US 12,735,173 B2Granted

Apparatuses and methods for flight control surfaces

AssigneeThe Boeing Company

InventorSamuel L. Block

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Abstract

An aircraft apparatus comprises a flight control surface, an actuation assembly, a link, and an arm. The actuation assembly transitions the flight control surface between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration. The link is pivotably coupled to a support and comprises a stop surface. The arm is connected to the flight control surface and is pivotally coupled to the link. The arm comprises a contact surface arranged to engage the stop surface to limit pivotal movement of the arm relative to the link and thus define the deployed configuration of the flight control surface. A method comprises translating an arm and a flight control surface in a first direction towards a deployed configuration while simultaneously rotating a link. The method further comprises bringing the arm and the stop surface of link into contact to stop translation of the arm at the deployed configuration of the flight control surface.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An aircraft apparatus, comprising:

a flight control surface;
an actuation assembly operatively coupled to the flight control surface and configured to operatively transition the flight control surface between at least a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration;
a link comprising a first end region and a second end region opposite the first end region, wherein the link has a first end region pivot axis arranged at the first end region and operably couple to a support, and a second end region pivot axis arranged at the second end region, wherein the link is configured to rotate about the first end region pivot axis, and wherein the link comprises a stop surface;
and
an arm operatively connected to the flight control surface and pivotally coupled to the second end region of the link about the second end region pivot axis, wherein the arm is configured to translate towards the deployed configuration as the link rotates about the first end region pivot axis, wherein the arm comprises a contact surface that is arranged to engage the stop surface to limit pivotal movement of the arm relative to the link and thus define the deployed configuration of the flight control surface.

2 more elements

An aircraft comprising:

a wing:
a flight control surface arranged on the wing;
an actuation assembly operatively coupled to the flight control surface and configured to operatively transition the flight control surface between at least a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration;
a link comprising a first end region and a second end region opposite the first end region, wherein the link has a first end region pivot axis arranged at the first end region and operably couple to a support, and a second end region pivot axis arranged at the second end region, wherein the link is configured to rotate about the first end region pivot axis, and wherein the link comprises a stop surface;
and
an arm operatively connected to the flight control surface and pivotally coupled to the second end region of the link about the second end region pivot axis, wherein the arm is configured to translate towards the deployed configuration as the link rotates about the first end region pivot axis, wherein the arm comprises a contact surface that is arranged to engage the stop surface to limit pivotal movement of the arm relative to the link and thus define the deployed configuration of the flight control surface.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.