Segmented Aircraft Wing Trailing Edge Damping for Flutter Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wing components face challenges in efficiently damping uncontrolled movement between leading and trailing edge parts, particularly in the event of actuator unit failure, while also requiring significant space.
Innovation Solution
The trailing edge part is divided into separately pivotable portions with independent actuators and a damper device coupling these portions to damp asynchronous movements, utilizing linkages and velocity-dependent damping elements to manage uncontrolled flutter without affecting the actuator unit's operation or requiring excessive space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a damper device is integrated into the actuator unit to damp uncontrolled movement, then damping effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The trailing edge part is divided into multiple separately pivotable part portions (first part portion, second part portion, third part portion), each with independent actuators. The damper device is segmented into multiple damping elements (first damping element, second damping element) that couple adjacent part portions. This segmentation allows the damping function to be distributed across multiple simple components rather than requiring a single complex integrated damper-actuator unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping elements act as intermediary components between adjacent part portions of the trailing edge. Instead of directly integrating the damper into the actuator unit, the patent uses linkages and damping elements as mediators to couple the part portions. This intermediary approach provides damping functionality while maintaining independence of the actuator units and avoiding direct integration complexity.
2Reliability
If a damper device is integrated into the actuator unit to damp uncontrolled movement, then damping effectiveness is improved, but space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The trailing edge part is divided into multiple separately pivotable part portions (first part portion, second part portion, third part portion), each with independent actuators. The damper device is segmented into multiple damping elements (first damping element, second damping element) that couple adjacent part portions. This segmentation allows the damping function to be distributed across multiple simple components rather than requiring a single complex integrated damper-actuator unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping elements and linkages are arranged within the existing structure of the trailing edge part portions and their actuators. The first damping element is coupled between the first and second part portions, and the second damping element is coupled between the second and third part portions, nesting the damping functionality within the existing spatial arrangement of the segmented trailing edge structure.
3Reliability
If the trailing edge part is divided into separately pivotable portions with independent actuators, then failure tolerance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The trailing edge part is divided into multiple separately pivotable part portions (first part portion, second part portion, third part portion), each with independent actuators. The damper device is segmented into multiple damping elements (first damping element, second damping element) that couple adjacent part portions. This segmentation allows the damping function to be distributed across multiple simple components rather than requiring a single complex integrated damper-actuator unit.
Solution Approach 2:
Each part portion of the trailing edge is equipped with its own actuator and damping element, providing localized control and damping capability. This local quality approach ensures that if one actuator fails, the other part portions can still be controlled independently, improving failure tolerance while keeping each local unit relatively simple.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design provides a failure-tolerant and space-efficient damping solution that effectively manages uncontrolled movements, ensuring the wing's stability and functionality even in actuator failures, while allowing controlled movements for aircraft maneuvering.
Implementation Method 1
The damping element (49) is formed as a velocity-dependent damping element having a damping characteristic with essentially higher damping effect for high velocity motion of the first, second and/or third part portions (41, 43, 83), as would be the case for instable flutter of the first, second and/or third part portions (41, 43, 83), and essentially lower or no damping effect for low velocity motion of the first, second and/or third part portions (41, 43, 83), as would be the case for controlled movement of the first, second and/or third part portions (41, 43, 83), respectively.
Data Source
AI summary
A wing component for an aircraft, comprising a leading edge part and a trailing edge part pivotably mounted to the leading edge part so as to pivot about a pivot axis, an actuator unit configured for moving the trailing edge part relative to the leading edge part, and a damper device configured for damping uncontrolled movement between the leading edge part and the trailing edge part. The trailing edge part comprises a first part portion and a second part portion arranged next to each other in a span direction and configured to pivot about the pivot axis individually, the damper device comprises a damping element coupled between the first part portion and the second part portion to damp relative movement of the first part portion and the second part portion.