Patent Description:
Modern aircrafts usually comprise wings having adjustable high lift airfoil devices which can be moved rotatably and translatory relative to the wing. Such high lift airfoil devices may be e.g. flaps and/or flaperons, which combine the functions of flaps and ailerons. They are driven by adjustment mechanisms comprising high lift support structures, which are exposed to high loads during flight and usually project beyond the underside of the wing on which the adjustable high lift airfoil devices are arranged. The high lift support structures are aerodynamically enclosed or covered by fairing elements or devices. Typically, the high lift support structures are assembled to the wing with close tolerances.

<CIT> discloses a fairing system comprising a fixed fairing portion fixed to a wing and a movable fairing portion. A flap operating mechanism comprising a flap support structure which is attached to a mounting plate is positioned within the movable fairing portion by means of a connection rod. Thereby, a movement of a wing flap will likewise cause the movable fairing portion relative to the fixed fairing portion.

<CIT> discloses a method and means for increasing the aerodynamic efficiency of an airfoil employed by an aircraft. The method utilizes the primary flight control surfaces contiguous to the airfoil's trailing edge and relocates these devices to novel positions. Self-adjusting push-pull rods replace conventional solid rods where necessary in combination with a re-rigging of flight control surfaces to predetermined positions.

<CIT> discloses an air dam positioned between an opening existing between the wing rear spar cavity and a flap track fairing that depends downwardly from wing to block the flow of air between the fairing and the rear spar cavity, thereby also reducing the drag on the wing. A seal member is mounted spanwise along the rearward edge of a lower wing surface to press against the nose of a retracted rear flap to limit the passage of air between the rear flap and the lower fixed wing surface.

<CIT> discloses an aircraft wing flap sliding device comprising a beam rigidly secured on wing primary structure, a straight rail with carriage mounted on the beam, and a deflecting fairing and bracket rigidly coupled with wing flap. The bracket front part is articulated with a carriage that can move along straight rail of the beam. The bracket rear part is articulated with a fairing deflection crossarm. The crossarm other end is articulated with the beam tail part. A crossarm central part is coupled with deflecting fairing.

<CIT> discloses a trailing edge flap mechanism. A first linkage connects a main flap segment to the wing to move it forwardly and rearwardly while a second linkage, interconnected by a programming link with the first linkage, properly positions the main segment between and in the extended and retracted positions.

<CIT> discloses a swinging drive link pivotally connected at its lower end to a forward support for a flap. A flap mechanism fairing consists of a fixed forward segment and a movable aft segment. The movable part of the fairing is connected to the flap carriage fitting by a fairing slave link, which moves the fairing away from the flap during deployment to clear the moving mechanism.

<CIT> discloses a flap member mounted to a mounting structure through a forward track mounting means and a rear link member. A movable fairing encloses the mounting structure, the forward mounting means and the rear link member. A movable fairing encloses the mounting structure, the forward mounting means and the rear link member. Pivotally connected to an intermediate portion of the rear link is a second link, which extends downwardly and rearwardly to connect pivotally at its opposite end to a rear portion of the fairing.

<CIT> discloses an aircraft flap rail fairing wherein a fairing honeycomb is arranged in the fairing, and a plurality of connecting joints are fixed on the inner side of the fairing through bolts. The fairing is fixed on a flap track through the connection joints.

The installation of the fairing to the wing is time consuming and thus leads to relatively high costs, as the position and the orientation of the high lift support structure relative to the wing needs exactly to be considered when the fairing is mounted. This is quite often particularly difficult because of the high number of connections to the wingbox.

It is the object of the invention to allow a quicker installation of a fairing to a wing, to provide high rates when equipping wings with flaps, and to reduce lead time.

The object is achieved by the fairing attachment system according to claim <NUM>, the aircraft wing according to claim <NUM>, and the method for mounting a fairing device to a wing of an aircraft according to claim <NUM>.

The invention provides a fairing attachment system for a wing of an aircraft, the fairing attachment system comprising a high lift support structure configured for movable supporting a high-lift airfoil element of a wing of an aircraft relative to the wing; a fairing device extending in a lengthwise direction, configured for providing an aerodynamic cover or housing of the high lift support structure when attached to a surface of the wing, wherein the fairing device comprises a fixed fairing element and a movable fairing element which can be moved by the high lift support structure; the fairing attachment system further comprising an adjustable attachment element configured for attachment of the fixed fairing element to the high lift support structure, wherein the adjustable attachment element is elongated and adjustable in length in order to compensate tolerances of the high lift support structure relative to the wing during assembly.

The invention provides a fairing to wing connection which allows a quick installation of a fairing to a wing independently from the position and orientation of the high lift support structure relatively to the wing. High rates capable equipping of the flap on the wing and reducing cost and lead time in the final assembly line are achieved. Moreover, the invention enables modular installation of high lift devices like e.g. flaps and flaperons with minimizing the number of connections to the wingbox, thus reducing complexity of installation. In particular, fairing installation independently from the high lift support structure is achieved. The fairing attachment system is designed for attachment of the fairing device to the aircraft.

The high lift support structure is e.g. configured for movable attachment to the wing. In particular, the high lift airfoil element may e.g. be a flap or a flaperon.

Preferably, the adjustable attachment element is configured for being pivotally mounted to the high lift support structure about a pivot axis.

Preferably, at least a component of the pivot axis of the pivotally mounted adjustable attachment element extends in the lengthwise direction of the fairing device.

Preferably, the fairing attachment system further comprises a support element configured for supporting the fairing device at the wing at a position distant from the adjustable attachment element in the lengthwise direction of the fairing device.

Preferably, the support element provides a rotational degree of freedom, wherein the rotation axis of the support element is parallel to the pivot axis of the adjustable attachment element.

Preferably, a second pivot axis of the adjustable attachment element extends in the spanwise direction of the wing.

Preferably, the fairing attachment system further comprises a seal element configured for being mounted between the fairing device and the wing, the seal advantageously being compressible by adjustment of the adjustable attachment element, e.g. in order to control a gap between the fairing device and the wing.

The fairing device comprises a fixed fairing element and a movable fairing element which can be moved by the high lift support structure e.g. relative to the fixed fairing element, wherein the adjustable attachment element is configured for attachment of the movable fairing element to the high lift support structure.

Preferably, the adjustable fairing element is configured as a strut for an aft attachment of the fairing device.

Preferably, the support element is configured as a bracket for providing a front attachment of the fairing device.

According to an aspect of the invention, an aircraft wing comprising a high lift airfoil arrangement, a fairing device and a fairing attachment system according to the invention is provided.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a method for mounting a fairing device to a wing of an aircraft is provided, wherein a fairing attachment system according to the invention is used.

Embodiments of the invention are described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings.

<FIG> depicts a section of a wing <NUM> comprising a fairing attachment system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The fairing attachment system comprises a high lift support structure <NUM>, which is configured as a kinematic support rib and designed for supporting and moving a high lift airfoil element designed as a flap <NUM> of wing <NUM>. It further comprises a fairing device <NUM> which forms an aerodynamic housing covering the kinematic support rib <NUM> at the underside <NUM> of wing <NUM>. Further, the fairing attachment system comprises an adjustable attachment element <NUM> realized by a strut for attaching the fairing device <NUM> to the high lift support structure <NUM>. The attachment element or strut <NUM> is longitudinally extending and adjustable in length in order to compensate tolerances of the high lift support structure <NUM> relative to the wing <NUM> during assembly.

The fairing device <NUM> extends in a lengthwise direction X which corresponds to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft and the wing <NUM>. It comprises a fixed fairing element <NUM> which forms a forward portion of the fairing device <NUM>, and a movable fairing element <NUM>, which forms an aft portion of the fairing device <NUM>.

The wing <NUM> comprises flap <NUM> as a high-lift airfoil element located at the trailing edge of the wing <NUM>. Flap <NUM> is mechanically connected to the distal end <NUM> of an arm <NUM> of the kinematic support rib <NUM>. Kinematic support rib <NUM> comprises a first fastener element <NUM> designed as a bolt and located at an end of support rib <NUM> opposite to the distal end <NUM>. By the fastener element <NUM>, kinematic support rib <NUM> is rotatably mounted within the wing <NUM>. Support rib <NUM> comprises two support rib elements 11a, 11b formed as plates which are aligned parallel to each other with a distance between them.

Support rib <NUM> further comprises a second fastener element <NUM> designed as a bolt and located at a further portion of the arm <NUM> of support rib <NUM>. By the second fastener element <NUM>, kinematic support arm <NUM> is rotatably mounted below the underside <NUM> of the wing <NUM>. In this way, the distal end <NUM> of arm <NUM> is able to pivot around a pivot axis extending in the spanwise direction of the wing <NUM>, i.e. arm <NUM> is pivotable around the longitudinal axis of bolt <NUM>. Thus, flap <NUM> connected to distal end <NUM> of the arm <NUM> is moved by the rotational movement of kinematic support rib <NUM>, which is built as a double rib and driven by driving means not shown in the figure.

A support element <NUM> formed by a support bracket of the wing <NUM> is fixedly connected to the wing <NUM> and mechanically connects a portion of the fixed fairing element <NUM> to the wing <NUM>, thus forming a forward attachment of the fixed fairing element <NUM>. The forward attachment provides a rotational degree of freedom for the fixed fairing element <NUM>, which will be explained in more detail further below. The wing fixed bracket <NUM> is installed during wing box assembly with close tolerances. The bracket <NUM> is used to attach the fairing by two bolts and serves as the forward attachment of the fixed fairing <NUM>.

One end of strut <NUM> is attached to kinematic arm <NUM> of kinematic support rib <NUM> which is mechanically connected to the flap <NUM>. The opposite end of strut <NUM> is attached to a support bracket <NUM> of the fixed fairing element <NUM>, thus forming an aft attachment of the fixed fairing element <NUM>. In this way, the fixed fairing element <NUM> is attached to the kinematic support rib <NUM> by strut <NUM>.

The fairing bracket <NUM> or aft attachment of the fixed fairing element <NUM> is located at a position distant from the forward attachment <NUM> in the longitudinal direction X of the wing <NUM> and the aircraft.

Since the aft attachment of fixed fairing <NUM> is located on the kinematic support rib <NUM>, the location of the support bracket <NUM> depends on the location of the kinematic support rib <NUM>. Strut <NUM> installed at the aft attachment can be adjusted in length in order to compensate resulting tolerances of the high lift support rib <NUM> to wing assembly, i.e. during the final assembly line process. Thus, the final position of the fixed fairing element <NUM> is independent from the position of the kinematic support rib <NUM> which is usually installed with close tolerances.

A seal <NUM> located between fairing <NUM> and wing <NUM> is compressible by the adjustment of strut <NUM> in order to control a gap between fairing <NUM> and wing <NUM>.

Referring now to <FIG> which depict the double kinematic support rib <NUM>, the fixed fairing element <NUM> of fairing device <NUM>, and the adjustable strut <NUM> attached to fixed fairing element <NUM> as a front view. <FIG> shows the kinematic support rib <NUM> in a nominal position, whereas <FIG> depicts the support rib <NUM> in a position where it is misaligned due to build tolerances. Both figures show the situation after installation of strut <NUM> in order to attach fixed fairing <NUM> to kinematic support rib <NUM>.

When the support rib <NUM> is in its nominal position, strut <NUM> is installed with its nominal length, as can be seen from <FIG>. However, when support rib <NUM> is misaligned due to build tolerances as shown in <FIG>, strut <NUM> is adjusted in length.

Further, the end <NUM> of strut <NUM> attached to support rib <NUM> is pivotally installed in a support element <NUM> designed as a bracket and being part of support rib <NUM>. Further, the opposite end <NUM> of strut <NUM> is also pivotally installed in support element or bracket <NUM> of the fixed fairing element <NUM>.

Thus, strut <NUM> is able to pivot around pivot axes extending through support elements <NUM> and <NUM> perpendicular to the image plane of <FIG>, i.e. in the direction X indicated in <FIG>, which corresponds to the longitudinal or forward direction of the wing <NUM> and the aircraft. Thus, strut <NUM> compensates an angular mismatch due to the misalignment of support rib <NUM>.

<FIG> shows the length adjustment L of the strut <NUM> attached to fixed fairing element <NUM> at one side and to kinematic support rib <NUM> at the opposite side, as well as the rotational degree of freedom R provided by the forward attachment <NUM> and by the aft attachment <NUM> of fixed fairing element <NUM>.

Claim 1:
Fairing attachment system for a wing of an aircraft, comprising a high lift support structure (<NUM>) configured for movable supporting a high-lift airfoil element (<NUM>) of a wing (<NUM>) of an aircraft relative to the wing (<NUM>);
a fairing device (<NUM>) extending in a lengthwise direction (X), configured for providing an aerodynamic housing of the high lift support structure (<NUM>) when attached to a surface (<NUM>) of the wing (<NUM>),
wherein the fairing device (<NUM>) comprises a fixed fairing element (<NUM>) and a movable fairing element (<NUM>) which can be moved by the high lift support structure (<NUM>);
characterized by
an adjustable attachment element (<NUM>) configured for attachment of the fixed fairing element (<NUM>) to the high lift support structure (<NUM>),
wherein the adjustable attachment element (<NUM>) is elongated and adjustable in length in order to compensate tolerances of the high lift support structure (<NUM>) relative to the wing (<NUM>) during assembly.