Wing tip device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12515787-B2
Application number	US-202418973559-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2024
Priority date	Jul 14, 2010
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

A wing tip device for fixing to the outboard end of a wing, the wing defining a wing plane, the wing tip device comprising: an upper wing-like element projecting upwardly with respect to the wing plane and having a trailing edge; and a lower wing-like element fixed with respect to the upper wing-like element and having a root chord and a trailing edge, the lower wing-like element root chord intersecting with the upper wing-like element, and the lower wing-like element projecting downwardly from the intersection, wherein the upper wing-like element is larger than the lower wing-like element and the trailing edge of the lower wing-like element is adjacent the trailing edge of the upper wing-like element at the intersection, and wherein an included angle between the upper and lower wing-like elements at the intersection is less than, or equal to, 160 degrees.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An aircraft, comprising:
a wing having an outboard end and a wing tip device fixed to the outboard end of the wing, wherein the wing defines a wing plane, wherein the wing tip device comprises:
an upper wing-like element projecting upwardly with respect to the wing plane and having a trailing edge and a tip; and
a substantially planar lower wing-like element fixed with respect to the upper wing-like element and having a root chord, a trailing edge, and a tip, the lower wing-like element root chord intersecting with the upper wing-like element at the outboard end of the wing, and the lower wing-like element projecting downwardly from the intersection,
wherein the upper wing-like element is larger than the lower wing-like element, wherein the trailing edge of the lower wing-like element is adjacent the trailing edge of the upper wing-like element at the intersection, and wherein an included angle between the upper and lower wing-like elements at the intersection is less than, or equal to, 160 degrees, wherein when the aircraft is on the ground and the wing is subjected to downward deflection due to full fuel load, the wing is in a ground shape where one of the upper and lower wing-like element tips is located no further outboard than an airport compatibility gate limit such that the spanwise extent of the wing is no more than the airport compatibility gate limit, and wherein when the aircraft is in flight, the wing is in a flight shape that comprises the tip of the lower wing-like element extending further outboard, in the spanwise direction, than the tip of the upper wing-like element due to aeroelastic deformation of the wing shape, such that the lower wing-like element provides an increase in wingspan, the increase in wingspan is such that the spanwise extent of the wing in the flight shape is greater than the airport compatibility gate limit.

2 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein in the ground shape, both the upper wing-like element tip and the lower wing-like element tip are located no further outboard than the airport compatibility gate limit such that the spanwise extent of the wing is no more than the airport compatibility gate limit.

3 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein a length of the upper wing-like element, measured from the tip of the upper wing-like element to the intersection, is substantially 1.8 times longer than the length of the lower wing-like element, measured from the tip of the lower wing-like element to the intersection.

4 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the included angle between the upper and lower wing-like elements is approximately 90 degrees.

5 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein a leading edge and the trailing edge of the upper wing-like element have a sweepback angle,
wherein a leading edge and the trailing edge of the lower wing-like element have a sweepback angle, and wherein the sweep back angle of the lower wing-like element leading edge is substantially equal to the sweep back angle of the upper wing-like element leading edge.

6 . The aircraft of claim 5 , wherein the sweep back angle of the lower wing-like element trailing edge is substantially equal to the sweep back angle of the upper wing-like element trailing edge.

7 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the upper wing-like element is substantially planar.

8 . The aircraft of claim 7 , wherein the upper wing-like element further includes an arcuate transition portion adapted to smoothly blend the outboard end of the wing into the substantially planar portion of the upper wing-like element.

9 . A method of modifying a wing tip device for the outboard end of a wing, the wing defining a wing plane, the wing tip device comprising an upper wing-like element projecting upwardly with respect to the wing plane and having a trailing edge, the method comprising:
providing a substantially planar lower wing-like element fixed with respect to the upper wing-like element and having a root chord and a trailing edge, the lower wing-like element root chord intersecting with the upper wing-like element, and the lower wing-like element projecting downwardly from the intersection; and fixing the lower wing-like element to the upper wing-like element such that: the intersection between the lower wing-like element and the upper wing-like element is at an outboard end of the wing, wherein the upper wing-like element is larger than the lower wing-like element wherein the lower wing-like element is substantially planar, wherein the trailing edge of the lower wing-like element is adjacent the trailing edge of the upper wing-like element at the intersection, and wherein an included angle between the upper and lower wing-like elements at the intersection is less than, or equal to, 160 degrees, wherein when the aircraft is on the ground and the wing is subjected to downward deflection due to full fuel load, the wing is in a ground shape where one of the upper and lower wing-like element tips is located no further outboard than an airport compatibility gate limit such that the spanwise extent of the wing is no more than the airport compatibility gate limit, and wherein when the aircraft is in flight, the wing is in a flight shape that comprises the tip of the lower wing-like element extending further outboard, in the spanwise direction, than the tip of the upper wing-like element due to aeroelastic deformation of the wing shape, such that the lower wing-like element provides an increase in wingspan, the increase in wingspan is such that the spanwise extent of the wing in the flight shape is greater than the airport compatibility gate limit.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein in the ground shape, both the upper wing-like element tip and the lower wing-like element tip are located no further outboard than the airport compatibility gate limit such that the spanwise extent of the wing is no more than the airport compatibility gate limit.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein a length of the upper wing-like element, measured from the tip of the upper wing-like element to the intersection, is substantially 1.8 times longer than the length of the lower wing-like element, measured from the tip of the lower wing-like element to the intersection.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the included angle between the upper and lower wing-like elements is approximately 90 degrees.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein a leading edge and the trailing edge of the upper wing-like element have a sweepback angle,
wherein a leading edge and the trailing edge of the lower wing-like element have a sweepback angle, and wherein the sweep back angle of the lower wing-like element leading edge is substantially equal to the sweep back angle of the upper wing-like element leading edge.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the sweep back angle of the lower wing-like element trailing edge is substantially equal to the sweep back angle of the upper wing-like element trailing edge.

15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the upper wing-like element is substantially planar.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the upper wing-like element further includes an arcuate transition portion adapted to smoothly blend the outboard end of the wing into the substantially planar portion of the upper wing-like element.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Ltd
• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Wright Christopher
• Chu James K
• Himisch Jan

Classifications

• B64C3/58

  provided with fences or spoilers (adjustable for control purposes B64C9/00) · CPC title

• Y02T50/10

  Drag reduction · CPC title

• B64C23/069

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

• Y10T29/49716

  Converting · CPC title

• B64C5/08

  mounted on, or supported by, wings · CPC title