Patent ID: 11952914
Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS S.L.
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  F | IPC F

Claim 12:
13. An airfoil assembly comprising:
a profile panel extending in a spanwise direction of the airfoil and having in cross section a U-shape or a V-shape, wherein the profile panel includes a panel outer surface configured to be exposed to the airflow;
an airfoil including an upper outer surface and a lower outer surface each configured to be exposed to airflow, and upper and lower trailing edge flanges extending aft of the upper and lower outer surfaces in a direction of the airflow, wherein the upper and lower trailing edge flanges extend into an inner space defined by the profile panel;
a first row of recesses on the profile panel projecting inward towards the inner space, abutting the upper trailing edge flange and arranged along the spanwise direction, wherein each recess of the first row abuts and is joined to the upper trailing edge at least at two points;
a second row of recesses on the profile panel projecting inward towards the inner space, abutting the lower trailing edge flange and arranged along the spanwise direction, wherein each recess of the second row abuts and is joined to the lower trailing edge at least at two points;
the profile panel includes an upper edge and a lower edge each facing into the airflow along a chordwise direction of the airfoil, wherein the upper edge of the profile panel is aligned with and adjacent a rear edge of the upper outer surface of the airfoil and the lower edge of the profile is aligned with and adjacent a rear edge of the lower outer surface of the airfoil;
the profile panel includes an upper support section which includes the upper edge and a first projection extending inwards towards the inner space and abutting the upper trailing edge flange proximate the rear edge of the upper outer surface, wherein the first projection has a semicircular shape or a triangular shape in cross section along the direction of the airflow and the first projection is forward of the first row of recess, and the profile panel includes a lower support section which includes the lower edge and a second projection extending inwards towards the inner space and abuts the lower trailing edge flange proximate an aft edge of the lower outer surface, wherein the second projection has a semicircular shape or a triangular shape in cross section along the direction of the airflow and the second projection is forward of the second row of recess.