Arrangement for moving a wing tip device between a flight configuration and a ground configuration
An aircraft comprises a wing, a wing tip device at the tip of the wing and an actuator. The actuator is arranged to effect movement of the wing tip device between a flight configuration for use during flight and a ground configuration in which the wing tip device is moved away from the flight configuration such that the span of the aircraft is reduced. The aircraft comprises a carriage guide, such as a rail, fixed relative to the wing, and a carriage arranged to move along the carriage guide as the wing tip device moves between the flight and ground configurations. The wing tip device is fixed relative to the carriage such that the path of the wing tip device, during movement of the wing tip device, between the flight and the ground configurations, is defined by the shape of the carriage guide.
1. An aircraft comprising a wing, a wing tip device at the tip of the wing and an actuator, the actuator being arranged to effect movement of the wing tip device between:
(i) a flight configuration for use during flight and
(ii) a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations, in which ground configuration the wing tip device is moved away from the flight configuration such that the span of the aircraft is reduced,
characterised in that the aircraft comprises:
a carriage guide, fixed relative to the wing,
a carriage arranged to move along the carriage guide as the wing tip device moves between the flight and ground configurations,
wherein the carriage carries the wing tip device,
the wing tip device is fixed relative to the carriage, such that the path of the wing tip device, during movement of the wing tip device, between the flight and the ground configurations, is defined by the shape of the carriage guide, and
wherein the carriage guide is shaped such that the movement of the wing tip device between the flight and the ground configurations comprises both a rotational component of movement of the wing tip device and a translational component of movement of the wing tip device.
2. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a linear actuator.
3. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the wing comprises an end rib at the tip of the wing, the end rib having an upper edge and a lower edge, and wherein at least part of the lower edge of the rib is recessed in a spanwise direction, relative to the upper edge.
4. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the carriage guide is shaped such that the movement from the flight configuration to the ground configuration comprises an initial phase of motion that comprises only a translational component of movement of the wing tip device.
5. An aircraft according to claim 4 , wherein the carriage guide comprises a proximal end nearest the wing and a distal end farthest from the wing, and the carriage guide has a straight section at its proximal end, and a curved section extending from the straight section to the distal end.
6. An aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the carriage guide comprises an upper guide, a middle guide and a lower guide, and the carriage comprises corresponding upper, middle and lower contacts for moving along those respective guides.
7. An aircraft according to claim 6 , wherein the carriage guide comprises a rail, the upper surface of the rail forming the upper guide, and the lower surface of the rail forming the lower guide.
8. An aircraft according to claim 7 , wherein the rail comprises a slot located between the upper and lower surfaces, the slot forming the middle guide.
9. An assembly for attaching a wing tip device to an aircraft wing, the wing tip device being moveable between:
(i) a flight configuration for use during flight and
(ii) a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations, in which ground configuration the wing tip device is moved away from the flight configuration such that the span of the aircraft is reduced,
wherein the assembly comprises:
a carriage guide, for fixing relative to the wing,
a carriage arranged to move along the carriage guide as the wing tip device moves between the flight and ground configurations,
wherein wing tip device is fixable relative to the carriage, such that the path of the wing tip device, during movement of the wing tip device, between the flight and the ground configurations, is defined by the shape of the carriage guide, and
wherein the carriage guide is shaped such that the movement of the wing tip device between the flight and the ground configurations comprises both a rotational component of movement of the wing tip device and a translational component of movement of the wing tip device.
10. A method of moving a wing tip device between a flight configuration and a ground configuration, wherein the method comprises the step of:
moving a carriage along a carriage guide,
the wing tip device being fixed relative to the carriage such that the path of the wing tip device, during movement of the wing tip device between the flight and the ground configurations, is defined by the shape of the carriage guide, and
wherein the carriage guide is shaped such that the movement of the wing tip device between the flight and the ground configurations comprises both a rotational component of movement of the wing tip device and a translational component of movement of the wing tip device.