Aerodynamic seals

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11235855-B2
Application number	US-201816161356-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2018
Priority date	Oct 19, 2017
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

An aerodynamic structure comprising an aerodynamic surface. The aerodynamic surface is formed by a first part of the aerodynamic structure; a second part of the aerodynamic structure; and a sealed gap between the first part and the second part. The sealed gap contains a sealant material and a support material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aerodynamic structure including an aerodynamic surface, wherein the aerodynamic surface is an outermost surface of the aerodynamic structure and the aerodynamic surface comprises:
a first part of the aerodynamic structure;
a second part of the aerodynamic structure; and
a sealed gap between the first part and the second part;
wherein the sealed gap is sealed with a sealant material and a compressible support material;
wherein the gap contains the sealant material and the compressible support material;
wherein the gap is arranged such that an outermost part of the gap immediately adjacent the aerodynamic surface contains only the sealant material and an inner part of the gap, which is relatively further from the aerodynamic surface than the outermost part, contains only the support material;
wherein the sealant material is adjacent the compressible support material in the gap; and
wherein the sealant material is a curable material configured to be applied to the aerodynamic structure in a fluid state and subsequently cured into a solid state.

2. The aerodynamic structure according to claim 1 , wherein the support material comprises an open-cell foam.

3. The aerodynamic structure according to claim 1 wherein the gap is defined by a first interface surface on the first part and a second interface surface on the second part, each of the first interface surface and the second interface surface is perpendicular to the aerodynamic surface.

4. The aerodynamic structure according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first interface surface and the second interface surface comprises a recess.

5. The aerodynamic structure according to claim 3 , wherein the aerodynamic surface forms a closed loop, and each of the first and second interface surfaces is a cross section of the closed loop.

6. The aerodynamic structure according to claim 5 , wherein the support material is present on a first peripheral region of the first interface surface adjacent the first part of the aerodynamic surface and a second peripheral region of the second interface adjacent the second part of the aerodynamic surface, and the support material is not present on a central region of each of the first and second interface surfaces.

7. The aerodynamic structure according to claim 5 , where the support material is present on a leading edge region and on a trailing edge region of each of the first and second interface surfaces, and is absent from a region between the leading edge region and the trailing edge region.

8. The aerodynamic structure according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first interface surface and the second interface surface comprises a projection, and wherein the support material comprises a hole, recess, or compressible region configured to accommodate the projection.

9. The aerodynamic structure according to claim 3 , wherein one of the first interface surface and the second interface surface comprises a formation extending into or out of the interface surface, and wherein the support material is configured to engage the formation such that an interference fit is created between the support material and the formation.

10. The aerodynamic structure according to claim 1 , wherein an intermediate part of the gap is disposed between the outermost part and the inner part, and the intermediate part contains the sealant material and the support material.

11. The aerodynamic structure according to claim 1 , wherein the support material is sufficiently stiff to block flow of the sealant material in the fluid state.

12. The aerodynamic structure according to claim 1 , wherein the structure comprises an aerofoil and the first and second parts comprise adjacent sections of the aerofoil.

13. The aerodynamic structure according to claim 1 , wherein the structure comprises an aircraft wing, one of the first and second parts comprises a tip part of the wing, and the other of the first and second parts comprises a winglet.

14. An aircraft comprising an aerodynamic structure according to claim 1 .

15. An aerodynamic structure comprising:
a first part of the aerodynamic structure, wherein the first part has an aerodynamic outer surface forming an outermost surface of the aerodynamic structure;
a second part of the aerodynamic structure, wherein the second part has an aerodynamic outer surface configured to be aligned with the aerodynamic outer surface of the first part; and
a gap formed by and existing between the first part and the second part, wherein the gap has an outer region extending from the aerodynamic outer surfaces of the first and second parts deeper into the gap, and the gap as an inner region inward of the outer region;
a sealant material spanning the gap and having an aerodynamic outer surface aligned with the aerodynamic outer surfaces of the first and second parts,
wherein the sealant material, while in the gap, is in a fluid state and in a solid state;
wherein the sealant material, while in the gap, is cured to transition from the fluid state to the solid state; and
wherein the sealant material entirely fills the outer region of the gap such that the outer region only contains the sealant material; and

a compressible support material spanning the gap, adjacent the sealant material and entirely filling the inner region of the gap such that the inner region only contains the compressible support material.

16. The aerodynamic structure of claim 15 , wherein the outer region forms a closed loop enclosing the inner region, and the sealant material is arranged around a peripheral edge of the collapsible support material.

17. The aerodynamic structure of claim 15 , wherein the gap is between a first interface surface on the first part and a second interface surface on the second part, and each of the first and second interface surfaces forms a closed loop, wherein the support material is on a first peripheral region of the first interface surface adjacent the first part of the aerodynamic surface and on a second peripheral region of the second interface adjacent the second part of the aerodynamic surface, and the support material is absent from a central region of each of the first and second interface surfaces.

18. A method to form a seal in an aerodynamic structure,
wherein the aerodynamic structure includes:
a first part including a first aerodynamic outer surface forming a first outermost surface of the aerodynamic structure;
a second part including a second aerodynamic outer surface forming a second outermost surface of the aerodynamic outer surface, and aligned with the first aerodynamic outer surface of the first part; and
a gap formed by and existing between the first part and the second part, wherein the gap has an outer region extending from the first and second aerodynamic outer surfaces deeper into the gap, and the gap has an inner region inward of the outer region;

the method comprising:
inserting a support material into the gap and positioning the support material at the inner region of the gap to entirely fill the inner region, wherein the support material is entirely inward of the outer region of the gap;
filling the outer region of the gap with a sealant material in a fluid state, wherein the sealant material, while in the fluid state, is adjacent the support material and is prevented by the support material from flowing entirely through and out of the gap; and
curing the sealant material while in the gap to transition the fluid state of the sealant material to a solid state,
wherein the sealant material wh

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Ltd

Inventors

• Liversage David
• Crew Darren

Classifications

• B64C3/00

  Wings (ornithopter wings B64C33/02) · CPC title

• B64C1/12 Primary

  Construction or attachment of skin panels · CPC title

• B64C9/02 Primary

  Mounting or supporting thereof · CPC title

• B64C11/20

  Constructional features · CPC title

• B64C3/26

  Construction, shape, or attachment of separate skins, e.g. panels · CPC title