Variable slat displacement using spanwise actuator
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsEric S. Kamila, Ramon A. Burin, John A. Standley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aircraft wing includes a fixed structure and a linear hydraulic slat actuator attached to the fixed structure. The linear hydraulic slat actuator is oriented spanwise along the aircraft wing. The aircraft wing also includes an actuator output link and a slat attached to the actuator output link. The aircraft wing also includes a bell-crank coupled to the linear hydraulic slat actuator and to the actuator output link. In response to spanwise movement of the linear hydraulic slat actuator, the bell-crank is configured to move the actuator output link in a different direction that enables the slat to move between a retracted position and an extended position.
Claims19
An aircraft wing comprising:
- a support rib defining an aperture extending therethrough, the support rib having a first contour that is complimentarily shaped with respect to a second contour of a leading edge of the wing;
- a linear hydraulic slat actuator having at least a portion thereof extending through the aperture of the support rib, wherein the linear hydraulic slat actuator is oriented in a first direction, the first direction being spanwise along the aircraft wing;
- an actuator output link;
- a slat attached to the actuator output link;
- and
- a bell-crank rotatably coupled to:
- (i) the support rib, (ii) the linear hydraulic slat actuator and (iii) the actuator output link, wherein, in response to spanwise movement of the linear hydraulic slat actuator, the bell-crank is configured to move the actuator output link in a second direction different from the first direction that enables the slat to move between a retracted position and an extended position.
A method of fabricating an aircraft wing, the method comprising:
- coupling a linear hydraulic slat actuator to a support rib defining an aperture extending therethrough, the support rib having a first contour that is complimentarily shaped with respect to a second contour of a leading edge of the wing, the linear hydraulic slat actuator having at least a portion thereof extending through the aperture of the support rib, wherein the hydraulic slat actuator is oriented in a first direction, wherein the first direction is spanwise along the aircraft wing;
- rotatably coupling a bell-crank to the support rib;
- rotatably coupling the bell-crank to the linear hydraulic slat actuator;
- rotatably coupling an actuator output link to the bell-crank, the output link oriented in a second direction different from the first direction;
- and
- coupling a slat to the actuator output link, wherein, in response to spanwise movement of the linear hydraulic slat actuator, the bell-crank moves the actuator output link in the second direction that enables the slat to move between a retracted position and an extended position.
An aircraft comprising:
- a fuselage;
- and
- an aircraft wing attached to the fuselage, the aircraft wing comprising:
- a support rib defining an aperture extending therethrough, the support rib having a first contour that is complimentarily shaped with respect to a second contour of a leading edge of the wing;
- a linear hydraulic slat actuator having at least a portion thereof extending through the aperture of the support rib, wherein the linear hydraulic slat actuator is oriented in a first direction, the first direction being spanwise along the aircraft wing;
- an actuator output link;
- a slat attached to the actuator output link;
- and
- a bell-crank rotatably coupled to:
- (i) the support rib, (ii) the linear hydraulic slat actuator and (iii) the actuator output link, wherein, in response to spanwise movement of the linear hydraulic slat actuator, the bell-crank is configured to move the actuator output link in the second direction different from the first direction that enables the slat to move between a retracted position and an extended position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.