30 results about "Wingtip device" patented technology

An aircraft including an aircraft wing wherein the aircraft wing includes a fixed wing, a wing tip device at an end of the fixed wing, and a wing tip device actuator configured to move the wing tip device between a flight configuration and a ground configuration. The wing tip device actuator includes a shaft which is rotatable about a shaft axis to selectively displace respective first and second elbows of the wing tip device actuator towards or away from the shaft. The first elbow is connected to the wing tip device and the second elbow is connected to the fixed wing such that movement of the respective elbows away from the shaft causes the wing tip device to move away from the flight configuration and such that movement of the respective elbows towards the shaft causes the wing tip device to move towards the flight configuration.

A wing assembly for an aircraft, the wing assembly having a fixed wing and a wing tip device moveably mounted at the end of the fixed wing. A wiring harness extends between the fixed wing and the wing tip device, a length of the wiring harness being encased in a length of protective sleeve. The protective sleeve is pre-shaped, for example pre-molded, to follow a path along a helical curve.

An aircraft wing is disclosed having a fixed wing with a tip, and a wing tip device rotatably mounted on a hinge at the tip of the fixed wing, such that the wing tip device is rotatable about the hinge, and an actuation system for rotating the wing tip device about the hinge. The actuation system includes a motor, at least one geared rotary actuator, a reduction gearbox, a clutch for selectively decoupling rotation of the motor from rotation of the geared rotary actuator, the geared rotary actuator is driveable by the motor and arranged to convert rotary motion into a different rotary motion and is arranged to rotate the wing tip device relative to the tip of the fixed wing. The clutch is coupled to the geared rotary actuator by a shaft and the shaft is fixed in rotation to a mass disposed radially outwardly from the shaft.

A wing assembly for an aircraft including a fixed wing and a wing tip device rotatable about a joint assembly. The wing assembly is configurable between a flight configuration for use during flight and a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations. The wing assembly includes joint-bordering structure located adjacent the joint assembly, the joint-bordering structure having a rib, an upper cover and a lower cover. The joint assembly includes a moveable panel. The panel includes a first hard stop element, and the joint-bordering structure includes a second hard stop element. The first hard stop element is integrally formed in the panel, and the second hard stop element is integrally formed in one of the rib, the upper cover or the lower cover of the joint-bordering structure. The hard stop elements may be configured to self-align.

A wing structure is disclosed having a first span portion including a depth that reduces in a spanwise outward direction, and a second span portion outboard of the first span portion and having a substantially uniform spanwise depth D3. The second span portion may be non-tapered, and may include parallel fore and aft spar portions. In some embodiments the non-tapered portion supports a movable wing tip device. A wing assembly and an aircraft are also disclosed.

An aircraft wing having a fixed wing with a tip, and a wing tip device rotatably mounted on a hinge at the tip of the fixed wing. The wing tip device is rotatable about the hinge. An actuation system rotates the wing tip device about the hinge. The actuation system has a motor, a plurality of geared mechanical actuators, and an angle gearbox coupled between the plurality of geared mechanical actuators and the motor. Each geared mechanical actuator is driveable by the motor and arranged to convert rotary motion into a different rotary motion. Each geared mechanical actuator is arranged along a hinge line of the hinge. The angle gearbox is arranged along the hinge line and between two of the plurality of geared mechanical actuators.

An aircraft wing (5, fig 1) and tuning the wing comprises a fixed wing (7) and a wing tip device (9) rotatably mounted on a hinge 11 at a tip of the fixed wing. An actuation system 20 rotates the wing

To provide an improved wing assembly comprising a fixed wing and a wingtip device that can rotate around a joint assembly at the tip of the fixed wing. [Solution] The main wing assembly 10 for an aircraft can be configured between a flight configuration for use in flight and a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations. The main wing assembly 10 includes a joint boundary structure positioned adjacent to a joint assembly 16, the joint boundary structure comprising ribs, an upper cover, and a lower cover. The joint assembly 16 includes a movable panel 32. The movable panel 32 includes a first hard stop element, and the joint boundary structure includes a second hard stop element. The first hard stop element is integrally formed with the panel 32, and the second hard stop element is integrally formed with one of the ribs, the upper cover, or the lower cover of the joint boundary structure. The hard stop elements may be configured to self-align.

An aircraft (1, Figure 1b) with a folding wing tip arrangement and a wiring harness 15a, 15b extending between a fixed wing 5 and a wing tip device 11. It is desirable to transfer power and / or data into a folding wing tip, which presents challenges such as repeated exposure to potentially harsh environmental conditions, with movement, and / or with changes in tensional loads. The wiring harness 15a, 15b comprises a plurality of conductors and is arranged to transmit electrical power and / or data to the wing tip device 11. The harness is received in a protective sleeve 25. The sleeve comprises a fluorosilicone polymer.

A method of actuating a wing tip device (11, figure 1B) on an aircraft (1), from a flight configuration to a ground configuration in which the span is reduced. The method comprises the steps of 100 receiving data indicative of a condition, such as the location 23 or speed (124, figure 5) of the aircraft; and determining an actuation profile 102 in dependence on the condition. The actuation profile may include determining a time period, and / or speed profile of the wing tip actuation over that time period. In this manner the actuation of the wing tip device can be tailored to minimize loads and wear on the actuator assembly.

A flow interrupting device may cause a flow to separate from a wingtip device at a desired angle of attack. The flow interrupting device may be coupled to a leading edge of a wingtip device where a flow disruptor may be configured to alleviate a load on the wingtip device. The flow disrupter may comprise an edge that extends into a boundary layer at a threshold angle of attack that may disrupt the boundary layer and cause a flow to separate from the wingtip device. This separated flow may reduce stresses experienced by the wingtip device and wing during various flight conditions where a transverse flow is encountered.

The present invention relates to an aircraft (1002) comprising a wing (1001) having a fixed wing (1005) and a wingtip device (1003) movably mounted at the outer end of the fixed wing. The wingtip device (1003) is capable of moving between a flight configuration and a ground configuration about a rotation axis. The wingtip device (1003) abuts the fixed wing (1005) along an interface cut line (1035). The interface cut line (1035) includes a curved portion (1039) centered on the rotation axis (1011), the radius of the curved portion increasing continuously as the cut line moves about the axis (e.g., a spiral shape). The present invention also relates to a method of designing a wing, a fixed wing, a wingtip device, and an interface.

The present invention relates to a wing assembly, a folding wingtip arrangement in an aircraft wing, and an aircraft. In one aspect, a wing assembly for an aircraft is provided, the wing assembly comprising a fixed wing and a wingtip device rotatable about a joint assembly. The wing assembly is configurable between a flight configuration for use during flight and a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations. The wing assembly comprises a joint boundary structure positioned adjacent to the joint assembly, the joint boundary structure comprising a rib, an upper cover, and a lower cover. The joint assembly comprises a movable panel. The panel comprises a first hard stop element, and the joint boundary structure comprises a second hard stop element. The first hard stop element is integrally formed in the panel, and the second hard stop element is integrally formed in one of the rib, the upper cover, or the lower cover of the joint boundary structure. The hard stop elements can be configured to self-align.

An aircraft (1), the aircraft comprising a wing (5), the wing having a fixed wing (7), the fixed wing having a wingtip device (9) rotatably mounted about a hinge (11) at the tip of the fixed wing. The wingtip device (9) is operable between a flight configuration and a load alleviation configuration for load alleviation during flight. The aircraft (1) comprises a restraint assembly (17) operable between a restraint mode and a release mode, in the restraint mode, the wingtip device is held in the flight configuration by a restraint force, such as by a brake (19), and in the release mode, the force on the wingtip device is released such that the wingtip device (9) can adopt the load alleviation configuration.

A removeable protective sleeve 25 extends over the length of a wiring harness 15a,15b spanning a joint (fig.2B,13) between an aircraft’s fixed wing (fig.2B,5) and a wing tip device (fig.2B,11) moveable into a ground configuration to reduce the wingspan. In the ground configuration the sleeve can be removed and replaced in the event of damage or a defect. The sleeve may be deformed to open a slit 27,29 running along the length of the underside to remove it from the harness, a pair of tabs 35 either side of the slit, held together to close the slit. Each end of the sleeve may be fixed using clamps (fig.6A,43a,43b) to the fixed wing and wing tip device, respectively, the sleeve flexes during movement of the wing tip device to accommodate movement of the wiring harness. The wiring harness may include electrical power and / or data conductors for the wing tip device.

A protective sleeve 25 has a first channel 31 in fixed position relative to a second channel 33, each channel suitable for receiving a respective one of a pair of aircraft wiring harnesses 15a,15b to hold them apart. In use, the pair of wiring harnesses received in the channels extend between an aircraft fixed wing (fig.2B,5), and a wing tip device (fig.2B,11) moveable between a flight configuration and a ground configuration in which the span of the wing is reduced, each harness contains conductors transmitting power and / or data to the wing tip device, such as separate high and low voltage conductors. The sleeve is preferably formed from a single piece of a resilient fluorosilicone polymer known as FVMQ, with circular channels either side of a 75mm thick webbing (fig.8,18), the channel walls being at least 2mm thick. Each channel may have a slit 27,29 with closure tabs 35 extending along its underside, the sleeve may deform opening the slits for removal. The aircraft may have a pair of sleeve guides (fig.2B,19,21), respectively above and below the sleeve, to constrain sleeve movement during wing tip movement, the sleeve urged against the guides in the flight configuration.

A seal between two aircraft surfaces which are able to move relative to each other. A wing tip device moves between a flight configuration and a ground configuration, in which ground configuration the wing tip device is moved away from the fixed wing such that the span of the aircraft wing is reduced. The fixed wing and wing tip device each comprise an outer surface, and a male seal and female seal are arranged such that when the wing tip device is in the flight configuration the female seal receives the male seal, and the female seal and male seal cooperate to provide a smooth transition from the fixed wing outer surface to the wing tip device outer surface.

A stall trigger system, the stall trigger system comprising: an aircraft wingtip or an aircraft wingtip device; a plurality of sets of stall triggers, the plurality of sets of stall triggers being distributed along the wingspan of the aircraft wingtip or the aircraft wingtip device, wherein each set of stall triggers includes one or more stall triggers that can be activated to trigger local separation of the airflow above the aircraft wingtip or the aircraft wingtip device, and each set of stall triggers has a different activation threshold; and a control system configured to monitor a parameter and activate each set of stall triggers in response to the parameter reaching the corresponding activation threshold of each set of stall triggers.

An aircraft wing assembly with a fixed wing and a wing tip device are disclosed. The wing tip device is moveable between a flight configuration and a ground configuration. In the ground configuration the span of the aircraft wing assembly is reduced. The fixed wing includes a fixed wing lug and the wing tip device comprises a wing tip lug. A locking pin is provided. In the flight configuration the fixed wing lug and wing tip device lug are aligned such that the locking pin may be inserted through the fixed wing lug and wing tip device lug into a locking position to lock the wing tip device in the flight configuration. The locking pin is hollow and includes a heating element.

A method of actuating a wing tip device on an aircraft, from a flight configuration to a ground configuration in which the span is reduced. The method includes receiving data indicative of a condition, such as the location or speed of the aircraft, and determining an actuation profile in dependence on the condition. The actuation profile may include determining a time period, and / or speed profile of the wing tip actuation over that time period. In this manner the actuation of the wing tip device can be tailored to minimize loads and wear on the actuator assembly.

An aircraft comprising a wing, the wing having a fixed wing portion 7 and a wing tip 9 device that is rotatably attached about a hinge axis (11, figure 1) to the fixed wing portion at an outboard end, wherein the hinge axis is orientated at an acute angle (H, figure 1) relative to the aircraft axis (X, figure 1); the wing tip being positioned and restrained in one of 3 command positions A, B, C. The first position A corresponds to high-speed flying configuration in plane with the fixed wing and produces a first incidence angle (ε1 figure 3A), a second position B corresponds to a ground configuration of the aircraft when the aircraft wingspan is at its minimum and a third position C corresponds to a low speed flying configuration of the aircraft where the fold angle is between the first and second position and the incidence angle produced (ε2, figure 3b) that is less than the first incidence angle (ε1).

A wing assembly for an aircraft 1, the wing assembly comprising: a fixed wing 5 and a wingtip device 11 moveably mounted at the end of the fixed wing. A wiring harness 15 extends between the fixed win

An aircraft wing 3 comprising a fixed wing 5 and a moveably mounted wing tip device 11 having a flight and ground configuration, a first cable harness 15a and a second cable harness 15b which are rece

A wing assembly for an aircraft has a wing, a moveable wing tip device and an actuation assembly to move the wing tip device. The actuation assembly is disposed externally of the wing assembly. In a further aspect, the actuation assembly has a first connector member connected externally of the wing assembly at the actuator and pivotably connected at a lower portion of the wing or wing tip. This can facilitate the provision of effective internal supporting structure for transferring flight loads across the interface of the wing and wing tip device, especially in wing assemblies having a high aspect ratio. In a still further aspect, the wing assembly has a seal extending chordwise within the wing assembly, for resisting passage of air through an interface region between the wing and the wing tip device.

An aircraft wing is disclosed having a fixed wing with a tip, and a wing tip device rotatably mounted on a hinge at the tip of the fixed wing, such that the wing tip device is rotatable about the hinge, and an actuation system for rotating the wing tip device about the hinge. The actuation system includes a motor, at least one geared rotary actuator, a reduction gearbox, a clutch for selectively decoupling rotation of the motor from rotation of the geared rotary actuator, the geared rotary actuator is driveable by the motor and arranged to convert rotary motion into a different rotary motion and is arranged to rotate the wing tip device relative to the tip of the fixed wing. The reduction gearbox is positioned between the clutch and the geared rotary actuator along a drive train between the motor and the geared rotary actuator.

The invention relates to actuation of a movable wing tip device. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of actuating a wing tip device on an aircraft from a flight configuration to a ground configuration in which a span is reduced. The method comprises the steps of: receiving data indicative of a condition, such as a position or speed of the aircraft; and determining an actuation curve as a function of the conditions. The actuation profile may include determining a time period and / or a speed profile of wing tip actuation during the time period. In this manner, actuation of the wing tip device may be tailored to minimize load and wear on the actuator assembly.

An aircraft wing is provided comprising a fixed wing 201 with a wing tip device 202 rotatable about a hinge at the tip of the fixed wing. A first panel assembly 307 comprising a first panel 304 and a second panel 314 is rotatably connected between the fixed wing and wing tip device. The wing further comprises a first actuator 430 connected to the first panel assembly to fold the first panel assembly to an intermediate position between a flight position and a ground position. Critically the internal angle produced between the first and second panels when in the flight position is >180 degrees, <180 in the intermediate position and <180 in the ground position. This determines the direction of the folding of the panels. This arrangement has been found to reduce the requirement for a separate locking mechanism, since the first actuator is able to both rotate the wing tip device and unlock the first panel assembly. A Method of operation is also described.

An aircraft wing is provided comprising a fixed wing 201 with a wing tip device 202 rotatable about a hinge at the tip of the fixed wing. A first panel assembly 307 comprising a first panel 304 and a second panel 314 is rotatably connected between the fixed wing and wing tip device. As the wing tip device rotates from a ground configuration to a flight configuration, the first panel assembly unfolds and goes over centre, such that movement of the wing tip device from the flight configuration to the ground configuration is prevented. This arrangement has been found to reduce the load requirements on a separate locking mechanism, allow for a smaller wing and / or improve aerodynamics, since no mechanisms that protrude from the normal profile of the wing are required. In an alternative embodiment the first panel unfold in the first direction from a ground position in which a first angle between the first and second panels is less that 180 degrees, and the first panel abuts the second panel such that further increase in the first angle is prevented.

The application discloses a vibrating winglet device, a control method and a system, relates to the field of wings, and the vibrating winglet device is characterized in that the vibrating winglet device comprises a main wing, a vibrating winglet and a steering engine, the main wing is suitable for fixing various structural parts of the vibrating winglet device, the vibrating winglet is fixed above the main wing, the vibrating winglet is suitable for freely rotating around a rotating shaft, and the rotating shaft is driven to rotate by the steering engine and is connected with a movable wing tip. Since the vibrating winglet device adopts the idea of guiding the movement of the vibrating winglet based on the results of stability analysis, the vibrating winglet can not only weaken the strength of the wing tip vortex but also accelerate the dissipation of the wing tip vortex, thereby achieving a better drag reduction effect than the conventional winglet. Since the variable wing tip winglet is adopted, the movable wing tip device changes the wing tip vortex structure at the wing tip, causes the flow to change, and thereby changes the corresponding aerodynamic performance and reduces the drag. Not only can the drag be reduced, but the engine noise of the airplane can also be reduced, and the service life of the engine is prolonged.

An aircraft wing (5) has: a fixed wing (7) having a tip (7 '); and a wing tip device (9) mounted in a rotatable manner on a hinge (11) located at the tip of the fixed wing. The wing tip device is rotatable about the hinge. An actuation system (20 ') rotates the wing tip device about the hinge. The actuation system has a motor (22 '), a plurality of geared mechanical actuators (24'), and an angle gearbox (29) coupled between the plurality of geared mechanical actuators and the motor. Each geared mechanical actuator is drivable by a motor and is arranged to convert a rotational motion into a different rotational motion. Each geared mechanical actuator is arranged along a hinge line of the hinge. An angle gearbox is disposed along the hinge line and between two of the plurality of geared mechanical actuators.