Aircraft hinge assembly
AssigneeAirbus Operations GmbH
InventorsRussell OLDER, Paul MORRELL, Ryan HOLLAND, Oliver MARKS, Pierre-Antoine COMBES, Guillaume DE ALMEIDA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hinge assembly 8a for an aircraft component including first and second hinge plates 9, 10, having an aerodynamic surface. A first seal assembly 28 to 32 is provided and arranged to seal between the aerodynamic surfaces of the hinge plates. A second seal assembly 38 to 42 is arranged to seal between the undersides of the hinge plates in order to reduce pressure leakage between voids under the hinge. The provision of two seal assemblies, each having a dedicated function, addresses the competing demands made on the sealing arrangement of an aircraft hinge assembly in use.
Claims22
A hinge assembly for an aircraft component, the hinge assembly comprising:
- first and second hinge plates each having an aerodynamic surface;
- and
- a seal assembly including:
- a first seal between the aerodynamic surface of the first hinge plate and the aerodynamic surface of the second hinge plate, and
- a second seal between an underside of the first hinge plate and an underside of the second hinge plate.
An aircraft wing comprising:
- a fixed wing including a tip;
- a wing tip device including and end;
- a first hinge assembly configured to attached the wing tip device to the fixed wing to allow the wing tip device to pivot with respect to the fixed wing, wherein the first hinge assembly includes:
- a first hinge assembly attached to the tip of the fixed wing, wherein the first hinge assembly includes:
- a first hinge plate with fingers each having an outer aerodynamic surface;
- first seals each mounted to a side edge of each of a respective one of the fingers of the first hinge plate, wherein each of the first seals extends a length of the respective finger and is flush with the aerodynamic surface of the respective finger;
- finger extensions each extending outward from a respective one of the fingers, wherein the finger extension is offset inward of the fixed wing from the aerodynamic surface of the respective finger,
- second seals each mounted to a respective one of the finger extensions;
- recesses between the fingers, and
- lugs wherein each of the fingers is mounted onto a respective one of the lugs;
- and
- a second hinge assembly attached to the end of the wing tip device,
- wherein the second hinge assembly includes:
- a second hinge plate with fingers each having an outer aerodynamic surface, wherein at the fingers of the second hinge plate interleave with the fingers of the first hinge plate such that at least one of the fingers of the second hinge plate is positioned in a recess of the first hinge plate,
- first seals each mounted to a side edge a respective one of the fingers of the second hinge plate, wherein each of the first seals extends a length of the respective finger, is flush with the aerodynamic surface of the respective finger, and is configured to be sandwiched between the respective finger of the second hinge plate and one of the fingers of the first hinge plate;
- finger extensions each extending from an end of a respective finger of the second hinge plate, wherein the finger extension of the second hinge plate are each offset inward of the wing tip device from the aerodynamic surface of the respective finger of the second hinge plate, and
- second seals each mounted to a respective one of the finger extensions of the second hinge plate, wherein the second seal is configured to be sandwiched between the finger extension of the second hinge plate to which the second seal is mounted and an underside of the first hinge plate;
- and
- lugs wherein each of the fingers of the second hinge plate is mounted onto a respective one of the lugs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.