Tip fairing of a horizontal airfoil of an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9248900-B2
Application number	US-201314044388-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2013
Priority date	Oct 3, 2012
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

A tip fairing of a horizontal airfoil of an aircraft is provided. The tip fairing comprises stiffening elements and a skin covering the stiffening elements. The stiffening elements comprise a central web and two flanges located at the tips of the web, with contact between the skin and the stiffening elements being made through the flanges of the stiffening elements. The tip fairing is manufactured from a composite material, is manufactured from a single part, and the planes defining the webs of any pair of stiffening elements taken in twos form an angle less than about 30°.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tip fairing of a horizontal airfoil of an aircraft, comprising:
a plurality of stiffening elements each including a central web and two flanges located at the tips of the web; and
a skin covering the plurality of stiffening elements with contact between the skin and the plurality of stiffening elements being made through the flanges of the plurality of stiffening elements,
wherein the tip fairing is manufactured from a composite material, is manufactured from a single part, and the planes defining the central webs of any pair of the plurality of stiffening elements taken in twos form an angle less than about 30°.

2. The tip fairing of the horizontal airfoil of the aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of stiffening elements are substantially parallel.

3. The tip fairing of the horizontal airfoil of the aircraft according to claim 2 , comprising two attachment areas each intended for receiving an attachment rib for attaching the tip fairing to a torsion box of a horizontal airfoil, at least one of the plurality of stiffening elements being located between the two attachment areas and at least one of the plurality of stiffening elements being located between a trailing edge of the tip fairing and the attachment area that is closest to said trailing edge.

4. The tip fairing of the horizontal airfoil of the aircraft according to claim 3 , having a plurality of holes in the attachment areas suitable for fixing an attachment rib.

5. The tip fairing of the horizontal airfoil of the aircraft according to claim 3 , having a plurality of holes suitable for fixing the tip fairing to the rest of the horizontal airfoil.

6. The tip fairing of the horizontal airfoil of the aircraft according to claim 3 , comprising a metal plate adhered to a leading edge of the tip fairing to prevent erosion of the leading edge of the tip fairing.

7. The tip fairing of the horizontal airfoil of the aircraft according to claim 1 , where the composite material from which said tip fairing is manufactured comprises glass fiber.

8. The tip fairing of the horizontal airfoil of the aircraft according to claim 3 , where the composite material from which said tip fairing is manufactured comprises carbon fiber.

9. The tip fairing of the horizontal airfoil of the aircraft according to claim 8 , comprising a bronze mesh covering the skin.

10. The tip fairing of the horizontal airfoil of the aircraft according to claim 8 , comprising a plurality of electrostatic discharge protection elements located in the trailing edge of the fairing, each of the plurality of electrostatic discharge protection elements manufactured from a conducting material.

11. An aircraft, comprising
a tip fairing of a horizontal airfoil including:
plurality of stiffening elements each including a central web and two flanges located at the tips of the web; and
a skin covering the plurality of stiffening elements, with contact between the skin and the plurality of stiffening elements being made through the flanges of the plurality of stiffening elements;
a metal plate adhered to a leading edge of the tip fairing to prevent erosion of the leading edge of the tip fairing,
wherein the tip fairing is manufactured from a composite material, is manufactured from a single part, and the planes defining the central webs of any pair of the plurality of stiffening elements taken in twos form an angle less than about 30°.

12. A method of assembling a fairing at a tip of the a horizontal airfoil of an aircraft according to claim 3 , comprising:
attaching at least two attachment ribs to a torsion box of the horizontal airfoil to which the fairing is to be attached;
fitting said at least two attachment ribs by sliding into an inside of the fairing in attachment areas;
attaching the fairing to said at least two attachment ribs; and
attaching the fairing to a remainder of the horizontal airfoil.

13. The method of assembling a fairing according to claim 12 , wherein the fairing is fixed to at least one of the attachment ribs and the remainder of the horizontal airfoil by means of rivets or screws.

14. The aircraft according to claim 11 , comprising a metal plate adhered to a leading edge of the tip fairing to prevent erosion of the leading edge of the tip fairing.

15. The aircraft according to claim 11 , where the composite material from which said tip fairing is manufactured comprises glass fiber.

16. The aircraft according to claim 11 , where the composite material from which said tip fairing is manufactured comprises carbon fiber.

17. The aircraft according to claim 16 , comprising a bronze mesh covering the skin.

18. The aircraft according to claim 16 , comprising a plurality of electrostatic discharge protection elements located in a trailing edge of the fairing, each of the plurality of electrostatic discharge protection elements manufactured from a conducting material.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Sl

Inventors

• Jare Hacek Over N O Diz Lois José Juan

Classifications

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• B64C3/185

  Spars · CPC title

• B64C3/24

  Moulded or cast structures · CPC title

• B64D45/02

  Lightning protectors; Static dischargers · CPC title

• B64C3/26

  Construction, shape, or attachment of separate skins, e.g. panels · CPC title