Methods and apparatus to control camber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11097829-B2
Application number	US-201815953018-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2018
Priority date	Apr 13, 2018
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to control camber are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes a flap support to be coupled to a flap of an aircraft, where the flap is rotatable relative to an aerodynamic surface, a drive arm linkage rotatably coupled to the flap support at a first pivot of the flap support, where the drive arm linkage includes a second pivot at an end opposite the first end, and a flap support actuator operatively coupled to the flap support, where the flap support actuator is to rotate the drive arm linkage. The example apparatus also includes a camber control actuator rotatably coupled to the flap support at a third pivot of the flap support, where the camber control actuator is to be rotatably coupled to the flap at a fourth pivot.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a flap support to be coupled to a flap of an aircraft, the flap rotatable relative to an aerodynamic surface;
a drive arm linkage rotatably coupled to the flap support at a first pivot of the flap support, the drive arm linkage having a second pivot at an end opposite the first pivot;
a flap support actuator operatively coupled to the flap support, the flap support actuator to rotate the drive arm linkage; and
a camber control actuator rotatably coupled to the flap support at a third pivot of the flap support, the camber control actuator to be rotatably coupled to the flap at a fourth pivot.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further including a flap seal, wherein the camber control actuator is to maintain the flap in contact with the flap seal.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further including a controller to control the camber control actuator during a cruise flight stage of the aircraft to vary a camber associated with the aerodynamic surface.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the camber control actuator is a variable length actuator.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the flap is a high fowler flap.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the second pivot is disposed at a distal end of the flap support.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the third pivot is disposed at approximately 25% to 75% of a chord length of the flap.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the aerodynamic surface is defined by a wing of the aircraft.

9. A method comprising:
rotating, via a flap support actuator, a drive arm linkage to move a flap of an aircraft relative to a neutral position associated with an aerodynamic surface, wherein the drive arm linkage is rotatably coupled to a flap support at a first pivot of the flap support, and wherein the drive arm linkage includes a second pivot at an end opposite the first pivot; and
moving, via a camber control actuator, the flap to adjust an angle of the flap, wherein the camber control actuator is rotatably coupled to a third pivot of the flap support and a fourth pivot associated with the flap.

10. The method as defined in claim 9 , further including:
measuring a flight parameter of the aircraft during a cruise flight stage;
calculating an adjustment angle based on the flight parameter; and
adjusting, via the camber control actuator, the angle of the flap to rotate the flap based on the adjustment angle.

11. The method as defined in claim 10 , wherein measuring the flight parameter includes measuring the angle of the flap.

12. The method as defined in claim 9 , further including adjusting a second angle of the flap at a second camber control actuator to cause a twist across a span of the flap.

13. The method as defined in claim 9 , wherein moving the flap includes moving the flap towards a flap seal to contact the flap seal.

14. The method as defined in claim 9 , further including restricting, via the flap support actuator, rotational motion of the flap when the camber control actuator moves the flap.

15. The method as defined in claim 9 , wherein adjusting the flap via the camber control actuator includes varying a length of the camber control actuator.

16. A tangible machine readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed, cause a processor to at least:
determine that a flap of an aircraft has been rotated, via a flap support actuator, relative to a neutral position associated with an aerodynamic surface, wherein the flap support actuator moves a drive arm linkage that is rotatably coupled to a flap support at a first pivot of the flap support, and wherein the drive arm linkage includes a second pivot at an end opposite the first pivot;
determine a flight parameter of the aircraft during a cruise flight stage of the aircraft;
calculate an adjustment flap angle based on the flight parameter; and
control movement of a camber control actuator based on the adjustment flap angle to adjust an angle of the flap, wherein the camber control actuator is rotatably coupled to a third pivot of the flap support and a fourth pivot associated with the flap.

17. The tangible machine readable medium as defined in claim 16 , wherein the processor is further caused to direct the camber control actuator to move the flap to engage a flap seal.

18. The tangible machine readable medium as defined in claim 16 , wherein the processor is further caused to direct the flap support actuator to restrict rotational motion of the flap while the camber control actuator controls movement of the flap.

19. The tangible machine readable medium as defined in claim 16 , wherein calculation of the adjustment flap angle includes calculating an adjustment length of the camber control actuator.

20. The tangible machine readable medium as defined in claim 16 , wherein determination of the flight parameter includes measurement of the angle of the flap.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Bowers Bret Alan
• Tsai Kevin

Classifications

• B64C13/16

  actuated automatically, e.g. responsive to gust detectors · CPC title

• Y02T50/10

  Drag reduction · CPC title

• B64C3/50 Primary

  by leading or trailing edge flaps · CPC title

• B64C13/38

  with power amplification · CPC title