A seal structure between flaps for an aircraft

Abstract

The present invention relates to a seal structure between flaps of an aircraft, the seal structure comprising a first seal portion and a second seal portion which abut against each other between the flaps, wherein the first seal portion comprises a plurality of discrete first seal members and the second seal portion comprises a plurality of discrete second seal members. This split design of the seal structure is more suitable for situations where there is a shear difference between the inner and outer flaps.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aircraft structures, and more specifically to a sealing structure between flaps of an aircraft. Background Technology

[0002] Aircraft wings typically have two types of flaps: inward flaps and outward flaps. Installing flaps increases the wing area, thereby improving the wing's lift coefficient. Common flap types include simple flaps, split flaps, slotted flaps, and trailing flaps. Generally, the flap located at the trailing edge of the wing is called the trailing edge flap.

[0003] Trailing edge flap structures can be divided into fixed-wing and non-fixed-wing types. Non-fixed-wing types, such as the retractable Fuller flap, can achieve a continuous aerodynamic shape when the flaps are deployed, reduce the vibration level between flaps, and improve the comfort of the aircraft cockpit and cabin. Therefore, they are widely used in mature aircraft models.

[0004] To prevent damage caused by friction between the inner and outer flaps during flight, a gap is provided between them to separate them. However, this gap allows airflow to pass through, reducing the flap's lift efficiency. Therefore, a sealing structure is usually provided between the inner and outer flaps to seal the gap, thereby minimizing gap flow and improving flap performance.

[0005] The current inter-flap sealing structure has the following problems:

[0006] Due to factors such as the precision of the flap operating mechanism and the deformation of the flaps under stress, the inner and outer flaps will inevitably become misaligned or asymmetrical (staggered) during deployment and retraction, resulting in a shear difference. This shear difference may cause the sealing structure between the inner and outer flaps to fail. Current technology cannot provide a sealing solution for shear differences exceeding 10°.

[0007] In addition, in order to achieve a continuous seal during flap deployment and retraction, some existing technologies use a full chord seal to seal the gap between the inner and outer flaps. However, this full chord seal method will cause the flap vibration level to increase significantly when the aircraft flaps are deployed, affecting the comfort of the aircraft cockpit and cabin occupants.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need for a sealing structure between flaps to at least partially solve the two problems mentioned above at the same time. Summary of the Invention

[0009] To address the problem that current flap seals cannot simultaneously provide compensation for the scissor difference between the inner and outer flaps and reduce flap vibration levels, this invention designs an aerodynamic sealing structure between aircraft flaps that can improve the scissor difference compensation capability of the inner and outer flaps while significantly reducing flap vibration levels.

[0010] Specifically, the sealing structure between the flaps of this aircraft includes a first sealing portion and a second sealing portion, which abut against each other between the flaps. The first sealing portion includes multiple discrete first seals, and the second sealing portion includes multiple discrete second seals. This type of split-design sealing structure is more suitable for situations involving scissor differences between the inner and outer flaps.

[0011] Advantageously, the plurality of discrete first seals include a first head seal, a first upper side seal, and a first tail edge seal.

[0012] Advantageously, the multiple discrete second seals include a second head seal, a second upper side seal, and a second tail edge seal. These discrete seals are lightweight, easy to install, and highly adaptable.

[0013] The first head seal and the second head seal have the same shape, the first upper side seal and the second upper side seal have the same shape, and the first tail edge seal and the second tail edge seal have the same shape to facilitate manufacturing.

[0014] In embodiments of the present invention, the sealing structure further includes a lower seal, which is installed between the flaps to effectively reduce the flap vibration level.

[0015] In one embodiment, the first head seal and the second head seal are mounted on the end rib head of the flap by fasteners.

[0016] In one embodiment, the first upper seal, the first trailing edge seal, the second upper seal, and the second trailing edge seal are mounted to the respective flaps via pressure strips.

[0017] In one embodiment, the lower seal is connected to the flap via a pressure strip.

[0018] Additional features and advantages of the described sealing structure will be set forth in the detailed description below, and will be recognized by those skilled in the art from the following description or from practice of the embodiments described herein, including the detailed description below and the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0019] With reference to the above objectives, the technical features of the present invention are clearly described in the following embodiments, and its advantages are apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention by way of example, without limiting the scope of the inventive concept.

[0020] Figure 1 A top view of a sealing structure between flaps of an aircraft according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0021] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a portion of a sealing structure between flaps for an aircraft according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown on the inner flap side.

[0022] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a portion of a sealing structure between flaps of an aircraft according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown on the outer flap side.

[0023] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a head seal for a sealing structure between flaps of an aircraft, according to an embodiment of the present invention, is shown.

[0024] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the upper seal of a sealing structure between flaps of an aircraft according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0025] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a trailing edge seal for a sealing structure between flaps of an aircraft, according to an embodiment of the present invention, is shown; and

[0026] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the lower seal of a sealing structure for sealing between flaps of an aircraft, according to an embodiment of the present invention, is shown.

[0027] Figure label:

[0028] 1. Inner flap

[0029] 2. Outer flaps

[0030] 10 First sealing part

[0031] 11 First head seal

[0032] 12 First upper side seal

[0033] 13 First trailing edge seal

[0034] 20 Second sealing part

[0035] 21 Second upper side seal

[0036] 22 Second head seal

[0037] 23 Second tail edge seal

[0038] 30 Lower side seal

[0039] 40 Fasteners

[0040] 51 Upper side molding strip

[0041] 52a-52c Tail Edge Strip

[0042] 53 Lower side strip Detailed Implementation

[0043] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, so as to better understand the purpose, features and advantages of the present invention.

[0044] The directional terms "up" and "down" used in this article are based on the orientation of the aircraft's components during flight.

[0045] The terms “first” and “second” used in this article can be used interchangeably without affecting the description.

[0046] For convenience, the same or similar elements are referred to by the same reference numerals in the following description.

[0047] Figure 1 A sealing structure between flaps of an aircraft according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. In this embodiment, the sealing structure is disposed between an inner flap 1 and an outer flap 2, and includes a first sealing portion 10 and a second sealing portion 20, which abut against each other between the flaps to close the gap between the inner flap 1 and the outer flap 2.

[0048] In this embodiment, the first sealing portion 10 is mounted on the inner flap 1 and includes a plurality of discrete first seals. These first seals are made of, for example, an elastomeric material or a thermoplastic material, such as rubber.

[0049] Reference Figure 2 The diagram shows in detail a plurality of discrete first seals including a first head seal 11, a first upper seal 12 and a first trailing edge seal 13 mounted on the side of the inner flap 1, which are mounted substantially along the side edge of the inner flap 1.

[0050] Figure 4-6 The mounting methods of the first head seal 11, the first upper side seal 12, and the first trailing edge seal 13 with the inner flap 1 are shown respectively. Those skilled in the art will understand that the side of the inner flap 1 has spaces spaced apart by ribs, which can be used to accommodate the mounting components for mounting the inner flap 1 and the seals together.

[0051] Reference Figure 4 The first head seal 11 is mounted on the end rib head of the inner flap 1 by a fastener 40. The fastener 40 has tabs at both ends (e.g., the upper and lower ends) to facilitate the fastener 40 "locking" into the end rib head of the inner flap 1. The first head seal 3 and the fastener 40 can be secured together by, for example, a threaded connection.

[0052] Reference Figure 5 The first upper seal 12 is mounted to the inner flap 1 on the upper side of the inner flap 1 via a pressure strip 51. The first upper seal 12 and the upper pressure strip 51 can be connected by fasteners, for example, the first upper seal 12 and the pressure strip 51 have aligned holes (the holes of the first upper seal 12 can be seen in the figure), to be fixed together by screws and nuts. After the first upper seal 12 and the upper pressure strip 51 are connected, the upper pressure strip 51 can be further connected to the inner flap 1 in the space between the ribs of the inner flap 1 by another set of fasteners. It should be understood that although the upper pressure strip 51 is shown as a continuous component, the upper pressure strip 51 can also be designed as a discrete plurality of pressure strips for connection.

[0053] Reference Figure 6 The first trailing edge seal 13 is mounted to the inner flap 1 near the trailing edge of the inner flap 1 via trailing edge strips 52a, 52b, and 52c. The first trailing edge seal 13 and the trailing edge strips 52a, 52b, and 52c can be connected by fasteners, for example, the first trailing edge seal 13 and the trailing edge strips 52a, 52b, and 52c have aligned holes for securing them together with screws and nuts. After the first upper seal 12 is connected to the trailing edge strips 52a, 52b, and 52c, the trailing edge strips 52a, 52b, and 52c can be further connected to the inner flap 1 in the space between the ribs of the inner flap 1 by another set of fasteners. Here, the trailing edge strips 52a, 52b, and 52c are shown as three consecutive components to accommodate the shape of the side of the inner flap 1, but more or fewer trailing edge strips can be used.

[0054] Similarly, the second sealing portion 20 is mounted on the outer flap 2 and includes a plurality of discrete second seals. These first seals are made of, for example, an elastomeric material or a thermoplastic material, such as rubber.

[0055] Reference Figure 3 The diagram details multiple discrete second seals, including a second head seal 21, a second upper seal 22, and a second trailing edge seal 23, all mounted on the side of the outer flap 2. These seals are mounted substantially along the side edges of the outer flap 2.

[0056] Similar to the first head seal 11, the second head seal 21 is mounted on the end rib head of the outer flap 2 by a fastener having tabs at both ends (e.g., the upper and lower ends) to facilitate the fastener "locking" into the end rib head of the outer flap 2. The second head seal 3 and the fastener 10 can be secured together by, for example, a threaded connection.

[0057] Similarly to the first upper seal 12 and the first trailing edge seal 13, the second upper seal 22 and the second trailing edge seal 23 are respectively installed to the upper side and trailing edge of the outer flap 2 via a pressure strip. The second upper seal 22 and the second trailing edge seal 23 are connected to the pressure strip by fasteners, for example, the second upper seal 22 and the second trailing edge seal 23 have aligned holes with the pressure strip for fixing together by screws and nuts. After the second upper seal 22 and the second trailing edge seal 23 are connected to the pressure strip, the pressure strip can be further connected to the outer flap 2 in the space between the ribs of the outer flap 2 by additional fasteners, in this way the second upper seal 22 and the second trailing edge seal 23 can be sequentially installed to the outer flap 2.

[0058] As described above, the sealing element is installed substantially along the side edges of the inner flap 1 and the outer flap 2, which facilitates secure installation via the pressure strip and maximizes the mating area. Therefore, even when there is a large shear difference between the inner flap 1 and the outer flap, the sealing structure of this embodiment can still achieve a sealing effect. The strip-shaped design of the sealing element also reduces friction between them.

[0059] Preferably, the first head seal 11 and the second head seal 21 have the same shape, the first upper seal 12 and the second upper seal 22 have the same shape, and the first tail edge seal 13 and the second tail edge seal 23 have the same shape, to facilitate the manufacture of the seals. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the shapes of the corresponding seals may be different. For example, the first head seal 11 may be larger than the second head seal 21, and the first upper seal 12 may be designed to be smaller than the second upper seal 22; this approach also achieves cross-sectional shape matching between the first sealing portion 10 and the second sealing portion 20.

[0060] It should also be understood that, although in this embodiment, the first sealing portion 10 is composed of a first head seal 11, a first upper side seal 12 and a first tail edge seal 13, and the second sealing portion 20 is composed of a second head seal 21, a second upper side seal 22 and a second tail edge seal 23, each sealing portion may include more or fewer discrete seals.

[0061] like Figure 7 As shown, the sealing structure of an embodiment of the present invention further includes a lower sealing element 30, which is installed on the inner flap 1 and the outer flap 2. Figure 7Between (not shown). Similarly, the lower seal 30 is connected to the inner flap 1 via a lower pressure strip 53, and to the outer flap (not shown) via another pressure strip. The lower pressure strip 53 is similarly connected to the lower seal 30 and the flap using fasteners. The lower seal 30 enables the flap to have a continuously smooth aerodynamic surface in all attitudes, effectively reducing the flap vibration level.

[0062] The installation method of the sealing structure in the embodiment of the present invention is as follows: first, install the first head seal 11, the first upper side seal 12, the first trailing edge seal 13, the second upper side seal 21, the second head seal 22, and the second trailing edge seal 23; complete the docking of the inner flap 1 and the outer flap 2 on the wing; adjust the inner flap 1 and the outer flap 2 to the cruising position; and complete the installation of the lower side seal 30.

[0063] The sealing structure between the flaps of this invention can be installed between the inner and outer flaps of civil aircraft to achieve aerodynamic sealing and improve aerodynamic efficiency. Its split design makes it suitable for various scenarios, such as those with large scissor differences between the inner and outer flaps, thus broadening its application range. Furthermore, this invention can reduce the vibration level between the inner and outer flaps, improving the comfort of the aircraft cockpit and cabin, and is characterized by its light weight, ease of installation, and strong adaptability.

[0064] While the structure 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, modifications and variations can be made to the present invention, and all such modifications and variations will fall within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A sealing structure between flaps of an aircraft, comprising a first sealing portion, a second sealing portion, and a single discrete lower seal, wherein the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion abut against each other between the flaps, wherein, The first sealing portion includes a plurality of discrete first seals, and the second sealing portion includes a plurality of discrete second seals, wherein the lower seals are mounted between and connected to the flaps.

2. The sealing structure between flaps of an aircraft as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The plurality of discrete first seals include a first head seal, a first upper side seal, and a first tail edge seal.

3. The sealing structure between flaps of an aircraft as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The plurality of discrete second seals include a second head seal, a second upper side seal, and a second tail edge seal.

4. The sealing structure between flaps of an aircraft as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The first head seal and the second head seal have the same shape, the first upper seal and the second upper seal have the same shape, and the first tail edge seal and the second tail edge seal have the same shape.

5. The sealing structure between flaps of an aircraft as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The first head seal and the second head seal are mounted on the end rib head of the flap by fasteners.

6. The sealing structure between flaps of an aircraft as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The first upper seal and the second upper seal are installed to the corresponding flaps via upper pressure strips, and the first tail edge seal and the second tail edge seal are installed to the corresponding flaps via tail edge pressure strips.

7. The sealing structure between flaps of an aircraft as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The lower seal is connected to the flap via a lower pressure strip.

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