Flaperon actuation systems for aircraft
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorKevin Raylin Tsai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Flaperon actuation systems for aircraft are disclosed herein. An example aircraft includes a wing including, a fixed wing portion, a flaperon, and an actuation system. The actuation system includes a first actuator coupled to the fixed wing portion. The first actuator is operable to move the flaperon along a first degree of freedom between a stowed position in which the flaperon is aligned with the fixed wing portion and a deployed position in which the flaperon is moved downward relative to the fixed wing portion. The actuation system also includes a linkage assembly coupled between the fixed wing portion and the flaperon. The linkage assembly includes a second actuator operable to move the flaperon along a second degree of freedom to pitch the flaperon between an upward position and a downward position.
Claims19
An aircraft comprising:
- a wing including:
- a fixed wing portion supporting a rib;
- a flaperon;
- and
- an actuation system including:
- a first actuator coupled to the rib, wherein the first actuator is a rotary actuator to move, at a first rate of movement, the flaperon along a first degree of freedom between a stowed position in which the flaperon is aligned with the fixed wing portion and a deployed position in which the flaperon is moved downward relative to the fixed wing portion;
- and
- a linkage assembly coupled between the fixed wing portion and the flaperon, the linkage assembly including:
- a rocker coupled to the rib at a first pivot, the rocker coupled to the first actuator at a second pivot, the rocker coupled to the flaperon at a third pivot;
- and
- a second actuator to move, at a second rate of movement greater than the first rate of movement, the flaperon along a second degree of freedom to pitch the flaperon between an upward position and a downward position, the rocker coupled to the second actuator at a fourth pivot.
An aircraft comprising:
- a wing including:
- a fixed wing portion including a rib;
- a flaperon;
- and
- an actuation system including:
- a first actuator coupled to the rib, wherein the first actuator is a rotary actuator;
- a rocker coupled to the fixed wing portion at a first pivot, the rocker coupled to the first actuator at a second pivot, and the rocker coupled to the flaperon at a third pivot;
- a push rod coupled between the first actuator and the rocker such that activation of the first actuator moves the rocker and the flaperon at a first rate of movement;
- and
- a second actuator coupled between a fourth pivot of the rocker and the flaperon such that activation of the second actuator moves the flaperon relative to the rocker at a second rate of movement greater than the first rate of movement.
A method comprising:
- activating a first actuator to move a flaperon of an aircraft wing along a first degree of freedom, at a first rate of movement, between a stowed position and a deployed position relative to a fixed wing portion of the aircraft wing, wherein the first actuator is a rotary actuator coupled to a rocker and a rib of the fixed wing portion;
- and
- activating a second actuator to move the flaperon along a second degree of freedom, at a second rate of movement greater than the first rate of movement, to pitch the flaperon between an upward position and a downward position, the rocker coupled to the rib at a first pivot, the rocker coupled to the first actuator at a second pivot, the rocker coupled to the flaperon at a third pivot, and the rocker coupled to the second actuator at a fourth pivot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.