Horizontal folding wingtip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9296469-B2
Application number	US-201313964072-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2013
Priority date	Oct 1, 2011
Publication date	Mar 29, 2016
Grant date	Mar 29, 2016

Abstract

An apparatus of an aircraft, the apparatus may include a wing comprising an unfixed portion and a fixed portion. The unfixed portion movably may connect to the fixed portion. The unfixed portion may include a rotating portion to rotate the unfixed portion between a flight position and a folded position. The fixed portion may connect to the unfixed portion of the wing. A joint may allow rotation of the unfixed portion of the wing with respect to the fixed portion of the wing about a rotation axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of folding a wing of an aircraft comprising an unfixed portion and a fixed portion, the method comprising:
actuating a fold actuator, the fold actuator being connected to the unfixed portion and the fixed portion;
rotating about a joint, responsive to the fold actuator actuating, a rotating portion of the unfixed portion between a flight position and folded position, such that the rotating is about a rotation axis of the joint, the rotation axis being one or more of: substantially vertical, and supporting a track extension of a first member in a track of the fixed portion;
guiding, via the track, the first member transitioning between the flight position and the folded position, such that the track extension of the first member maintains contact with the track throughout the fold operation; and
simultaneously rotating, about a substantially horizontal axis with respect to the rotating portion, a drop portion of the unfixed portion.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
supporting, via a first member of the rotating portion , the unfixed portion, the unfixed portion comprising the rotating portion;
sliding, in response to actuating the fold actuator, the first member with respect to a third member of the fixed portion;
allowing movement, via a first hinge member, of the drop portion of the unfixed portion with respect to the rotating portion of the unfixed portion, a second member of the rotating portion comprising the first hinge member;
allowing for rotation, via a first joint member of the second member, of the rotating portion about the rotation axis of the joint;
supporting, via the third member of the fixed portion, the first member in the flight position; and
supporting, via a fourth member of the fixed portion, the second member in the flight position.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising;
providing, via a fold actuator connection point, a stiffness that allows the fold actuator to rotate the rotating portion, the fold actuator connection point being an extension of the second member.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
unblocking the rotating portion and providing space for the unfixed portion to fold next to the fixed portion, via a link moving the drop portion of the unfixed portion, the link being connected to the drop portion and to the fixed portion.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
moving, via the link being connected to a second surface of the drop portion, the second surface of the drop portion, the second surface being larger than a first surface of the drop portion and comprising a first connection point to a first end of the link.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
rotating, during transition between the folded position and the flight position, via the link, the drop portion with respect to the rotating portion.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
causing, via an angle of the link with respect to the drop portion, a force from moving the rotating portion from the flight position to the folded position, the link and the drop portion to move and unblock the rotating portion moving to the folded position.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
rotating, as the wing transitions between the folded position and the flight position, via a link rotation axis of the link between a first end of the link and a second end of the link, the drop portion by rotation of a first connection point with respect to a second connection point, the first end of the link being connected to the drop portion, and the second end of the link being connected to the fixed portion.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
allowing, via a first hinge member of the rotating portion, movement of the drop portion with respect to the rotating portion;
allowing, via a second hinge member of the drop portion, movement of the drop portion with respect to the rotating portion;
causing, responsive to movement of the rotating portion, the drop portion to move via at least one of: a stiffness, and a rigidity of a first end of a link; and
providing, via a second connection point to a second end of the link, at least one of: stiffness, and rigidity, causing the drop portion to move responsive to movement of the rotating portion.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
moving, responsive to actuating the fold actuator, via a hinge, the drop portion of the unfixed portion of the wing about the substantially horizontal axis of the unfixed portion of the wing with respect to the unfixed portion of the wing, such that the hinge comprises: the first hinge member connected to the rotating portion, and the second hinge member connected to the drop portion.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Santini Gregory M
• Sakurai Seiya

Classifications

• B64C3/56 Primary

  Folding or collapsing to reduce overall dimensions of aircraft · CPC title

• Y02T50/145

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• B64C27/50

  Blades foldable to facilitate stowage of aircraft · CPC title

• Y02T50/10

  Drag reduction · CPC title

• B64C5/14

  Varying angle of sweep · CPC title