The Boeing Company

Kevin Raylin Tsai

Bret Alan Bowers

Samuel L Block

Bryan Gruner

Mark Steven Good

Kyle J Johnson

Miranda Marie Peterson

Gregory M Santini

Ryan J Cazin

Seiya Sakurai

Bruce Alfin Dahl

Lisa G Schleuter

Donald Drew Reinhart

Stephen Roger Amorosi

Jacob Virnig

Ross Westermeier

Michael Chih-Huan Wang

John Thomas B Homrich

Emily Georgia Rayner

Ramón A Burin

Bryan J Gruner

Jacob Makena Wagner

Kunal Thakar

Noah W Gibson

Joli K Umetsu

Andrew Smeal

Kyle Alexander Johnson

Tu Q Vo

Mark D Gerber

Ramón Augustin Burin

Gregory Pomrehn

Ryan Joseph Cazin

An auxiliary flap assembly includes a base fixable to an aircraft wing, a track, a first pair of rollers, and a second pair of rollers. The base includes a first plate and a second plate. The track is coupled to the base and includes a first half defining a non-linear first roller path and a second half defining a non-linear second roller path in a back-to-back configuration. Both halves extend between a free end portion and a fixed end portion of the track. At least a portion of the first and second roller paths is interposed between the first plate and the second plate of the base. The fixed end portion is attachable to the flap. The track is movable along the first and the second pairs of rollers to move the flap between, and inclusive of, a stowed position and a deployed position.

Auxiliary flap assembly

An auxiliary flap assembly includes a track, a wingbox attachment, and a flap carriage. The wingbox attachment is attached to an aircraft wing and to the track such that the track is pivotable relative to the aircraft wing. The flap carriage is movably engaged with the track such that the flap carriage is retained by and movable along a length of the track. The flap carriage includes a top portion, a bottom portion, and an intermediate portion. The top portion includes a spherical bearing coupled to the flap. The bottom portion includes a pair of primary rollers configured to roll along the bottom surface of the track and the intermediate portion includes a pair of secondary rollers configured to roll along opposing C-shaped channels of the track.

Auxiliary flap assembly for aircraft

A system and a method include a crank pivotally coupled to a bracket of a main body of a wing of an aircraft. A drive link is pivotally coupled to the crank. A flap link is pivotally coupled to a carrier beam extending from a flap moveably coupled to the main body of the wing. A rocker bracket is pivotally coupled to the flap link and the drive link.

Flap support systems and methods for a wing of an aircraft

An aircraft wing includes a wing root having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a distal end. The wing also includes a wing tip and a wing-tip hinge that pivotally couples the wing tip to the wing root and defines a wing-tip axis that is perpendicular to a folding plane. The wing tip is pivotable about the wing-tip axis, within the folding plane, between, and inclusive of, an extended position and a retracted position, relative to the wing root. When in the extended position, the leading edge of the wing tip extends from the leading edge of the wing root in a spanwise direction of the wing root. When in the retracted position, the leading edge of the wing tip extends from the leading edge of the wing root in a chordwise direction of the wing root.

Folding wing tip for aircraft

A flap actuation mechanism incorporates a coupler rod eccentrically supported at an aft end and at a forward end. The coupler rod is configured to translate from an aft position to a forward position. An inboard crank arm is coupled to the rotary actuator and engaged to the aft end of the coupler rod. The inboard crank is configured rotate responsive to rotation of the rotary actuator thereby inducing translation of the coupler rod. An outboard crank arm engaged to a forward end of the coupler rod and is configured to rotate responsive to translation of the coupler rod. A flap drive arm is attached to the outboard crank arm and is configured to rotate with the outboard crank arm from a stowed position to a deployed position responsive to translation of the coupler rod from the aft position to the forward position.

Thin wing drive mechanism

Wing assemblies comprise one or more wing support structures, an inboard-most flap, and one or more flap supports that operatively couple the inboard-most flap to the wing support structure(s). The flap support(s) comprise at least an inboard-most inboard-flap support that is outboard of the inboard edge of the inboard-most flap.

Wing assemblies and aircraft

Flaperon actuation systems for aircraft are disclosed herein. An example aircraft includes a wing including, a fixed wing portion, a flaperon, and an actuation system. The actuation system includes a first actuator coupled to the fixed wing portion. The first actuator is operable to move the flaperon along a first degree of freedom between a stowed position in which the flaperon is aligned with the fixed wing portion and a deployed position in which the flaperon is moved downward relative to the fixed wing portion. The actuation system also includes a linkage assembly coupled between the fixed wing portion and the flaperon. The linkage assembly includes a second actuator operable to move the flaperon along a second degree of freedom to pitch the flaperon between an upward position and a downward position.

Flaperon actuation systems for aircraft

A linear actuator driven flap mechanism for an aircraft wing is contained within a wing support and fairing of the aircraft wing. The rib frame of the flap mechanism is attached to the wingbox structure of the aircraft wing at a first and second point. The rib frame of the flap mechanism defines a width with a first and second web. A linear actuator and a motion linkage are positioned with the width between the first and second webs of the rib frame. The linear actuator is not mechanically driven rotary actuation or mechanically driven linear actuation. As a result of the compact construction, the flap mechanism can be employed in thinner, smaller aircraft wings being designed today.

Linear actuator driven flap mechanism

A process and a machine for reducing a profile of a flap system including forming a track housing within a flap system including: a foil and a track housing within the foil, two track housing lugs extending out from an opening therein and beyond a leading edge of the foil, and a track that has a curved shape configured to: support the foil; and guide a movement of the foil along the track. The flap system may include an anchor plate and an actuator configured to connect to the foil, and a pylon that includes: a length and a depth enclosing a section of a dual channel portion of the track extending out an exit hole of the track housing in the foil. The process may continue by attaching the anchor plate and the pylon to a wing, and the actuator to the anchor plate.

Machine and process for activation of flow control device

Aircraft assemblies comprise an aerostructure, a sealing structure, and a flexure spring. The aerostructure comprises an end surface. The flexure spring is operably coupled between the aerostructure and the sealing structure and is configured to urge the sealing structure away from the end surface of the aerostructure. The flexure spring has a neutral configuration and a range of deflected configurations. The flexure spring is biased toward the neutral configuration.

Aircraft assemblies with sealing structures

Underwing-mounted trailing edge bifold flaps for wings of aircraft are disclosed. A bifold flap pivotally coupled to the wing is movable between a stowed position located along a lower surface of the wing and a deployed position located rearward of a trailing edge of the wing. The bifold flap includes a forward panel and an aft panel. The aft panel is pivotally coupled to the forward panel and foldable relative thereto. The aft panel is folded toward the forward panel when the bifold flap is in the stowed position. The aft panel is unfolded from the forward panel when the bifold flap is in the deployed position. A bullnose pivotally coupled to the forward panel pivots relative to the bifold flap as the bifold flap moves between the stowed and deployed positions.

Underwing-mounted trailing edge bifold flaps for wings of aircraft

The illustrative examples provide a slat movement system for use in an aircraft. An aircraft comprises a wing having a fixed edge and a wing front spar, and a moveable slat connected to the wing by a four bar linkage and a slat arm, the slat arm movable along a track comprising a slot terminating prior to the wing front spar.

Slat movement system for aircraft

A jam detection system for a flap of a wing of an aircraft includes a linkage coupled to the flap and a support of the wing, and a sensor configured to detect a position of at least a portion of the linkage. The sensor is further configured to compare the position of the least a portion of the linkage to a jam threshold to determine if a jam condition exists. The linkage can also be coupled to a carriage moveably coupled to the support.

Systems and methods for detecting a jam of a flap of a wing of an aircraft

Underwing-mounted trailing edge flaps for wings of aircraft are disclosed. A flap pivotally coupled to the wing is movable between a stowed position located along a lower surface of the wing and a deployed position located rearward of a trailing edge of the wing. The flap includes a first edge, a second edge located opposite the first edge, a first surface extending between the first edge and the second edge, and a second surface located opposite the first surface and extending between the first edge and the second edge. The first edge is located rearward of the second edge when the flap is in the stowed position, and forward of the second edge when the flap is in the deployed position. A bullnose pivotally coupled to the flap at a location along the first edge pivots relative to the flap as the flap moves between the stowed and deployed positions.

Underwing-mounted trailing edge flaps for wings of aircraft

Wing assemblies () comprise one or more wing support structures (), an inboard-most flap (), one or more flap supports () that operatively couple the inboard-most flap () to the one or more wing support structures (), and one or more flap actuators () configured to operatively move the inboard-most flap () relative to the one or more flap supports (). The flap support(s) () comprise at least an inboard-most inboard-flap support (), the flap actuator(s) () comprise at least an inboard-most inboard-flap actuator () that is outboard of the inboard edge () of the inboard-most flap (), and the inboard-most inboard-flap actuator () is spaced-away from the inboard-most inboard-flap support ().

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Kevin Raylin Tsai