Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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AIRCRAFT WING COMPRISING A MOVABLE TRAILING-EDGE FLAP DRIVEN BY A LINEAR
ELECTRIC MOTOR
DESCRIPTION
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to the field of aircraft wings, of the type
comprising a fixed central wing body carrying one or more movable trailing
edge flaps.
The invention relates to all types of movable trailing edge flaps, for example
the so-called
"single slot", "double slot", "fixed vane", flaps, etc.
It should be noted that the invention applies to all types of aircraft, such
as flying-wing aircraft, aft-engined aeroplanes, a supersonic aircraft, etc.
PRIOR ART
On aircraft, each of the two wings of the wing unit is generally equipped
with lift-increasing movable flaps, mounted at the leading edge and at the
trailing edge of
the wing.
In a known fashion, the flaps are deployed for the landing and takeoff
phases in order to increase the lift at low or medium speed. Moreover, in
cruising flight
at high speed, the movable flaps are retracted in order to limit the
resistance to the
forward travel of the aircraft. In addition, so as known to persons skilled in
the art, each
flap is moved using means housed mainly in a front or rear part of the fixed
central wing
body, as is in particular known from the document EP 0 818 387.
These means make it possible to move each movable trailing edge flap
on a required path with respect to the central fixed wing body, between a
retracted
position in which the flap substantially follows the shape of the fixed body,
and a deployed
position in which this flap is moved towards the rear.
More precisely, each movable trailing edge flap is equipped with a
device for moving it. This device is generally based on a complex kinematics,
comprising a
drive shaft extending along the breadth of the wing, and rotating a rod/crank
system
connected to a brace secured to the movable trailing edge flap.
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Although this configuration is very widespread on aircraft wings, the
design proposed can still be improved, in particular with regard to the size
of the
movement device, but also its weight, reliability and precision.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the invention is therefore to at least partially remedy the
drawbacks mentioned above, relating to the embodiments of the prior art.
To do this, the subject matter of the invention is first of all an aircraft
wing comprising a central fixed wing body, and at least one movable trailing
edge flap
intended to be moved in relation to said central fixed body between a deployed
position
and a retracted position, the wing comprising a device for moving the movable
trailing
edge flap, said device being equipped with:
- a beam carrying a guide rail, the beam being secured to the central
fixed wing body;
- a carriage mounted so as to move on said guide rail;
- a first articulated connection between the carriage and a brace secured
to the movable trailing edge flap;
- a member for tilting the movable trailing edge flap;
- a second articulated connection between the brace and the tilting
member; and
- a third articulated connection between the tilting member and the
beam.
According to the invention, said movement device also comprises a
linear electric motor comprising:
- a primary assembly equipped with said carriage that comprises coils,
the primary assembly being mounted so as to move on the rail; and
- a secondary assembly comprising a magnetic track arranged on the
guide rail.
The invention thus lies in the clever and innovative integration of a linear
electric motor in the wing, in order to provide the movement of the movable
trailing edge
flap. The carriage is thus moved in a direct manner, by virtue of the clever
installation of
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the magnetic track on the guide rail and the installation of the coils in the
carriage. This
makes it possible to reduce the weight and size of the movement device, while
also
reducing the geometric constraints of installation of this device as well as
the
maintenance requirements. In addition, the omission of mechanical transmission
elements reduces the noise nuisances and reinforces the reliability and
service life of the
movement device, which moreover offers excellent precision.
Furthermore, the invention offers the possibility of electronic control
that procures additional flexibility in functioning compared with the
embodiments of the
prior art. In particular, control may be carried out dynamically during
takeoff and landing
flight phases, and optionally in cruising phase, in association with sensors
and a system
for controlling the quality of the aerodynamic flow around the lift surfaces.
The speed of
movement of the flaps can also be controlled with the positive consequence of
a possible
gain in aerodynamic performance. Equally, integrating the function of
identification of the
position of the carriage or carriages in the electromagnetic system makes it
possible in
particular to detect any cases of blockage.
In this regard, it should be noted that this electronic control also makes
it possible to eliminate the existing skew control and correction (skew
sensor) systems,
which helps to reduce the overall weight of the movement device.
Finally, it is stated that the design proposed adapts perfectly to the
existing solutions, which can be modified accordingly in order to benefit from
all the
advantages offered by the invention.
Preferably, the tilting member is a connecting rod.
Preferably, the articulated connections have articulation axes parallel to
each other, and orthogonal to said guide rail.
Finally, another subject matter of the invention is an aircraft comprising
at least one wing as described above, the same wing preferentially being
equipped with a
plurality of movable trailing edge flaps.
Other advantages and features of the invention will emerge from the
following non-limitative detailed description.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
This description will be given with regard to the accompanying drawings,
among which:
- figure 1 shows a perspective view of aircraft;
- figure 2 shows a schematic partial view in cross-section of an aircraft
wing according to the present invention, provided with a movable trailing edge
flap;
- figure 3 shows a partial perspective view of the movable trailing edge
flap shown in figure 2; and
- figure 4 shows an enlarged view of the above, showing more precisely
the device for moving the movable trailing edge flap.
DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
With reference first of all to figure 1, an aircraft 1 is shown, having a
wing unit 2 consisting of a plurality of wing elements, also referred to as
lift-providing
aerodynamic surfaces.
Throughout the following description, the terms "front" and "rear" are
to be considered with respect to a direction of forward travel of the aircraft
encountered
following the thrust exerted by the aircraft engines, this direction being
represented
schematically by the arrow 3.
Among the wing elements of the aircraft 1, there are provided two main
wings, referred to as wings 4, a vertical rudder 6, and two horizontal tail
units 7 situated
at the rear of this aircraft.
With regard to the wings 4, as mentioned above, these each comprise a
fixed central wing body 8, also referred to as the main central portion, this
body
constituting almost the whole of the wing, and being situated at the rear of a
leading edge
10. Throughout the following description, by convention, X corresponds to the
longitudinal leading edge direction or span direction, Y corresponds to the
direction
oriented transversely with respect to the leading edge 10, and the direction Z
corresponds
to the vertical direction, these three directions being orthogonal to each
other.
As shown schematically in figure 2, it is the trailing edge 11 of each of
these wings 4, opposite to the leading edge, that can be equipped with at
least one
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movable trailing edge flap 16. This may be any type of movable trailing edge
flap, for
example flaps known as "single slot", "double slot", "fixed vane", etc.
Each of these flaps 16 is intended to be connected to the body 8 by
means that will be detailed below. In this figure 2, it is shown that the
movable trailing
5 edge
flap 16 (shown schematically) can occupy a retracted/withdrawn position in
which
it fits flush with the front part of the fixed central body 8 of the wing 4.
In such a case, the
movable flap 16 is situated in its furthermost forward position. Likewise, the
movable flap
16 can occupy a fully deployed position in which it is at a distance toward
the rear of the
fixed central body 8, this fully-deployed position being adopted in particular
during the
landing and takeoff phases in order to increase the lift and at low or medium
speed. This
flap 16 is of course designed so as to be moved between these two extreme
positions, for
example so as to cause it to adopt an intermediate takeoff position, known to
persons
skilled in the art.
By way of indication, the movable flap 16 extends for example over
substantially the entire height of the wing 4 concerned, naturally in the span
direction of
this wing 4, or solely over only a portion of this wing, as is most usual on
aircraft.
As can be seen in figures 3 and 4, the flap 16 comprises an aerodynamic
cladding defining a lower-face portion 24 and an upper-face portion 26, the
latter
terminating in a trailing edge 27 of the flap. Still with reference to figures
3 and 4, the wing
comprises a device for moving the movable trailing edge flap 16, this device
50 making it
possible to move said flap with respect to the body 8, towards the rear and
downwards
between the fully deployed position and the retracted position.
The movement device 50 comprises first of all the beam 51 extending
substantially in the direction Y. This beam 51 is secured to the central body
8, for example
by being fixed to the rear longitudinal member 32 of this central body in the
form of a
box. On the top part, the beam 51 is equipped with a guide rail 20 arranged in
a transverse
plane of the flap and extending in the same direction as the beam that
supports it. In the
preferred case where a plurality of fixed rails 20 are provided, these are
then spaced apart
from each other in the span direction X.
The rail 20, preferably straight, guides a carriage 52a forming an integral
part of the movement device 50. One end of the carriage opposite to the one
guided by
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the rail 20 is mounted on a flap brace 30, extending under the lower-face
cladding, in the
direction Y. A first articulated connection 40a is arranged between the
movable carriage
52a and the rear of the brace 30, with an articulation axis substantially
oriented in the
direction X.
At the rear of the flap brace 30, a member 29 for tilting the flap is
provided, taking the form of a connecting rod oriented substantially in the
direction Z
when the movable flap 16 is occupying its retracted position. A second
articulated
connection 40b is arranged between the rear end of the beam 30 and the top end
of the
connecting rod 29, with an articulation axis that is also substantially
oriented in the
direction X.
Finally, a third articulated connection 40c is arranged between the
bottom end of the connecting rod 29 and a rear end of the beam 51, with an
articulation
axis that is also substantially oriented in the direction X. The three
articulation axes are
thus substantially parallel to each other and orthogonal to the direction Y in
which the
guide rail 20 extends.
Thus, when the carriage 52a is moved towards the rear on the rail 20,
the connecting rod 29 pivots about its bottom end and, via its top end, drives
the moving
trailing edge flap 16 downwards.
One of the particularities of the invention lies in the means for moving
the carriage 52a, which are implemented by a linear electric motor 22 directly
driving this
carriage 52a.
The linear electric motor 22 therefore forms an integral part of the
movement device 50, comprising a primary movable assembly 52 secured to the
movable
flap 16 and equipped with the movable carriage 52a integrating coils 55. In
addition, the
motor 22 comprises a fixed secondary assembly 54 comprising a magnetic track
arranged
on the guide rail 20. The permanent magnets 54a of this magnetic track are
thus spaced
apart from each other along the rail 20 on which they are fixed.
It should be noted that a plurality of guide rails 20, associated with the
same flap 16, can be equipped with such a linear motor.
It should also be noted that the holding of the device at the various
deployed positions and in the retracted position is for example provided
either by the
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device 50 itself, or by additional devices with mechanical, electromechanical,
electronic,
magnetic, electromagnetic, etc control.
Naturally, various modifications can be made by a person skilled in the
art to the invention that has just been described, solely by way of non-
limitative examples.
