Pivotable Aircraft Wing Tip Actuation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft wing arrangements face challenges in reducing wingspan for compact storage and optimizing fuel efficiency, as they often require complex mechanisms and increased weight, which can lead to higher airport fees and reduced performance.
Innovation Solution
A compact and weight-optimized wing arrangement featuring a pivotable wing tip portion with an actuator system, detector, and control unit that adjusts torque and force levels to achieve precise positioning and latching, allowing for efficient folding and extension of the wing tip, thereby reducing overall aircraft span and enhancing performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the wing tip portion is made pivotable to reduce wingspan for compact storage, then the space requirements during ground operation are reduced, but the device complexity increases due to the need for actuators and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The wing is divided into a fixed wing portion and a separate pivotable wing tip portion. This segmentation allows the wing tip to be independently controlled and folded, reducing the overall wingspan during ground operation while maintaining a simpler overall structure compared to folding the entire wing.
Solution Approach 2:
The wing tip portion is designed to be dynamically adjustable between extended and folded positions. This dynamic capability allows the wing to adapt its span based on operational requirements, reducing space during ground operations while maintaining full span for flight operations.
2Reliability
If the actuator is designed to provide high actuating torque for reliable positioning against the end stop, then the positioning reliability is improved, but the weight of the actuator and components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit is configured to reduce the actuating torque before the wing tip portion reaches the end stop position. This preliminary action of reducing torque prevents excessive forces from acting on the components during the final positioning phase, allowing for lighter component design while maintaining reliable positioning through the controlled reduction sequence.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuating torque is dynamically adjusted based on the position of the output element. The torque parameter is reduced when the output element approaches the end stop position, allowing the system to achieve reliable positioning without requiring the actuator to continuously provide maximum torque, thereby reducing overall component weight.
3Weight of moving object
If the control unit reduces actuating torque when the wing tip is positioned at the end stop, then the component weight can be optimized, but the positioning precision may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit receives feedback from the detector about the position of the output element. Based on this feedback, the control unit adjusts the actuating torque accordingly - maintaining higher torque when positioning is needed and reducing torque when the wing tip is already at the correct position, ensuring both precision and weight optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains higher actuating torque levels during the approach phase to ensure accurate positioning, then preliminarily reduces the torque once the wing tip portion reaches the end stop position. This sequence ensures positioning precision is achieved before weight optimization takes effect.
Data Source
AI summary
A wing arrangement for an aircraft is disclosed including a wing having a fixed wing portion and a wing tip portion, wherein a the wing tip portion is pivotably connected to the fixed wing portion such that the wing tip portion is selectively pivotable about a pivot axis relative to the fixed wing portion between a first wing tip portion position and a wing tip portion second position, an actuator having an output element adapted to transfer an actuating torque and/or force to the wing tip portion for actuating the wing tip portion for movement about the pivot axis. The output element is movable between a first actuator position and a second actuator position, a first end stop for preventing movement of the wing tip portion beyond the first wing tip portion position, a detector adapted to detect a position of the output element, and a control unit adapted to control the actuating torque and/or force of the actuator based on the detected position of the output element.