Patent ID: 11964765
Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A vertical tail plane configured for an aircraft comprising:
a vertical tail plane box including a first lateral panel having a first attachment portion and an opposite second lateral panel with a second attachment portion,
a leading edge structure including:
a double-walled leading edge panel extending in a span direction of the vertical tail plane and including a first side portion extending from a leading edge point on the leading edge panel to a first attachment end, and a second side portion opposite the first side portion, wherein the second side portion extends from the leading edge point to a second attachment end,
a plenum within the double-walled leading edge panel and between the first side portion and the second side portion,
wherein the leading edge panel further includes an inner wall element facing the plenum, an outer wall element configured to contact ambient flow, and a core assembly between the inner wall element and the outer wall element,
wherein the outer wall element comprises a plurality of micro pores forming a fluid connection between the core assembly and the ambient flow,
wherein the inner wall element comprises openings forming a fluid connection between the core assembly and the plenum,
wherein the outer wall element extends from the first attachment end to the second attachment end, and
wherein the first attachment end is attached to the first attachment portion, and wherein the second attachment end is attached to the second attachment portion, so that the first side portion of the leading edge panel forms a continuous flow surface with the first lateral panel of the vertical tail plane box, and the second side portion of the leading edge panel forms a continuous flow surface with the second lateral panel of the vertical tail plane box,
wherein the outer wall element includes a main wall portion with an area having the micro-pores and the area is between the first attachment end and the second attachment end along a direction perpendicular to a spanwise direction of the vertical tail plane,
wherein the first and second attachment ends each have an outside surface exposed to the ambient flow and an inside surface which abuts the inner wall element and overlaps one of the first and second attachment portions of the vertical tail plane box, wherein a first end portion of the inner wall element is sandwiched between first attachment end and the first attachment portion,
wherein a second end portion the inner wall element, opposite to the first end portion of the inner wall element, is sandwiched between the second attachment end and the second attachment portion,
wherein the main wall portion is attached to the inner wall element by a first front line of fasteners extending in the spanwise direction and extending through the main wall portion and the inner wall and by a second front line of fasteners extending in the spanwise direction and extending through the main wall portion and the inner wall, wherein the first and second front line of fasteners are on opposites sides of the area of the main wall portion having the micro pores, wherein the first attachment end is attached to the first attachment portion of the vertical tail plane box by a first rear line of fasteners extending in the spanwise direction and the first rear line of fasteners extend through the first attachment end and the first attachment portion,
wherein the first attachment end is attached to the main wall portion by a first welding seam extending in the spanwise direction and the first welding seam is between the first front line and the first rear line of fasteners,
wherein the second attachment end is attached to the second attachment portion of the vertical tail plane box by a second rear line of fasteners extending in the spanwise direction and the second rear line of fasteners extend through the second attachment end and the second attachment portion, and
wherein the second attachment end is attached to main wall portion by a second welding seam extending in the spanwise direction and the second welding seam is between the second front line and the second rear line of fasteners.