High-lift device for an aircraft wing, aircraft wing, and aircraft

Abstract

A high-lift device for an aircraft wing, an aircraft wing and an aircraft are provided, the wing having a wing body and a folding wing tip, the device comprising a high-lift element and an actuator for deploying the element, the high-lift element being arranged to have a deployed position located forward of a leading edge of the folding wing tip. The actuator is mounted to the wing body such that no power or hydraulic cables need to pass through the wing folding line.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to high-lift devices for aircraft wings, and more particularly to improvements in the high-lift performance of wingtips, such as swept wingtips and / or folding wingtips. More specifically, the invention can relate to high-lift devices for unprotected wingtips—that is, wing surfaces without slats, flaps, or other high-lift devices to protect the wing from stall. Background Technology

[0002] Aircraft wings may be equipped with one or more high-lift devices to increase the lift provided by the wing and / or delay the onset of stall angle of attack. Many different types of high-lift devices exist, including flaps and slats with numerous variations, as well as other devices known in the art, such as vortex generators, vortex propellers, and nacelle fairings.

[0003] For example, aircraft wings typically have flaps at the trailing edge and / or slats at the leading edge. The flaps and slats can move relative to the rest of the wing to alter the wing configuration, which changes the shape and relative position of lifting surfaces (e.g., the wing itself, slats, and flaps), thereby altering the wing's aerodynamic characteristics. High-lift devices are typically hydraulically powered and can be electrically controlled via cables extending along the wing to the hydraulic actuators to increase lift generated by the wing at low speeds. Specifically, slats at the leading edge of the wing can move downwards when deployed, or can deploy forward and downwards from the leading edge.

[0004] High-lift devices such as flaps and slats mounted on wings typically require high-voltage cables and / or hydraulic lines or hoses to operate actuators to deploy the device. In cases where the wingtip is foldable, for example, to reduce the aircraft's wingspan on the ground, such cables, hoses, or pipes must pass through the fold to provide the device on the foldable wingtip, which can be inconvenient and potentially increase complexity and cost.

[0005] Alternatively, the absence of such a device at the wingtip could compromise performance and handling qualities, potentially leading to suboptimal low-speed performance. For example, this could result in takeoff problems with one engine malfunctioning, where a wingtip might prematurely stall at low power and cause a roll.

[0006] The present invention aims to solve these problems. Summary of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, a high-lift device for an aircraft wing is provided, wherein the wing includes a wing body and a wingtip foldable relative to the wing body, the device comprising: a high-lift element arranged to have an deployed position located in front of the leading edge of the wingtip; and an actuator for deploying the element, wherein the actuator is mounted to the wing body.

[0008] Therefore, the high-lift device can be configured for the wingtip portion of the wing, which does not require equipment such as power cables and / or hydraulic lines or hoses to pass through the hinge between the wing body and the wingtip, because the actuator is mounted on the inside of the hinge.

[0009] The element may have a retracted position in which it is at least partially located within the wing body, including in a slat of the wing body, or at least partially located within the wingtip, or at least partially located within both the wing body and the wingtip.

[0010] For example, the element can be housed within the wing body and can deploy from the wing body along the wingspan, optionally extending parallel to the leading edge of the wing body when deployed. This can be achieved through linear or rotational motion of the element. Therefore, the actuator can be a linear actuator or a rotational actuator.

[0011] The element may be supported at or near its inner component, or optionally only at or near its inner component. The support may be disposed on the wing body, or optionally only on the wing body. An actuator may be connected to the element at or near its inner component.

[0012] The wing body may have a first sweep angle, and the wingtip may have a second sweep angle larger than the first sweep angle. The element may have a third sweep angle smaller than the second sweep angle and preferably approximately the same as the first sweep angle. Therefore, the element can form a gap with the leading edge of the wingtip, which increases in the outward direction. This device can generate vortices from the outer tip of the high-lift element, which increases the flow velocity on the upper surface of the wingtip, thereby improving the low-speed performance of the wing.

[0013] The element may have a retracted position that is at least partially located within the wing body, preferably within the nose portion of the wing body. For example, the element may have a retracted position located within a slat of the wing body. Alternatively, the element may have a retracted position located within the wingtip.

[0014] In some examples, at least a portion of the element is located inside the hinge, and at least a portion of the element is located outside the hinge. For example, the element may be detachable from the actuator when the wingtip is folded relative to the wing body.

[0015] Optionally, the wing body is provided with slats, and the deployment of the slats can cause an element to deploy. The element may, for example, include a slat extension mounted within the slat and deploying from the slat in a generally outward spanwise direction and / or in a direction parallel to the outward direction of the leading edge of the wing body.

[0016] According to another aspect, a high-lift device for an aircraft wing is provided, wherein the wing includes a high-lift element that can extend from its leading edge, and wherein an auxiliary high-lift element can deploy from the high-lift element along the wingspan direction.

[0017] The auxiliary components can be deployed after the high-lift components have deployed.

[0018] According to another aspect of the invention, a high-lift device for an aircraft wing is provided, wherein the wing includes a wing body and a wingtip, the device including a high-lift element arranged in a deployed position, wherein the high-lift element extends forward of at least an inner portion of the leading edge of the wingtip, wherein the high-lift element has a sweep angle smaller than that of the wingtip.

[0019] With this device, a gap can be formed between the high-lift element and the leading edge of the wingtip, which increases in the outward direction. Vortices can be generated from the outer tip of the high-lift element, and the gap can be used to locally accelerate the flow, which can increase the flow velocity on the upper surface of the wingtip, thereby improving the low-speed performance of the wing.

[0020] For example, the wing body may have a first sweep angle, and the wingtip may have a second sweep angle that is larger than the first sweep angle, wherein the high-lift element has a third sweep angle that is smaller than the second sweep angle.

[0021] Typically, the third sweep angle is approximately the same as the first sweep angle, causing the deployed elements to extend in a direction parallel to the leading edge of the wing body. In this configuration, the high-lift elements can deploy from the wing body along the wingspan.

[0022] In the deployed position, the element can be supported at or near its proximal end, preferably only at or near its proximal end. Therefore, the support can be mounted on the wing body.

[0023] The device may include an actuator for deploying the element, preferably connected to the element at or near its proximal end. Therefore, the actuator may be disposed within the wing body, including within a slat of the wing body.

[0024] The wing may include a hinge arrangement that allows the wingtip to fold relative to the wing body. In this case, housing the actuator within the body has the advantage that the actuator is located inside the fold line, eliminating the need for it to pass through the fold to transmit power.

[0025] The element can be deployed by linear movement along its span, which can be parallel to the leading edge of the wing body. Alternatively, the element can be deployed by rotational movement. For example, the element can rotate about a position on or near the hinge line.

[0026] The element may have a retracted position located within the wing body, preferably within the nose portion of the wing body. For example, the element may have a retracted position located within a slat of the wing body. Alternatively, the element may have a retracted position located within the wingtip.

[0027] Typically, high-lift elements can have a constant cross-section.

[0028] The element may include at least one vortex-generating component, such as a fence or blade. The leading edge of the element may have a serrated edge. The element may have an end plate at or near its outer end.

[0029] The term "aircraft wing" as used in this article refers to both flight wings and wings attached to or intended to be attached to the fuselage. Attached Figure Description

[0030] To facilitate a clearer understanding of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings by way of example, in which:

[0031] Figure 1 It is a schematic plan view of an example wing, which has a folding wingtip and a high-lift device for the wingtip;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic plan view of a wing with a high-lift device, based on another example;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a schematic plan view of a wing with a high-lift device, based on another example;

[0034] Figure 4 It is a schematic plan view of an airfoil with an alternative lift device;

[0035] Figure 5 It is a schematic plan view of an airfoil with an alternative lift device;

[0036] Figures 6A and 6B are... Figure 4 or Figure 5 A schematic front view of the wing;

[0037] Figure 7 It is a schematic plan view of a wing with yet another high-lift device; and

[0038] Figure 8 It is a schematic perspective view of an airfoil with an alternative high-lift device. Detailed Implementation

[0039] As mentioned above, aircraft wings are typically equipped with slats, which can deploy forward and downward from the leading edge of the wing to increase the effective camber of the wing, thereby improving aerodynamic performance at low speeds. Slat operation usually requires electrical and / or hydraulic power to power actuators for moving the slats between a retracted and deployed position; this electrical and / or hydraulic power is typically provided by cables housed within the wing profile.

[0040] Reference Figure 1 The aircraft wing 2 has a wing body 4 and a wingtip 6. The wingtip 6 may have an increased sweep angle compared to the wing body 4. A folding mechanism 8 may be provided to allow the wingtip 6 to fold around a folding axis or region 9. For example, the wingtip 6 may be movable between a folded position and an extended position, in which the wingtip 6 extends upward and substantially perpendicular to the wing body 4, and in the extended position, the wingtip 6 extends along a plane substantially the same as the wing body 4.

[0041] The folding mechanism 8 may include an articulation mechanism and an actuator for relative movement of the wingtip 6 relative to the wing body 4, as is known in the art. This can allow for a larger wingspan in flight, while also allowing for a smaller wingspan on the ground, for example, in situations where space is limited.

[0042] The wing body 4 may be provided with a high-lift device (not shown) in the form of a slat, which can be retracted or deployed as needed, as is known in the art. Reference to the wing body includes a wing body with slats or a wing body without slats. The high-lift device for the wingtip 6 may be provided by an elongated slat-like element 10, which, when in the retracted position, is housed within the leading edge 14 of the wing body 4 near the folding axis 9. The element 10 may, for example, be housed within a leading edge structure referred to as a D-nose, or within a slat provided on the leading edge 14 of the wing body 4.

[0043] Element 10 can be deployed via a linear actuator 12, which is also housed within the wing profile of the wing body 4 near the leading edge 14 and inside the element 10. This wing profile may include slats of the wing body. The linear actuator 12 can be attached to the inside or near the end 11 of element 10. Therefore, operation of the actuator 12 can cause element 10 to extend and retract linearly along its length in a generally spanwise direction, such as... Figure 1 As indicated by arrow 13 in the diagram. Element 10 may have a substantially constant cross-section to facilitate extension and retraction.

[0044] exist Figure 1 In the extended position shown by the solid line, element 10 extends substantially parallel to the wing body 4 and is located on the outer side of the wing body 4. Therefore, element 10 is positioned in front of the leading edge 16 of the wingtip 6, and there is a gap 18 between element 10 and the leading edge 16, which increases outward from the folding axis or region 9.

[0045] In this extended position, element 10 can improve high-lift flow behavior by (i) accelerating the flow through the gap between element 10 and the wingtip 6; and (ii) generating vortices 20 emanating from the distal end or tip 22 of the element, which can provide energy to the boundary layer on the upper surface of the wingtip 6 to delay flow separation and the onset of stall, and generate additional lift. This can work in a manner similar to the small wing feathers of a bird's wing to enhance lift and delay stall at high angles of attack and / or low speeds. For example, vortices can alter turbulence on the upper surface of the wing, thereby delaying flow separation.

[0046] Since the actuator 12 is located in the wing body 4, there is no need for a cable passing through the folding line 9 to provide a high-lift device that operates together with the wing tip 4.

[0047] Component 10 can be retracted to the retracted position of the wing body 4 by reversing the actuator as shown by arrow 13 when not needed. Figure 1 As shown by the dashed line in the image.

[0048] Element 10 may include various other features to enhance operation. For example, element 10 may include blades or vortex generators, or element 10 may have serrated upper and / or lower edges to help energize downstream flow. The distal end 22 of element 10 may be shaped, for example, to have an endplate to maintain a flush finish with the outer end 24 of the wing body leading edge 12 or the slats in which element 10 is housed when retracted, and / or the distal end 22 of element 10 may be shaped to facilitate activation of vortex 20. If desired, a navigation light may be incorporated into element 10. The extension of element 10 may also be used to immediately remove ice formations to the outside of fold line 9. Element 10 may carry bleed air arranged to be released above wingtip 6 to aid in de-icing of wingtip 6.

[0049] Now refer to Figure 2 In similar Figure 1 An alternative high-lift device is shown on the wing, which has a wing body 4 and a wingtip 6. The device includes a high-lift mechanism for the wingtip 6, comprising an element 26 mounted for rotational movement, such that the element 26 extends or retracts in front of the leading edge 16 of the wingtip 6. The element 26 can be rotated to an extended position, as shown by the solid line, in front of the leading edge 16 of the wingtip 6, thereby aligning with… Figure 1 The linear element 10 shown functions in a similar manner. In this case, the extension and retraction of element 26 are achieved by rotation about a pivot point 28 on the wing body 4, as indicated by arrow 29, which is located approximately at or near the articulation line or region 9.

[0050] Element 26 has a shorter actuating member 30 that extends from pivot point 28 at an obtuse angle relative to element 26. The actuating member 30 is provided with a linear actuator 32 that operates to push or pull the actuating member 30 in the direction indicated by arrow 31. This causes element 26 to pivot between an extended position and a retracted position indicated by a dashed line. In the retracted position, element 26 is retracted at the leading edge 44 of the wingtip 6, for example, into the D-shaped nose of the wingtip 6. The actuating member 30 and actuator 32 can be housed within the wing body 4, and the actuator 32 is mounted to the wing body 4 about a second pivot point 34 so that it can rotate during operation as indicated by arrow 35.

[0051] Figure 3 Another example is shown, in which element 36 may extend forward of wingtip 6 and be in harmony with... Figure 2The element 36 retracts into the leading edge 16 of the wingtip 6 in a similar manner as shown. In this example, a rotary actuator 38 is used to extend and retract the element 36. The element 36 is attached to the rotary actuator 38 near its proximal end or inner end 40 for rotation about the proximal end 40, such that the distal end 42 of the element 36 moves between a retracted position within the profile of the wingtip 6 and an extended position in front of the leading edge 44 of the wingtip 6.

[0052] and Figure 2 Similar to the implementation method, when deployed, element 36 forms a gap 18 with leading edge 44. This gap increases outward from the distal end 42 to the proximal end 44 of slat 36, thereby generating vortices 20 on the upper surface of wingtip 6. The gap 18 can accelerate the flow between element 36 and the leading edge 44 of wingtip, and the vortices 20 generated by the pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces of element 36 can pass through the upper surface of wingtip 6, which can help delay stall and increase lift at wingtip.

[0053] exist Figure 1 In the example, the component is housed within the wing body when retracted. However, in Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the example shown, it can be seen that in the retracted position, at least a portion of the element is positioned in the wingtip 6. Therefore, when the wingtip is a foldable wingtip, the slat can be detachable from the actuator to allow the wingtip to fold, as discussed in further detail with respect to Figures 6A and 6B.

[0054] Figure 4 Another example of a high-lift device for a wing is shown, the wing having a wing body 46 and a wingtip 48 having a larger sweep angle than the wing body. The wingtip 48 is connected to the wing body 46 by a folding device or hinge device 47 for folding along a hinge axis 49. The high-lift element 50 has a short inner or proximal member 52 and a longer outer or distal member 54, each extending along and substantially parallel to the leading edge 58 of the wing body 46 and the leading edge 60 of the wingtip 48, respectively, giving the element 50 a bent shape. The outer member 54 is arranged to function as a high-lift device for the wingtip 48.

[0055] Actuator 56 is disposed in wing body 46 and attached to inner component 52 of element 50 near leading edge 58 of wing body 46. Actuator is a linear actuator having an actuation direction which may be substantially parallel to the forward direction of the aircraft and / or articulation device 47.

[0056] The wingtip 48 includes a guide rail 62 extending parallel to the actuation direction of the linear actuator 56 to guide the movement of the element 50 toward and away from the leading edge 60 of the wingtip 48. Upon activation to deploy the element 50, the element moves away from a position in front of the leading edges 58 and 60 of the wingtip 48, moving to a position as... Figure 4 The position is shown. To retract element 50, actuator 56 operates in the opposite direction to retract element 50 toward the wing. Therefore, element 50 can be used as a high-lift device known in the art.

[0057] like Figure 5 As shown, alternatively, actuator 64 can act in a direction substantially perpendicular to the leading edge 58 of the wing body 46. In this case, guide rail 66 is similarly configured to extend substantially perpendicular to the leading edge to guide the movement of slat 68. Therefore, with Figure 4 The element 50 shown, similar to the element 68, can be deployed in front of the wingtip 48 in a direction perpendicular to the leading edge 60, to serve as a high-lift device as is also known in the art.

[0058] Referring to Figures 6A and 6B, where the wingtip 48 is foldable relative to the wing body 46, the high-lift element 50 may be detachable from the actuator 56 so that when the wingtip 48 is folded upward as shown in Figure 6A, the inner part 52 of the element 50, located inside the hinge line 49, can move away from the actuator 56. In the folded position, the inner part 52 extends downward from the wing and aligns with the upwardly folded wingtip 48. When deployed, as shown in Figure 6B, the inner part 52 can be attached to the actuator 56 for deployment as needed.

[0059] Similarly, Figure 2 and Figure 3 The elements 26 and 36 shown have at least a portion mounted to the wingtip 6 and can be detached from their respective actuators in a manner similar to that described above, so as to fold the wing.

[0060] Another example is in Figure 7The diagram shows a wing body 76 and a folding wingtip 72, the wingtip 72 having a larger sweep angle than the wing body 76. In this example, the high-lift device for the wingtip 72 is provided by an auxiliary high-lift element in the form of a slat extension 70. When retracted, the slat extension 70 is housed within a wing body slat 74 disposed on the wing body 76 and can extend from within the wing body slat 74 to the front of the wingtip 72. When the wing body slat 74 is deployed, the slat extension 70 can extend outward from the deployed wing body slat 74, for example by moving outward in a direction parallel to the wing body slat 74 as indicated by arrow 78. When not needed, the slat extension 70 can be moved in the opposite direction to retract the slat extension 70 into the wing body slat 74.

[0061] This can be achieved, for example, by using a mechanical link between the main wing body 76, the wing body slat 74, and the extension 70, such that the element moves as a driven device when the slat extends.

[0062] The slat extension 70 may include a fence or blade 80, which is configured to extend upward from the upper surface of the slat extension 70 and preferably substantially aligned with the forward direction of the aircraft, and / or substantially aligned with the airflow during flight. During flight, the blade 80 is arranged to generate vortices 82 on the upper surface of the wingtip 72, which can further improve the aerodynamic performance of the wingtip 72 at low speeds.

[0063] The slat extension device described above can also be used with non-folding wingtips and / or with wings in which the wingtips do not have a sweep angle larger than the wing body. Examples of such a device are... Figure 8 As shown, the leading edge 84 of the wingtip is generally parallel to the wing body 86 inside the wingtip 83. When the wing body slat 88 is deployed from the wing body 86, which can be used in a known or conventional manner for low-speed flight, the slat extension 90 can be deployed from a position within a hole or cavity 89 accommodated in the slat 88. When the wing body slat 88 is deployed, the slat extension 90 can deploy automatically, or it can be deployed independently. The slat extension 90 may have a grille or blade 92 as described above.

Claims

1. A high-lift device for an aircraft wing, wherein, The wing includes a wing body and a wingtip foldable relative to the wing body. The device includes: a high-lift element arranged in an deployed position located in front of the leading edge of the wingtip; and an actuator for deploying the element, wherein the actuator is mounted to the wing body.

2. The high-lift device according to claim 1, wherein, The element has a retracted position, which is located at least partially within the wing body; at least partially within the wingtip; or at least partially within both the wing body and the wingtip.

3. The high-lift device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The element is at least partially housed in the wing body and is arranged to deploy from the wing body along the wingspan direction, and optionally is arranged to extend parallel to the leading edge of the wing body when deployed.

4. The high-lift device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein, The actuator is either a linear actuator or a rotary actuator.

5. The high-lift device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, The actuator is connected to the element at or near the inner part of the element, or optionally only to the inner part of the element.

6. The high-lift device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, The element can be separated from the actuator.

7. The high-lift device according to any of the preceding claims, comprising at least one guiding member mounted on the wingtip for guiding the movement of the element.

8. The high-lift device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, The wing body has a first sweep angle, and the wing tip has a second sweep angle that is larger than the first sweep angle. The element has a third sweep angle that is smaller than the second sweep angle and preferably approximately the same as the first sweep angle.

9. The high-lift device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, The element forms a gap with the leading edge of the wingtip that increases in the outward direction.

10. The high-lift device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, The element has a retracted position that is at least partially located within the wingtip.

11. The high-lift device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, The element has a retracted position that is at least partially located within the wing body, preferably within the nose portion of the wing body, and optionally within a slat of the wing body.

12. The high-lift device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, The wing body is provided with a slat, and the element includes a slat extension that is mounted within the slat and is deployable from the slat in a generally spanwise direction and / or in a direction generally parallel to the leading edge of the wing body, optionally wherein the deployment of the slat causes the element to deploy.

13. A high-lift device for an aircraft wing, wherein, The wing includes a high-lift element that can extend from the leading edge of the wing, and wherein an auxiliary high-lift element can be deployed from the high-lift element along the wingspan direction, optionally deploying from the high-lift element along the wingspan direction when the high-lift element is deployed.

14. An aircraft wing comprising a high-lift device according to any of the preceding claims.

15. An aircraft having an aircraft wing according to claim 14.

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