Wing for an aircraft

A wing for an aircraft, including a main wing, a slat, and a connection assembly movably connecting the slat to the main wing, the slat movable between a retracted and at least one extended position. The connection assembly includes an elongate slat track. A wing has a connection assembly without requiring the front spar being penetrated. The slat track has a first end mounted to the slat and a second end guided at the main wing for movement along a predetermined path extending in a direction from a front spar to a leading edge of the main wing and from a lower side to an upper side of the main wing. Between the first and second ends the slat track is mounted to the main wing allowing translation of the slat track and rotation of the slat track about a first axis of rotation parallel to the leading edge.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2017 118 979.3 filed Aug. 18, 2017, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure herein relates to a wing for an aircraft, comprising a main wing, a slat, and a connection assembly movably connecting the slat to the main wing, such that the slat is movable between a retracted position and at least one extended position. Further aspects of the disclosure herein relate to an aircraft comprising such a wing, and to a connection assembly configured for connecting a slat to a main wing of an aircraft.

BACKGROUND

The connection assembly comprises an elongate slat track fixedly mounted to the slat and movably mounted to the main wing. Such slat tracks are known in the art and usually comprise a toothed rack that is engaged by a drive pinion mounted to the main wing, so that the slat track can be moved along its longitudinal axis between the retracted position and the extended position. Usually, rollers are provided at the main wing to guide the slat track from opposite sides during movement along its longitudinal axis. Such translational movement of the slat track requires that the slat track penetrates a front spar of the main wing when the slat is in the retracted position.

SUMMARY

Therefore, an object of the disclosure herein is to provide a wing having a connection assembly that does not require the front spar being penetrated. This object is achieved in that the slat track has a first end that is mounted to the slat and a second end that is guided at the main wing for movement along a predetermined path. The predetermined path extends in a direction from a front spar to a leading edge of the main wing, i.e. in a chord direction, and from a lower side to an upper side of the main wing, i.e. in a thickness direction. The leading edge extends as a line from a wing root to a wing tip. Further, between the first end and the second end the slat track is mounted to the main wing by a translational-rotational bearing that allows translation of the slat track along its longitudinal direction and that allows rotation of the slat track about a first axis of rotation parallel to the leading edge, i.e. parallel to a span direction, and that inhibits translation of the slat track normal to its longitudinal direction. The translational-rotational bearing is mounted to the main wing in a position further to the leading edge than the path.

In such a way, when the slat is moved between the retracted and the extended positions, the slat track does not only perform translational movement but also rotational movement, i.e. pivots about the first axis of rotation, so that the slat track can be formed with a shorter longitudinal extension and the front spar of the main wing does not need to be penetrated in the retracted position. This enables a more simple, reliable and safe design of the wing.

Preferably, the connection assembly is a first connection assembly and the wing comprises a second connection assembly formed essentially as the first connection assembly and connecting the slat to the main wing in a position spaced apart from the first connection assembly in the span direction, i.e. along the leading edge. Alternatively, the second connection assembly might also be formed different from the first connection assembly. Preferably, one slat is connected to the main by at least two connection assemblies, namely a first connection assembly and a second connection assembly.

According to a preferred embodiment, the slat track is driven by a drive unit for movement of the second end along the path. Preferably, the second end is moved by the drive unit. Alternatively, a drive unit for moving the slat relative to the main wing could be provided with an offset from the connection assembly in the span direction.

According to another preferred embodiment, the translational-rotational bearing is formed as a pair of rollers between which the slat track is guided from opposite sides. Preferably, the rollers have roller axes of rotation in parallel to the leading edge or to the span direction. In other words, one roller contacts an upper surface and another roller contacts a lower surface of the slat track. By such a roller pair a simple and effective translational-rotational bearing is provided where translation of the slat track along its longitudinal axis and rotation of the slat track about the first axis of rotation is enabled.

According to yet another preferred embodiment, the path is formed convex with respect to the leading edge. Preferably, the path is formed as a segment of a circle, wherein the circle has a center located between the front spar and the path. Preferably, the center is further located between the upper side of the main wing and the path. In such a way, an advantageous movement path of the slat is achieved.

According to another preferred embodiment, the path is defined by a trace to which the second end of the slat track is engaged. Such a trace may effectively guide the second end of the slat track along the path.

According to an alternative embodiment, the path is defined by a linkage. Such a linkage may effectively guide the second end of the slat track along the path.

In particular, it is preferred that the linkage comprises a first link. The first link is mounted to the main wing rotatably about a second axis of rotation and is mounted to the second end of the slat track rotatably about a third axis of rotation. The third axis of rotation is spaced apart from the first and second axes of rotation. Such a first link that is rotatably mounted to the main wing and rotatably mounted to the second end of the slat track, defines a path in the form of a segment of a circle for the second end of the slat track.

Preferably, the drive unit drives the first link for rotation about the second axis of rotation. In such a way, the first link forms a rotating actuator arm that moves the slat track along the path.

It is further preferred that the linkage comprises a second link driven by the drive unit and mounted to the first link rotatably about a fourth axis of rotation. Preferably, the fourth axis of rotation is positioned between the second axis of rotation and the third axis of rotation. By the second link movement of the first link can be initiated.

It is also preferred that the linkage comprises a third link mounted to the main wing rotatably about a fifth axis of rotation and mounted to the second link rotatably about a sixth axis of rotation. Preferably, the sixth axis of rotation is spaced apart from the fifth axis of rotation and from the fourth axis of rotation. Further, it is preferred that the fifth axis of rotation is positioned between the leading edge and the second axis of rotation. By the third link movement of the second link can be initiated.

In particular, it is preferred that the third link is driven by the drive unit, such as a rotary drive, about the fifth axis of rotation. In such a way, the third link is formed as a rotating arm that drives the second link, via the second link the first link, and via the first link finally the slat track.

It is particularly preferred that at least two of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth axes of rotation, preferably all of them, extend in parallel to one another. It is also preferred that at least two of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth axes of rotation, preferably all of them, extend in parallel to the leading edge or to the chord direction.

A further aspect of the disclosure herein relates to an aircraft comprising a wing according to any of the afore-described embodiments. The explanations and advantages presented in connection with the wing also apply with respect to the aircraft.

Yet a further aspect of the disclosure herein relates to a connection assembly configured for connecting a slat to a main wing of an aircraft such that the slat is movable between a retracted position and at least one extended position. The connection assembly comprises an elongate slat track configured for being fixedly mounted to the slat and configured for being movably mounted to the main wing. The slat track has a first end configured for being mounted to the slat and a second end configured for being guided at the main wing for movement along a predetermined path. The predetermined path extends in a direction from a front spar to a leading edge of the main wing and from a lower side to an upper side of the main wing. Between the first and second ends the slat track is configured for being mounted to the main wing by a translational-rotational bearing that allows translation of the slat track along its longitudinal direction and rotation of the slat track about a first axis of rotation parallel to the leading edge, and that inhibits translation of the slat track normal to its longitudinal direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

InFIGS. 1-3a wing1for an aircraft according to a preferred embodiment of the disclosure herein is illustrated. The wing1comprises a main wing3, a slat5, and a connection assembly7movably connecting the slat5to the main wing3, such that the slat5is movable between a retracted position9(seeFIG. 1), a partially extended position11(seeFIG. 2), and a fully extended position13(seeFIG. 3).

The connection assembly7comprises an elongate slat track15fixedly mounted to the slat5and movably mounted to the main wing3. The slat track15has a first end17that is fixedly mounted to the slat5and a second end19that is guided at the main wing3for movement along a predetermined path21. The path21extends in a direction from a front spar23to a leading edge25of the main wing3and from a lower side27to an upper side29of the main wing3. The path21is formed convex with respect to the leading edge25. More precise, the path21is formed as a segment of a circle31, wherein the circle has a center33located between the front spar23and the path21and between the upper side29of the main wing3and the path21. In the present embodiment, the path21is formed by a linkage35. Additionally or alternatively, the path21might also be formed by a trace37that is engaged by the second end19of the slat track15.

Between the first and second ends17,19the slat track15is mounted to the main wing3by a translational-rotational bearing39. The translational-rotational bearing39allows translation of the slat track15along its longitudinal direction41and rotation of the slat track15about a first axis of rotation43parallel to the leading edge25. At the same time, the translational-rotational bearing39inhibits translation of the slat track15normal to its longitudinal direction41. The translational-rotational bearing39is formed as a pair of rollers45between which the slat track15is guided from opposite sides. The rollers45have roller axes of rotation that extend in parallel to the leading edge25.

The linkage35comprises a first link47, a second link49, and a third link51. The first link47is mounted to the main wing3rotatably about a second axis of rotation53. Further, the first link47is mounted to the second end19of the slat track15rotatably about a third axis of rotation55spaced apart from the first axis of rotation43and from the second axis of rotation53. The second link49is mounted to the first link47rotatably about a fourth axis of rotation57positioned between the second axis of rotation53and the third axis of rotation55. The third link51is mounted to the main wing3rotatably about a fifth axis of rotation59and is mounted to the second link49rotatably about a sixth axis of rotation61. The sixth axis of rotation61is spaced apart from the fifth axis of rotation59and from the fourth axis of rotation57. The fifth axis of rotation59is positioned between the leading edge25and the second axis of rotation53. The first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth axes of rotation43,53,55,57,59and61extend in parallel to one another and in parallel to the leading edge25.

Further, the wing1comprises a drive unit63for driving the slat track15between the retracted and extended positions9,11,13. Specifically, the drive unit63drives the slat track15for movement of the second end19along the path21. The drive unit63is formed as a rotary drive that drives the third link51for movement about the fifth axis of rotation59. The third link51drives the second link49and via the second link49the first link47that, in turn, drives the second end19of the slat track15for movement along the path21. Such movement of the second end19of the slat track15along the path21causes the slat track15to carry out translation and rotation about the first axis of rotation43at the translational-rotational bearing39at the same time, which in turn causes the slat5to move between the retracted and the extended positions9,11,13.

InFIG. 4an aircraft65according to the disclosure herein is shown. The aircraft65comprises opposite wings1, wherein each wing1is formed as described above in connection withFIGS. 1 through 3including a main wing3, a slat5, and a connection assembly7movably connecting the slat5to the main wing3.