US 6,616,101 B2Granted

Leading edge of supporting surfaces of aircraft

AssigneeConstrucciones Aeronauticas, S.A.

InventorsManuel De Castro Nodal, Carlos Cerezo Pancorbo, Rafael Dominguez Casado, Cesar Grueso Diez, Manuel Huertas Garcia, Bonifacio Robledo Sacristan

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Abstract

Leading edge of supporting surfaces of aircraft. A primary structure (EP) made without ribs is assembled with a specific frontal area (ZF) against impacts. The primary structure comprises two upper and lower covering panels (1, 2) and two diagonal and frontal spars (3, 4), which constitute the strong and rigid structural assembly of the leading edge (BA). The frontal area (ZF) is made up of one or two elemental parts which determine a kind of roof tile which closes the outer aerodynamic contour of the profile of the leading edge (BA) and provides a good behaviour against erosion, operational impacts on the ground and the impact of birds in flight. The invention is applicable to wings, stabilizers and control surfaces of aeroplanes.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A sub-assembled leading edge portion adapted for connection to an aerodynamic structure of an aircraft, said leading edge portion comprising:

a rigid structural assembly providing structural strength for the leading edge portion, said rigid structural assembly comprising front and rear spars and upper and lower covers, said rigid structural assembly being connectable to a leading edge of the aerodynamic structure to form an aerodynamic profile for said structure at said leading edge, said front and rear spars being coextensive and extending along the entire length of the rigid assembly, said rear spar extending diagonally rearwards from a front connection with an upper flange of the front spar and a leading edge of the upper cover to a rear connection with a trailing edge of the lower cover, and
a nose fairing connected to said rigid structural assembly at said front connection of the upper flange of the front spar and at a lower flange of the front spar, said lower cover having a leading edge connected to said lower flange of said front spar, said nose fairing providing an airfoil shape for the aerodynamic profile of the structural assembly.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.