Wing tip device attachment apparatus and method

Abstract

An aircraft wing subassembly including: a wing skin defining a first outer surface, and, a structural reinforcement member, the structural reinforcement member defining a second outer surface, wherein the structural reinforcement member is arranged within the wing such that the first outer surface and the second outer surface form part of an outer wing surface.

Claims

1. An aircraft wing subassembly comprising: a first outer aerodynamic wing surface extending in chordwise and spanwise directions of the aircraft wing subassembly; a second outer aerodynamic wing surface extending in the chordwise and spanwise directions of the aircraft wing subassembly, wherein the second outer aerodynamic wing surface overlaps the first outer aerodynamic wing surface and is opposite to the first outer aerodynamic wing surface along a first direction perpendicular to a plane defined by the chordwise and spanwise directions; a wing skin forming a first portion of the first outer aerodynamic wing surface; defining a and, a structural reinforcement member extending in the spanwise direction, and spanning, along the first direction perpendicular, between the first and second outer aerodynamic wing surface, wherein the structural reinforcement member includes a first outer surface forming a second portion of the first outer aerodynamic wing surface.

2. The aircraft wing subassembly according to claim 1, wherein the wing skin forms a second portion of the second aerodynamic wing surface, and wherein the structural reinforcement member includes a second outer surface opposite to the first outer surface, and the second outer surface forms a second portion of the second outer aerodynamic wing surface.

3. The aircraft wing subassembly according to claim 1, in which the wing skin tapers towards the first outer surface of the structural reinforcement member.

4. The aircraft wing subassembly according to claim 1, further comprising a skin panel spanning between the first outer aerodynamic surface and the first outer surface of the structural reinforcement.

5. The aircraft wing subassembly according to claim 2, in which the structural reinforcement is rectangular in cross section.

6. An aerodynamic wing structure for an aircraft comprising: a first aerodynamic wing surface extending in chordwise and spanwise directions of the aerodynamic wing structure; a second aerodynamic wing surface extending in the chordwise and spanwise directions, wherein the second outer aerodynamic wing surface is opposite the first aerodynamic wing surface along a first direction perpendicular to a plane defined by the chordwise and spanwise directions; a first wing skin defining a first portion of the first aerodynamic wing surface; a main beam extending in the spanwise direction and spanning between the first aerodynamic wing surface and the second aerodynamic wing surface; and an outer surface of the main beam forming a second portion of the first aerodynamic wing surface.

7. The aerodynamic wing structure of claim 6, wherein the main beam includes a second outer surface opposite to the first outer surface, and the second outer surface forms a portion of the second aerodynamic wing surface.

8. The aerodynamic wing structure of claim 7, wherein the main beam includes sides spanning between the first-aerodynamic wing surface and the second aerodynamic wing surface.

9. The aerodynamic wing structure of claim 8, wherein a first side of the sides of the main beam is attached to a leading edge structure of the aerodynamic wing structure and a second side of the sides is attached to a trailing edge structure of the aerodynamic wing structure.

10. The aerodynamic wing structure of claim 6, wherein the main beam is hollow.

11. The aerodynamic wing structure of claim 6, wherein a thickness of the first wing skin tapers towards and overlaps the main beam to form a smooth transition surface between the first wing skin and the outer surface of the main beam.

12. The aerodynamic wing structure of claim 6, further: comprising a fixed wing; and a winglet attached to a wing tip region of the fixed wing, wherein the main beam extends in the spanwise direction through a portion of the winglet and at least a portion of the wing tip region of the fixed wing.

13. The aerodynamic wing structure of claim 6, wherein the outer surface of the main beam is adjacent an edge of the first wing skin.

14. A wing of an aircraft comprising: a fixed wing including a wing tip region; a winglet attached to the wing tip region, wherein the winglet includes a main beam extending spanwise from the winglet into the wing tip region; the wing tip region includes: a first aerodynamic wing surface and a second aerodynamic wing surface overlapping the first aerodynamic wing surface and is opposite to the first outer aerodynamic wing surface along a first direction perpendicular to a plane defined by chordwise and spanwise directions of the wing tip region; and a first wing skin defining a first portion of the first aerodynamic wing surface; wherein a distal end region of the main beam extends into the wing tip region, wherein a first outer surface of the distal end region of the main beam forms a second portion of the first aerodynamic wing surface of the wing tip region, and wherein the main beam spans, in a direction perpendicular to a plane defined by a spanwise and chordwise directions of the wing tip region, the first aerodynamic wing surface and the second aerodynamic wing surface.

15. The wing of claim 14, wherein the main beam is pivotatably attached to the wing tip region, and the winglet pivots between an unfolded position in which the outer surface of the main beam is aligned with and forms the second portion of the first aerodynamic wing surface, and a folded position in which the distal end region of the main beam extends out of the wing tip region and is not aligned with the first aerodynamic wing surface.

16. The wing of claim 14, wherein the distal region of the main beam includes a second outer surface opposite to the first outer surface, wherein the wing tip region includes a second wing skin defining a third portion of a second aerodynamic wing surface opposite to the first aerodynamic wing surface of the wing tip region, and wherein second outer surface of the main beam forms a fourth portion of the second aerodynamic wing surface.

Description

SUMMARY OF DRAWINGS

(1) A wing tip device attachment apparatus and method in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a front view of a wing tip and wing tip device;

(3) FIG. 2 is a free body diagram of a part of the wing tip and wing tip device of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3a is a view of a wing tip device and mounting apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

(5) FIG. 3b is a schematic view of the wing tip device and mounting apparatus of FIG. 3a;

(6) FIG. 4a is a perspective view of a first constraint type;

(7) FIG. 4b is a perspective view of a second constraint type;

(8) FIG. 4c is a perspective view of a third constraint type;

(9) FIG. 4d is a perspective view of a fourth constraint type;

(10) FIGS. 5a to 5f are schematic plan views of various reaction loads exhibited by the mounting apparatus of FIG. 3;

(11) FIGS. 6a to 6d are front schematic views of an attachment method of a wing tip device according to the present invention;

(12) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second wing tip device in accordance with the present invention;

(13) FIG. 8a is a chordwise cross-section view of a wing tip fitted with the wing tip device of FIG. 7; and

(14) FIG. 8b is a close-up view of a part of the wing tip device of FIG. 7 shown in plan section view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

(15) Referring to FIG. 1, a wing assembly 100 comprises a wing tip 102 (formed by the end of a wing) and a wing tip device 104. In this example the wing tip device 104 is a winglet. The wing tip 102 terminates at an outboard end 106 with thickness Tw. This area is also known as the wingbox. The wing tip device 104 extends from the outboard end 106 and has a winglet span Sw1. Turning to FIG. 2, the wing tip device 104 experiences an aerodynamic lift force Fw1 which acts through its centre of pressure 108 generally towards the aircraft fuselage (not shown).

(16) The wing tip device 104 is attached to the wing tip 102 at the outboard end 106. As such a torque, Tw1, is generated which is a product of the winglet force Fw1 and the perpendicular distance Lw1 to the centre of the outboard end 106 of the wing tip 102 (also known as the winglet moment arm).

(17) In order to keep the wing tip device 104 stably attached to the outboard end 106 of the wing tip 102, the torque Tw1 created by the winglet force Fw1 must be reacted at the outboard end 106. Because the moment arm available at the outboard end 106 can only be as high as the wingbox thickness Tw, the reaction forces Fw1, Fw2 are extremely high. As such the material in the area of the outboard end 106 of the wing tip 102 has to be reinforced adding weight and complexity to the aircraft.

(18) As mentioned above, known attachment methods include splice plates which span the upper and lower skin of the wing tip device 104 and the wing tip 102. Alternatively abutting perpendicular plates at the outboard end 106 which are used and held in position by tension bolts. In both cases a moment arm defined vertically between the two wing covers is used to react the forces.

(19) Turning to FIGS. 3a and 3b, a wing assembly 110 is shown comprising a wing tip 112 and a winglet 114. The wing tip 112 comprises a front spar 116 and a rear spar 118, both running in a spanwise direction and converging along the span of the wing towards the wing tip. A series of ribs 120 are positioned along the wing span and extend in the direction of the wing chord. A wing tip end 122 is provided at the end of the wing tip. The spars and ribs are covered by a wing skin 124 primarily designed to present an aerodynamic surface to the airflow. The wing tip 112 terminates at an outboard end 126.

(20) The winglet 114 comprises a winglet root 128 and a free end 130 distanced from and vertically spaced from the winglet root 128.

(21) A main beam 132 extends from a position partway between the free end 130 and the winglet root 128 and extends towards the winglet root 128 and beyond into the wing tip 112 as will be described below. The main beam 132 is spaced towards the rear of the winglet 114. A canted spar 134 runs from the position midway along the winglet 114 towards the winglet root 128 but diverges from the main beam 132 towards the forward part of the winglet 114. The canted spar 134 extends into the wing tip 112 as will be described below.

(22) The main beam 132 and the canted spar 134 are supported by a number of winglet ribs 136 which extend chordwise within the winglet 114. A winglet skin 138 covers the winglet in order to present an aerodynamic surface to the airflow.

(23) Referring to FIG. 3b, the wing assembly 110 is shown in schematic form. The main beam 132 extends from the winglet 114 into the wingbox of the wing tip 112 to be generally parallel and adjacent to a forward face of the rear spar 118. The main beam 132 is attached to the rear spar 118 at two positions; position B proximate the first rib 120 and position A proximate the wing end rib 122. It will be noted that A and B are spaced apart and, in particular, spaced apart by a distance which is larger than the thickness of the wingbox Tw.

(24) The canted spar 134 also extends into the wing tip 112, but in this example is only arranged to abut the wing tip rib 122 and is attached thereto at point C.

(25) A, B and C are therefore first, second and third mounting formations, and will be described in greater detail below.

(26) Turning to FIGS. 4a to 4d, various examples of attachment methods are shown. FIG. 4a shows the main beam 132 attached to the outermost rib 120 via a spigot joint 140.

(27) FIG. 4b shows the main beam 132 attached to the rear spar 118 via a single lap shear joint 142.

(28) FIG. 4c shows a main beam 132 passing through the wing tip rib 122 and attached to the rear spar 118 and a sub-spar 144 extending from the wing tip rib 122 via a double lap shear joint 146.

(29) FIG. 4d is a plan view of a canted spar 134 attached to the front spar 116 via a web in single lap shear.

(30) In the examples shown in FIG. 3b, the attachment at B is a spigot joint per FIG. 4a, the attachment at A is a double lap shear joint as shown in FIG. 4c and the attachment at C is a locking pin.

(31) Referring to FIGS. 5a to 5f, reaction of the various loads and moments will be described. In all cases the co-ordinate system used is X in a positive spanwise direction, Y in a fore aft (chordwise) direction and Z in the vertical direction.

(32) Referring to FIG. 5a, the bending moment MY (the tendency of the tip of the wing tip device to move towards the fuselage) is reacted at attachment points A and B as shown. This is the type of bending moment produced by the winglet lift force Fw1, and as shown it is reacted over a large moment arm (the distance from A to B), reducing the force, and hence stress levels.

(33) Referring to FIG. 5b, the moment MZ (mainly resulting from drag) is reacted where the winglet abuts the wing tip at the trailing edge proximate the attachment point A and at the connection at point C which is held in direction X.

(34) Referring to FIG. 5c, the torsion MX is reacted by the fact that attachment points A and C are constrained in the vertical direction (i.e. in direction Z).

(35) Referring to FIG. 5d, FY (drag force) is reacted primarily at attachment point C.

(36) Referring to FIG. 5e, FZ (lift) is reacted at points A and C.

(37) Finally, referring to FIG. 5f, the side force FX is reacted at points A and C.

(38) The release of certain degrees of freedom (e.g. the inability of the spigot at B to react the side force FX) allows the system some relative movement to avoid thermally induced stresses whilst making the loads more predictable (moving towards a statically determinate system). For example, because the joint at point B does not need to react the side force, it can be made smaller as a result (i.e. can be optimised for a more predictable load case).

(39) It will be noted that because the present invention only uses three attachment points, it is possible to constrain the winglet 114 in a manner which makes the system statically determinate. Therefore, each attachment point can be designed around a known load case. This offers an advantage over the prior art in which generally a high number of fixings are used for load-bearing purposes and consequently a statically indeterminate system is formed in which the exact load case on each attachment point is unknown. Therefore each attachment point has to be over-engineered to cope with the worst possible case.

(40) Referring to FIGS. 6a to 6d, a method of attachment of a wing tip device is shown. A wing assembly 200 is shown comprising a wing tip 202 and a winglet 204. The winglet 204 is attached to the wing tip 202 in a similar manner to the wing assembly 110. In the wing assembly 200, the attachment points A and C have their horizontal chordwise axes (parallel to axis Y) of rotation aligned as will be described below. The winglet 204 is moved proximate the wing tip 202 on a trolley jack or similar as shown in FIG. 6a. The jack 206 is elevated to move the winglet 204 such that the attachment points A, C are aligned with their respective receiving formations on the wing tip 202. The joints can then be assembled such that the winglet 204 can be rotated above the axis Y at the attachment points A, C from the position shown in FIG. 6B to the position shown in FIG. 6C. The winglet 204 is rotated into place and the attachment point B is secured in order to prevent any rotation of the winglet 204 relative to the wing tip 202. The jack 206 can then be removed, as shown in FIG. 6d.

(41) This method of assembly demands an interruption in the skin on the top of the wing tip 202. This can be achieved by making the winglet mean beam part of the aerodynamic surface of the wing (see below) or providing a replaceable panel in the wing skin. The method permits replacement of the winglet in-field without the need for an overhead crane and/or hanger space.

(42) Referring now to FIG. 7, a wing assembly 300 is shown comprising a wing tip 302 and a winglet 304.

(43) The wing tip 302 comprises a front spar 306 and a rear spar 308. A front spar 306 comprises two flanges extending in a chordwise direction; an upper flange 310 and a lower flange (not visible). The flanges extend towards the rear spar 308. Similarly, the rear spar 308 comprises an upper flange 312 and a lower flange 314 both of which extend towards the front spar 306. A rib 316 extends between the spars 306, 308 in a chordwise direction at the widest parts of the flanges 310, 312, 314.

(44) The winglet 304 comprises a flat main beam 318 which extends substantially parallel to the skin of the winglet 304. The main beam 318 tapers from a point midway along the winglet 304 to its thickest cross-section at a mid-point 320 at the position where the winglet and the wing tip meet and tapers inwardly again at attachment point 322 within the wing tip 302.

(45) The beam 318 is attached to the wing tip 302 via a spigot at point B, a lap shear joint at point A and a further lap shear joint at point C. The axes of rotation of the lap joints at A and C are aligned such that the winglet 304 can be assembled to the wing tip 302 in a similar manner as described in FIGS. 6a to 6d.

(46) It will be noted that the beam 318 tapers from the point of maximum bending moment at area 320 to areas of lower bending moment at its opposite ends within both the winglet 304 and the wing tip 312. Referring to FIG. 8a, a section is shown through the wingbox of the wing tip 302 proximate points A and C. The main beam includes sides 326 that span between a first aerodynamic surface 328 and second aerodynamic surface 330 of the wing tip region 302 of a fixed wing. It will be noted that the main beam 318 is designed to form part of the aerodynamic surface of the wing, wherein the main beam includes a first outer surface 332 and a second surface 334. The first outer surface 332 of the main beam forms part of the first aerodynamic surface 326 of the wing tip region. Similarly, the second outer surface 334 of the main beam forms part of the second aerodynamic surface 328 of the wing tip region. Referring to FIG. 8b, the skin of the wing tip 302 are transitioned to the main beam 318 by use of flexible skin panels 324 which define a tapered region 326 to allow transition to the surface of the beam 318. In this way, the beam 318 can be as large as possible in order to provide as much area for reaction on the various loads and stresses it undergoes.

(47) It will also be noted that by making the beam 318 part of the wing skin, the assembly process as shown in FIGS. 6a to 6d is made easier as the skin of the wing tip 302 does not need to be replaced over the beam 318.

(48) Variations fall within the scope of the present invention.