US 12,454,345 B2
Seal
Janusz Walega, Bristol (GB); and Paul Morrell, Bristol (GB)
Assigned to AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED, Bristol (GB)
Filed by Airbus Operations Limited, Bristol (GB)
Filed on Apr. 25, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/646,091.
Claims priority of application No. 2306216 (GB), filed on Apr. 27, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0359792 A1, Oct. 31, 2024
Int. Cl. B64C 3/56 (2006.01); B64C 23/06 (2006.01)
CPC B64C 3/56 (2013.01) [B64C 23/072 (2017.05)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An aircraft comprising:
an aircraft wing, the aircraft wing comprising a fixed wing and a wing tip device at a tip thereof, wherein the wing tip device is configured to move between: (i) a flight configuration for use during flight; and (ii) a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations,
wherein in the ground configuration the wing tip device is moved away from the flight configuration such that a span of the aircraft wing is reduced,
wherein the fixed wing comprises a fixed wing outer surface and the wing tip device comprises a wing tip device outer surface,
wherein fixed wing comprises a female seal and the wing tip device comprises a male seal, such that when the wing tip device is in the flight configuration the female seal receives the male seal, and the female seal and male seal cooperate to provide a smooth transition from the fixed wing outer surface to the wing tip device outer surface,
wherein the wing tip device rotates about a hinge line in relation to the fixed wing,
wherein the male seal and the female seal meet along respective engagement faces of the male seal and the female seal when the wing tip device is in the flight configuration, and
wherein the respective engagement faces are spaced radially outwardly from the hinge line when the wing tip is in the flight configuration and the ground configuration.