# US 10,766,600 B2 · Articulation assemblies for retracting aircraft flap support fairings and related methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,600 B2 - Document ID: US10766600B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/663,431 - Filed: 2017-07-28 - Published: 2019-01-31 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-07-28 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Kevin Tsai; Jacob Virnig - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766600B2 ## CPC - B64C 7/00: Structures or fairings not otherwise provided for - B64C 9/16: at the rear of the wing - B64C 3/50: by leading or trailing edge flaps - B64C 9/34: collapsing or retracting against or within other surfaces or other members - Y02T 50/40: Weight reduction - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract Example articulation assemblies for retracting aircraft flap support fairing tailcones and related methods are described herein. An example flap support fairing disclosed herein includes a housing to be coupled to a bottom side of a flap on a trailing edge of a wing of an aircraft, a tailcone disposed outward from an aft end of the housing, and an articulation assembly configured to move the tailcone between an extended position in which a portion of the tailcone is disposed beyond the aft end of the housing and a retracted position in which the portion of the tailcone is disposed within the housing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A flap support fairing comprising: a housing to be coupled to a bottom side of a flap on a trailing edge of a wing of an aircraft; a tailcone disposed outward from an aft end of the housing; and an articulation assembly configured to move the tailcone between an extended position in which a portion of the tailcone is disposed beyond the aft end of the housing and a retracted position in which the portion of the tailcone is disposed within the housing, the articulation assembly configured to move the tailcone from the extended position to the retracted position when the housing is moved downward relative to the wing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The flap support fairing of claim 1, wherein the articulation assembly includes a track coupled to the tailcone and a plurality of rollers disposed within the housing, and wherein the tailcone is configured to move into and out of the housing via sliding engagement of the track and the rollers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The flap support fairing of claim 1, wherein the portion is a first portion and, in the retracted position, a second portion of the tailcone extends beyond the aft end of the housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The flap support fairing of claim 1, wherein the articulation assembly is configured to maintain the tailcone in the extended position during cruise of the aircraft and configured to move the tailcone to the retracted position during takeoff or landing of the aircraft. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The flap support fairing of claim 1, wherein the aft end of the housing has a substantially similar diameter as a forward end of the tailcone. ### Claim 6 A flap support fairing comprising: a housing to be coupled to a bottom side of a flap on a trailing edge of a wing of an aircraft; a tailcone disposed outward from an aft end of the housing; and an articulation assembly configured to move the tailcone between an extended position in which a portion of the tailcone is disposed beyond the aft end of the housing and a retracted position in which the portion of the tailcone is disposed within the housing, the articulation assembly including a slotted link arm rotatably coupled to a moveable side support of a flap support disposed in the housing, the slotted link arm configured to move the tailcone as the slotted link arm rotates. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The flap support fairing of claim 6, wherein the slotted link arm is coupled to the tailcone via a drag link arm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The flap support fairing of claim 6, wherein the articulation assembly further includes: a cam rotatably coupled to the moveable side support, and wherein the cam is configured to engage the slotted link arm; and a driving link arm having a first end rotatably coupled to a fixed side support of the flap support and a second end rotatably coupled to the cam, wherein the driving link arm is configured to rotate the cam to engage and move the slotted link arm when the housing moves downward relative to the wing. ### Claim 9 An aircraft comprising: a wing; a flap movably coupled to the wing along a trailing edge of the wing; and a flap support fairing including: a housing coupled to a bottom side of the flap; and a retractable tailcone that is configured to move into the housing when the housing is moved downward with the flap. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The aircraft of claim 9, further including a flap support coupled to the wing and the flap, wherein the flap support fairing covers the flap support. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The aircraft of claim 9, further including a flap actuation system, wherein the flap actuation system is configured to move the flap and the housing in a downward direction relative to the trailing edge of the wing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The aircraft of claim 9, wherein the flap support fairing includes a first section coupled to a bottom side of the wing and a second section coupled to the bottom side of the flap, the second section movable relative to the first section when the flap is moved, the second section including the housing and the retractable tailcone. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The aircraft of claim 9, wherein the retractable tailcone is configured to move linearly into and out of the housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The aircraft of claim 9, further including an engine coupled to the wing, wherein the flap support fairing and the engine are substantially laterally aligned along the wing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The aircraft of claim 14, wherein the engine is coupled to the wing via a pylon, and wherein the flap support fairing is coupled to the pylon. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The aircraft of claim 9, wherein the retractable tailcone is movable between an extended position in which a forward end of the retractable tailcone is disposed at or beyond an aft end of the housing and a retracted position where the retractable tailcone is disposed at least partially within the housing. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The aircraft of claim 16, wherein, during cruise of the aircraft, the retractable tailcone is in the extended position and, during takeoff or landing of the aircraft, the retractable tailcone is in the retracted position. ### Claim 18 A method comprising: moving a flap support fairing downward relative to a trailing edge of a wing of an aircraft; and moving a tailcone of the flap support fairing into a housing of the flap support fairing when the flap support fairing moves downward, wherein, during a first portion of the moving the flap support fairing, the tailcone remains stationary relative to the housing, and during a second portion of the moving the flap support fairing, the tailcone translates into the housing. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the wing includes a flap extending from the trailing edge of the wing, wherein the moving the flap support fairing downward includes deploying the flap via a flap actuation system, and wherein the flap support fairing is coupled to a bottom side of the flap such that the deploying the flap moves the flap support fairing downward. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further including: moving the flap support fairing upward; and moving the tailcone rearward relative to an aft end of the housing when the flap support fairing moves upward.