The Boeing Company

Douglas S Lacy

Seiya Sakurai

Neal Van Huynh

Jan A Kordel

Kevin W Beyer

Clayton A Prow

Stephen John Fox

Michael Albert Balzer

John V Dovey

Stephen T Brown

Paul W Dees

Stephen L Wells

Paul T Meredith

Gregory M Santini

Paul M Vijgen

James Miller Wheaton

Jack S Noble

Lawrence D Smith

Michael F Fitzpatrick

Edward W Gronenthal

Russell R Christianson

Paul L Johnson

Greg H Wyatt

Gregory S Benn

Neal V Huynh

Aircraft trailing edge devices, including devices having forwardly positioned hinge lines, and associated methods are disclosed. An aircraft system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a wing and a trailing edge device coupled to the wing. The trailing edge device can be movable relative to the wing between a stowed position and a deployed position, with the trailing edge device having a leading edge, a trailing edge, an upper surface, and a lower surface. The upper surface can have an intersection point with the wing when the trailing edge device is in the stowed position. The motion of the trailing edge device relative to the wing can include rotational motion about a hinge line positioned forward of the intersection point, and a gap can be positioned between the trailing edge of the wing and the leading edge of the trailing edge device when the trailing edge device is in the deployed position.

Aircraft trailing edge devices, including devices having forwardly positioned hinge lines, and associated methods

Aircraft trailing edge devices, including devices with non-parallel motion paths, and associated methods are disclosed. A device in accordance with one embodiment includes a wing and an inboard trailing edge device coupled to the wing and movable relative to the wing between a first stowed position and a first deployed position along a first motion path. An outboard trailing edge device can be coupled to the wing outboard of the inboard trailing edge device, and can be movable relative to the wing along a second motion path that is non-parallel to the first motion path. An intermediate trailing edge device can be coupled between the inboard and outboard trailing edge devices and can be movable along a third motion path that is non-parallel to both the first and second motion paths. Each of the trailing edge devices can open a gap relative to the wing when moved to their respective deployed positions.

Aircraft trailing edge devices, including devices with non-parallel motion paths, and associated methods

Aircraft leading edge device systems and methods for sizing such systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a spanwise lift coefficient distribution for an airfoil corresponding to at least one design condition and at least one aircraft angle of attack is identified, and a leading edge device chord length is sized to at least approximately achieve the selected spanwise lift coefficient distribution. In another embodiment, a spanwise distribution of aircraft angles of attack corresponding to local maximum lift coefficients for an airfoil operated at a design condition is identified, and a leading edge device chord length at each of a plurality of spanwise locations is sized to achieve the distribution of aircraft angles of attack corresponding to local maximum lift coefficients. In yet another embodiment, a leading edge device chord length is tapered in two, at least approximately opposite, spanwise directions.

Aircraft leading edge device systems and corresponding sizing methods

A method and apparatus for controlling airflow with a gapped trailing edge device having a flexible flow surface. The airfoil can include a first portion having a first leading edge, a first flow surface, and a second flow surface facing opposite from the first flow surface. The airfoil can further include a second portion having a second leading edge and a trailing edge, with at least part of the second portion being positioned aft of the first portion. The second portion is moveable relative to the first portion between a first position and a second position, with the second leading edge separated from at least part of the first portion by an airflow gap when the second portion is in the second position. The second portion includes a flexible flow surface that has a first shape when the second portion is in the first position, and has a second shape different than the first shape when the second portion is in the second position.

Method and apparatus for controlling airflow with a gapped trailing edge device having a flexible flow surface

Trailing edge devices configured to carry out multiple functions, and associated methods of use and manufacture are disclosed. An external fluid flow body (e.g., an airfoil) configured in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes a first portion and a second portion, at least a part of the second portion being positioned aft of the first portion, with the second portion being movable relative to the first portion between a neutral position, a plurality of upward positions, and a plurality of downward positions. A guide structure can be coupled between the first and second portions, and an actuator can be operatively coupled between the first and second portions to move the second portion relative to the first portion. In one embodiment, a flexible surface can track the motion of the second portion and can expose a gap at some positions. In another embodiment, a controller can be coupled to the actuator and can be configured to direct the actuator to move the second portion to a high lift setting, a high drag setting, a roll setting, and a trim setting. In yet another embodiment, trailing edge devices on an airfoil can have scaled, mechanically similar guide structures.

Multi-function trailing edge devices and associated methods

Methods and apparatuses for controlling airflow with a leading edge device having a flexible flow surface. In one embodiment, the airfoil includes a first portion having a first flow surface and a second flow surface facing opposite from the first flow surface. The second portion of the airfoil has a leading edge and is movably coupled to the first position. The second portion can move between a first position and a second position offset from the first position by an angle of from about 45&deg; to about 90&deg; or more. The second portion includes a flexible flow surface having a first shape when the second portion is in the first position and a second shape different than the first shape when the second portion is in the second position. A guide structure can be coupled between the first portion and the second portion. In another embodiment, the airfoil can have inbound and outbound leading edge portions with an inbound guide structure having a first mechanical arrangement and an outbound guide structure having a second mechanical arrangement different than the first.

Method and apparatus for controlling airflow with a leading edge device having a flexible flow surface

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Bothell, WA, United States of America

Douglas S Lacy