Latching and locking mechanism for a foldable wing arrangement

1. A wing arrangement for an aircraft comprising:

a wing having a base section and a tip section, the base section having a first end portion and a second end portion, the tip section having a third end portion and a fourth end portion,

wherein the first end portion is adapted to be coupled to the fuselage of the aircraft,

wherein the second end portion and the third end portion are coupled with each other by a coupling arrangement such that the tip section is pivotable with respect to the base section about a pivot axis between a stowed position and a deployed position, the spanwise length of the wing between the first end portion and the fourth end portion being larger in the deployed position than in the stowed position,

the wing arrangement further comprising a latching arrangement configured to latch the tip section relative to the base section when in the deployed position, the latching arrangement including a latching member and an engagement device, wherein the latching member is fixed to one of the second end portion and the third end portion,

wherein the engagement device comprises:

a base member supported in a predetermined position on the other of the second end portion and the third end portion and which comprises an abutment surface, and

an engagement member supported on said other of the second end portion and the third end portion and which is movable between a release position and a latching position by an actuator coupled to the engagement member and said other of the second end portion and the third end portion,

wherein when the tip section is in the deployed position, the latching member abuts on the abutment surface and the engagement member can be moved between the release position and the latching position,

wherein when the latching member abuts on the abutment surface and the engagement member is in the latching position, the engagement member abuts on a surface section of the latching member facing away from the abutment surface to prevent a pivot movement of the tip section about the pivot axis out of the deployed position towards the stowed position,

wherein when the engagement member is in the release position, the latching member may move away from the abutment surface to allow pivot movement of the tip section from the deployed position towards the stowed position, and

wherein the predetermined position of the base member relative to said other of the second end portion and the third end portion is adjustable such that the base member may move along a direction extending in a plane which is inclined to the pivot axis and inclined to a line connecting the base member and the pivot axis.

2. The wing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the engagement member and the actuator are coupled to the base member.

3. The wing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the third end portion is said one of the second end portion and the third end portion and wherein the second end portion is said other of the second end portion and the third end portion.

4. The wing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling arrangement comprises a first coupling part and a second coupling part,

wherein the first coupling part and the second coupling part are pivotably coupled with each other in such a manner that the second coupling part is guided for a pivot movement by the first coupling part about the pivot axis,

wherein the first coupling part is fixedly connected to said one of the second end portion and the third end portion and the second coupling part is fixedly connected to said other of the second end portion and the third end portion and

wherein the latching member is mounted on the first coupling part.

5. The wing arrangement according to claim 4 , wherein the first coupling part has an annular shape and surrounds the pivot axis and

wherein the latching member extends radially with respect to the pivot axis beyond the first coupling part.

6. The wing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the engagement member is supported pivotably on the base member so that the engagement member may pivot about a member axis between the release position and the locking position,

wherein the engagement member comprises a main portion which is dimensioned such that both in the release position and in the latching position the main portion does not extend into a planar space in which the latching member moves during pivotal movement between the deployed position and the stowed position,

wherein a projection is provided on the main portion projecting beyond the main portion an a radial direction relative to the member axis and comprising a stop surface which points to the abutment surface, when the engagement member is in the latching position and

wherein the projection is dimensioned such that it does not extend into said planar space when the engagement member is in the release position, and that when the engagement member is in the latching position the projection extends into the planar space such that when the tip section is in the deployed position, the latching member is received between the abutment surface and the stop surface.

7. The wing arrangement according to claim 6 , wherein the stop surface is planar and inclined with respect to the member axis.

8. A wing arrangement for an aircraft comprising:

a wing having a base section and a tip section, the base section having a first end portion and a second end portion, the tip section having a third end portion and a fourth end portion,

wherein the first end portion is adapted to be coupled to the fuselage of the aircraft,

wherein the second end portion and the third end portion are coupled with each other by a coupling arrangement such that the tip section is pivotable with respect to the base section about a pivot axis between a stowed position and a deployed position, the spanwise length of the wing between the first end portion and the fourth end portion being larger in the deployed position than in the stowed position,

the wing arrangement further comprising a latching arrangement configured to latch the tip section relative to the base section when in the deployed position, the latching arrangement including a latching member and an engagement device, wherein the latching member is fixed to one of the second end portion and the third end portion,

wherein the engagement device comprises:

a base member supported in a predetermined position on the other of the second end portion and the third end portion and which comprises an abutment surface, and

an engagement member supported on said other of the second end portion and the third end portion and which is movable between a release position and a latching position by an actuator coupled to the engagement member and said other of the second end portion and the third end portion,

wherein when the tip section is in the deployed position, the latching member abuts on the abutment surface and the engagement member can be moved between the release position and the latching position,

wherein when the latching member abuts on the abutment surface and the engagement member is in the latching position, the engagement member abuts on a surface section of the latching member facing away from the abutment surface to prevent a pivot movement of the tip section about the pivot axis out of the deployed position towards the stowed position,

wherein when the engagement member is in the release position, the latching member may move away from the abutment surface to allow pivot movement of the tip section from the deployed position towards the stowed position,

wherein the engagement member is formed as an engagement lever which is pivotably coupled about a lever axis on said other of the second end portion and the third end portion so that the engagement lever may pivot between the latching position and the release position about the lever axis, and

wherein the lever axis is arranged such that in the release position a contact portion of the engagement lever for contacting the latching member in the latching position is offset from the plane in which the latching member moves during the pivotal movement of the tip section.

9. The wing arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein the engagement device comprises a first actuating lever and a second actuating lever,

wherein the first actuating lever is pivotably coupled with the engagement lever,

wherein the second actuating lever is pivotably coupled to the first actuating lever spaced from the pivotal coupling between the first actuating lever and the engagement lever,

wherein the second actuating lever is pivotably coupled to said other of the second end portion and the third end portion and

wherein the actuator is a linear actuator the first end of which being coupled to said other of the second end portion and the third end portion and the other end being connected to the first or second actuating lever.

10. The wing arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein the engagement lever is pivotably coupled about a lever axis on said other of the second end portion and the third end portion such that it is pivotably mounted on the base member,

wherein the second actuating lever is coupled to said other of the second end portion and the third end portion such that it is pivotably mounted on the base member and

wherein the first end of the linear actuator is coupled to said other of the second end portion and the third end portion such that it is mounted on the base member.

11. The wing arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein in the release position the coupling between the first actuating lever and the second actuating lever is arranged on a first side of a connecting line connecting the coupling between the first actuating lever and the engagement lever and the coupling between the second actuating lever and said other of the second end portion and the third end portion and

wherein in the latching position the coupling between the first actuating lever and the second actuating lever is arranged on a second side of the connecting line opposite the first side.

12. The wing arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein the engagement lever is biased towards the latching position and

wherein the actuator is a linear actuator the first end of which being coupled to said other of the second end portion and the third end portion and the other end being connected to the engagement lever.

13. The wing arrangement according to claim 12 , wherein the engagement lever is pivotably coupled about a lever axis on said other of the second end portion and the third end portion such that it is pivotably mounted on the second end portion and

wherein the first end of the linear actuator is coupled to said other of the second end portion and the third end portion such that it is mounted on the second end portion.

14. The wing arrangement according to claim 12 , wherein when the tip section is in the deployed position and the engagement lever is in the latching position, a contact plane between the contact portion of the engagement lever and the latching member is inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the pivot axis.