Wing tip device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11738857-B2
Application number	US-202217871892-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2022
Priority date	Sep 20, 2018
Publication date	Aug 29, 2023
Grant date	Aug 29, 2023

Abstract

A wing tip device having a first wing tip device element for attaching at a first wing tip device element root to a tip of an aircraft wing, and a second wing tip device element extending from a second wing tip device element root to a second wing tip device element tip, the second wing tip device element root outboard, when viewed in the wing planform direction, of the first wing tip device element root; the first wing tip device element having a first wing tip device element leading edge and a first wing tip device element trailing edge, and the second wing tip device element having a second wing tip device element leading edge and a second wing tip device element trailing edge; and a fairing between the first and second wing tip device element which extends aft from the second wing tip device element trailing edge.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wing tip device comprising:
a first wing tip device element for attaching at a first wing tip device element root to a tip of an aircraft wing;
a second wing tip device element extending from a second wing tip device element root to a second wing tip device element tip, the second wing tip device element root is outboard, when viewed in a wing planform direction, of the first wing tip device element root, wherein the first wing tip device element includes a first wing tip device element leading edge and a first wing tip device element trailing edge, and the second wing tip device element includes a second wing tip device element leading edge and a second wing tip device element trailing edge; and
wherein the second wing tip device element root is attached at a junction to the first wing tip device element outboard, when viewed in the wing planform direction, of the first wing tip device element root,
wherein the second wing tip device element trailing edge at the junction is forward of a portion of the first wing tip device element trailing edge at the junction, and
further comprising a fairing between the first and second wing tip device element extending aft from the second wing tip device element trailing edge at least to the portion of the first wing tip device element trailing edge.

2. The wing tip device according to claim 1 , wherein the fairing extends aft of the first wing tip device element trailing edge.

3. The wing tip device according to claim 1 , wherein the fairing is separable from the first wing tip device element and/or second wing tip device element.

4. The wing tip device according to claim 1 , wherein the fairing is integrally formed with the second wing tip device element.

5. The wing tip device according to claim 1 , including a vertex between the second wing tip device element and the first wing tip device element, when viewed in the aircraft longitudinal direction, the vertex having an angle of less than 120 degrees.

6. The wing tip device according to claim 1 , wherein the fairing has a width extending across the first wing tip device element in a direction of a thickness of the second wing tip device element, and wherein the width is at least 15% of the root thickness of the second wing tip device element and/or no more than 100% of the root thickness of the second wing tip device element.

7. The wing tip device according to claim 1 , wherein the first wing tip device element has a wetted area and the second wing tip device element has a wetted area, and wherein the wetted area of the second wing tip device element is larger than the wetted area of the first wing tip device element.

8. The wing tip device according to claim 7 , wherein the wetted area of the second wing tip device element is less than 20% of the wetted area of the first wing tip device element.

9. The wing tip device according to claim 1 , wherein the fairing extends towards the second wing tip device leading edge and along an upper aerodynamic surface and/or a lower aerodynamic surface of the second wing tip device element.

10. The wing tip device according to claim 9 , wherein the fairing extends around the second wing tip device leading edge between the upper and lower aerodynamic surface areas of the second wing tip device element.

11. The wing tip device according to claim 4 , wherein an avionic system or light is attached to the fairing at a position aft of the first wing tip device element trailing edge.

12. The wing tip device according to claim 1 , wherein the first wing tip device element is an upwardly extending wing tip device element.

13. The wing tip device according to claim 1 , wherein the second wing tip device element is a downwardly extending wing tip device element.

14. The wing tip device according to claim 1 , wherein the fairing forms an angle of less than 40 degrees to the first and/or second wing tip device element at an intersection of the fairing to the respective wing tip device element.

15. The wing tip device according to claim 1 , wherein the fairing has a concave outer surface, when viewed in the aircraft longitudinal direction, between the first wing tip device element and second wing tip device element.

16. The wing tip device according to claim 1 , wherein the fairing encloses a hollow volume.

17. The wing tip device according to claim 1 , wherein one or more fasteners are disposed between the fairing and the first wing tip device element or second wing tip device element.

18. An aircraft wing assembly comprising:
a fixed wing including a fixed wing root attached to a fuselage of an aircraft, a fixed wing tip at an end of the fixed wing opposite to the root;
a first wing tip device element including a first root, a first tip, a first leading edge, a first trailing edge and a first aerodynamic surface spanning the first leading edge and the first trailing edge, wherein the first root is attached to the fixed wing tip and wherein the first leading edge and the first trailing edge both span between the first root and the first tip;
a second wing tip device element including a second root, a second tip, a second leading edge, a second trailing edge and a second aerodynamic surface spanning the second leading and trailing edges, wherein the second root is attached to the first wing tip device and extends from the first aerodynamic surface at a position on the first aerodynamic surface outboard of the first root along a wing planform direction; and
a fairing covering a junction between the first and second wing tip devices wherein the fairing includes a fairing aerodynamic surface spanning the first and second aerodynamic surfaces,
wherein the second trailing edge at the junction is forward of a portion of the first trailing edge at the junction, and
wherein the fairing aerodynamic surface extends from at least the second leading edge to at least to the portion of the first trailing edge.

19. The aircraft of claim 18 , wherein the fairing aerodynamic surface extends aft of the first trailing edge.

20. The method of assembling a wing tip device, the wing tip device including:
a first wing tip device element with a first wing tip device element root end for attaching to an aircraft wing and a first wing tip device element trailing edge, a second wing tip device element having a second wing tip device element root end and a second wing tip device element trailing edge, and a fairing,
wherein the second wing tip device element root end is attached to the first wing tip device element at a junction outboard of the first wing tip device element root end such that the second wing tip device trailing edge at the junction is forward of a portion of the first wing tip device element trailing edge at the junction;
the method comprising the steps of:
attaching the second wing tip device element root end to the first wing tip device element outboard of the first wing tip device element root end, and;
attaching the fairing between the first and second wing tip device elements which extends aft from the second wing tip device element trailing edge at least to the portion of the first wing tip device element trailing edge.

21. The wing tip device of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the first wing tip device element is a forwardmost portion of the first wing tip device.

22. The aircraft wing assembly of claim 18 , wherein the portion of the first wing tip device element is a forwardmost portion of the first wing tip device.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Ltd

Inventors

• Commis Ben
• Wright Christopher

Classifications

• B64C23/069 Primary

  using one or more wing tip airfoil devices, e.g. winglets, splines, wing tip fences or raked wingtips · CPC title

• B64C7/00

  Structures or fairings not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64C3/36 Primary

  Structures adapted to reduce effects of aerodynamic or other external heating · CPC title

• B64C1/26

  Attaching the wing or tail units or stabilising surfaces · CPC title

• Y02T50/10

  Drag reduction · CPC title