An aircraft assembly has a drag inducing gap 112,312 faired by a seal body of a seal assembly 101,301, the assembly having a pressurised, sealed chamber 114,314 which alters in response to changes in the ambient pressure as the aircraft moves from ground level to cruise altitude. The body may have a bulb 110 in which the chamber is located, the internal pressure of which is the same as ambient pressure at ground-level; lowering ambient pressure at altitude causes the bulb to expand and increase in volume, displacing a blade 322 on the seal body to move closer to the gap (fig.3a&3b); the chamber returns to its original shape when there is no pressure difference. The degree of expansion may vary around the perimeter of the chamber (fig.2a&2b). A valve 334 may be used to regulate the pressure in the chamber. A method of altering the behaviour of a seal is also claimed. A seal having a bulb containing an air-tight chamber which provides increased resistance to deformation as ambient pressure reduces is also claimed.
Aircraft seal assembly
2018-07-04
Patent
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch