Track over-travel arrestment mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11643185-B2
Application number	US-201916355522-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2019
Priority date	Mar 15, 2019
Publication date	May 9, 2023
Grant date	May 9, 2023

Abstract

A system to arrest flap over-travel employs a track engaging a flap to a support structure. The track has a deployment profile determining flap motion relative to the support structure during travel between an extended position and a normal retracted position. The deployment profile has a transition portion extending beyond the normal retracted position and terminating in a detent. A resiliently mounted catcher is configured to be displaced by the transition portion during over-travel of the flap beyond the normal retracted position and captured in the detent in a maximum retracted position thereby restraining the flap.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system to arrest flap over-travel comprising:
a track engaging a flap to a support structure, the track having a curved lower flange and a curved upper flange creating a deployment profile determining flap motion relative to the support structure during travel between an extended position and a normal retracted position, said deployment profile further having a transition portion of the curved lower flange and curved upper flange extending beyond the normal retracted position and terminating in a detent in one of the curved lower flange or the curved upper flange; and
a resilient catcher configured to be displaced by one of the curved lower flange or the curved upper flange in the transition portion during over-travel of the flap beyond the normal retracted position and captured in the detent in a maximum retracted position thereby restraining the flap.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the catcher is mounted to a flap structure.

3. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the catcher reciprocates laterally relative to a direction of travel of the flap.

4. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the catcher reciprocates vertically relative to a direction of travel of the flap.

5. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the track is attached to an engagement element of the support structure.

6. The system as defined in claim 5 wherein the flap includes a carriage engaged to the track.

7. The system as defined in claim 6 wherein the carriage has at least one air load roller constrained by the track.

8. The system as defined in claim 7 wherein the track further has a lateral wall, wherein said at least one air load roller is constrained by the curved upper flange and the curved lower flange to provide desired flap configuration when positioned by an actuator.

9. The system as defined in claim 8 wherein the catcher comprises a catcher roller resiliently mounted to the carriage and the transition portion includes a ramp mounted to the lateral wall.

10. The system as defined in claim 9 wherein the detent has a depth greater than a radius of the catcher roller.

11. The system as defined in claim 7 wherein the catcher comprises a capture arm resiliently rotatable on the carriage, said capture arm having a barb extending laterally to be received in the detent.

12. The system as defined in claim 11 wherein the detent and the barb are undercut thereby preventing disengagement.

13. The system as defined in claim 8 wherein the catcher comprises a resilient capture arm having a pin extending laterally for engagement of the transition portion and detent.

14. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein the capture arm is a leaf spring.

15. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein
the flap includes a carriage having at least one primary air load roller and the track has a lateral wall, said at least one primary air load roller constrained by the curved upper flange and the curved lower flange to provide desired flap configuration when positioned by an actuator;
the transition portion includes a ramp mounted to the lateral wall; and
the catcher comprises a pin resiliently mounted to the carriage with a leaf spring, said pin engaging the ramp during over-travel to reciprocate laterally and captured in the detent at the maximum retracted position.

16. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein
the flap includes a carriage having at least one primary air load roller and the track has a lateral wall, said at least one primary air load roller constrained by the curved upper flange and the curved lower flange to provide desired flap configuration when positioned by an actuator;
the transition portion includes a ramp mounted to the lateral wall; and
the catcher comprises a capture arm resiliently rotatable on the carriage, said capture arm having a barb, said barb engaging the ramp during over-travel to reciprocate laterally and captured in the detent at the maximum retracted position with an undercut engagement face of the barb captured by mating undercut receiving face in the detent thereby resisting disengagement.

17. A system to arrest flap over-travel comprising:
a flap having a carriage with at least one primary air load roller;
a support structure having a track receiving the at least one primary air load roller, the track having a curved lower flange and a curved upper flange create a deployment profile determining flap motion relative to the support structure during travel between an extended position and a normal retracted position, said deployment profile further having a transition portion of the curved lower flange and curved upper flange extending beyond the normal retracted position and terminating in a detent; and,
a catcher roller resiliently mounted to the carriage and displaced laterally with respect to direction of travel of the flap by a ramp on one of the curved lower flange or the curved upper flange in the transition portion during over-travel of the flap beyond the normal retracted position and captured in the detent in a maximum retracted position thereby restraining the flap, the detent having a depth greater than a radius of the catcher roller thereby preventing disengagement.

18. A method for arresting flap over-travel, the method comprising:
engaging a flap to a track having a curved lower flange, a curved upper flange creating a deployment profile determining flap motion relative to a support structure during travel between an extended position and a normal retracted position, said deployment profile further having a transition portion of the curved lower flange and curved upper flange extending beyond the normal retracted position;
displacing a resilient catcher by one of the curved lower flange or the curved upper flange in in the transition portion of the deployment profile during over-travel of the flap beyond the normal retracted position; and
capturing the resilient catcher in a detent in one of the curved lower flange or the curved upper flange in at a termination of the transition portion in a maximum retracted position thereby restraining the flap.

19. The method as defined in claim 18 wherein the step of displacing comprises receiving a resiliently mounted roller in the catcher on the transition portion and displacing the resiliently mounted roller and the step of capturing comprises receiving the resiliently mounted roller in the detent .

20. The method as defined in claim 18 wherein the step of displacing comprises receiving a barb, said barb extending from a resilient capture arm, on the transition portion and laterally displacing the barb and resilient catcher arm and the step of capturing comprises receiving the barb in the detent with an undercut engagement receiving face of the barb engaging a mating undercut face of the detent.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Tsai Kevin R
• Gruner Bryan J

Classifications

• B64C13/28

  mechanical · CPC title

• B64C9/16

  at the rear of the wing · CPC title

• B64C9/02 Primary

  Mounting or supporting thereof · CPC title

• B64C9/20 Primary

  by multiple flaps · CPC title