Slat for an aircraft wing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11230364-B2
Application number	US-202016807203-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 3, 2020
Priority date	Mar 12, 2019
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

A slat ( 108 ) for the leading edge of a swept aircraft wing includes slat tracks ( 114 ) that dictate the path of movement of the slat as it moves from a retracted position (FIG. 7 ) to a fully deployed position (FIG. 15 ). Each slat track ( 114 ) has a shape that follows a helical path. The motion of the slat thus includes a component of rotation about a first axis, which may be perpendicular to the line of flight ( 120 ) and a component of translational movement parallel to the first axis. When viewed from above the slat may move predominantly in a direction parallel to the line of flight ( 120 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A slat for a leading edge of an aircraft wing, the slat including:
at least two slat tracks that in use dictate a path of movement of the slat as the slat moves from a retracted positon to a fully deployed position, wherein each of the at least two slat tracks has a shape that follows a helical path, and
an aerofoil surface fixed to the at least two slat tracks,
wherein the aerofoil surface and the at least two slat tracks are configured to move along the helical path as the aerofoil surface and the at least two slat tracks deploy forward of the leading edge of the aircraft wing.

2. The slat according to claim 1 , wherein:
each slat track of the at least two slat tracks includes at least two external surfaces on opposite sides of the slat track when viewed in cross-section, and
the two external surfaces of each of the slat tracks are defined by two surfaces swept out by two notional fixed shape lines when moved along the helical path relative to the aerofoil surface of the slat.

3. The slat according to claim 1 , wherein each slat track has a cross-sectional shape which remains constant for a majority of a length of the slat track.

4. The slat according to claim 1 , wherein the helical path corresponding to one of the slat tracks is a helix having a first radius and the helical path corresponding to another of the slat tracks is a helix having a second radius from the first radius.

5. The slat according to claim 2 , wherein the aerofoil surface is rigidly supported by at least one of the two or more slat tracks.

6. The slat according to claim 2 , wherein the slat forms part of a swept aircraft wing.

7. A swept aircraft wing including:
a leading edge;
a trailing edge;
a slat configured to extend from the leading edge of the aircraft wing; and
at least two slat tracks supporting the slat and each having a shape configured to move the slat and the at least two slat tracks along a helical path as the at least two slat tracks and the slat extend forward of the leading edge of the aircraft wing.

8. The swept aircraft wing according to claim 7 , wherein each slat track of the two or more slat tracks has a shape that follows a helical path along at least a portion of the slat track extending forward of the leading edge of the aircraft wing.

9. The swept aircraft wing according to claim 8 , wherein each slat track of the two or more slat tracks has a cross-sectional shape that remains constant for a majority of a length of the slat track.

10. The swept aircraft wing according to claim 8 , wherein at least one of (a) the helical path along which the slat moves and (b) the helical path defining a shape of at least one of the slat tracks, is in a shape of a helix wherein an axis of the helix and a pitch of the helix are configured such that lateral edges of the slat move parallel to a vertical plane aligned with a line of flight of the wing.

11. The swept aircraft wing according to claim 8 , wherein at least one of (a) the helical path along which the slat moves and (b) the helical path defining a shape of at least one of the slat tracks, is in a shape of a helix wherein an axis of the helix is aligned with a leading edge of the slat.

12. The swept aircraft wing according to claim 7 , including two sets of rollers, wherein the two sets of rollers guide a movement of each slat track, and the two sets of rollers are spaced from each other in a direction along a length of the slat track, and each set of the two sets of rollers constrains movement of the track in two orthogonal directions perpendicular to a direction of motion of the slat track through the two set of rollers.

13. The swept aircraft wing according to claim 12 , including at least two pairs of track ribs wherein:
the ribs of each pair of the at least two pairs of track ribs are positioned on either side of a slat track,
at least one roller of the two sets of rollers is supported between a pair of track ribs, and
each track rib when viewed in plan extends in a direction aligned with the line of flight.

14. The swept aircraft wing according to claim 7 , wherein there is a fixed surface of the swept aircraft wing which is adjacent a lateral surface of the slat, wherein a path of movement as the slat moves from a retracted positon to a deployed position is such that a minimum separation between the fixed surface and the lateral surface is constant.

15. The swept aircraft wing according to claim 14 , wherein the fixed surface is part of an engine pylon or a part of an aircraft fuselage.

16. The swept aircraft wing according to claim 7 , wherein the swept aircraft wing has a sweep in a range of 20 to 30 degrees.

17. An aircraft including the swept aircraft wing according to claim 7 .

18. A method comprising:
deploying or retracting a slat on a swept aircraft wing to move the slat between a fully deployed position and a fully retracted position, wherein the slat includes an aerofoil surface supported by at least two slat tracks which dictate a path of movement;
wherein a movement of the slat from the fully retracted position to the fully deployed position includes:
extending of both the aerofoil surface and the at least two slat tracks forward of a leading edge of the swept aircraft wing along the path of movement;
rotation of the aerofoil surface and the at least two slat tracks about a first axis fixed in space relative to the swept aircraft wing and spaced from a notional envelope relative to the swept aircraft wing within which the slat moves during the movement, and
translational movement parallel to the first axis, wherein a speed of the translation is proportional to a speed of the rotation about the first axis.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein:
the swept aircraft wing has a sweep in a range of 20 to 30 degrees,
the movement of each of the at least two slat tracks is guided by rollers fixed to the swept aircraft wing,
the slat tracks have a shape which causes the slat to move with the speed of the component of translational movement being proportional to the speed of rotation about the first axis.

20. A slat for a leading edge of an aircraft wing, the slat including:
an aerofoil surface positioned forward of a leading edge of the aircraft wing;
at least two slat tracks supporting the aerofoil surface and extending into the aircraft wing,
wherein each slat track of the at least two slat tracks is configured to extend forward of the leading edge of the aircraft wing,
wherein each slat track of the at least two slat tracks has a helical shape along a length of the slat track.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Ltd

Inventors

• Custance Denys

Classifications

• B64C9/26 Primary

  by multiple flaps · CPC title

• B64C9/34

  collapsing or retracting against or within other surfaces or other members · CPC title

• B64C9/24 Primary

  by single flap · CPC title

• B64C13/28

  mechanical · CPC title

• B64C9/22 Primary

  at the front of the wing · CPC title