Camber adjustment systems and methods for aircraft wings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10926864-B2
Application number	US-201816047094-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2018
Priority date	Jul 27, 2018
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

A camber adjustment system for a wing of an aircraft includes a droop panel that is configured to moveably couple to a portion of the wing, a flap, a cam rod moveably coupled to the droop panel, a bell crank cam arm moveably coupled to the flap, and a jackscrew interface between the cam rod and the bell crank cam arm. The droop panel is configured to move in response to movement of the flap via the jackscrew interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A camber adjustment system for a wing of an aircraft, the camber adjustment system comprising:
a droop panel that is configured to moveably couple to a portion of the wing;
a flap;
a cam rod moveably coupled to the droop panel;
a bell crank cam arm moveably coupled to the flap; and
a jackscrew interface between the cam rod and the bell crank cam arm, wherein the droop panel is configured to move in response to movement of the flap, via the jackscrew interface.

2. The camber adjustment system of claim 1 , devoid of a dedicated droop actuator.

3. The camber adjustment system of claim 1 , further comprising a flap actuator operatively coupled to the flap, wherein the flap actuator is configured to move the flap between a retracted position and a deployed position.

4. The camber adjustment system of claim 1 , further comprising a coupler link that is configured to moveably couple the cam rod to the droop panel.

5. The camber adjustment system of claim 1 , further comprising a link arm that moveably couples the bell crank cam arm to the flap.

6. The camber adjustment system of claim 1 , wherein the jackscrew interface comprises a track on or within one of the cam rod or the bell crank cam arm that slidably retains at least one protuberance extending from the other of the cam rod or the bell crank cam arm.

7. The camber adjustment system of claim 6 , wherein the track is a helical track within the bell crank cam arm, and wherein the protuberance outwardly extends from the cam rod into the helical track.

8. The camber adjustment system of claim 6 , wherein the track is a helical track formed in the cam rod, and wherein the protuberance extends from a portion of the bell crank cam arm into the helical track.

9. The camber adjustment system of claim 1 , wherein the jackscrew interface is configured to synchronize a desired positional relationship of the droop panel in relation to the flap over an entire range of motion of the flap and the droop panel.

10. The camber adjustment system of claim 1 , wherein the droop panel comprises an upper surface connected to a lower surface, a leading edge, and a trailing edge, wherein a hinge coupling forwardly extends proximate to the leading edge, and a link coupling extends from the lower surface.

11. The camber adjustment system of claim 10 , further comprising a hinge fitting, wherein the hinge coupling moveably couples the droop panel to the hinge fitting, wherein the hinge fitting comprises a bracket that moveably retains a first portion of the cam rod and a second portion of the bell crank cam arm.

12. The camber adjustment system of claim 1 , wherein the cam rod moveably extends into an opening of the bell crank cam arm.

13. The camber adjustment system of claim 1 , wherein the cam rod is rotationally constrained.

14. The camber adjustment system of claim 1 , wherein the cam rod is configured to linearly translate via the jackscrew interface as the bell crank cam arm rotates.

15. The camber adjustment system of claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the bell crank cam arm is laterally offset from a longitudinal axis of the cam rod when the flap is in a retracted position, and wherein the distal end is positioned behind the longitudinal axis of the cam rod when the flap is in a fully deployed position.

16. A camber adjustment method for a wing of an aircraft, the camber adjustment method comprising:
moveably coupling a cam rod to a droop panel that is moveably coupled to a portion of the wing;
moveably coupling a bell crank cam arm to a flap;
providing a jackscrew interface between the cam rod and the bell crank cam arm; and
moving the droop panel, in response to movement of the flap, via the jackscrew interface.

17. The camber adjustment method of claim 16 , further comprising:
operatively coupling a flap actuator to the flap; and
moving the flap between a retracted position and a deployed position with the flap actuator.

18. The camber adjustment method of claim 16 , wherein the moveably coupling the cam rod to the droop panel comprises moveably coupling the cam rod to the droop panel with a coupler link, and wherein the moveably coupling the bell crank cam arm to the flap comprises moveably coupling the bell crank cam arm to the flap with a link arm.

19. The camber adjustment method of claim 16 , wherein the providing the jackscrew interface comprises providing a track on or within one of the cam rod or the bell crank cam arm that slidably retains at least one protuberance extending from the other of the cam rod or the bell crank cam arm.

20. An aircraft comprising:
a fuselage; and
wings outwardly extending from the fuselage, wherein each of the wings comprises a main body and a camber adjustment system connected to the main body, wherein the camber adjustment system comprises:
a droop panel that is configured to pivotally couple to a portion of the wing;
a flap;
a cam rod moveably coupled to the droop panel by a coupler link, wherein the cam rod is rotationally constrained;
a bell crank cam arm moveably coupled to the flap by a link arm;
a jackscrew interface between the cam rod and the bell crank cam arm, wherein the droop panel is configured to move in response to movement of the flap via the jackscrew interface, wherein the jackscrew interface comprises a helical track on or within one of the cam rod or the bell crank cam arm that slidably retains at least one protuberance extending from the other of the cam rod or the bell crank cam arm, the jackscrew interface being configured to maintain a desired positional relationship of the droop panel in relation to the flap over an entire range of motion of the flap and the droop panel, wherein the cam rod is configured to linearly translate via the jackscrew interface as the bell crank cam arm rotates;
a hinge fitting comprising a bracket that moveably retains a first portion of the cam rod and a second portion of the bell crank cam arm; and
a flap actuator operatively coupled to the flap, wherein the flap actuator is configured to move the flap between a retracted position and a deployed position, wherein a distal end of the bell crank cam arm is laterally offset from a longitudinal axis of the cam rod when the flap is in the retracted position, and wherein the distal end of the bell crank cam arm is positioned behind the longitudinal axis of the cam rod when the flap in the deployed position.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Tsai Kevin R
• Bowers Bret Alan

Classifications

• B64C9/02 Primary

  Mounting or supporting thereof · CPC title

• Y02T50/40

  Weight reduction · CPC title

• B64C9/16 Primary

  at the rear of the wing · CPC title

• B64C9/12

  surfaces of different type or function being simultaneously adjusted · CPC title