Aircraft wing with an adaptive shock control bump

Abstract

An aircraft wing has an upper surface element and a first actuator powered mechanism for varying the shape of the surface element which includes: an upstream segment SEG.sub.1, a downstream segment SEG.sub.2, an interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 interconnecting a downstream edge of SEG.sub.1 with an upstream edge of SEG.sub.2, wherein the interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 extends along the whole or at least a major part of the downstream edge of SEG.sub.1 and the whole or at least a major part of the upstream edge of SEG.sub.2, and a link element LNK interconnecting an upstream edge of SEG.sub.1 with an upper surface of the aircraft wing, and the first mechanism interconnecting a contact C1 on a lower side of the upper surface element with a contact C2 on an inner structure of the airfoil. The first mechanism controls the shape of the upper surface element by controlling the distance between C1 and C2.

Claims

1. An aircraft wing with an upper surface element and a first actuator powered mechanism for varying the shape of the upper surface element, wherein the surface element comprises: an upstream segment SEG.sub.1 with a stiffness S.sub.1; a downstream segment SEG.sub.2 with a stiffness S.sub.2; an interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 with a stiffness S.sub.3, the interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 interconnecting a downstream edge of SEG.sub.1 with an upstream edge of SEG.sub.2, wherein the interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 extends along the whole downstream edge of SEG.sub.1 and the whole upstream edge of SEG.sub.2, or at least along a major part of the downstream edge of SEG.sub.1 and a major part of the upstream edge of SEG.sub.2, and the interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 exhibits a mechanical pretension causing a convex shape of the upper surface element, with: S.sub.3<S.sub.1, S.sub.2; and a link element LNK, the link element LNK interconnecting an upstream edge of SEG.sub.1 with an upper surface of the aircraft wing; wherein the first actuator powered mechanism interconnects a contact C1 on a lower side of the upper surface element with a contact C2 on an inner structure of the aircraft wing, wherein the first actuator powered mechanism controls the shape of the upper surface element by controlling the distance between C1 and C2, and wherein the downstream segment SEG.sub.2 comprises: an upstream segment SEG.sub.1* with a stiffness S.sub.1; a downstream segment SEG.sub.2* with a stiffness S.sub.2; and an interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3* with a stiffness S.sub.3, the interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3* interconnecting a downstream edge of SEG.sub.1* with an upstream edge of SEG.sub.2*, wherein the interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3* extends along the whole downstream edge of SEG.sub.1* and the whole upstream edge of SEG.sub.2*, or at least along a major part of the downstream edge of SEG.sub.1* and a major part of the upstream edge of SEG.sub.2*, and the interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3* exhibits a mechanical pretension causing a convex shape of the upper surface element, with: S.sub.3<S.sub.1, S.sub.2.

2. The aircraft wing of claim 1, wherein the link element LNK comprises one or more hinges.

3. The aircraft wing of claim 1, wherein the link element LNK comprises a strip made of a resiliently flexible material, wherein a downstream edge of the strip extends along the whole upstream edge of SEG.sub.1 or at least along a major part of the upstream edge of SEG.sub.1, and a whole upstream edge of the strip is connected with the upper surface of the aircraft wing.

4. The aircraft wing of claim 1, wherein the upper surface element is connected to the aircraft wing exclusively via the link element LNK and the first actuator powered mechanism.

5. The aircraft wing of claim 1, wherein a downstream edge of segment SEG.sub.2 rests freely on a successive upper surface of the aircraft wing or on a surface attached to the aircraft wing.

6. The aircraft wing of claim 1, wherein side edges of the upper surface element rest freely on a successive upper surface of the aircraft wing.

7. The aircraft wing of claim 1, wherein the stiffness S.sub.1 equals stiffness S.sub.2: S.sub.1=S.sub.2.

8. The aircraft wing of claim 1, wherein the link element LNK comprises a strip made of a resiliently flexible material with a stiffness S.sub.4 and wherein the stiffness S.sub.3 equals stiffness S.sub.4: S.sub.3=S.sub.4.

9. The aircraft wing of claim 1, wherein a second actuator powered mechanism interconnects a connection C3 on a lower side of segment SEG.sub.1 and a connection C4 on a lower side of segment SEG.sub.2, wherein the second actuator powered mechanism controls a distance between connections C3 and C4.

10. The aircraft wing of claim 9, wherein the aircraft wing comprises a unit controlling at least one of an actuator of the first actuator powered mechanism and an actuator of the second actuator powered mechanism depending on an actual airspeed or Mach number.

11. The aircraft wing of claim 1, wherein the upper surface element is a spoiler.

12. An aircraft with an aircraft wing, wherein the aircraft wing comprises an upper surface element and a first actuator powered mechanism for varying the shape of the upper surface element, wherein the surface element comprises: an upstream segment SEG.sub.1 with a stiffness S.sub.1; a downstream segment SEG.sub.2 with a stiffness S.sub.2; an interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 with a stiffness S.sub.3, the interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 interconnecting a downstream edge of SEG.sub.1 with an upstream edge of SEG.sub.2, wherein the interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 extends along the whole downstream edge of SEG.sub.1 and the whole upstream edge of SEG.sub.2, or at least along a major part of the downstream edge of SEG.sub.1 and a major part of the upstream edge of SEG.sub.2, and the interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 exhibits a mechanical pretension causing a convex shape of the upper surface element, with: S.sub.3<S.sub.1, S.sub.2; and a link element LNK, the link element LNK interconnecting an upstream edge of SEG.sub.1 with an upper surface of the aircraft wing, and the first actuator powered mechanism interconnecting a contact C1 on a lower side of the upper surface element with a contact C2 on an inner structure of the aircraft wing, wherein the first actuator powered mechanism controls the shape of the upper surface element by controlling the distance between C1 and C2, wherein a second actuator powered mechanism interconnects a connection C3 on a lower side of segment SEG.sub.1 and a connection C4 on a lower side of segment SEG.sub.2 wherein the second actuator powered mechanism controls a distance between connections C3 and C4, and wherein the aircraft wing comprises a unit controlling at least one of an actuator of the first actuator powered mechanism and an actuator of the second actuator powered mechanism depending on an actual airspeed or Mach number.

13. The aircraft of claim 12, wherein the link element LNK comprises one or more hinges.

14. The aircraft of claim 12, wherein the downstream segment SEG.sub.2 comprises: an upstream segment SEG.sub.1* with a stiffness S.sub.1; a downstream segment SEG.sub.2* with a stiffness S.sub.2; and an interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3* with a stiffness S.sub.3, the interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3* interconnecting a downstream edge of SEG.sub.1* with an upstream edge of SEG.sub.2*, wherein the interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3* extends along the whole downstream edge of SEG.sub.1* and the whole upstream edge of SEG.sub.2*, or at least along a major part of the downstream edge of SEG.sub.1* and a major part of the upstream edge of SEG.sub.2*, and the interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3* exhibits a mechanical pretension causing a convex shape of the upper surface element, with: S.sub.3<S.sub.1, S.sub.2.

15. The aircraft of claim 12, wherein the upper surface element is a spoiler.

16. The aircraft of claim 12, wherein the link element LNK comprises a strip made of a resiliently flexible material with a stiffness S.sub.4, and wherein the stiffness S.sub.3 equals stiffness S.sub.4: S.sub.3=S.sub.4.

17. The aircraft of claim 12, wherein a downstream edge of segment SEG.sub.2 rests freely on a successive upper surface of the aircraft wing or on a surface attached to the aircraft wing.

18. The aircraft of claim 12, wherein side edges of the upper surface element rest freely on a successive upper surface of the aircraft wing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a simplified cross-section of a part of an aircraft wing with an upper surface element driven by a first actuator powered mechanism; and

(2) FIG. 2 is a simplified cross-section of a part of an aircraft wing with an upper surface element driven by a first and a second actuator powered mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) FIG. 1 illustrates a simplified cross-section of a part of an aircraft wing 100 with an upper surface element 101 driven by a first actuator powered mechanism 102. The upper surface element 101 represents a high lift spoiler of the aircraft wing 100.

(4) The upper surface element 101 comprises an upstream segment SEG.sub.1 with a stiffness S.sub.1, a downstream segment SEG.sub.2 with a stiffness S.sub.2, an interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 with a stiffness S.sub.3, with: S.sub.3<S.sub.1, S.sub.2 and S.sub.1=S.sub.2. A main air flow direction is indicated by the prominent arrows in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The terms downstream/upstream referring to the main air flow direction.

(5) The interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 interconnects a downstream edge of SEG.sub.1 with an upstream edge of SEG.sub.2, wherein the interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 extends along the whole downstream edge of SEG.sub.1 and the whole upstream edge of SEG.sub.2. The interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 further exhibits a mechanical pretension causing a convex shape of the upper surface element if no forces acting to the upper surface element.

(6) A link element LNK interconnects an upstream edge of SEG.sub.1 with an upper surface 103 of the aircraft wing. The link element LNK is realized as a strip made of a resiliently flexible material, wherein a downstream edge of the strip extends along the whole upstream edge of SEG.sub.1 and a whole upstream edge of the strip is connected with the upper surface of the aircraft wing 100. The link element LNK also exhibits a mechanical pretension contributing to the convex shape of the upper surface element if no forces acting to the upper surface element.

(7) The first actuator powered mechanism 102 interconnects a contact C1 on a lower side of the upper surface element 101 with a contact C2 on an inner structure of the aircraft wing, wherein the first actuator powered mechanism 102 controls the shape of the upper surface element 101 by controlling the distance between C1 and C2 while a downstream edge of segment SEG.sub.2 rests freely on a successive upper surface 103 of an attached trailing edge flap 105 connected to the aircraft wing 100. The right and left side edges of the upper surface element 101 rest freely on a successive upper surface of the aircraft wing.

(8) FIG. 1 shows the upper surface element 101 in a reference status with a maximum bump height BH.sub.max and the second status where the bump height is zero BH=0. The second status is reached by reducing the distance between points C1 and C2 from a reference distance in the reference status. While reducing the distance the first actuator powered mechanism 102 generates a force pulling the point C1 towards the point C2 (indicated by a black arrow). Controlling the distance between the point C1 and C2 directly affects the cross-section of the upper surface element 101 and the related bump height of the respective shock control bump.

(9) FIG. 2 illustrates a simplified cross-section of a part of an aircraft wing with an upper surface element 101 driven by a first 102 and a second 105 actuator powered mechanism. In addition to the features illustrated in FIG. 1 the second actuator powered mechanism 105 interconnects a connection C3 on a lower side of segment SEG.sub.1 and a connection C4 on a lower side of segment SEG.sub.2, wherein the second actuator powered mechanism 105 controls a distance between connections C3 and C4. The second actuator powered mechanism 105 is used for fine-tuning the shape of the cross-section of the upper surface element 101 (e.g. the shape of the shock control bump).

(10) The aircraft wing 100 further comprises a unit (not shown) controlling an actuator of the first actuator powered mechanism 102 and an actuator of the second actuator powered mechanism 105 depending on an actual airspeed or Mach number.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(11) 100 aircraft wing 101 upper surface element 102 first actuator powered mechanism 103 upper surface of the aircraft wing 104 trailing edge flap 105 second actuator powered mechanism

(12) While at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the exemplary embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms comprise or comprising do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms a or one do not exclude a plural number, and the term or means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.