Variable trailing edge wing rib, wing and aircraft

Abstract

The application provides a variable trailing edge wing rib, which comprises a front wing rib and a rear wing rib. The front wing rib comprises an upper connecting part and a lower connecting part, the upper connecting part is provided with an upper sliding groove, and the lower connecting part is provided with a lower sliding groove. The rear wing rib comprises a fixed part, a flexible part, an upper sliding part and a lower sliding part, the upper sliding part is fixedly connected with the lower sliding part, and the upper sliding part and the lower sliding part are connected on the fixed part through the connecting flexible part. The fixed part is fixedly connected in the front wing rib, the upper sliding part is slidably arranged in the upper sliding groove along the length direction of the wing rib, and the lower sliding part is slidably arranged in the lower sliding groove along the length direction of the wing rib. The application also provides a wing using the wing rib and an airplane using the wing. The application adopts a rigid-flexible coupling structure design, the flexible structure has high bending capacity, the internal stress generated by the deformation of the mechanism is greatly reduced, and the service life of the flexible trailing edge is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of aircraft design and manufacturing, specifically relating to a variable trailing edge rib, wing, and aircraft. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional fixed-wing aircraft control surfaces such as flaps and ailerons are rigid structures with gaps at the deflection points. During deflection, the airflow often cannot fit well, which reduces the control effectiveness of the control surfaces, increases the drag of the wing, and generates more noise.

[0003] The deformation process of a flexible trailing edge wing is continuous and smooth, which can effectively improve the wing's aerodynamic performance, reduce noise, and can also replace the flap and aileron mechanism of traditional aircraft, more efficiently meeting the basic lift and handling requirements of the aircraft. However, existing flexible trailing edges still have the following problems:

[0004] 1. The complex structure of the variator mechanism leads to increased wing mass, reduced reliability, and higher manufacturing and maintenance costs.

[0005] 2. Purely compliant mechanisms have low stiffness and are difficult to maintain a good aerodynamic shape under large loads.

[0006] 3. Flexible skin materials have high requirements, needing both good elasticity and the ability to maintain a stable shape under aerodynamic loads. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides a variable trailing edge rib, including a front rib and a rear rib.

[0008] The front wing rib includes an upper connecting part and a lower connecting part. The upper connecting part has an upper sliding groove, and the lower connecting part has a lower sliding groove. The rear wing rib includes a fixed part, a flexible part, an upper sliding part, and a lower sliding part. The upper sliding part is fixedly connected to the lower sliding part, and the upper and lower sliding parts are connected to the fixed part through a connecting flexible part. The fixed part is fixedly connected inside the front wing rib. The upper sliding part is slidably disposed in the upper sliding groove along the length direction of the wing rib, and the lower sliding part is slidably disposed in the lower sliding groove along the length direction of the wing rib.

[0009] Furthermore, it also includes an upper connecting rod, a lower connecting rod, and a servo motor, the servo motor being equipped with a rocker arm. The fixed part has a servo motor slot, in which the servo motor is installed. The upper connecting rod is hinged to the upper part of the rocker arm and the upper sliding part, and the lower connecting rod is hinged to the lower part of the rocker arm and the lower sliding part. By rotating the rocker arm, the connected upper and lower sliding parts can be driven to slide within the upper and lower sliding grooves.

[0010] Furthermore, the upper sliding groove is provided with an upper retaining groove on its outer side, and an upper retaining ring is provided in the upper retaining groove. The lower sliding groove is provided with a lower retaining groove on its outer side, and a lower retaining ring is provided in the lower retaining groove. By setting the upper retaining ring and the lower retaining ring, the upper sliding part and the lower sliding part are prevented from coming off the side of the wing rib.

[0011] Furthermore, the flexible part includes a U-shaped flexible rod, which, when made of the same material as the fixed part, the upper sliding part, and the lower sliding part, can have a strong bending ability.

[0012] Furthermore, the rear wing rib also includes an upper reinforcing rod, a lower reinforcing rod, and a tail reinforcing rod. The upper reinforcing rod connects the flexible part and the upper sliding part, the lower reinforcing rod connects the flexible part and the lower sliding part, and the tail reinforcing rod connects the flexible part and the tail of the rear wing rib. This can strengthen the overall structure while using less material in the rear wing rib.

[0013] Furthermore, the front wing rib is provided with an upper connecting groove, a lower connecting groove, and a middle connecting groove, and the fixing part is provided with an upper connecting adapter groove, a lower connecting adapter groove, and a middle connecting adapter groove. The upper connecting adapter grooves are adapted to the upper connecting grooves, the lower connecting adapter grooves are adapted to the lower connecting grooves, and the middle connecting adapter grooves are adapted to the middle connecting grooves. The fixing part is connected to the front wing rib through the upper connecting adapter grooves, lower connecting adapter grooves, and middle connecting adapter grooves, making the installation structure more secure.

[0014] The present invention also provides a variable trailing edge wing, including a skin, a spars, a trailing edge connecting rod, and a plurality of the aforementioned variable trailing edge ribs arranged in parallel. At least one variable trailing edge rib further includes an upper connecting rod, a lower connecting rod, and a servo. The servo has a rocker arm, a fixed part has a servo slot, and the servo is mounted in the servo slot. The upper connecting rod is hinged to the upper part of the rocker arm and the upper sliding part, and the lower connecting rod is hinged to the lower part of the rocker arm and the lower sliding part, for providing power to the variable trailing edge.

[0015] Each variable trailing edge rib has a connecting part on its front rib, which connects to the wing spars to fix the rib in place. Each variable trailing edge rib also has a mounting groove on its rear rib, which connects to the trailing edge connecting rod. This groove can drive the ribs without servos and also allows for a smooth transition when the trailing edge of each rib changes.

[0016] Furthermore, it also includes wingtips, which include a front wingtips, a rear wingtips, and winglets. The rear wingtips are hinged to the front wingtips, and the winglets are fixed to the upper side of the front wingtips. The front wingtips are provided with spar adapter seats for mounting spars, and the rear wingtips are provided with trailing edge adapter holes for mounting trailing edge connecting rods.

[0017] Furthermore, the skin corresponding to the upper and lower groove positions is made of elastic material, so that the skin transitions smoothly during the trailing edge change process.

[0018] The present invention also provides an aircraft using the aforementioned variable trailing edge wing.

[0019] Compared to the rigid deflection of traditional wing control surfaces, the flexible deformation method of this invention allows airflow to adhere better to the deformation area. By controlling the torsion angle of different areas, the control effect of flaps and ailerons can be achieved. Moreover, compared to traditional flaps and ailerons, the flexible variable trailing edge wing has a higher lift-to-drag ratio in the flap lift state. When the aileron controls the roll, the wing can generate greater torque and has higher roll efficiency.

[0020] This invention employs a transmission method that uses a servo motor to drive a double-linkage mechanism to deform the flexible trailing edge, enabling rapid response to control signals, high control precision, and strong stability.

[0021] This invention employs a rigid-flexible coupling structural design. The flexible structure has strong bending capacity, which greatly reduces the internal stress generated by deformation and improves the service life of the flexible trailing edge. At the same time, the rigid part also has great strength and stiffness, and can withstand large aerodynamic loads and load fluctuations during flexible deformation, making it more reliable than traditional purely compliant mechanisms. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the variable trailing edge rib of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the front wing rib of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the rear wing rib of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a simplified schematic diagram showing the ribs in their initial positions in this invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a simplified schematic diagram of the upward deflection of the trailing edge of the wing rib in this invention;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a simplified schematic diagram of the wing rib deflecting downwards in this invention;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the variable trailing edge wing of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the wingtip in this invention;

[0031] Figure 9This is a schematic diagram of the variable trailing edge aircraft of the present invention;

[0032] In the diagram: 1. Variable trailing edge rib; 2. Front rib; 3. Rear rib; 4. Upper connecting part; 5. Lower connecting part; 6. Upper sliding groove; 7. Lower sliding groove; 8. Fixed part; 9. Flexible part; 10. Upper sliding part; 11. Lower sliding part; 12. Upper connecting rod; 13. Lower connecting rod; 14. Servo; 15. Rocker arm; 16. Servo slot; 17. Upper retaining groove; 18. Upper retaining ring; 19. Lower retaining groove; 20. Lower retaining ring; 21. Upper reinforcing rod; 22. Lower reinforcing rod. 23. Reinforcing rod at the tail; 24. Upper connecting groove; 25. Lower connecting groove; 26. Middle connecting groove; 27. Upper connecting adapter groove; 28. Lower connecting adapter groove; 29. ​​Middle connecting adapter groove; 30. Skin; 31. Spall; 32. Trailing edge connecting rod; 33. Connecting part; 34. Mounting groove; 35. Wingtip; 36. Forward wingtip; 37. Rear wingtip; 38. Spall adapter seat; 39. Trailing edge adapter hole; 40. Elastic material; 41. Winglet. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Example

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, the variable trailing edge rib 1 in this embodiment includes a front rib 2 and a rear rib 3. Figure 2 As shown, the front wing rib 2 includes an upper connecting part 4 and a lower connecting part 5. The upper connecting part 4 is provided with an upper sliding groove 6, and the lower connecting part 5 is provided with a lower sliding groove 7. Figure 3 As shown, the rear wing rib 3 includes a fixed part 8, a flexible part 9, an upper sliding part 10, and a lower sliding part 11. The upper sliding part 10 is fixedly connected to the lower sliding part 11, and the upper sliding part 10 and the lower sliding part 11 are connected to the fixed part 8 through the connecting flexible part 9. The fixed part 8 is fixedly connected inside the front wing rib 2. The upper sliding part 10 is slidably disposed in the upper sliding groove 6 along the length direction of the wing rib, and the lower sliding part 11 is slidably disposed in the lower sliding groove 7 along the length direction of the wing rib. With this structure, a variable trailing edge wing rib 1 without power can be obtained.

[0035] See Figure 1Furthermore, it also includes an upper connecting rod 12, a lower connecting rod 13, and a servo motor 14, with the servo motor 14 having a rocker arm 15. The fixed part 8 has a servo motor slot 16, in which the servo motor 14 is installed. The upper connecting rod 12 is hinged to the upper part of the rocker arm 15 and the upper sliding part 10, and the lower connecting rod 13 is hinged to the lower part of the rocker arm 15 and the lower sliding part 11. With this structure, a powered variable trailing edge rib 1 can be obtained. By rotating the rocker arm 15, the connected upper sliding part 10 and lower sliding part 11 can be driven to slide within the upper sliding groove 6 and the lower sliding groove 7.

[0036] Figure 4-6 A simplified kinematic diagram of the flexible trailing edge mechanism of the present invention is shown. Figure 4 This shows the wing ribs in their initial position. Figure 5 The deformation principle of the flexible trailing edge of the wing rib when it deflects upward is demonstrated: Driven by the servo motor 14, the rocker arm 15 rotates counterclockwise, and the upper connecting rod 12 moves forward under the traction of the rocker arm 15, pulling the upper sliding part 10 on the rear wing rib 3 forward through the hinge point, increasing its range of entry into the upper sliding groove 6; the lower connecting rod 13 moves backward, pushing the lower sliding part 11 of the rear wing rib 3 backward through the hinge point, reducing its range of entry into the lower sliding groove 7, and the trailing edge region of the rear wing rib 3 twists upward. Similarly, Figure 6 The deformation principle is demonstrated when the trailing edge of the rib deflects downward. When the rocker arm 15 rotates clockwise, the trailing edge region of the rear rib 3 twists downward.

[0037] Preferably, the upper sliding groove 6 is provided with an upper retaining groove 17 on the outside, and an upper retaining ring 18 is provided in the upper retaining groove 17. The lower sliding groove 7 is provided with a lower retaining groove 19 on the outside, and a lower retaining ring 20 is provided in the lower retaining groove 19. By providing the upper retaining ring 18 and the lower retaining ring 20, the upper sliding part 10 and the lower sliding part 11 are prevented from coming off the side of the wing rib.

[0038] Preferably, the flexible part 9 includes a U-shaped flexible rod, which can have a strong bending ability when the fixed part 8, the upper sliding part 10 and the lower sliding part 11 are made of the same material.

[0039] Preferably, the rear wing rib 3 further includes an upper reinforcing rod 21, a lower reinforcing rod 22, and a tail reinforcing rod 23. The upper reinforcing rod 21 connects the flexible part 9 and the upper sliding part 10, the lower reinforcing rod 22 connects the flexible part 9 and the lower sliding part 11, and the tail reinforcing rod 23 connects the flexible part 9 and the tail of the rear wing rib 3. This can strengthen the overall structure when the rear wing rib 3 uses less material.

[0040] Preferably, the front wing rib 2 is provided with an upper connecting groove 24, a lower connecting groove 25, and a middle connecting groove 26, and the fixing part 8 is provided with an upper connecting adapter groove 27, a lower connecting adapter groove 28, and a middle connecting adapter groove 29. The upper connecting adapter groove 27 is adapted to the upper connecting groove 24, the lower connecting adapter groove 28 is adapted to the lower connecting groove 25, and the middle connecting adapter groove 29 is adapted to the middle connecting groove 26. In this embodiment, the upper connecting groove 24 is located at the position corresponding to the bottom of the upper sliding groove 6 in the upper connecting part 4, and the lower connecting groove 25 is located at the position corresponding to the bottom of the lower sliding groove 7 in the lower connecting part 5, so that the position strength of the upper connecting groove 24 and the lower connecting groove 25 is relatively large. The fixing part 8 is connected to the front wing rib 2 through the upper connecting adapter groove 27, the lower connecting adapter groove 28, and the middle connecting adapter groove 29, making the installation structure more secure. Example

[0041] like Figure 7 As shown, the variable trailing edge wing of this embodiment includes a skin 30, a sparsity 31, a trailing edge connecting rod 32, and several parallel variable trailing edge ribs 1 as described in the previous embodiment. At least one variable trailing edge rib 1 further includes an upper connecting rod 12, a lower connecting rod 13, and a servo motor 14. The servo motor 14 has a rocker arm 15, and the fixing part 8 has a servo motor slot 16. The servo motor 14 is installed in the servo motor slot 16. The upper connecting rod 12 is hinged to the upper part of the rocker arm 15 and the upper sliding part 10, and the lower connecting rod 13 is hinged to the lower part of the rocker arm 15 and the lower sliding part 11, for providing power for the variable trailing edge.

[0042] Each variable trailing edge rib 1 has a connecting part 33 on its front rib 2, which connects to the spar 31 to fix each rib in place. Each variable trailing edge rib 1 also has a mounting groove 34 on its rear rib 3, which connects to the trailing edge connecting rod 32. This groove can drive ribs without servo motors 14 and also allows for a smooth transition when the trailing edge of each rib changes.

[0043] Furthermore, such as Figure 8 As shown, it also includes a wingtip 35, which comprises a front wingtip 36, a rear wingtip 37, and a winglet 41. The rear wingtip 37 is hinged to the front wingtip 36, and the winglet 41 is fixed to the upper side of the front wingtip 36. The winglet reduces induced drag during flight and improves flight stability. The front wingtip 36 is provided with a spar adapter 38 for mounting the spar 31, and the rear wingtip 37 is provided with a trailing edge adapter hole 39 for mounting the trailing edge connecting rod 32.

[0044] Preferably, the skin 30 corresponding to the upper groove 6 and lower groove 7 is made of elastic material 40, allowing for a smooth transition of the skin 30 during the trailing edge change. The elastic skin 30 is taut before bonding to prevent wrinkles during contraction. When the wing trailing edge deflects upwards, the upper skin 30 contracts and the lower skin 30 expands; when the wing trailing edge deflects downwards, the lower skin 30 contracts and the upper skin 30 expands. The elastic skin 30 must possess good extensibility to ensure the wing surface remains smooth at all times. Example

[0045] like Figure 9 As shown, the aircraft in this embodiment uses the variable trailing edge wing of the above embodiments.

[0046] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if these modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this invention and their equivalents, this invention also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A variable trailing edge rib, characterized in that, It includes a front wing rib and a rear wing rib; the front wing rib includes an upper connecting part and a lower connecting part, the upper connecting part is provided with an upper sliding groove, and the lower connecting part is provided with a lower sliding groove; the rear wing rib includes a fixed part, a flexible part, an upper sliding part and a lower sliding part, the upper sliding part is fixedly connected to the lower sliding part, and the upper sliding part and the lower sliding part are connected to the fixed part through the connecting flexible part; the fixed part is fixedly connected in the front wing rib, the upper sliding part is slidably disposed in the upper sliding groove along the length direction of the wing rib, and the lower sliding part is slidably disposed in the lower sliding groove along the length direction of the wing rib; It also includes an upper connecting rod, a lower connecting rod, and a servo motor, the servo motor being equipped with a rocker arm; the fixed part is provided with a servo motor slot, the servo motor is installed in the servo motor slot, the upper connecting rod is hinged to the upper part of the rocker arm and the upper sliding part, and the lower connecting rod is hinged to the lower part of the rocker arm and the lower sliding part; The flexible part includes a U-shaped flexible rod.

2. The variable trailing edge rib according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper sliding groove has an upper retaining groove on its outer side, and an upper retaining ring is provided inside the upper retaining groove; the lower sliding groove has a lower retaining groove on its outer side, and a lower retaining ring is provided inside the lower retaining groove.

3. The variable trailing edge rib according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rear wing rib also includes an upper reinforcing rod, a lower reinforcing rod, and a tail reinforcing rod. The upper reinforcing rod connects the flexible part and the upper sliding part, the lower reinforcing rod connects the flexible part and the lower sliding part, and the tail reinforcing rod connects the flexible part and the tail of the rear wing rib.

4. The variable trailing edge rib according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front wing rib is provided with an upper connecting groove, a lower connecting groove and a middle connecting groove, and the fixing part is provided with an upper connecting adapter groove, a lower connecting adapter groove and a middle connecting adapter groove. The upper connecting adapter groove is adapted to the upper connecting groove, the lower connecting adapter groove is adapted to the lower connecting groove, and the middle connecting adapter groove is adapted to the middle connecting groove. The fixing part is connected to the front wing rib through the upper connecting adapter groove, the lower connecting adapter groove and the middle connecting adapter groove.

5. A variable trailing edge wing, characterized in that, The system includes a skin, a spars, a trailing edge connecting rod, and several parallel variable trailing edge ribs as described in claim 1; wherein at least one variable trailing edge rib further includes an upper connecting rod, a lower connecting rod, and a servo motor, the servo motor having a rocker arm, a fixed part having a servo motor slot, the servo motor being installed in the servo motor slot, the upper connecting rod being hinged to the upper part of the rocker arm and the upper sliding part, and the lower connecting rod being hinged to the lower part of the rocker arm and the lower sliding part; the front rib of each variable trailing edge rib also has a connecting part, each connecting part being connected to the spars; the rear rib of each variable trailing edge rib also has a mounting groove, each mounting groove being connected to the trailing edge connecting rod.

6. The variable trailing edge wing according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes wingtips, which include a front wingtips, a rear wingtips, and winglets; the rear wingtips are hinged to the front wingtips, and the winglets are fixed to the upper side of the front wingtips; the front wingtips are provided with wing spars adapter seats for mounting wing spars, and the rear wingtips are provided with trailing edge adapter holes for mounting trailing edge connecting rods.

7. The variable trailing edge wing according to claim 5, characterized in that, The skin corresponding to the upper and lower groove positions is made of elastic material.

8. An aircraft, characterized in that, Use the variable trailing edge wing as described in claim 5.

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