Aircraft Wing Tip Actuation Track and Follower Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft with moveable wing tip devices face challenges in ensuring a seal for smooth airflow during flight while allowing for safe and reliable movement between flight and ground configurations, and in transferring flight loads effectively without impacting wing design or increasing the size and weight of the actuation assembly.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a sliding chassis and track follower arrangement with a two-stage movement mechanism, where the follower is isolated from flight loads by being in a wider track during flight and a narrower track during ground configuration, allowing for a lightweight and compact actuation assembly that can manage both flight and ground loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a seal is used between the wing tip device and the fixed wing to ensure smooth airflow during flight, then aerodynamic performance is improved, but wear increases significantly during movement between flight and ground configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is extracted from the moving interface between the wing tip device and fixed wing. Instead of having a seal that moves with the wing tip device, the patent uses a fixed seal on the fixed wing that remains stationary. The wing tip device moves along a track without a moving seal, eliminating wear while maintaining aerodynamic sealing during flight configuration.
2Strength
If the actuation assembly is designed to transfer flight loads, then structural integrity is improved, but the size and weight of the actuation assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The load transfer function is segmented from the actuation assembly. The actuation assembly only provides movement capability, while flight loads are transferred through a separate structural path via the track and follower arrangement, allowing the actuation assembly to be lightweight without compromising structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The track and follower arrangement acts as an intermediary structure that handles flight load transfer. The follower on the sliding chassis interfaces with the track on the fixed wing, creating a separate load path that does not require the actuation assembly to be oversized for load bearing.
3Measurement precision
If the follower is constrained in a narrow track during ground configuration, then positioning precision is improved, but the actuation assembly becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The track width is made dynamic, varying along its length. The track has a narrow section for precise positioning during ground configuration and a wide section for load transfer during flight configuration. This dynamic geometric feature allows the system to adapt its characteristics based on operational phase without adding mechanical complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft wing having a wing tip device at the tip thereof is disclosed. The wing tip device is configurable between: a flight configuration for use during flight and a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations to reduce span. In the flight configuration, flight loads may be transferred via a load transfer arrangement from the wing tip device into the fixed wing, but during movement of the wing tip device towards the ground configuration, the load transfer arrangement is disengaged. The wing includes an actuation assembly having a sliding chassis coupled to the wing tip device, via a track and follower arrangement. The track includes a wide portion and a narrow portion.