Wing Assembly Sealing Device for High-Lift Gap Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing airfoils with high-lift bodies experience a decrease in lift-to-drag ratio due to parallel airflow through the gap between the high-lift body and the main wing when the high-lift body is in the deployed position, which does not contribute to lift and increases drag.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a sealing device with rotatable plate-shaped sealing elements that fan out to cover the gap between the high-lift body and the main wing, reducing parallel airflow and maintaining a continuous leading edge when the high-lift body is retracted, and utilizing a guiding mechanism to ensure the sealing elements rotate relative to each other and the main wing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the high-lift body is deployed to increase lift, then the lift force is improved, but parallel airflow through the gap increases drag and decreases the lift-to-drag ratio
Solution Approach 1:
A sealing device with sealing elements is introduced as an intermediary component between the high-lift body and the main wing. The sealing elements fill and seal the gap that forms when the high-lift body is deployed, preventing parallel airflow through the gap while allowing the high-lift body to maintain its lift-generating position.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing elements are designed as flexible plate-shaped components that can deform and adapt to the gap geometry. These thin film-like sealing elements can flexibly seal the varying gap size as the high-lift body moves between retracted and deployed positions, effectively blocking parallel airflow without rigid mechanical constraints.
2Force
If the high-lift body is deployed, then the lift is increased, but the continuous leading edge is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing elements act as intermediary components that visually and aerodynamically bridge the gap between the main wing and the deployed high-lift body. By filling this gap, the sealing elements restore the appearance and aerodynamic continuity of the leading edge, eliminating the disruptive effect of the gap while allowing the high-lift body to remain in its deployed position for lift generation.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If a sealing device is added to reduce parallel airflow, then the lift-to-drag ratio is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing device is segmented into multiple independent sealing elements rather than using a single complex continuous seal. Each sealing element operates independently within the gap, simplifying the overall structure while effectively addressing the parallel airflow problem through distributed sealing action.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing elements are designed as dynamic, movable components that automatically adjust their position and orientation in response to the high-lift body's movement between retracted and deployed states. This dynamic behavior eliminates the need for complex actuation mechanisms, reducing device complexity while maintaining effective sealing throughout the deployment cycle.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed and claimed is an airfoil comprising a main wing and a high-lift body. The high-lift body defines a concave recess. The airfoil further comprises a sealing device having two sealing elements arranged in the concave recess. The sealing elements are plate-shaped and abut sectionally on the high-lift body and have side faces extending perpendicularly to the common rotational axis. When the high-lift body is moved between a retracted position and a deployed position, the sealing elements rotate relative to the main wing and relative to each other, such that an overlap between the sealing elements is smaller when the high-lift body is in the deployed position than when the high-lift body is in the retracted position.