Wing structure for an aircraft

1. A wing structure for an aircraft, comprising:

a primary wing structure;

a leading-edge slat comprising:

a cove wall;

a sliding-flexure-hinge extending from the cove wall; and

an interior space within the leading-edge slat, wherein the leading-edge slat is configured to movably interconnect with the primary wing structure for movement between a retracted position and a deployed position; and

a slat-cove filler comprising a flexible material and defining a first shape when the leading-edge slat is in the deployed position and a second shape when the leading-edge slat is in the retracted position, wherein a leading end of the slat-cove filler is configured to slide along the sliding-flexure-hinge into the interior space when the leading-edge slat is moving toward the deployed position and out of the interior space when the leading-edge slat is moving toward the retracted position.

2. The wing structure of claim 1 , wherein the leading end of the slat-cove filler includes a mechanical stop.

3. The wing structure of claim 2 , wherein the sliding-flexure-hinge is a bulbous type sliding-flexure-hinge.

4. The wing structure of claim 2 , wherein the sliding-flexure-hinge includes at least one roller in rolling engagement with the slat-cove filler.

5. The wing structure of claim 2 , wherein the leading end of the slat-cove filler includes a bias element configured to apply a bias force to the mechanical stop or directly to the leading end of the slat-cove filler itself.

6. The wing structure of claim 1 , wherein a stabilizer extends from the cove wall forward of the sliding-flexure-hinge, the stabilizer configured to engage the slat-cove filler.

7. The wing structure of claim 1 , wherein the leading-edge slat further comprises a span-wise series of ribs and the slat-cove filler comprises a series of tongues configured to slide between the span-wise series of ribs.

8. The wing structure of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one side plate mounted on a lateral edge of the leading-edge slat, wherein the at least one side plate includes a profile of a combination of the leading-edge slat and the slat-cove filler.

9. The wing structure of claim 8 , wherein the at least one side plate comprises a plurality of nesting side plates.

10. The wing structure of claim 1 , wherein the slat-cove filler includes a shape-set trailing end attached to a trailing edge of the leading-edge slat, the shape-set trailing end having a sharpest bend at a chord-wise location offset from the trailing edge of the leading-edge slat.

11. The wing structure of claim 10 , further comprising:

an external auxiliary slat-cove filler component extending between the trailing edge of the leading-edge slat and a central portion of the slat-cove filler below the sharpest bend.

12. The wing structure of claim 11 , wherein a forward end of the external auxiliary slat-cove filler component is fixedly secured to the central portion of the slat-cove filler and a rearward end of the external auxiliary slat-cove filler component engages with at least one of the trailing edge of the leading-edge slat and the shape-set trailing end.

13. The wing structure of claim 1 , wherein the slat-cove filler includes a shape-set portion attached to the leading-edge slat forward of a trailing edge of the leading-edge slat, wherein the shape-set portion includes a sharpest bend at a chord-wise location forward of a trailing end of the slat-cove filler.

14. The wing structure of claim 1 , further comprising:

an internal auxiliary slat-cove filler component attached to a central portion of the slat-cove filler and the leading-edge slat, the internal auxiliary slat-cove filler component disposed between the slat-cove filler and the cove wall.

15. The wing structure of claim 1 , wherein a trailing end portion of the slat-cove filler is attached to a trailing edge of the leading-edge slat by a hinge.

16. The wing structure of claim 1 , wherein the leading end of the slat-cove filler includes a bias element.