System and method for operating a droop panel using a pin joint linkage assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9878774-B2
Application number	US-201414491976-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2014
Priority date	Sep 19, 2014
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

A system for operating a droop panel on an air vehicle, the droop panel positioned between a fixed structure and a trailing edge flap on the wing. The system includes a pin joint linkage assembly coupled between and to the fixed structure, the droop panel, and the trailing edge flap. The assembly has a first link attached to the fixed structure; and a second link coupled to the first link, and pivotably connected to a third pin joint, connected to a fourth pin joint, and an angled portion pivotably connected to a second pin joint. The assembly has a third link coupled to the second link, and coupled to the fourth pin joint and to a fifth pin joint attached to the trailing edge flap. The assembly is configured to operate the droop panel by concurrently moving the droop panel and the trailing edge flap in a single coordinated motion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for operating a droop panel on an air vehicle, the system comprising:
a droop panel on a wing of the air vehicle, the droop panel positioned between a fixed structure on the wing and a trailing edge flap on the wing;
a pin joint linkage assembly operatively coupled between and to the fixed structure, the droop panel, and the trailing edge flap, the pin joint linkage assembly comprising:
a first link having a first end coupled to a first pin joint fixedly attached to the fixed structure, and having a second end coupled to a second pin joint;
a second link coupled to the first link, the second link having a first end pivotably connected to a third pin joint, a second end connected to a fourth pin joint, and an angled portion pivotably connected to the second pin joint and positioned between the first and second ends of the second link, wherein the second pin joint and the third pin joint are separate; and
a third link coupled to the second link, the third link having a first end coupled to the fourth pin joint, and having a second end coupled to a fifth pin joint fixedly attached to the trailing edge flap,

wherein the pin joint linkage assembly is configured to operate the droop panel by concurrently moving both the droop panel and the trailing edge flap from a stowed position to a deployed position in a single coordinated motion, thus allowing the droop panel to be driven off the trailing edge flap without use of a motor.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a control system configured to control the pin joint linkage assembly to concurrently move the droop panel and the trailing edge flap to the deployed position, when the air vehicle is in a takeoff mode or a landing mode, and to concurrently move the droop panel and the trailing edge flap to the stowed position, when the air vehicle is in a cruise mode.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising an integration space located between the fixed structure and the pin joint linkage assembly, wherein the integration space is configured for installation of one or more air vehicle systems comprising an electrical system, a mechanical system, and a hydraulic system.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the integration space is preserved and cleared when the droop panel and the trailing edge flap are moved from the stowed position to the deployed position in the single coordinated motion by the pin joint linkage assembly.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the fixed structure comprises a supporting wing beam.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the droop panel comprises an inboard droop panel movable by the pin joint linkage assembly between the stowed position and the deployed position.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the trailing edge flap comprises an inboard trailing edge flap movable by the pin joint linkage assembly between the stowed position and the deployed position.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the second pin joint is positioned aft of the third pin joint and is positioned at a distance to the trailing edge flap that is less than a distance of the third pin joint to the trailing edge flap, to allow for an increased moment arm on the droop panel and decreased loads on the first pin joint, the second pin joint, the third pin joint, the fourth pin joint, and the fifth pin joint.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the pin joint linkage assembly comprises:
the first link comprising a pair of first links wherein each individual of the pair of first links has a first end coupled to the first pin joint fixedly attached to the fixed structure, and further wherein each individual of the pair of first links has a second end coupled to the second pin joint positioned between the pair of first links;
the second link coupled to the pair of first links and positioned substantially between the pair of first links, the second link having the first end pivotably connected to the third pin joint, the second end connected to the fourth pin joint, and the angled portion pivotably connected to the second pin joint and positioned between the first and second ends of the second link, wherein the second pin joint and the third pin joint are separate; and
the third link comprising a pair of third links coupled to the second link, wherein each individual of the pair of third links has a first end coupled to the fourth pin joint, so that the second end of the second link is positioned between the pair of third links, and further wherein each individual of the pair of third links has a second end coupled to the fifth pin joint fixedly attached to the trailing edge flap.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the pin joint linkage assembly is operatively configured to provide clearance for an up position of a trailing edge variable camber (TEVC) system.

11. An aircraft comprising:
a fuselage;
at least one wing coupled to the fuselage, the at least one wing having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a fixed structure therebetween;
a trailing edge flap coupled to the trailing edge and being movable relative to the at least one wing between a stowed position and a deployed position;
a droop panel operation system coupled between the fixed structure and the trailing edge flap, the droop panel operation system comprising:
a droop panel positioned on a wing upper surface and forward of the trailing edge flap;
a pin joint linkage assembly operatively coupled between and to the fixed structure, the droop panel, and the trailing edge flap, the pin joint linkage assembly comprising:
a first link having a first end coupled to a first pin joint fixedly attached to the fixed structure, and having a second end coupled to a second pin joint;
a second link coupled to the first link, the second link having a first end pivotably connected to a third pin joint, a second end connected to a fourth pin joint, and an angled portion pivotably connected to the second pin joint and positioned between the first and second ends of the second link, wherein the second pin joint and the third pin joint are separate; and
a third link coupled to the second link, the third link having a first end coupled to the fourth pin joint, and having a second end coupled to a fifth pin joint fixedly attached to the trailing edge flap; and

a control system operatively coupled to the pin joint linkage assembly, the control system configured to control the pin joint linkage assembly to operate the droop panel by concurrently moving both the droop panel and the trailing edge flap from the stowed position to the deployed position in a single coordinated motion, thus allowing the droop panel to be driven off the trailing edge flap without use of a motor device.

12. The aircraft of claim 11 wherein the droop panel operation system further comprises an integration space located between the fixed structure and the pin joint linkage assembly, wherein the integration space is configured for installation of one or more air vehicle systems comprising an electrical system, a mechanical system, and a hydraulic system, and further wherein the integration space is preserved and cleared when the droop panel and the trailing edge flap are moved from the stowed position to the deployed position in the single coordinated motion by the pin joint linkage assembly.

13. The aircraft of claim 11 wherein the pin joint linkage assembly comprises:
the first link comprising a pair of first links wherein each individual of the pair of first links has a first end coupled to the first pin joint fixedly attached to the fixed structure, and further wherein each individual of the pair of first links has a second end coupled to the second pin joint positioned be

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Tsai Kevin R

Classifications

• B64C9/16 Primary

  at the rear of the wing · CPC title

• Y02T50/40

  Weight reduction · CPC title

• Y02T50/30

  Wing lift efficiency · CPC title