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EP-4741283-A1 - ACTUATION MECHANISM FOR A HIGH LIFT SYSTEM, ASSOCIATED HIGH LIFT SYSTEM, AIRCRAFT AND METHOD OF ACTUATING A HIGH LIFT SYSTEM

EP4741283A1EP 4741283 A1EP4741283 A1EP 4741283A1EP-4741283-A1

Abstract

This actuation mechanism (24) is configured for moving a high lift surface (22) relative to a wing body (20) and comprises: - a guiding linkage (26), configured for guiding a displacement of the high lift surface (22) relative to the wing body (20), - a rocker (28), configured to be moveable in rotation relative to the wing body (20); - a rotational actuator (30), comprising a housing (38) and an actuation element (40), the housing (38) being fastened to the rocker (28) and the actuation element (40) being moveable in rotation relative to the housing (38); and - an actuation linkage (32) configured for displacing the rocker (28) and the high lift surface (22) relative to the wing body (20) upon rotation of the actuation element (40) relatively to the housing (38).

Inventors

  • SCHLIPF, BERNHARD
  • GIBBERT, MARKUS

Assignees

  • Airbus Operations GmbH

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251022

Claims (15)

  1. Actuation mechanism (24) for a high lift system (12), configured for moving a high lift surface (22) relative to a wing body (20), the actuation mechanism (24) comprising: - a guiding linkage (26), configured to be connected to the high lift surface (22) and for guiding a displacement of the high lift surface (22) relative to the wing body (20), - a rocker (28), configured to be connected to the wing body (20) and to be moveable in rotation relative to the wing body (20); - a rotational actuator (30), comprising a housing (38) and an actuation element (40), the housing (38) being fastened to the rocker (28) and the actuation element (40) being moveable in rotation relative to the housing (38); and - an actuation linkage (32), connected to the actuation element (40) and configured to be connected to the high lift surface (22) and to the wing body (20), the actuation linkage (32) being configured for displacing the rocker (28) and the high lift surface (22) relative to the wing body (20) upon rotation of the actuation element (40) relatively to the housing (38).
  2. Actuation mechanism (24) according to claim 1, wherein the guiding linkage (26) is configured to be connected to the wing body (20) and for guiding the displacement of the high lift surface (22) in rotation relative to the wing body (20).
  3. Actuation mechanism (24) according to claim 1, wherein the guiding linkage (26) is connected to the rocker (28) and configured for guiding the displacement of the high lift surface (22) in rotation relative to the rocker (28).
  4. Actuation mechanism (24) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the guiding linkage (26) is configured to be fastened to the high lift surface (22), the guiding linkage (26) extending substantially along a L shape.
  5. Actuation mechanism (24) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the actuation linkage (32) comprises a proximal link element (42), an actuation link element (44) and a distal link element (46), the actuation link element (44) being fastened to the actuation element (40), the proximal link element (42) being connected to the actuation link element (44) and being moveable in rotation relative to the actuation link element (44), the proximal link element (42) being further configured for being connected to the wing body (20) and for being moveable in rotation relative to the wing body (20), the distal link element (46) being connected to the actuation link element (44) and being moveable in rotation relative to the actuation link element (44), the distal link element (46) being further configured for being connected to the high lift surface (22) and for being moveable in rotation relative to the high lift surface (22).
  6. Actuation mechanism (24) according to claim 5, wherein the actuation link element (44) comprises two non-aligned actuation arms (44A, 44B).
  7. Actuation mechanism (24) according to claim 6, wherein an angle (α) between the two non-aligned actuation arms (44A, 44B) is comprised between 5° and 30°.
  8. Actuation mechanism (24) according to any of the claims 5 to 7, wherein the proximal link element (42) is shorter than the distal link element (46).
  9. Actuation mechanism (24) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the rocker (28) comprises a main body (34) and a connection section (36), the housing (38) of the rotational actuator (30) being fastened to the main body (34) and the connection section (36) being configured to be connected to the wing body (20) for the rocker (28) to be moveable in rotation relative to the wing body (20).
  10. High lift system (12) comprising a wing body (20), a high lift surface (22) and an actuation mechanism (24) according to any of the claims 1 to 9, the guiding linkage (26) of the actuation mechanism (24) being connected to the high lift surface (22), the rocker (28) of the actuation mechanism (24) being connected to the wing body (20) and the actuation linkage (32) of the actuation mechanism (24) being connected to the high lift surface (22) and to the wing body (20).
  11. High lift system (12) according to claim 10, wherein the high lift surface (22) is forming a Krüger flap.
  12. Aircraft (10) comprising a high lift system (12) according to claim 10 or 11.
  13. Method of actuating a high lift system (12) according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the method comprises: - actuation of the rotational actuator (30) to move the actuation element (40) relatively to the housing (38) of the rotational actuator (30); - displacement of the high lift surface (22) relative to the wing body (20) by the actuation linkage (32); - guiding of the displacement of the high lift surface (22) relative to the wing body (20) by the guiding linkage (26); and - rotation of the rocker (28) relative to the wing body (20).
  14. Method of actuating a high lift system (12) according to claim 13, wherein the high lift system (12) is actuated between a retracted position and a deployed position, the actuation between the retracted and the deployed position comprising: - a first phase, in which the rocker (28) rotates in a first direction relative to the wing body (20), and - a second phase, in which the rocker (28) rotates in a second direction relative to the wing body (20), the second direction being opposed to the first direction.
  15. Method of actuating a high lift system (12) according to claim 14, wherein the rocker (28) is arranged in an inner volume (V) defined by the wing body (20) when the high lift system (12) is in its retracted position and in its deployed position.

Description

The present disclosure relates to an actuation mechanism for a high lift system. The disclosure also relates to a high lift system comprising such an actuation mechanism. The disclosure further relates to an aircraft comprising such a high lift system and to a method of actuating such a high lift system. In the domain of actuation mechanisms for high lift systems, and for example for Krüger flaps, one knows using rotational actuators, such as geared rotary actuators (often abbreviated GRA), to deploy and retract the high lift surfaces. The rotational actuator of such known mechanism is generally fastened to a wing body and moves linkages, connected to the high lift surface, in order to move the high lift surface relative to the wing body. In order to limit the spatial footprint of such actuation mechanisms in the wing body, one knows for example using linkage elements having a shape adapted to receive the rotational actuator when the high lift surface is retracted. Such linkages are often referred to as "swan neck" or "goose neck", because of their specific shape. Such mechanisms are however not entirely satisfying. Indeed, such mechanism require the rotational actuator to be arranged near the leading edge of the wing body. In high performance wings, such as laminar wings, the thickness of the wing near the leading edge is limited such as integration of known mechanisms is especially challenging. An object of the present invention is therefore to provide an actuation mechanism for a high lift system for which the integration in a high-performance wing is improved. To this end, the invention relates to an actuation mechanism for a high lift system, configured for moving a high lift surface relative to a wing body, the actuation mechanism comprising: a guiding linkage, configured to be connected to the high lift surface and for guiding a displacement of the high lift surface relative to the wing body,a rocker, configured to be connected to the wing body and to be moveable in rotation relative to the wing body;a rotational actuator, comprising a housing and an actuation element, the housing being fastened to the rocker and the actuation element being moveable in rotation relative to the housing; andan actuation linkage, connected to the actuation element and configured to be connected to the high lift surface and to the wing body, the actuation linkage being configured for displacing the rocker and the high lift surface relative to the wing body upon rotation of the actuation element relatively to the housing. The use of an actuation mechanism comprising rotational actuator mounted on a rocker as presented above is especially relevant since this allows the actuator to be distanced to the leading edge of the wing body while ensuring a proper actuation of the high lift surface. According to other advantageous aspects of the invention, the actuation mechanism comprises one or more of the following features taken alone or according to all technically possible combinations: the guiding linkage is configured to be connected to the wing body and for guiding the displacement of the high lift surface in rotation relative to the wing body;the guiding linkage is connected to the rocker and configured for guiding the displacement of the high lift surface in rotation relative to the rocker;the guiding linkage is configured to be fastened to the high lift surface, the guiding linkage extending substantially along a L shape;the actuation linkage comprises a proximal link element, an actuation link element and a distal link element, the actuation link element being fastened to the actuation element,the proximal link element being connected to the actuation link element and being moveable in rotation relative to the actuation link element, the proximal link element being further configured for being connected to the wing body and for being moveable in rotation relative to the wing body,the distal link element being connected to the actuation link element and being moveable in rotation relative to the actuation link element, the distal link element being further configured for being connected to the high lift surface and for being moveable in rotation relative to the high lift surface;the actuation link element comprises two non-aligned actuation arms;an angle between the two non-aligned actuation arms is comprised between 5° and 30°;the proximal link element is shorter than the distal link element; andthe rocker comprises a main body and a connection section, the housing of the rotational actuator being fastened to the main body and the connection section being configured to be connected to the wing body for the rocker to be moveable in rotation relative to the wing body. The invention further relates to a high lift system comprising a wing body, a high lift surface and an actuation mechanism as presented above, the guiding linkage of the actuation mechanism being connected to the high lift surface, the rocker of the actuation