Rotatable wing tip joint and method of making same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016244153-A1
Application number	US-201414458337-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 13, 2014
Priority date	Aug 13, 2014
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A joint for coupling a wing tip to a wing base includes a linking member that extends from a first end to a second end. The linking member first end is coupleable to the wing base, and the linking member second end is coupleable to the wing tip. The linking member defines first second hinge lines that are substantially parallel. The joint also includes at least one actuator. A first end of each at least one actuator is coupled to the linking member, and a second end of each at least one actuator is coupleable to one of the wing base and the wing tip. The at least one actuator is operable to rotate the wing tip about the first and second hinge lines between a first orientation and a second orientation relative to the wing base.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A joint for coupling a wing tip to a wing base, said joint comprising:
a linking member that extends from a first end to a second end, said linking member first end is coupleable to the wing base, said linking member second end is coupleable to the wing tip, said linking member defines a first hinge line and a second hinge line, said first hinge line and said second hinge line are substantially parallel; and at least one actuator, a first end of each said at least one actuator is coupled to said linking member, a second end of each said at least one actuator is coupleable to one of the wing base and the wing tip, said at least one actuator is operable to rotate the wing tip about said first and second hinge lines between a first orientation and a second orientation relative to the wing base.

2 . The joint according to claim 1 , wherein said first and second hinge lines are offset from each other by a distance.

3 . The joint according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one actuator cooperates with said linking member such that the second orientation defines a rotation from the first orientation about said first and second hinge lines.

4 . The joint according to claim 1 , wherein:
each said at least one actuator second end is linearly extendable relative to said at least one actuator first end; each said at least one actuator second end is movable to a first position relative to said at least one actuator first end to position the wing tip in the first orientation; and each said at least one actuator second end is movable to a second position relative to said at least one actuator first end to position the wing tip in the second orientation.

5 . The joint according to claim 1 , wherein:
each said at least one actuator second end is rotatable relative to said at least one actuator first end about an actuator axis; each said at least one actuator second end is movable to a first position relative to said at least one actuator first end to position the wing tip in the first orientation; and each said at least one actuator second end is movable to a second position relative to said at least one actuator first end to position the wing tip in the second orientation.

6 . The joint according to claim 1 , wherein:
said linking member first end is defined on a first portion of said linking member, said linking member first portion comprises a first slot and a second slot; said linking member second end is defined on a second portion of said linking member, said linking member second portion comprises a first pin that defines said first hinge line and a second pin that defines said second hinge line; and said first slot is configured to receive said first pin, said second slot is configured to receive said second pin.

7 . An aircraft comprising:
at least one wing comprising a wing base and a wing tip; a linking member that extends from a first end to a second end, said linking member first end is coupled to said wing base, said linking member second end is coupled to said wing tip, said linking member defines a first hinge line and a second hinge line, said first hinge line and said second hinge line are substantially parallel; and at least one actuator, a first end of each said at least one actuator is coupled to said linking member, a second end of each said at least one actuator is coupled to one of said wing base and said wing tip, said at least one actuator is operable to rotate said wing tip about said first and second hinge lines between a first orientation and a second orientation relative to said wing base.

8 . The aircraft according to claim 7 , wherein said first and second hinge lines are offset from each other by a distance.

9 . The aircraft according to claim 7 , wherein said at least one actuator cooperates with said linking member such that the second orientation defines a rotation from the first orientation about said first and second hinge lines.

10 . The aircraft according to claim 7 , wherein a flexible outer skin of said at least one wing extends between said wing base and said wing tip, a portion of said flexible outer skin defined by an inner radius is substantially smooth when said wing tip is moved between the first orientation and the second orientation.

11 . The aircraft according to claim 7 , wherein:
each said at least one actuator second end is linearly extendable relative to said at least one actuator first end; each said at least one actuator second end is movable to a first position relative to said at least one actuator first end to position the wing tip in the first orientation; and each said at least one actuator second end is movable to a second position relative to said at least one actuator first end to position the wing tip in the second orientation.

12 . The aircraft according to claim 7 , wherein:
each said at least one actuator second end is rotatable relative to said at least one actuator first end about an actuator axis; each said at least one actuator second end is movable to a first position relative to said at least one actuator first end to position the wing tip in the first orientation; and each said at least one actuator second end is movable to a second position relative to said at least one actuator first end to position the wing tip in the second orientation.

13 . The aircraft according to claim 7 , wherein:
said linking member first end is defined on a first portion of said linking member, said linking member first portion comprises a first slot and a second slot; said linking member second end is defined on a second portion of said linking member, said linking member second portion comprises a first pin that defines said first hinge line and a second pin that defines said second hinge line; and said first slot is configured to receive said first pin, said second slot is configured to receive said second pin.

14 . A method of coupling a wing tip and a wing base, said method comprising:
coupling a first end of a linking member to the wing base; coupling a second end of the linking member to the wing tip, wherein the linking member defines a first hinge line and a second hinge line, the first hinge line and the second hinge line are substantially parallel; coupling a first end of at least one actuator to the linking member; and coupling a second end of each at least one actuator to one of the wing base and the wing tip, wherein the at least one actuator is operable to rotate the wing tip about the first and second hinge lines between a first orientation and a second orientation relative to the wing base.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising coupling the second end of the linking member such that the first and second hinge lines are offset from each other by a distance.

16 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising coupling the second end of each at least one actuator such that the at least one actuator cooperates with the linking member such that the second orientation defines a rotation from the first orientation about the first and second hinge lines.

17 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising extending a flexible outer skin between the wing base and the wing tip, wherein a portion of the flexible outer skin defined by an inner radius is substantially smooth when the wing tip is moved between the first orientation and the second orientation.

18 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein each at least one actuator second end is linearly extendable relative to the at least o

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Mcmahon Timothy James
• Kruse John Scott
• Kehrer Adam L

Classifications

• B64C23/065 Primary

  at the wing tips · CPC title

• B64C3/38 Primary

  Adjustment of complete wings or parts thereof · CPC title

• B64C5/08

  mounted on, or supported by, wings · CPC title

• B64C23/072

  the wing tip airfoil devices being moveable in their entirety · CPC title

• Y02T50/10

  Drag reduction · CPC title