Aircraft Wing Flap Support Structure Using Nested Swing Arms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft wing flap support mechanisms are bulky, leading to parasitic drag and increased greenhouse gas emissions due to the need for fairings to improve aerodynamic performance, and they are often complex and costly to manufacture and service.
Innovation Solution
A compact support structure using interconnected swing arms that allow for compound relative motion between surfaces, maintaining the height profile of the wing and eliminating the need for fairings by integrating the support mechanism within the wing's profile.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If bulky supporting mechanisms are used to support wing flaps, then the flaps can be extended and retracted, but the mechanisms occupy more physical height space and require fairings that increase parasitic drag
Solution Approach 1:
The support mechanism is nested within the height profile of the main wing, with components arranged concentrically and hierarchically. The swing arms and linkage mechanisms are positioned inside the wing's thickness, allowing the flap support system to be contained within the existing aerodynamic envelope without requiring external fairings.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a conventional external support mechanism to an internal three-dimensional arrangement. By utilizing the third dimension (vertical space within the wing profile) and arranging components in multiple layers and orientations, the mechanism achieves compact containment while maintaining full flap functionality.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If complicated mechanisms are used to support wing flaps within the height profile, then fairings are eliminated, but the mechanisms are expensive to manufacture, install, and service
Solution Approach 1:
The support mechanism is divided into modular segments including separate swing arms, linkage components, and mounting structures. Each module can be manufactured independently using standard aerospace components and assembly techniques, reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining the compact internal arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of simplifying the mechanism to reduce complexity, the invention inverts the approach by accepting a somewhat complex internal arrangement but simplifying the external aerodynamic envelope. The complexity is contained within the wing profile where it is hidden from the airflow, eliminating the need for complex fairings and their associated manufacturing and maintenance costs.
3Ease of operation
If conventional support mechanisms are used, then flap deployment is achieved, but additional power is required to overcome parasitic drag from fairings
Solution Approach 1:
By nesting the support mechanism within the wing's height profile, the aerodynamic cross-section is preserved and streamlined. This eliminates the need for external fairings that would create parasitic drag, thereby reducing the power and fuel consumption required to overcome aerodynamic resistance during flight.
Data Source
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AI summary
A compound motion structure (3) for connection between two surfaces comprising a first arm (5) and a second arm (7) swingable coupled together through a first hinge connection ( 13), a first surface (35) coupled to an opposite end of the first arm via a second hinge connection, a second surface (39) coupled to an opposite end of the second arm via a third hinge connection, the first arm (5) and the second arm (7) being movable thereby resulting in a compound motion of one or both surfaces.