Flexible deformable wing trailing edge
By utilizing the flexible deformable wing trailing edge structure and the synergistic effect of deformable skin, honeycomb structure and soft actuator, the problems of discontinuous aerodynamic shape, bulky structure and insufficient reliability of the wing trailing edge are solved, and efficient control and long life performance with wide-range deformability are achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511362555.5
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-23
- Publication Date
- 2025-12-12
AI Technical Summary
Existing wing trailing edge structures suffer from aerodynamic discontinuities, bulky structures, limited deformability, and insufficient reliability, making them particularly difficult to meet the performance requirements of future aircraft under the demand for a wide range of deformability.
It employs the synergistic effect of deformable skin, honeycomb structure and soft actuators to achieve flexible deformation through pneumatic drive, and utilizes multiple independent air chambers and partition walls for differentiated control to reduce wear on mechanical parts.
It achieves a smooth aerodynamic shape on the wing trailing edge, reduces airflow leakage, improves the continuity of deformation and control flexibility, extends service life, and reduces system complexity and maintenance difficulty.
Smart Images
Figure CN121106674A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application belongs to the field of wing trailing edge structure design technology, specifically relating to a flexible deformable wing trailing edge. Background Technology
[0002] With the continuous improvement of aerospace vehicle performance, the adjustability of wing aerodynamic shape has become a research focus. Existing aircraft wings mostly employ rigid deflection structures such as flaps and ailerons at the trailing edge to adjust lift and drag characteristics. These devices typically consist of hinges, transmission rods, and hydraulic / electric actuators, achieving deflection by driving the trailing edge surface. This method is mature in engineering applications, but it has certain limitations in improving aerodynamic efficiency and reducing noise.
[0003] To address the shortcomings of traditional hinged structures, some studies have attempted to introduce flexible skins or lightweight skeletons, enabling continuous deformation at the trailing edge. For example, composite material skins combined with internal support skeletons are used to reduce aerodynamic surface gaps; or lightweight structures such as honeycomb sandwiches are employed, aiming to achieve a degree of flexibility while maintaining strength. However, these solutions often still rely on rigid actuators (such as motors or hydraulic actuators), limiting their deformation range, response speed, and system integration.
[0004] In summary, while existing technologies have improved the aerodynamic performance of the wing trailing edge to some extent, the following problems still exist:
[0005] (1) The aerodynamic shape is not smooth enough: rigid hinge structures will produce gaps when deflected, causing airflow interference and lift loss; the local deformation of flexible skin is often uneven, making it difficult to maintain the continuity of the trailing edge curve.
[0006] (2) Bulky and complex structure: The reliance on motors, gears or hydraulic cylinders for drive increases the weight of the system, and the large number of parts makes assembly and maintenance difficult.
[0007] (3) Limited deformation capability: Traditional actuators have a small displacement range and the driving force is difficult to be evenly distributed on a large area of skin. Therefore, the overall deformation angle is limited and cannot meet the future aircraft's requirement for a large range of variable trailing edge.
[0008] (4) Limited reliability and lifespan: Mechanical transmission units will experience wear and increased clearance after long-term operation, resulting in decreased motion accuracy; flexible materials are prone to fatigue cracking under frequent cyclic deformation, affecting service life. Summary of the Invention
[0009] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention proposes a flexible deformable wing trailing edge. Through the synergistic effect of deformable skin, honeycomb structure, and soft actuator, a highly efficient deformable aerodynamic configuration is formed, solving the problems of discontinuous aerodynamic shape, bulky structure, limited deformation, and insufficient reliability of existing wing trailing edge designs.
[0010] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows:
[0011] A flexible deformable wing trailing edge includes a honeycomb structure 3 at the leading edge, a soft actuator 7, a honeycomb structure 4 at the tail, a deformable upper skin 5, a deformable lower skin 6, and a deformable corrugated skin 1, wherein...
[0012] The soft actuator 7 is disposed between the front end honeycomb structure 3 and the rear end honeycomb structure 4. The deformable upper skin 5 slidably covers the upper surface of the front end honeycomb structure 3, the soft actuator 7 and the rear end honeycomb structure 4. The deformable lower skin 6 covers and is fixed to the lower surface of the front end honeycomb structure 3, the soft actuator 7 and the rear end honeycomb structure 4.
[0013] The upper surface of the rear edge front honeycomb structure 3 is provided with a groove to accommodate the deformable corrugated skin 1.
[0014] Preferably, the deformable corrugated skin 1 is fixedly connected to the deformable upper skin 5; or, the deformable corrugated skin 1 is obtained by thinning the deformable upper skin 5.
[0015] Preferably, the upper surface of the deformable corrugated skin 1 is covered with a rigid skin 2, and the rigid skin 2 and the deformable corrugated skin 1 can slide relative to each other.
[0016] Preferably, the deformable corrugated skin 1 is made of aramid fiber reinforced composite material or glass fiber composite material.
[0017] Preferably, the deformable upper skin 5 and the deformable lower skin 6 are made of carbon fiber composite material, which has higher stiffness than the deformable corrugated skin 1.
[0018] Preferably, the trailing edge front honeycomb structure 3 and the trailing edge tail honeycomb structure 4 are made of polymer, metal or fiber reinforced composite materials.
[0019] Preferably, the soft actuator is made of silicone rubber or thermoplastic material.
[0020] Preferably, a partition wall 9 is provided between the front-end honeycomb structure 3 and the soft actuator 7, and the partition wall is composed of an inner honeycomb structure and an outer carbon fiber laminate.
[0021] Preferably, there are multiple soft actuators, and each soft actuator is provided with an air inlet.
[0022] Preferably, a partition wall 9 is provided between each of the software actuators.
[0023] Preferably, the deformable corrugated skin 1 is trapezoidal corrugation or circular corrugation.
[0024] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:
[0025] 1. The flexible deformable wing proposed in this invention has a smooth trailing edge aerodynamic shape, and the deformable corrugated skin achieves large deformation under the stretching action of the soft actuator, resulting in smaller gaps in the connection transition area and reducing airflow leakage and additional drag.
[0026] 2. The flexible deformable wing proposed in this invention employs an aerodynamic drive for its trailing edge, utilizing flight pressure or an external air source, and achieving precise control through a valve control and pressure regulation system. Multiple actuators can be independently adjusted, supporting segmented deformation, making it particularly suitable for wings with long chords or complex operating conditions.
[0027] 3. The flexible deformable wing proposed in this invention divides the actuator into multiple independent air chambers through a partition wall. Different air pressures can be applied to different air chambers to achieve differentiated deformation, further improving the adaptability and control flexibility of the wing trailing edge.
[0028] 4. The flexible deformable wing proposed in this invention reduces the wear problem of mechanical components at the trailing edge, and the flexible material has a longer lifespan under cyclic loading. Attached Figure Description
[0029] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. The features and advantages of the present invention can be more clearly understood by referring to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are schematic and should not be construed as limiting the present invention in any way. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the trailing edge structure of the flexible deformable wing of the present invention.
[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the corrugated skin of the present invention.
[0032] Figure 3 This is a side view and cross-sectional view of the soft actuator of the present invention.
[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the partition wall arrangement according to the present invention.
[0034] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-section of the partition wall of the present invention.
[0035] Among them, 1-deformable corrugated skin, 2-rigid skin, 3-front honeycomb structure of trailing edge, 4-tail honeycomb structure of trailing edge, 5-deformable upper skin, 6-deformable lower skin, 7-soft actuator, 8-air inlet, 9-partition wall, 10-trapezoidal corrugated skin, 11-circular corrugated skin, 12-carbon fiber laminate, 13-honeycomb structure. Detailed Implementation
[0036] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments of the present invention and the features thereof can be combined with each other.
[0037] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention may also be practiced in other ways different from those described herein, and therefore the scope of protection of the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.
[0038] like Figure 1 As shown, the flexible deformable wing trailing edge structure of the present invention includes a deformable corrugated skin 1, a rigid skin 2, a trailing edge front honeycomb structure 3, a trailing edge rear honeycomb structure 4, a deformable upper skin 5, a deformable lower skin 6, a soft actuator 7, and a partition wall 9. Among them,
[0039] (1) Deformable corrugated skin
[0040] The deformable corrugated skin 1 is disposed in the groove on the upper surface of the honeycomb structure 3 at the rear edge, and is covered by a rigid skin 2. The skin has great flexibility through its corrugated design, and can achieve large-scale stretching and bending deformation under the action of the soft actuator 7.
[0041] In some embodiments, the deformable corrugated skin 1 is made of aramid or glass fiber reinforced composite material, or it can be obtained by thinning the deformable upper skin 5. The deformable corrugated skin 1 can be a trapezoidal corrugated skin 10 or a circular corrugated skin 11, such as... Figure 2 As shown.
[0042] (2) Rigid skin
[0043] The rigid skin 2 is located above the deformable corrugated skin 1, and the two are only in contact and not bonded. In this way, the deformable corrugated skin 1 can provide support to maintain the shape of the leading edge of the wing, and the deformable corrugated skin 1 can be stretched freely without being constrained by the rigid skin 2.
[0044] (3) Deformable upper skin and deformable lower skin
[0045] The deformable upper skin 5 and deformable lower skin 6 have slightly higher material stiffness than the deformable corrugated skin 1, to ensure that the corrugated area can bear the main function of large-scale deformation. The upper and lower deformable skins work together to ensure the continuity and stability of the trailing edge.
[0046] In some embodiments, the deformable corrugated skin 1 is made of aramid fiber reinforced composite material or glass fiber composite material, which has better flexibility than carbon fiber; the deformable upper skin 5 and the deformable lower skin 6 are made of low-modulus carbon fiber composite material. This ensures large deformation in the corrugated area and higher stability at the trailing edge.
[0047] In some embodiments, the deformable upper skin 5 and the deformable lower skin 6 are made of conventional carbon fiber composite materials, and the deformable corrugated skin 1 is obtained by thinning the deformable upper skin 5.
[0048] (4) Honeycomb sandwich structure
[0049] The leading edge honeycomb structure 3 serves as the main lightweight support frame and is arranged along the trailing edge of the wing. Both the leading edge honeycomb structure 3 and the trailing tail honeycomb structure 4 are in contact with the deformable corrugated skin 1, allowing for relative slippage and accommodating the in-plane stretching of the deformable corrugated skin 1. The honeycomb structure enables the wing to maintain sufficient shape retention while remaining lightweight.
[0050] In some embodiments, the trailing edge front honeycomb structure 3 and the trailing edge tail honeycomb structure 4 can be fabricated using 3D printing technology. The materials are not limited to traditional aluminum honeycomb or aramid honeycomb, but can also be polymer honeycomb, metal honeycomb, fiber-reinforced composite honeycomb, or even functionally graded honeycomb structures (e.g., compliant front section and more rigid rear section) to adapt to different stress and deformation requirements.
[0051] (5) Soft actuator
[0052] Side view and cross-sectional view of soft actuator 7 are shown below Figure 3 As shown. Soft actuators 7 are distributed along the trailing edge of the wing and are preferably made of silicone rubber or thermoplastic elastomer. Soft actuators 7 are in contact with the deformable upper skin 5, allowing for relative sliding; soft actuators 7 are bonded to the deformable lower skin 6. When the internal air pressure changes, their expansion and contraction deformation is transmitted to the deformable skin, causing the corrugated skin to stretch and bend, thereby driving the entire trailing edge to achieve continuous shape adjustment.
[0053] An air inlet 8 is located at the center of the left end cross-section of the soft actuator 7 and is connected to the piping system. During flight, the air inlet 8 can be opened directly, using the dynamic pressure of the high-speed airflow to force air into the soft actuator 7; alternatively, air can be supplied via an external air pump to meet the actuation requirements in ground or low-speed flight conditions. Through a valve control and pressure regulation system, precise control of air pressure and air supply time can be achieved, thereby precisely adjusting the trailing edge deformation.
[0054] In some embodiments, multiple soft actuators 7 may be used simultaneously and controlled independently, which is suitable for long chord wings or segmented deformation requirements.
[0055] (6) Partition wall
[0056] The partition wall 9 is positioned between the front-end honeycomb structure 3 and the soft actuator 7. Furthermore, the partition wall 9 can also be positioned between adjacent soft actuators 7 to form independent air chambers, while simultaneously serving as a fixed base for the soft actuator 7. A schematic diagram of its arrangement is shown below. Figure 4 As shown. The independent air chamber design ensures segmented and independent control of the soft actuator 7, allowing for differentiated deformation in different areas through varying air pressures. The presence of the partition wall 9 further enhances the longitudinal fixation of the soft actuator 7, enabling more complete deformation under air pressure. The upper part of the partition wall 9 is in contact with the deformable upper skin 5, allowing for relative sliding; the lower part of the partition wall 9 is bonded and fixed to the deformable lower skin 6. The cross-section of the partition wall 9 is shown below. Figure 5 As shown, the outer side of the partition wall is made of carbon fiber laminate 12, and the inner side uses a honeycomb structure 13, which makes the partition wall lightweight while having sufficient rigidity.
[0057] The working principle of the flexible deformable wing trailing edge of the present invention is as follows: the air inlet 8 is adjusted to supply pressure to each independent air chamber, the soft actuator 7 expands / contracts and is bonded and coupled with the deformable lower skin 6, driving the deformable corrugated skin 1 to generate continuous bending under in-plane stretching; the front section slides to release displacement, and the rear section is bonded to constrain and stabilize the trailing edge, thereby realizing a continuous deformable trailing edge with small seams and smooth transition.
[0058] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.
[0059] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.
[0060] In this invention, the terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. The term "multiple" refers to two or more unless otherwise expressly defined.
[0061] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A flexible deformable wing trailing edge, characterized in that, This includes a honeycomb structure at the leading edge, a soft actuator, a honeycomb structure at the trailing edge, a deformable upper skin, a deformable lower skin, and a deformable corrugated skin, among which... The soft actuator is disposed between the trailing edge front honeycomb structure and the trailing edge tail honeycomb structure. The deformable upper skin can slide to cover the upper surface of the trailing edge front honeycomb structure, the soft actuator and the trailing edge tail honeycomb structure. The deformable lower skin covers and is fixed to the lower surface of the trailing edge front honeycomb structure, the soft actuator and the trailing edge tail honeycomb structure. The upper surface of the rear edge front honeycomb structure is provided with a groove to accommodate the deformable corrugated skin.
2. The trailing edge of the flexible deformable wing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The deformable corrugated skin is fixedly connected to the deformable upper skin; or, the deformable corrugated skin is obtained by thinning the deformable upper skin.
3. The trailing edge of the flexible deformable wing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper surface of the deformable corrugated skin is covered with a rigid skin, and the rigid skin and the deformable corrugated skin can slide relative to each other.
4. The trailing edge of the flexible deformable wing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The deformable corrugated skin is made of aramid fiber reinforced composite material or glass fiber composite material, and the deformable corrugated skin is trapezoidal corrugated or circular corrugated.
5. The trailing edge of the flexible deformable wing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The deformable upper skin and deformable lower skin are made of carbon fiber composite material, which has higher stiffness than deformable corrugated skin.
6. The trailing edge of the flexible deformable wing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The trailing edge front honeycomb structure and the trailing edge tail honeycomb structure are made of polymer, metal or fiber-reinforced composite materials.
7. The trailing edge of the flexible deformable wing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The soft actuator is made of silicone rubber or thermoplastic material.
8. The trailing edge of the flexible deformable wing according to claim 1, characterized in that, A partition wall is provided between the front-end honeycomb structure and the soft actuator. The partition wall is composed of an inner honeycomb structure and an outer carbon fiber laminate.
9. The trailing edge of the flexible deformable wing according to claim 1, characterized in that, There are multiple soft actuators, and each soft actuator is provided with an air inlet.
10. The trailing edge of the flexible deformable wing according to claim 9, characterized in that, There are partition walls between each software actuator.