Transonic aircraft with tension-based wing support

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12454344-B2
Application number	US-202318344033-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2023
Priority date	Jun 29, 2023
Publication date	Oct 28, 2025
Grant date	Oct 28, 2025

Abstract

Apparatus and articles of manufacture are disclosed of an aircraft comprising: a brace to support a wing of the aircraft, the brace including a first end coupled to the wing and a second end coupled to a fuselage of the aircraft, the brace including: a strut extending between the first end and the second end; and an airfoil having a cavity containing the strut.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An aircraft comprising:
a brace to support a wing of the aircraft, the brace including:
a strut having a first end to attach to the wing and a second end to attach to a fuselage, the strut being flexible to adjust a tension of the strut, the first end of the strut to attach to the wing via a first clevis connection, the wing includes a first clevis, the first end of the strut includes a first lug, the first lug to couple to the first clevis via a first pin; and
an airfoil having a cavity containing the strut, the strut positioned toward a leading edge of the brace such that the leading edge of the brace has a greater weight than a trailing edge of the brace to reduce flutter.

2 . The aircraft as defined in claim 1 , wherein the wing includes a wing tip and the first end of the strut brace is coupled halfway between a midpoint of the wing and the wing tip.

3 . The aircraft as defined in claim 1 , wherein the wing includes a wing tip and the first end of the strut brace is coupled to the wing at a location two-thirds of a distance in a spanwise direction between a midpoint of the wing and the wing tip, the location closer to the midpoint compared to the wing tip.

4 . The aircraft as defined in claim 1 , wherein the strut is a cable composed at least partially of flexible material.

5 . The aircraft as defined in claim 1 , wherein the strut is in tension when coupled to the aircraft and the wing.

6 . The aircraft as defined in claim 1 , wherein the strut a cross-section of the strut is circular.

7 . The aircraft as defined in claim 1 , wherein the strut cross-section is oval.

8 . The aircraft as defined in claim 1 , wherein the strut shape is a wedge and the strut cross-section is triangular.

9 . The aircraft as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first end of the strut brace is coupled to a point of the wing inboard of an engine.

10 . The aircraft as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first end of the strut is coupled adjacent a midpoint of the wing and the fuselage.

11 . The aircraft as defined in claim 1 , wherein the strut is positioned closer to a leading edge of the airfoil relative to a trailing edge of the airfoil.

12 . The aircraft as defined in claim 1 , wherein the brace has a weight distribution that is at least one of forward of a center of gravity of the brace or forward of aerodynamic forces of the brace.

13 . An aircraft comprising:
a fuselage; a wing-to-fuselage structural attachment coupled to the fuselage; a wing including a wing tip and an attachment end opposite the wing tip, the attachment end coupled to the wing-to-fuselage structural attachment, the wing to extend from the fuselage; a cable having a first end attached to the wing and a second end attached to the fuselage, the cable being flexible to adjust a tension of the cable, the first end of the cable is attached to the wing via a first clevis connection, the wing includes a first clevis, the first end of the cable includes a first lug, the first lug to couple to the first clevis via a first pin; and a cover positioned over the cable, the cover having an aerodynamic surface.

14 . The aircraft as defined in claim 13 , wherein the first end of the cable is attached at a midpoint of the wing between the wing tip and the attachment end in a spanwise direction.

15 . The aircraft as defined in claim 13 , wherein the second end of the cable is attached to the fuselage via a clevis connection, wherein the fuselage includes a clevis, and the second end of the cable includes a lug, the lug to couple to the clevis with a pin.

16 . The aircraft as defined in claim 13 , further including a tensioner to reduce slack within the cable when the cable is coupled to the aircraft.

17 . The aircraft as defined in claim 13 , wherein the second end of the cable is attached to the fuselage via a tensioner, the tensioner to adjust a slack of the cable strut when the cable strut is coupled to the aircraft.

18 . The aircraft as defined in claim 17 , wherein the tensioner includes a spring positioned along at least a portion of the second end of the cable, the spring clamped between a first fitting and a second fitting, the first fitting to the receive the cable, the second fitting to couple to the second end of the cable.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Dees Paul W
• Sampedro-Thompson William M
• Bowers Bret Alan
• Grip Robert E
• Harrison Neal A
• Simonini Alan C
• Rothaupt Theodore K

Classifications

• B64C2003/149

  for supercritical or transonic flow · CPC title

• Y02T50/10

  Drag reduction · CPC title

• B64C7/00

  Structures or fairings not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64C3/16

  Frontal aspect · CPC title

• B64C1/00

  Fuselages; Constructional features common to fuselages, wings, stabilising surfaces or the like · CPC title