# US 11,440,665 B2 · Vented leading-edge assembly and method for manufacturing a vented leading-edge assembly

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- Number: US 11,440,665 B2
- Document ID: US11440665B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/595,722
- Filed: 2019-10-08
- Published: 2020-05-14
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-10-23
- Assignees: Airbus Operations GmbH
- Applicants: Airbus Operations GmbH
- Inventors: Stefan Bensmann; Marcus Erban
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440665B2

## CPC

- B64D 15/04: Hot gas application
- B64C 3/26: Construction, shape, or attachment of separate skins, e.g. panels
- B64C 9/22: at the front of the wing
- B64C 9/24: by single flap
- Y02T 50/40: Weight reduction
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A vented leading-edge assembly is provided, the assembly including: a slat having a bay and a top skin delimiting a portion of the bay; a spar being arranged in the slat, the spar dividing the bay in a front bay and an aft bay; and a plurality of channel sidewalls being arranged between the top skin and the spar, the plurality of channel sidewalls defining a plurality of channels between the front bay and the aft bay, wherein at least a portion of the spar defines lower channel walls for the plurality of channels.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vented leading-edge assembly comprising:
a slat comprising a bay and a top skin delimiting a portion of the bay;
a spar arranged in the slat, the spar dividing the bay in a front bay and an aft bay; and
a plurality of channel sidewalls arranged between the top skin and the spar, the plurality of channel sidewalls defining a plurality of channels between the front bay and the aft bay,
wherein at least a portion of the spar defines lower channel walls for the plurality of channels, and
wherein the plurality of channel sidewalls is provided by a perforated strip arranged between the top skin and the spar.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vented leading-edge assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of channel sidewalls is non-parallel to each other such that a distance between the plurality of channel sidewalls at the front bay is bigger than a distance between the plurality of channel sidewalls at the aft bay.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The vented leading-edge assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of channel sidewalls is parallel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The vented leading-edge assembly according to claim 1, wherein the leading-edge assembly comprises a plurality of fastening elements connecting the top skin to the spar through the plurality of channel sidewalls.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The vented leading-edge assembly according to claim 1, wherein the front bay comprises a de-icing air outlet configured to fill the front bay with de-icing air.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The vented leading-edge assembly according to claim 5, wherein the de-icing air outlet is a bleeding air outlet in fluid communication with an engine of an aerospace vehicle.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The vented leading-edge assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a rear skin rearward of the spar and delimiting the aft bay, wherein the rear skin comprises a plurality of openings along a bottom of the rear skin.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

An aerospace vehicle comprising
a wing; and
a vented leading-edge assembly according to claim 1;
wherein the vented leading-edge assembly is arranged on a leading-edge of the wing.

### Claim 9

A method for manufacturing a vented leading-edge assembly, the method comprising:
providing a slat comprising a bay and a top skin delimiting a portion of the bay;
arranging a spar in the bay such that the spar divides the bay into a front bay and an aft bay;
providing a strip comprising a row of channel sidewalls that define a plurality of perforations; and
connecting the strip between the spar and the top skin such that each perforation of the plurality of perforations is in fluid communication with the front bay and the aft bay, thereby providing a plurality of channels between the front bay and the aft bay,
wherein at least a portion of the spar defines lower channel walls for the plurality of channels.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein the method further comprises at least one of the following steps:
removing at least one portion of the strip arranged between the row and the aft bay; and
removing at least one portion of the strip arranged between the row and the front bay.