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SEALING STRIP, CONTROL SURFACE ARRANGEMENT, AIRCRAFT WING AND AIRCRAFT

Publication No. EP4438466

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App No. EP23164259

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Filed by Airbus Operations GmbH

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Filed on 2023-03-27

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Issued/Published on 2026-01-14

Official EPO Register

Publication No. EP4438466 A1

Application No. EP23164259 Filed: 2023-03-27

Grant Date 2026-01-14 Mention of grant

Active Oppositions 1 Active EPO Oppositions

Patent Abstract / Summary

In order to improve a sealing of a gap (20) between control surfaces of an aircraft for enhancing aerodynamics, the invention provides a sealing strip (22) for sealing a gap (20) between convexly curved aerodynamic surface elements (16) of an aircraft (10) such that the sealing strip (22) has a convexly curved outer side (44), the sealing strip (22) having wetting sections (48) at both longitudinal edges of the sealing strip (22) for fixing the sealing strip (22) at the aerodynamic surface elements (16) and a mid-seal section (46) between the wetting sections (48), wherein the wetting sections (48) protrude on an inner side from the mid-seal section (46), wherein the sealing strip (22) has a first length region (102), a second length region (104) and a third length region (106, the second length region (104) being located longitudinally of the sealing strip (22) between the first and third length regions (102, 106), wherein the wetting sections (48) are omitted in the second length region (104) or wherein the wetting sections (48) in the second length region are less rigid than the wetting sections (48) in the first and third length regions (102, 106). Further, a control surface arrangement (14), a wing (12) and an aircraft (10) comprising such a sealing strip (22) as weather seal (24) are described.

IPC Classifications

B64C9/02, B64C9/18

Priority Claims

No priority claims recorded

Designated Contracting States (39 EPC States)

AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC ME MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

Parties & Representation

Applicants

Airbus Operations GmbH

Kreetslag 10, 21129 Hamburg

Inventors (2)

Schlipf, Bernhard

21129 Hamburg

Fees, Martin

21129 Hamburg

Representatives / Agents

Plasseraud IP

104 Rue de Richelieu, CS92104

Key Procedural Dates

Request-For-Examination 2025-04-02

Mention Of Grant Published 2026-01-14

First-Examination-Report-Despatched 2025-08-05

Legal Status & Event History

Official European Patent Office legal and procedural status changes recorded for this file.

38 Events Recorded

Date	Code	Event Description	Auth
2024-10-02	AK	DESIGNATED CONTRACTING STATES	EP
2024-08-30	PUAI	PUBLIC REFERENCE MADE UNDER ARTICLE 153(3) EPC TO A PUBLISHED INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION THAT HAS ENTERED THE EUROPEAN PHASE	EP
2024-08-30	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2025-04-04	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2025-05-07	17P	REQUEST FOR EXAMINATION FILED	EP
2025-08-04	GRAP	DESPATCH OF COMMUNICATION OF INTENTION TO GRANT A PATENT	EP
2025-08-04	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2025-09-03	INTG	INTENTION TO GRANT ANNOUNCED	EP
2025-09-03	RIC1	INFORMATION PROVIDED ON IPC CODE ASSIGNED BEFORE GRANT	EP
2025-12-03	GRAS	GRANT FEE PAID	EP
2025-12-12	GRAA	(EXPECTED) GRANT	EP
2025-12-12	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2026-01-14	AK	DESIGNATED CONTRACTING STATES	EP
2026-01-14	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-01-22	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-02-11	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-04-13	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-04-14	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-04-15	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-04-20	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-05-20	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-06-15	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-06-15	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-07	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-08	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-10	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-07-09	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-11	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-10	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-14	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-15	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-17	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-18	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-24	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-28	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-10-06	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-10-07	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-10-13	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP

Patent & Non-Patent Citations

Cited documents and prior art referenced in search and examination reports.

4 Citations

Cited Patent Documents

EP3222515 2017-09-27

Espacenet

DE102012006187 2013-10-02

Espacenet

FR2479306 1981-10-02

Espacenet

EP0071669 1983-02-16

Espacenet

Worldwide Patent Family

Related applications and patents in the same INPADOC worldwide family.

5 Family Members

Country	Publication Number	Kind	Publication Date	Action
EP	EP4438466A1	A1	2024-10-02	Espacenet
EP	EP4438466B1	B1	2026-01-14	Espacenet
CN	CN118701279A	A	2024-09-27	Espacenet
US	US20240326981A1	A1	2024-10-03	Espacenet
US	US12486018B2	B2	2025-12-02	Espacenet

Official File Inspection EPC Art. 128 Public Dossier

Complete European Patent Register Dossier (148 Total Documents)

The full inspection file for Application EP23164259 contains 148 total documents, including all notices of opposition, proprietor counter-statements, examination communications, third-party observations, and procedural forms. Below are all major recorded procedural filings and publication specifications.

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Date: 2025-12-03 Procedure: Grant EPIDOSNIGR3

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SEALING STRIP, CONTROL SURFACE ARRANGEMENT, AIRCRAFT WING AND AIRCRAFT

Patent Abstract / Summary

IPC Classifications

Priority Claims

Designated Contracting States (39 EPC States)

Parties & Representation

Applicants

Inventors (2)

Representatives / Agents

Key Procedural Dates

Patent Oppositions

JPR SAS

Legal Status & Event History

Patent & Non-Patent Citations

Cited Patent Documents

Worldwide Patent Family

Complete European Patent Register Dossier (148 Total Documents)

Recorded Filings & Patent Specifications

European Patent Specification - Granted Patent (B1)

Official European Patent Register Full Dossier

European Patent Application with Search Report (A1)

Lapse of the patent in a contracting state

Opposition filed

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Lapse of the patent in a contracting state

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