Aircraft flap mechanism having compact large fowler motion providing multiple cruise positions

An aircraft wing comprising:

• an upper surface,
• a lower surface,
• a rear spar,
• a trailing edge flap mechanism providing trailing edge variable camber having
• a hinged quadrilateral linkage for Fowler, trailing edge viable camber and droop motion having
• a support beam having a first portion with a first rotation axis and a forth rotation axis aft of the first rotation axis;
• a flap carrier beam supporting an aerodynamic flap, said carrier beam having a second rotation axis at a forward end and a third rotation axis within a nose contour of the flap aft of the third rotation axis;
• a first link interconnecting the first rotation axis and second rotation axis;
• a second link interconnecting the third rotation axis and fourth rotation axis;
• said support beam having a second portion extending angularly forward from the first portion and having a fifth rotation axis at a forward end for ground connection as a first fixed hinge axis;
• a connection link having a sixth rotation axis at a forward end for ground connection as a second fixed hinge axis and a seventh rotation axis connected to the first link intermediate the first and second rotation points;
• an actuator connected to the first link;
• and
• wherein actuation by the drive link provides initial forward and aft movement of a nose profile of the flap substantially parallel to the wing lower surface with the connection link in a dwell with extending aft movement removing the connection link from its dwell and with a multiplier effect by the support beam providing a rapidly changing angle of the flap with respect to the wing upper surface.

A method for operating a trailing edge flap mechanism comprising:

• providing a linkage having four axes of rotation at points A, B, C and D), with an AB link, a BC link, a CD link and an AD link;
• joining the CD link to a forward structural fixed hinge axis at point E with a support beam angularly attached to the CD link at point D) and the AB link at point A;
• securing a flap to the BC link for actuating motion;
• attaching a connecting link between a structural fixed hinge axis at point F and an axis of rotation at point G on the AB link intermediate points A and B;
• connecting a an actuator to the AB link at an axis of rotation at point K intermediate points A and B rotating the AB link forward for upward TEVC operation of the flap and urging the AB link aft for downward TEVC operation of the flap with the connection link in a dwell and the support beam AB link acting as a rocker arm rotating about a nearly stationary point G;
• urging the AB link aft taking the connection link out of its dwell to rotate about point F with the AB link having continuing rocker arm motion about point G with point A moving strongly in a downward direction about rotation point E, the up/down movement of point A on the support beam about rotation point E serving as a multiplier for up/down movement of point D pulling both flap attachment points B and D down to position the flap;
• and,
• urging the AB link further aft rotating the support beam clockwise moving point A down drawing point C with the attached AB link and CD link with the flap carrier beam downward for increased angle of the flap.

A trailing edge flap actuation mechanism comprising:

• a linkage pair having
• a first four bar linkage including
• a grounded link fixed to a wing,
• a connection link hinged to the ground link at a first end,
• a support beam first portion hinged to the ground link at a second end, and
• a first link attached to the connection link and support beam first portion opposite the ground link,
• the first four bar linkage providing a hinged mounting for a second four bar linkage including
• the first link in common with the first four bar linkage,
• a flap support beam connected to the first link, and
• a second link connected to the flap support beam and to a second portion of the support beam.

A trailing edge flap actuation mechanism comprising:

• a four bar linkage slaved to a six bar linkage, the four bar linkage incorporating
• a first link,
• a flap support beam attached to the first link,
• a second link attached to the flap support beam and a second portion of a support beam,
• the six bar linkage incorporating
• three grounded binary links including a first portion of the support beam, a connection link and a crank arm extending from a rotary actuator, and
• a ternary link interconnecting the grounded binary links, said ternary link integral with said first link.