AN AIRCRAFT WITH A FOLDABLE WING TIP DEVICE

摘要

An aircraft including a wing (1) and a wing tip device (6). The wing tip device (6) is moveable between a flight configuration for use during flight and a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations. In the ground configuration the wing tip device is folded inwardly from the flight configuration such that the span of the aircraft is reduced. The wing tip device (6) is connected to the wing along a hinge axis (14) by spar beams (10 and 12) of the wing tip device, one of the beams being mounted for pivoting about a fixed axis and the other beam being mounted on a spherical bearing (15) to provide greater freedom of movement. Various actuator arrangements may be provided to pivot the wing tip device.

主权项

1. An aircraft comprising a wing and a wing tip device at the tip of the wing, the wing comprising first and second spars that converge towards the wing tip device, wherein the wing tip device is moveable between:
i. a flight configuration for use during flight, in which the wing tip device projects from the wing increasing the span of the aircraft, and ii. a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations, in which ground configuration the wing tip device is pivoted away from the flight configuration such that a span of the aircraft is reduced, and wherein the wing tip device is connected to the wing by a hinge arrangement associated with the first spar and allowing pivoting about a fixed hinge axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first spar, and by a pivotal mounting arrangement associated with the second spar, the mounting arrangement being disposed in the second spar perpendicular thereto whilst mounting the wing tip device for pivoting about the fixed hinge axis, the hinge arrangement and the pivotal mounting arrangement being arranged to allow the wing tip device to rotate about the hinge axis between the flight configuration and the ground configuration.