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US3743219A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

High lift leading edge device

Assignee: Boeing Co
•
Filing: 1971-06-30
•
Granted: 1973-07-03
•
Expires: 1991-06-30
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Abstract

Abstract The retractable leading edge wing flap has a skin surface with tapered thickness in order that it can more easily assume the desired nonuniform degree of curvature when the flap is in its extended position. Through the inherent resilency of the flap skin surface material in combination with an actuating mechanism having a minimum of operating elements, the surface of the flap is provided with a variable contour thereby producing a variable camber to the flap panel and likewise to the wing airfoil section that is in combination therewith. More specifically, the flap extension and retraction mechanism operates in a chordwise plane and requires a maximum of five links to produce the desired result. Further, the actuating mechanism operates to position the flap panel relative to the fixed wing leading edge so as to vary the wing airfoil section aerodynamic flow characteristics by changing the total overall amount of effective wing camber. For the landing condition, the arrangement of the linkage mechanism produces an angular relationship of the flap chord plane relative to the wing chord plane such that the overall aerodynamic affect is a greater airfoil section camber at said landing condition than at the take off condition. Also, the arrangement of the linkage mechanism for the landing condition is such that the leading edge wing flap is extended further forward from the relatively fixed leading edge of the main wing section in addition to being spaced away from the wing leading edge, to form an aerodynamic slot; whereas, at the take off position the movable flap section and wing leading edge are in abutment relation thereby forming a substantially continuous upper surface without the slot.

Inventors

  • 👤 F Gorges

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 10:13
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64C; B64C9/00; B64C9/14; B64C9/22; B64C9/24

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 244 words
A variable camber flap for the leading edge of an airfoil comprising: a flexible flap panel supported from the leading edge portion of the airfoil in an operative forwardly and downwardly extending position; a bellcrank pivotally supported at its main pivot from the leading edge portion of the airfoil about a fixed hinge line for rotation in a chordwise plane; a guide link forward of the bellcrank having upper and lower terminals, pivotally connected at its upper terminal to the leading edge portion of the airfoil; a main flap support link, fore and aft extending, pivotally connected at its aft terminal to a first arm of the bellcrank, pivotally connected at its forward terminal to the trailing edge portion of the flap and pivotally supported at approximately its mid-point to the lower terminal of the guide link; a flap chord link pivotally supported at its upper terminal from a forward portion of the main flap support link and pivotally connected at its lower terminal to the leading edge portion of the downwardly and forwardly extending flap; an interconnecting link, fore and aft extending, pivotally connected at its forward terminal to an intermediate portion of the flap chord link and pivotally connected at its aft terminal to the other arm of the bellcrank; and actuating means for rotating the bellcrank about its main pivot causing the flap to be retracted from its operative forwardly and downwardly extending position, into the under surface of the airfoil.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 244 words
A variable camber flap for the leading edge of an airfoil comprising: a flexible flap panel supported from the leading edge portion of the airfoil in an operative forwardly and downwardly extending position; a bellcrank pivotally supported at its main pivot from the leading edge portion of the airfoil about a fixed hinge line for rotation in a chordwise plane; a guide link forward of the bellcrank having upper and lower terminals, pivotally connected at its upper terminal to the leading edge portion of the airfoil; a main flap support link, fore and aft extending, pivotally connected at its aft terminal to a first arm of the bellcrank, pivotally connected at its forward terminal to the trailing edge portion of the flap and pivotally supported at approximately its mid-point to the lower terminal of the guide link; a flap chord link pivotally supported at its upper terminal from a forward portion of the main flap support link and pivotally connected at its lower terminal to the leading edge portion of the downwardly and forwardly extending flap; an interconnecting link, fore and aft extending, pivotally connected at its forward terminal to an intermediate portion of the flap chord link and pivotally connected at its aft terminal to the other arm of the bellcrank; and actuating means for rotating the bellcrank about its main pivot causing the flap to be retracted from its operative forwardly and downwardly extending position, into the under surface of the airfoil.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 52 words
The structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said flexible flap panel has a tapered skin thickness in a chordwise plane from a lesser thickness towards the leading edge of the flap panel to a greater thickness towards its trailing edge when the flap is in an operative forward extended position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 57 words
The structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fexible flap panel is positionable with respect to the leading edge of said airfoil so as to form an aerodynamic slot between the trailing edge of the flap panel and the leading edge of said airfoil when the flap is in a first operative forward extended position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 73 words
The structure as set forth in claim 3, wherein said flexible flap panel is further positionable with respect to the leading edge of said airfoil so as to form an abutment relation between the trailing edge of the flap panel and the leading edge of said airfoil to form a substantially continuous upper surface when the flap is extended further forward than said first operative forward extended position to a second extended position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 30 words
The structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein said flexible flap panel has less camber when in said first operative forward extended position than in said second extended position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 53 words
The structure as set forth in claim 5, wherein said flexible flap panel when in said first operative forward extended position has its chord plane positioned relative to chord plane of said airfoil such that a greater aerodynamic camber of the flap and airfoil combination is produced than at said second extended position.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3363859A Cited
US3504870A Cited
US3556439A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-07-02 1977-01-01 1977-07-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-07-02 1981-01-01 1981-07-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-07-02 1985-01-01 1985-07-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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