Aircraft Wing Leading Edge Flap Guiding Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft wing designs with mobile leading edge flaps require guiding rails that penetrate the wing box, making the volume unusable for fuel storage, thus limiting aircraft endurance.
Innovation Solution
A guiding device is positioned entirely at the front of the wing box, using pivoting members and hinged connections with axes converging to a single point, allowing the mobile flap to move without penetrating the wing box, enabling the wing box volume to be utilized for fuel storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If guiding rails are used to enable mobile flap movement, then flap guidance functionality is achieved, but wing box volume is occupied and unusable for fuel storage
Solution Approach 1:
The guiding device is extracted from the interior of the wing box and positioned entirely at the front of the wing box. The guiding rail is mounted on the front spar, and the pivoting members are arranged externally, so that no component penetrates or occupies space within the wing box, thereby freeing the entire wing box volume for fuel storage while maintaining flap guidance functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The guiding mechanism is repositioned from a three-dimensional arrangement that penetrates the wing box interior to a two-dimensional arrangement confined to the front surface of the wing box. By placing all guiding components on the front face and using external pivoting members, the design utilizes the external surface area rather than consuming internal volume, resolving the space conflict.
2Volume of stationary object
If guiding components are positioned at the front of the wing box, then fuel storage volume is increased, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guiding device is segmented into distinct functional components: a guiding rail fixed to the front spar, multiple pivoting members (first and second pivoting members) with hinged connections, and a follower member. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while being arranged externally, increasing fuel volume without requiring a monolithic complex structure that would penetrate the wing box.
Solution Approach 2:
The follower member acts as an intermediary between the mobile flap and the guiding rail. It translates the flap's movement requirements into motion along the guiding rail's trajectory, enabling the external guiding mechanism to control the flap effectively without direct penetration into the wing box, thus maintaining both simplicity and functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft wing including a mobile leading edge flap associated with a guiding device arranged at the front of a front spar of a wing box, and including: —a pivoting member having one end connected to the spar by an articulated linkage; —a pivoting member connected to one end of the member by an articulated linkage, the end of this member being connected to the flap via an articulated linkage; —a guide rail receiving a tracking member supported by the member, the rail defining a path inscribed on the surface of an imaginary sphere, the centre of which corresponds to a point of convergence of the axes of the three linkages.