Rotating double trapped roller auxiliary track mechanism
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsKevin R. Tsai, John Thomas B. Homrich
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flap support mechanism includes a track rotatably connected to an aft fitting of a wing. A forward roller and an aft roller extend laterally from a flap structure, the forward roller and aft roller constrained in a slot in the track. The slot has a profile configured to induce both translation and rotation in the flap, in concert with rotation of the track about the aft fitting, thereby passively mirroring motion of the flap induced by an actuator driven primary main flap support.
Claims20
A flap support mechanism for a passive auxiliary support comprising:
- a flap actuated for deployment by one or more actuators in a primary main flap support;
- a track rotatably connected proximate an outboard edge or an inboard edge of the flap with a pivoting joint to an aft fitting of a wing;
- and
- a forward roller and an aft roller extending from a flap structure in the outboard edge or the inboard edge of the flap, said forward roller and said aft roller constrained in a slot in the track, said slot having a profile configured to passively induce droop, translation and rotation in the flap with respect to the pivoting joint, concurrently with rotation of the track about the pivoting joint, thereby allowing the outboard edge or the inboard edge of the flap to passively mirror motion of the flap induced by the actuator driven primary main flap support.
An aircraft having a flap system comprising:
- a wing having a rear spar;
- a flap supported from the wing by at least one primary support with an actuator driven mechanism for deployment of the flap;
- and
- a passive auxiliary support having
- an aft fitting connected to the rear spar;
- a track rotatably connected with a pivoting joint to the aft fitting, said track having a slot;
- and
- a forward roller and an aft roller extending from a flap rib proximate an inboard edge or an outboard edge of the flap, said forward roller and said aft roller constrained in the slot in the track, said slot having a profile configured to induce droop, translation and rotation in the flap with respect to the pivoting joint, concurrently with rotation of the track about the pivoting joint, thereby allowing the outboard edge or the inboard edge of the flap to passively mirror motion of the flap induced by the actuator driven mechanism of the at least one primary support.
A method for deployment of a flap comprising:
- constraining a forward roller and an aft roller laterally extending from a flap rib proximate an outboard edge or an inboard edge of a flap in a slot in a track rotatably connected with a pivoting joint to an aft fitting of a passive auxiliary support in a wing;
- deploying the flap from a stowed position with an actuator driven mechanism in a primary support;
- translating the flap relative to the track and the pivoting joint;
- and
- concurrently rotating the track about the pivoting joint in concert with the translation of the flap,
- wherein said forward roller and said aft roller moving aft in the slot control deflection of the flap for droop, translation and rotation allowing an outboard edge or an inboard edge of the flap to passively mirror extending motion of the flap induced by the actuator driven primary main flap support.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.