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EP-4438465-B1 - SEALING STRIP, CONTROL SURFACE ARRANGEMENT, AIRCRAFT WING AND AIRCRAFT

EP4438465B1EP 4438465 B1EP4438465 B1EP 4438465B1EP-4438465-B1

Inventors

  • SCHLIPF, BERNHARD
  • LORENZ, FLORIAN

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230327

Claims (14)

  1. Control surface arrangement (14) for an aircraft, comprising a first and second control surface element (16), wherein the first and second control surface elements (16) are aerodynamic surface elements (16), have convexly curved outer surfaces (18), and are arranged side by side in a spanwise direction with a gap (20) therebetween, wherein the gap (20) is sealed by a sealing strip (22) such that the sealing strip (22) has a convexly curved outer side (44), the sealing strip (22) having a profile with a mid-seal section (46) and welting sections (48), wherein the welting sections (48) are arranged at end portions of the profile for fixing the sealing strip (22) at the aerodynamic surface elements (16) and protrude on an inner side from the mid-seal section (46), wherein the mid-seal section (46) is arranged between the welting sections (48), wherein at least one stringer-type stiffening structure (58) is provided on the inner side (50) of the mid-seal section (46).
  2. Control surface arrangement (14) according to claim 1, wherein the stiffening structure (58) comprises a flange (66) protruding on the inner side (50) of the mid-seal section (46).
  3. Control surface arrangement (14) according to claim 2, wherein the stiffening structure (58) consists of the flange (66) which has a rectangular or trapezoid or triangular cross-section.
  4. Control surface arrangement (14) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the stiffening structure (58) comprises a neck portion (60) and a head portion (62).
  5. Control surface arrangement (14) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the stiffening structure (58) comprises at least one longitudinal inner reinforcement and/or reinforcement fibres (64).
  6. Control surface arrangement (14) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the stiffening structure (58) is configured to align the local neutral fibre (54) location of the mid-seal section (46) of the bent sealing strip (22) with the local neutral fibre (56) location of the welting sections (48).
  7. Control surface arrangement (14) according to any of the preceding claims wherein one stiffening structure (58) is provided in the centrum of the sealing strip (22) or wherein several stiffening structures (58) are evenly distributed over the width of the mid-seal section (46) with preferably equal spaces between the stiffening structures (58) and the welting sections (48).
  8. Control surface arrangement (14) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein one of the welting sections (48) is fixed to the first control surface element (16), the other welting section (48) is fixed to the second control surface element (16), the outer side (44) of the mid-seal section (46) is convexly curved, and the stringer-type stiffening structure (58) protrudes on the concavely curved inner side (50).
  9. Control surface arrangement (14) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the control surface elements (16) are movable between a fully extended position and a fully retracted position.
  10. Control surface arrangement (14) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the control surface elements (16) are leading edge slats (26) for an aircraft wing (12).
  11. Aircraft wing (12), comprising a control surface arrangement (14) according to any of the preceding claims.
  12. Aircraft (10), comprising a control surface arrangement (14) according to any of the claims 1 to 10 or an aircraft wing (12) according to claim 11.
  13. Use of a sealing strip (22) as a weather seal (24) for sealing a gap (20) between convexly curved aerodynamic surface elements (16) of an aircraft (10) such that the sealing strip (22) has an outer side (44) being convexly curved in use, wherein the sealing strip (22) has a profile with a mid-seal section (46) and welting sections (48), wherein the welting sections (48) are arranged at end portions of the profile for fixing the sealing strip (22) at the aerodynamic surface elements (16) and protrude on an inner side from the mid-seal section (46), wherein the mid-seal section (46) is arranged between the welting sections (48), wherein at least one stringer-type stiffening structure (58) is provided on the inner side (50) of the mid-seal section (46),
  14. Use of the sealing strip (22) according to claim 13, wherein the at least one stringer-type stiffening structure (58) is configured such that the local neutral fibre (54) of the mid-seal section (46) of the bent sealing strip (22) is shifted from the mid-plane of the mid-seal section (46) to the inside.

Description

The invention relates to a control surface arrangement with adjacent control surface elements and with a sealing strip for sealing a gap between the convexly curved aerodynamic surface elements. Further, the invention relates to an aircraft wing having such control surface arrangement. Further, the invention relates to an aircraft with such control surface arrangement and/or such a wing. Finally, the invention relates to use of a sealing strip for sealing a gap between convexly curved aerodynamic surface elements of an aircraft. Reference is made to the following documents: [1] EP 0 071 669 A1[2] EP 0 410 328 A1[3] US 3 884 000 A[4] EP 3 222 515 A1[5] DE 10 2012 006 187 A1[6] FR 2 479 306 A1[7] neutral fiber. (n.d.) McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E. (2003). Retrieved February 10 2025 from https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/neutral+fiber Document [5] discloses a flap arrangement for aircraft, comprising a hinge arrangement with three bearing points, where two bearing points are rigidly connected to a base body and to each flap, and remaining bearing points allow local movement between the base body and each flap. A gap is provided between two adjacent flaps which can have a sliding seal. As indicated, e.g. in [7], a neutral fibre (in mechanics) is the line of zero stress in cross section of a bent beam, separating the region of compressive stress from that of tensile stress. [1] discloses a device for bridging tension gaps in sidewalks or other paving, wherein a seal is introduced in grooves of the paving elements. The seal has a an outer profile plate and an inner profile plate connected by ribs. [2] discloses a ribbon shaped profile seal for sealing gaps in concreted buildings with longitudinal ribs as stiffening structures. [3] discloses a device for the fixation of joint sealing strips in molds for concrete casting use. Also [6] lies in the field of building construction, especially of prefabricated buildings and relates to sealed joints between two adjacent edges of two prefabricated panels.[4] discloses a sealing device for a flight control surface mechanism of an aircraft, wherein the sealing device comprises a fixed seal attached to a fixed part of the flight control surface mechanism and a movable seal attached to a movable wing surface of the flight control surface mechanism. [5] discloses a flap arrangement with a basis body and a flap movable relative to the basis body by means of a hinge arrangement. Between slats or other control surface elements of an aircraft, a gap is required which is covered by a so-called weather seal. The weather seal is a sealing strip which is curved, in use, according to the curvature of the control surface elements. An object of the invention is to improve a sealing of a gap between control surfaces of an aircraft in order to enhance aerodynamics. For achieving such object, the invention provides a control surface arrangement with a sealing strip according to claim 1. According to further aspects, the invention provides an aircraft wing according to claim 11, an aircraft having a control surface arrangement with a gap sealed by the sealing strip according to claim 12, and a use of a sealing strip for sealing a gap between control surface elements of an aircraft in accordance independent claim 13. Advantageous embodiments are subject-matters of the dependent claims. The invention provides a control surface arrangement for an aircraft, comprising a first and second control surface element, wherein the first and second control surface elements are aerodynamic surface elements, have convexly curved outer surfaces, and are arranged side by side in a spanwise direction with a gap therebetween, wherein the gap is covered by a sealing strip. The sealing strip is configured for sealing the gap between the convexly curved aerodynamic surface elements of the aircraft such that the sealing strip has a convexly curved outer side exposed to the outside. The sealing strip has a profile with a mid-seal section and welting sections. The welting sections are arranged at end portions of the profile for fixing the sealing strip at the aerodynamic surface elements and protrude on an inner side from the mid-seal section. The mid-seal section is arranged between the welting sections. At least one stringer-type stiffening structure is provided on the inner side of the mid-seal section. Preferably, the stiffening structure comprises a flange portion protruding on the inner side of the mid-seal section. Preferably, the stiffening structure consists only of the flange. Preferably, the flange has a rectangular or trapezoid or triangular section. Preferably, the stiffening structure comprises a neck portion and a head portion. Preferably, the head portion comprises at least one longitudinal inner reinforcement and/or reinforcement fibres. Preferably, the stiffening structure is configured to align the local neutral fibre location of the mid-seal section of the