# US 10,870,480 B2 · Magnetic seals > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,870,480 B2 - Document ID: US10870480B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/957,100 - Filed: 2018-04-19 - Published: 2018-11-01 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2017-04-26 - Assignees: Airbus Operations GmbH - Applicants: Airbus Operations Limited - Inventors: David Brakes - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870480B2 ## CPC - B64C 7/00: Structures or fairings not otherwise provided for - B64C 1/30: Parts of fuselage relatively movable to reduce overall dimensions of aircraft - B64C 3/50: by leading or trailing edge flaps - B64C 3/546: {by foldable elements} - B64C 3/56: Folding or collapsing to reduce overall dimensions of aircraft - B64C 9/30: Balancing hinged surfaces, e.g. dynamically - B64C 9/16: at the rear of the wing - B64C 9/22: at the front of the wing - B64C 2009/005: {Ailerons} - Y02T 50/10: Drag reduction - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An aerodynamic structure for an aircraft including a first region having a first magnetic sealing surface, movably connected to a second region having a second magnetic sealing surface. The structure is moveable between a first configuration in which the first sealing surface contacts the second sealing surface such that the first region and the second region form a continuous aerodynamic surface, and a second configuration in which a gap exists between the first and second magnetic sealing surfaces and. The magnetic sealing surfaces are configured such that an attractive magnetic force exists between the magnetic sealing surfaces in the first configuration. The aerodynamic structure is configured such that during movement between the first and second configurations, relative movement of the first and second regions occurs along a direction at an angle in the range 1-90° to the normal of the first sealing surface and/or the second sealing surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aerodynamic wing structure comprising: a first wing segment having a first side and a first slot in the first side; a second wing segment having a second side and a second slot in the second side; a first magnet slidably mounted in the first slot, wherein the first magnet is configured to slide in the first slot between an extended position in which a portion of the first magnet extends beyond the first side and a retracted position in which the first magnet is retracted within the first slot; a second magnet slidably mounted in the second slot, wherein the second magnet is configured to slide in the second slot between an extended position in which a portion of the second magnet extends beyond the second side and a retracted position in which the first magnet is retracted within the second slot; wherein the first and second magnets are aligned to magnetically attract and attach to each other to close a gap between the first side and the second side while at least one of the first wing segment and the second wing segment is in a first position, and wherein the first magnet is retracted in the first slot and the second magnet is retracted in the second slot while at least one of the first and second wing segments is in a second position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aerodynamic wing structure according to claim 1, further comprising a first flexible mount connected to the first slot and to the first magnet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The aerodynamic wing structure according to claim 1, further comprising at least one trap feature adjacent to a magnetic pole of the first magnet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The aerodynamic wing structure according to claim 3, wherein the first magnet includes opposing long sides, and wherein the at least one trap feature includes a trap adjacent each of the long sides. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The aerodynamic wing structure according to claim 1, wherein the first slot includes a support formation configured to constrain the first magnet to movement along the first slot. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The aerodynamic wing structure according to claim 5, wherein the support formation comprises a channel, and wherein the first magnetic is at least partially received within the channel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The aerodynamic wing structure according to claim 1, wherein the first magnet comprises a flexible strip magnet having a north pole at one long edge of the flexible strip magnet and a south pole at an opposing long edge of the flexible strip magnet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The aerodynamic wing structure according to claim 1, further comprising a first sealing surface connected to the first magnet and a second sealing surface connected to the second magnet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The aerodynamic wing structure according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the first and second magnetic sealing surfaces comprises an anti-friction material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The aerodynamic wing structure according to claim 8, wherein the first and second magnetic sealing surfaces are configured such that a negligible magnetic force exists between the first and second magnetic sealing surfaces when a distance between the first and second magnetic sealing surfaces is greater than a preselected value. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The aerodynamic wing structure according to claim 8, wherein during movement between the first position and the second position, relative movement of the first and second magnets occurs along a direction which is at an angle in the range 1-60° to a normal of the first sealing surface and/or the normal of the second sealing surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The aerodynamic wing structure according to claim 1, wherein the first wing segment comprises an aircraft wing and the second wing segment comprises one of: a slat; an aileron; a spoiler; and a flap. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The aerodynamic wing structure according to claim 12, wherein during movement between the first position and the second position, relative movement of the first and second magnets occurs along a direction perpendicular to a normal of the first side and/or the normal of the second side. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The aerodynamic wing structure of claim 1 including: a first strip including the first magnet and slidably mounted in the first slot, and a second strip including the second magnet and slidably mounted in the second slot, wherein the first and second strips abut to close the gap while the at least one of the first and second wing segments are in the first position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The aerodynamic wing structure of claim 1, wherein the first wing segment is a root section of a wing and the second wing segment is a wing tip section, wherein the first position is a deployed position and the second position is a folded position. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The aerodynamic wing structure of claim 1, wherein the first wing segment is a first spoiler and the second wing segment is a second spoiler adjacent the first spoiler while mounted on a wing, wherein the first position is a retracted position and the second position is a deployed position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The aerodynamic wing structure of claim 1, wherein the first wing segment includes a first aerodynamic surface which is parallel to the first slot and the second wing segment includes a second aerodynamic surface which is parallel to the second slot, wherein the first and second aerodynamic surfaces are configured to be exposed to an airflow moving over the aerodynamic wing structure during flight of the aerodynamic surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The aerodynamic wing structure of claim 1 including: a first flexible mount attaching the first magnet to the first side, wherein the first flexible mount biases the first magnet towards the second position, and a second flexible mount attaching the second magnet to the second side, wherein the second flexible mount biases the second magnet towards the second position.