US 7,611,099 B2
Seal assemblies for use with drooped spoilers and other control surfaces on aircraft
Jan A. Kordel, Seattle, Wash. (US); Seiya Sakurai, Seattle, Wash. (US); Bret A. Bowers, Seattle, Wash. (US); Christopher G. Glassmoyer, Seattle, Wash. (US); and Darren B. Williams, Seattle, Wash. (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Chicago, Ill. (US)
Filed on Sep. 07, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/220,446.
Prior Publication US 2007/0252040 A1, Nov. 01, 2007
Int. Cl. B64C 3/50 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 244—215  [244/213; 244/214; 244/131; 277/644; 277/645; 277/647; 277/916] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A seal assembly for use with an aircraft, the aircraft having a movable control surface spaced apart from a fixed airfoil portion to define a gap therebetween, the seal assembly comprising:
a first seal member having a first proximal portion and a first distal portion, wherein the first proximal portion is fixedly attached to the fixed airfoil portion and the first distal portion extends outwardly from the fixed airfoil portion toward the movable control surface; and
a second seal member having a second proximal portion and a second distal portion, wherein the second proximal portion is fixedly attached to the movable control surface and the second distal portion extends outwardly from the movable control surface toward the fixed airfoil portion, and wherein the second distal portion movably contacts the first distal portion of the first seal member to cover the gap between the fixed airfoil portion and the movable control surface as the movable control surface moves relative to the fixed airfoil portion;
wherein the second distal portion of the second seal member presses against the first distal portion of the first seal member and deflects the first seal member changing a radius thereof as the movable control surface rotates in a first direction; and
wherein the second distal portion separates from the first distal portion when the movable control surface rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction.