The Boeing Company

Matthew D M Fevergeon

Jan A Kordel

Victor D Liu

Victor Liu

A bell crank mechanism is configured to at least indirectly link movement of an aircraft wing spoiler-like hinge panel to the movement of a primary flight control device on an aircraft wing trailing edge. The aircraft wing is configured to be fixed to and to extend from an aircraft fuselage, the wing including a leading edge and a trailing edge. The primary flight control device is attached to the trailing edge, and any movement of the control device is directly subject to an aircraft input controller by a linear actuator. The moveable aerodynamic hinge panel, a secondary control device, is situated proximally to the primary flight control device, and the hinge panel is separately attached to the trailing edge. The bell crank mechanism slaves any hinge panel motion to movements of the primary control device.

Trailing edge device with bell crank mechanism

A primary flight control device for an aircraft, such as a flaperon attached to an aircraft wing, utilizes independent yet interactive airgap control systems designed to avoid weight penalties associated with conventionally used cam and track systems. An actuator directly controls movements of the flaperon; the flaperon motion is then used to slave separate movements of secondary flight control devices, such as a flaperon hinge panel and a cove lip door, to various positions of the flaperon for indirect control of aerodynamic air gaps during flight. The use of a bell crank for indirectly slaving the flaperon hinge panel movements to the flaperon avoids conventionally used cam and track systems. Although the cove lip door utilizes a separate linkage system, the bell crank and cove lip door linkage systems work in conjunction to assure desired aerodynamic airflows over the aircraft wing and flaperon structures.

Growing community of inventors

Lake Stevens, WA, United States of America

Matthew D M Fevergeon