tail, avoids the assembly time wasted due to adding shims and grinding, and realizes the interchangeability of the flat tail.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the invention, a horizontal stabilizer load transfer device is provided, which can be disposed between the rear fuselage or vertical stabilizer of an aircraft and the horizontal stabilizer, and may include: a support, which can be fixed to the horizontal stabilizer and includes a first support and a second support spaced apart from the first support; a roller frame, which may have a first joint and an opposing second joint, wherein the first joint is pivotally engaged with the first support; a support arm, which may include a third joint and an opposing fourth joint, wherein the third joint is engaged with the second support and the fourth joint is engaged with the roller frame; a roller, which can be pivotally supported by the second joint of the roller frame; and a guide rail, which can be fixed to the rear fuselage or vertical stabilizer such that the roller is arranged facing the guide rail and a gap is formed between the guide rail and the roller.

[0008] This horizontal stabilizer load transfer device adopts a lateral load transfer overall layout with a pivoting fit structure, which can flexibly and conveniently adjust the fit clearance between the roller and the guide rail. Clearance calibration can be completed without the need for complex tooling, which greatly reduces on-site assembly and debugging time and effectively improves the overall assembly efficiency of horizontal stabilizer components of aircraft such as commercial airliners. At the same time, by reserving a reasonable clearance, it can avoid rigid contact friction between the roller and the guide rail, alleviate structural stress concentration during horizontal stabilizer movement, and balance load transfer stability and component service life.

[0009] According to the above aspects of the present invention, preferably, the first support may include a first mounting hole, and the first connector may be provided with a second mounting hole, wherein the first fastener passes through the first mounting hole and the second mounting hole to pivotally engage the first connector with the first support.

[0010] The detachable pivoting structure with fasteners passing through mounting holes facilitates disassembly and assembly, enabling rapid interchangeability of horizontal stabilizer components. For example, when performing horizontal stabilizer replacement or maintenance between different aircraft of the same model, only the first fastener needs to be unscrewed, and then the pivot angle and position of the roller frame relative to the first support need to be adjusted to quickly complete the clearance adaptation and replacement positioning. There is no need to completely disassemble the load transfer device, simplifying the replacement process, reducing after-sales maintenance and component replacement costs, and improving the operational flexibility of the aircraft.

[0011] According to the above aspects of the present invention, preferably, the first support may include double fork lugs, each fork lug may be provided with a first mounting hole, at least one of the first mounting holes may be provided with a first keyway, and the second mounting hole of the first connector is provided with a second keyway, the first fastener is provided with a first key, the first key being able to pass through the first keyway to engage with the second keyway.

[0012] In this way, the first connector is fixed to the first fastener via a spline connection, and the first fastener is fixed to the first support via a press fit of the contact surfaces, thereby maintaining a fixed pivot angle and cooperating with the support arm to increase support stability and ensure the size of the positional clearance.

[0013] This double-forked lug structure increases the overall support stiffness of the first support. Furthermore, the keyway and key anti-loosening positioning structure ensures the desired circumferential fixation between the first joint and the first fastener, and between the first fastener and the first support, avoiding or at least partially reducing relative slippage during operation, thereby maintaining the pivot angle of the roller frame. Through coordinated operation with the support arm, the overall structural support stability is further enhanced, ensuring that the gap between the roller and the guide rail remains essentially constant, thus preventing abnormal changes in the gap and guaranteeing load transfer accuracy.

[0014] According to the above aspects of the present invention, preferably, the second joint of the roller frame can be arranged with two ears. The double-ear second joint structure enables symmetrical pivot support on both sides of the roller, increases the contact area between the roller and the roller frame, disperses the local load borne by the roller, avoids uneven force distribution and roller wobble caused by unilateral support, effectively improves the smoothness of roller movement, and thus increases reliability.

[0015] According to the above aspects of the present invention, preferably, the roller frame may further include an intermediate portion extending between the first joint and the second joint, the intermediate portion having a third mounting hole, and the fourth joint of the support arm having a fourth mounting hole, wherein the third mounting hole is an elongated hole extending along the longitudinal direction of the roller frame, and the second fastener passes through the third mounting hole and the fourth mounting hole to engage the fourth joint with the roller frame.

[0016] By setting the third mounting hole in the middle of the roller frame as a longitudinal elongated hole, and cooperating with the second fastener, an adjustable connection between the support arm and the roller frame is achieved. This allows for flexible adjustment of the mounting position of the support arm relative to the roller frame according to actual assembly requirements, thereby precisely fine-tuning the gap between the roller and the guide rail. This adapts to different assembly conditions and component tolerances, and gap calibration can be completed without replacing parts, improving the versatility and adaptability of the device.

[0017] According to the above aspects of the present invention, preferably, the third mounting hole may include two elongated holes arranged side by side, the third connector of the support arm is a single ear, and the fourth connector of the support arm is a tree-shaped connector, and includes two fourth mounting holes, which are arranged corresponding to the two elongated holes.

[0018] By matching the double elongated holes with the double mounting holes of the tree-shaped connector, a dual-point positioning connection between the support arm and the roller frame can be achieved, which improves the stability of the connection, effectively limits the undesirable movement or swaying offset of the support arm relative to the roller frame, and thus optimizes the overall structural support force effect.

[0019] According to the above aspects of the present invention, preferably, the support arm can be a telescopic arm and may include a locking device for locking the support arm at different lengths.

[0020] This retractable structure allows for flexible adjustment of the overall length of the support arm to suit different aircraft models and horizontal stabilizer assembly dimensions, adapting to diverse assembly space and clearance requirements. Furthermore, once the length is adjusted to the correct position, a locking device can achieve rigid locking, ensuring a constant support arm length and maintaining a relatively constant gap between the rollers and guide rails. This prevents abnormal changes in the gap and guarantees load transfer accuracy.

[0021] According to the above aspects of the present invention, preferably, the first support and the second support can be arranged at intervals along the vertical direction and fixed to the upper and lower parts of the flat tail, respectively.

[0022] This arrangement can form a symmetrical split support layout, applying balanced support to the horizontal stabilizer in both directions, effectively dispersing the longitudinal and lateral loads transmitted by the horizontal stabilizer, alleviating local structural stress concentration, and improving the support reliability between the horizontal stabilizer and the load transfer device.

[0023] According to a second aspect of the invention, a horizontal stabilizer is provided, which can be mounted on the rear fuselage or vertical stabilizer of an aircraft, and may include: a horizontal stabilizer load transfer device according to the first aspect, wherein there may be two horizontal stabilizer load transfer devices and they may be arranged symmetrically about the fuselage of the aircraft.

[0024] This horizontal stabilizer adopts a symmetrically arranged dual load transfer device structure design, which enables the load on the horizontal stabilizer to be evenly transferred to the rear fuselage or both sides of the vertical stabilizer structure. This avoids the problem of horizontal stabilizer force skew and local overload of the fuselage caused by single-sided load transfer, improves the overall stability and balance of the horizontal stabilizer during operation, and reduces horizontal stabilizer vibration and deformation.

[0025] According to a third aspect of the invention, an aircraft is provided that may include: a horizontal stabilizer load transfer device according to the first aspect, or a horizontal stabilizer according to the second aspect.

[0026] This type of aircraft can improve the load transfer efficiency, assembly convenience, and maintenance flexibility of the aircraft's tail structure, effectively reduce the difficulty of assembling and replacing horizontal tail components, and reduce the overall assembly time and subsequent maintenance costs. At the same time, this aircraft also allows for the optimization of the stress distribution of the tail structure, reducing the risk of structural fatigue damage, extending the service life of the aircraft's tail structure, improving the overall flight stability, control precision, and reliability of the aircraft, and enhancing the overall market competitiveness of the aircraft.

[0027] Therefore, the flat-tail load transfer device of the present invention can meet the usage requirements, overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, and achieve the intended purpose. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To further describe the horizontal tail load transfer device according to the present invention clearly, the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, in which: Figure 1 This is a perspective view of part of the aircraft, showing a typical layout of the adjustable horizontal stabilizer mounted on the vertical stabilizer; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of lateral load transfer of a horizontal tail load transfer device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a horizontal tail load transfer device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the first support of the flat-tail load transfer device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the roller frame of a flat-tail load transfer device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the first fastener of the flat-tail load transfer device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the support arm of the flat-tail load transfer device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] The above figures are for illustrative purposes only and are not drawn to scale.

[0030] The reference numerals in the figures are listed in the figures and embodiments: 100 - Horizontal tail load transfer device, including: 10 - Supports, including: 11 - The first support, including: 11A - First forked ear; 11B - Second forked ear; 11C - Base; 110 – First mounting hole; 110A - First keyway; 12 - Second support; 20 - Roller frame, including: 21 – First connector, including: 210 – Second mounting hole; 210A – Second keyway; 22 – Second connector; 23 - Middle section; 23A – Third mounting hole; 30 - Support arm, including: 31 – Third connector; 32 – Fourth connector; 32A – Fourth mounting hole; 40 - Roller; 50 - Guide rail; 50A – Track surface; 61 – First fastener; 61A - First key; 62 – Second fastener; 63 - Third fastener; 200 – Rear fuselage, including: 200A - Vertical stabilizer; 220 - flat tail; 220A - Front beam; 230 – First Support Unit; 240 – Second support unit; G – Gap; F - Heading direction; T – Spanning direction; V – Vertical direction. Detailed Implementation

[0031] It should be understood that, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the invention may take various alternative orientations and sequences of steps. It should also be understood that the specific apparatus shown in the drawings and described in the specification are merely exemplary embodiments of the inventive concept disclosed and defined herein. Therefore, unless expressly stated otherwise, the specific orientations, directions, or other features involved in the various disclosed embodiments should not be considered limiting.

[0032] Figure 1 A perspective view of a portion of the aircraft is shown, which could be, for example, the aft fuselage 200, and a typical layout of the adjustable horizontal stabilizer 220 mounted on the vertical stabilizer 200A is illustrated. Figure 1As shown, the horizontal stabilizer 220 can be mounted on the vertical stabilizer 200A of the aircraft, and the vertical stabilizer 200A can be mounted on the aft fuselage 200. The horizontal stabilizer load transfer device 100 can be positioned between the vertical stabilizer 200A and the horizontal stabilizer 220 to achieve lateral load transfer between them. Simultaneously, through its adjustable structure, it adapts to the assembly and operational requirements of the horizontal stabilizer 220, ensuring the stable operation of the horizontal stabilizer 220 during aircraft flight. It should be understood that the horizontal stabilizer load transfer device 100 can also be positioned between the aft fuselage 200 and the horizontal stabilizer 220, depending on the overall aircraft layout.

[0033] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the lateral load transfer of a flat-tail load transfer device 100 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] As shown in the figure and as a non-limiting example, the horizontal stabilizer load transfer device 100 is shown installed between the vertical stabilizer 200A and the horizontal stabilizer 220. Preferably, two horizontal stabilizer load transfer devices 100 may be provided and arranged symmetrically about the fuselage plane AA. For example, the two horizontal stabilizer load transfer devices 100 may be arranged on the left and right sides of the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer 220 near the front beam 220A to ensure the stability of load transfer.

[0035] As an example, the horizontal stabilizer load transfer device 100 can be disposed between the horizontal stabilizer 220 and the vertical stabilizer 200A via corresponding support units. For example, the support units may include a first support unit 230 and a second support unit 240. Two first support units 230 may be provided and may be arranged at the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer 220, near the front beam 220A of the horizontal stabilizer 220. The second support unit 240 may be arranged inside the vertical stabilizer 200A. As an example, the first support unit 230 may be arranged substantially parallel to the front beam 220A, while the second support unit 240 may be arranged substantially perpendicular to the fuselage's plane of symmetry AA.

[0036] When the horizontal stabilizer 220 rotates around the pivot, the horizontal stabilizer load transfer device 100 will limit the position of the horizontal stabilizer 220 to prevent it from swinging, and transfer the lateral inertial load to the vertical stabilizer 200A or the rear fuselage 200 through the load transfer unit.

[0037] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a horizontal tail load transfer device 100 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention is shown, in conjunction with... Figure 2 As shown in the schematic diagram of the lateral load transfer, the horizontal tail load transfer device 100 can be set between the vertical tail 200A and the horizontal tail 220 and can mainly include a support 10, a roller frame 20, a support arm 30, a roller 40 and a guide rail 50, etc.

[0038] The support 10 can be fixed to the flat tail 220, and more specifically, to the first support unit 230, for connecting the flat tail 220 to the roller frame 20 and the support arm 30. Figure 3 In the example shown, the support 10 may include a first support 11 and a second support 12 arranged at intervals. Preferably, the first support 11 and the second support 12 may be arranged at intervals along the vertical direction V, and may be fixed to the upper and lower parts of the horizontal tail 220 respectively, forming a split support layout that is symmetrical from top to bottom, thereby allowing for more balanced support of the horizontal tail 220 and reducing local structural stress concentration.

[0039] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the first support 11 of the flat-tail load transfer device 100 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] As shown in the figure, the first support 11 may include double fork lugs. For example, the first support 11 may include a first fork lug 11A and a second fork lug 11B arranged spaced apart from the first fork lug 11A. The first fork lug 11A and the second fork lug 11B may be fixed to the base 11C or integrally formed with the base 11C. Each fork lug may be provided with a first mounting hole 110, and at least one of the first mounting holes 110 may be provided with a first keyway 110A. For example, the first mounting hole 110 of one fork lug of the first support 11 may be provided with a first keyway 110A, while the first mounting hole 110 of the other fork lug may be formed as a complete circular hole without a keyway.

[0041] The double-fork lug structure of the first support 11 can effectively improve the overall support stiffness of the first support 11, avoid structural deformation during pivoting, and ensure connection stability.

[0042] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the roller frame 20 of the flat-tail load transfer device 100 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention is shown, while Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the first fastener 61 of the flat-tail load transfer device 100 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. (In conjunction with...) Figure 3 As can be seen, the roller frame 20 can be used as an intermediate component connecting the support 10, the support arm 30, and the roller 40, and can have a first joint 21 and an opposing second joint 22. The first joint 21 can be pivotally engaged with the first support 11. For example, the first support 11 can be pivotally engaged with the roller frame 20 via a first fastener 61. The second joint 22 can be used to pivotally support the roller 40.

[0043] Simultaneously refer to Figures 3 to 5 The first joint 21 of the roller frame 20 is provided with a second mounting hole 210 corresponding to the first mounting hole 110, and a second keyway 210A may be provided in the second mounting hole 210. The second mounting hole 210 can be connected to... Figure 6The first fastener 61 shown is engaged. The surface of the first fastener 61 may be provided with a first key 61A.

[0044] During installation, the first fastener 61 can pass through the first mounting hole 110 of the first support 11 and the second mounting hole 210 of the roller frame 20. At this time, the first key 61A correspondingly passes through the first keyway 110A and engages with the second keyway 210A, thereby fixing the first connector 21 to the first fastener 61. Furthermore, after the first fastener 61 is inserted into place, a nut or similar device can be used to engage the first fastener 61, thereby fixing the first fastener 61 to the first support 11 and preventing circumferential rotation. This allows the current pivot angle of the roller frame 20 relative to the first support 11 to be locked or maintained, thus ensuring that the gap G between the roller 40 and the guide rail 50 remains constant.

[0045] like Figure 3 As schematically shown, when the roller 40 is arranged facing the guide rail 50, the gap G can be defined by the distance between the outer surface of the roller 40 and the track surface 50A of the guide rail 50. To ensure the transmission of lateral inertial loads, the gap G between the roller 40 and the guide rail 50 needs to be precisely controlled, typically 0.05~0.25mm. Due to the accumulation of tolerances, the initial gap G between the roller 40 and the guide rail 50 may be between -4 and 6mm. By using the flat-tail load transfer device 100 with a pivoting fit (hinge) according to the present invention, the gap G between the roller 40 and the guide rail 50 can be conveniently adjusted by adjusting the pivot angle of the roller frame 20 relative to the first support 11 to meet the desired gap G value, and assembly time can be reduced and assembly efficiency improved.

[0046] At this point, it should be understood that the first key 61A only engages with the second keyway 210A, but not with the first keyway 110A, thus allowing the roller frame 20 to rotate relative to the first support 11 before the first fastener 61 is locked to the first support 11. Furthermore, it should be understood that the first fastener 61 can be in the form of a bolt as shown in the figure, and can engage with a corresponding nut, thereby fixing the roller frame 20 relative to the first support 11 after the angular position of the roller frame 20 relative to the first support 11 is adjusted to the correct position, to maintain that angular position.

[0047] like Figure 5 As shown and in a preferred embodiment, the second connector 22 can be arranged with two ears, thereby allowing for bilateral symmetrical pivot support of the roller 40, increasing the contact area between the roller 40 and the roller frame 20, and making the roller 40 more evenly stressed during its rolling along the guide rail 50.

[0048] In addition, such as Figure 5As shown, the roller frame 20 may further include an intermediate portion 23 extending between the first joint 21 and the second joint 22. This intermediate portion 23 may be provided with a third mounting hole 23A for engaging with a fourth joint 32 of the support arm 30 (see [reference]). Figure 3 ).

[0049] Preferably, the third mounting hole 23A can be formed as an elongated hole extending along the longitudinal direction of the roller frame 20. More preferably, the third mounting hole 23A can include two elongated holes arranged side-by-side. Thus, during assembly, the second fastener 62 can pass through the third mounting hole 23A and the fourth mounting hole 32A on the fourth connector 32, fitting the fourth connector 32 onto the roller frame 20, as shown below. Figure 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown.

[0050] The design of this elongated hole allows for flexible adjustment of the installation position of the support arm 30 relative to the roller frame 20 in the longitudinal direction during assembly, based on actual assembly requirements and component processing errors. This reliably ensures the size of the gap G between the roller 40 and the guide rail 50, improving the versatility and adaptability of the device.

[0051] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the support arm 30 of the flat-tail load transfer device 100 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] As shown in the figure and in a preferred embodiment, the support arm 30 can be used as an auxiliary support and adjustment component, and may include a third connector 31 and an opposing fourth connector 32. Figure 3 As shown, the third connector 31 can be fitted to the second support 12, while the fourth connector 32 can be fitted to the roller frame 20. In this way, the support arm 30, the roller frame 20, and the support 10 together form a triangular support structure, improving the stability of the overall structure.

[0053] like Figure 7 As schematically shown, the third connector 31 of the support arm 30 is a single ear for connecting with the second support 12, while the fourth connector 32 of the support arm 30 can be a tree-shaped connector and includes two fourth mounting holes 32A. The two fourth mounting holes 32A are arranged correspondingly to the two third mounting holes 23A (elongated holes). This arrangement achieves a two-point positioning connection between the support arm 30 and the roller frame 20, effectively reducing connection instability, improving load transfer efficiency and structural reliability, and extending the overall service life of the device.

[0054] like Figure 3 As shown, the second fastener 62 can pass through and be fastened through the third mounting hole 23A and the fourth mounting hole 32A, for example by means of a nut, to fit the fourth connector 32 into the roller frame 20.

[0055] In this way, the support arm 30 can cooperate with the fixed connection between the roller frame 20 and the first support 11 as described above, so as to better maintain the pivot angle of the roller frame 20 relative to the first support 11.

[0056] In an alternative embodiment not shown, the support arm 30 may be in the form of a telescopic arm and may include a locking device for locking the support arm 30 at different lengths. As an example, the telescopic arm may employ an inner and outer sleeve nested structure, with the inner sleeve sliding along the axial direction of the outer sleeve to achieve adjustment of the overall length of the support arm 30, with the adjustment range adapting to the assembly requirements of horizontal stabilizers of different aircraft models.

[0057] As another example, the locking device can be a bolt-tightening structure and can be arranged at the connection between the inner and outer sleeves. After the support arm 30 is adjusted to the target length, the locking bolt can be tightened so that its end presses against the outer wall of the inner sleeve, achieving rigid locking of the inner and outer sleeves. Alternatively, the locking device can be a built-in screw-threaded locking device, thereby achieving stepless adjustment of the support length and self-locking.

[0058] At this point, it should be understood that the third mounting hole 23A on the roller frame 20 does not need to be an oblong hole, and when the roller frame 20 rotates around the first support 11, the support arm 30 can change its length and rotate around the second support 12 to adapt to the position of the roller frame 20. In particular, when the length of the support arm 30 is adjusted to the correct position, it can be rigidly locked by a locking device to ensure that the current length of the support arm 30 is constant, thereby maintaining the size of the gap G between the roller 40 and the guide rail 50.

[0059] Continue to refer to Figure 3 The roller 40 can be pivotally supported by the second joint 22 of the roller frame 20. For example, the roller 40 can be connected to the roller frame 20 via a third fastener 63. The guide rail 50 can be fixed to the rear fuselage 200 or the vertical tail 200A, for example, it can be fixed to a second support unit 240 disposed inside the vertical tail 200A. Figure 2 and 3 As shown, there may be two guide rails 50, and these two guide rails 50 may be arranged symmetrically on the outer surface of the vertical tail 200A along the spanwise direction T, with the rail surface 50A parallel to the fuselage symmetry plane, and may be connected to the second support unit 240, for example, by fasteners.

[0060] In this way, a gap G is formed between the guide rail 50 and the roller 40. This gap G can be precisely controlled by the pivot adjustment of the roller frame 20 and the position adjustment (or length adjustment) of the support arm 30, avoiding rigid contact friction between the roller 40 and the guide rail 50, and alleviating structural stress concentration during the movement of the horizontal stabilizer 220. In addition, the rolling cooperation between the roller 40 and the guide rail 50 enables the flexible movement of the horizontal stabilizer 220. Combined with the structural design of the entire load transfer device, this ensures that the horizontal stabilizer 220 can function stably during aircraft flight, guaranteeing flight safety.

[0061] In the actual assembly process, the first support 11 and the second support 12 of the support 10 can be fixed to the upper and lower parts of the flat tail 220 respectively. Then, the first joint 21 of the roller frame 20 is pivotally connected to the first support 11 through the first fastener 61 to ensure that the first key 61A and the second keyway 210A are precisely matched.

[0062] Then, the third connector 31 of the support arm 30 can be connected to the second support 12, and the fourth connector 32 can be connected to the middle part 23 of the roller frame 20 through the second fastener 62. According to the assembly requirements, the operator can adjust the position of the support arm 30 along the longitudinal direction of the third mounting hole 23A, or adjust the length of the telescopic support arm 30 until a preset gap G is formed between the roller 40 and the guide rail 50.

[0063] Finally, the first fastener 61 can be tightened, for example, by a nut, and the position or length of the support arm 30 can be locked by a locking device (if present) to maintain the preset gap G, thereby completing the assembly.

[0064] It can be seen that the flat-tail load transfer device 100 with pivot engagement (hinge) can easily adjust the gap G between the roller 40 and the guide rail 50, reduce assembly time, and improve assembly efficiency.

[0065] When the flat tail 220 needs to be interchanged, simply loosen the first fastener 61 and the second fastener 62, and finely adjust the pivot angle and position of the roller frame 20 relative to the first support 11 to quickly complete the gap adaptation and replacement positioning. There is no need to completely disassemble the load transmission device, which simplifies the replacement process and reduces maintenance and component replacement costs.

[0066] The terms “left side” and “right side” used herein to indicate orientation or direction, and the terms “first” and “second” used to indicate sequence, are merely to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the concept of the invention as illustrated in the preferred embodiments, and are not intended to limit the invention. Unless otherwise stated, all sequences, orientations, or directions are used only to distinguish one element / component / structure from another, and do not indicate any particular order, sequence of operations, direction, or orientation unless otherwise stated. For example, in an alternative embodiment, “first support” could be “second support”, etc.

[0067] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the terms “approximately” and “about” are interpreted as indicating a value or range of values ​​plus or minus five percent, or a deviation of the shape and / or position from the value by plus or minus five percent.

[0068] In summary, the horizontal stabilizer load transfer device 100 according to the embodiments of the present invention, through the coordinated design of the support 10, roller frame 20, support arm 30, roller 40 and guide rail 50, achieves stable load transfer between the horizontal stabilizer 220 and the rear fuselage 200 or vertical stabilizer 200A, while having flexible gap adjustment function and horizontal stabilizer interchangeability function, effectively reducing assembly and maintenance costs, overcoming the shortcomings of the prior art, and achieving the expected invention purpose.

[0069] While the horizontal tail load transfer device of the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should recognize that the above examples are merely illustrative and should not be construed as limiting the invention. Therefore, various modifications and variations can be made to the invention within the spirit and scope of the claims, and all such modifications and variations will fall within the scope claimed by the claims.

Claims

1. A horizontal stabilizer load transfer device (100), said horizontal stabilizer load transfer device (100) being disposed between the rear fuselage (200) or vertical stabilizer (200A) of an aircraft and the horizontal stabilizer (220), and comprising: Support (10), the support is fixed to the flat tail (220) and includes a first support (11) and a second support (12) spaced apart from the first support; Roller frame (20) having a first joint (21) and an opposing second joint (22), wherein the first joint (21) is pivotally coupled to the first support (11). The support arm (30) includes a third joint (31) and an opposing fourth joint (32), wherein the third joint engages with the second support (12) and the fourth joint (32) engages with the roller frame (20). Roller (40), the roller being pivotally supported by the second joint (22) of the roller frame (20); and A guide rail (50) is fixed to the rear fuselage (200) or the vertical tail (200A) such that the roller (40) is arranged facing the guide rail (50) and a gap (G) is formed between the guide rail (50) and the roller (40).

2. The flat tail load transfer device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The first support (11) includes a first mounting hole (110), and the first connector (21) is provided with a second mounting hole (210), wherein a first fastener (61) passes through the first mounting hole (110) and the second mounting hole (210) to pivotally engage the first connector (21) with the first support (11).

3. The flat tail load transfer device (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that The first support (11) includes double fork lugs, each fork lug being provided with the first mounting hole (110), at least one of the first mounting holes being provided with a first keyway (110A), and The second mounting hole (210) of the first connector (21) is provided with a second keyway (210A), and the first fastener (61) is provided with a first key (61A). The first key can pass through the first keyway (110A) to engage with the second keyway (210A).

4. The flat tail load transfer device (100) of claim 1, wherein, The second joint (22) of the roller frame (20) is arranged with two ears.

5. The flat tail load transfer device (100) of claim 1, wherein, The roller frame (20) further includes an intermediate portion (23) extending between the first joint (21) and the second joint (22), the intermediate portion having a third mounting hole (23A), and The fourth connector (32) of the support arm (30) is provided with a fourth mounting hole (32A), wherein the third mounting hole (23A) is an elongated hole extending along the longitudinal direction of the roller frame (20), and the second fastener (62) passes through the third mounting hole (23A) and the fourth mounting hole (32A) to fit the fourth connector (32) into the roller frame (20).

6. The flat tail load transfer device (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that The third mounting hole (23A) includes two elongated holes arranged side by side. The third connector (31) of the support arm (30) is a single ear, while the fourth connector (32) of the support arm (30) is a tree-shaped connector and includes two fourth mounting holes (32A). The two fourth mounting holes (32A) are arranged corresponding to the two elongated holes.

7. The flat tail load transfer device (100) of claim 1, wherein, The support arm (30) is a telescopic arm and includes a locking device for locking the support arm (30) at different lengths.

8. The flat tail load transfer device (100) according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The first support (11) and the second support (12) are arranged at intervals along the vertical direction (V) and are respectively fixed to the upper and lower parts of the flat tail (220).

9. A horizontal stabilizer (220) mounted on the rear fuselage (200) or vertical stabilizer (200A) of an aircraft, and comprising: According to any one of claims 1-8, the horizontal tail load transfer device (100) is provided in two and is arranged symmetrically about the fuselage of the aircraft.

10. An aircraft, the aircraft comprising: The horizontal tail load transfer device (100) according to any one of claims 1-8, or The flat tail (220) according to claim 9.

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