Nacelle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10030607-B2
Application number	US-201715702424-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2017
Priority date	Jan 27, 2012
Publication date	Jul 24, 2018
Grant date	Jul 24, 2018

Abstract

A nacelle is configured to be coupled to an underside of a wing and forms a clearance space between the nacelle and a leading edge slat of the wing. A portion of an outlet cowling moves longitudinally aft when a reverse thrust configuration is activated and the leading edge slat is deployed toward the nacelle. The outlet cowling also includes another portion located adjacent to the leading edge slat that does not move when the reverse thrust configuration is activated and thus maintains its clearance space from the leading edge slat.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An outlet cowling of a nacelle, the outlet cowling comprising:
a sliding portion forming a first portion of a circumference of the outlet cowling, the sliding portion configured to move longitudinally between a forward thrust position and a reverse thrust position; and
at least one stationary portion located between the sliding portion and an access panel located outboard of a pylon and forming a second portion of the circumference, the at least one stationary portion configured to be located aft of a transverse split line between the outlet cowling and an inlet cowling, the transverse split line extending between the inlet cowling and a forward portion of the at least one stationary portion, the transverse split line separating the inlet cowling from the stationary portion, the at least one stationary portion configured to remain in a stationary position in response to the sliding portion moving between the forward thrust position and the reverse thrust position.

2. The outlet cowling of claim 1 further comprising an inner translating sleeve disposed radially inward of the sliding portion and the at least one stationary portion, wherein the sliding portion is configured to move aft longitudinally in conjunction with the inner translating sleeve.

3. The outlet cowling of claim 1 further comprising at least one track, the at least one track forming at least a portion of a mating engagement between the sliding portion and the at least one stationary portion.

4. The outlet cowling of claim 3 , wherein the at least one track is disposed in the at least one stationary portion.

5. The outlet cowling of claim 3 , wherein the at least one track is disposed in the sliding portion.

6. The outlet cowling of claim 5 , wherein the at least one track extends for the longitudinal length of the sliding portion.

7. The outlet cowling of claim 5 , wherein the at least one track extends for the longitudinal length of the at least one stationary portion.

8. The outlet cowling of claim 1 , further comprising a tongue and a groove, one of the groove and tongue being disposed in the at least one stationary portion and the other one of the groove and tongue being disposed in the sliding portion.

9. A nacelle comprising:
an inlet cowling;
an outlet cowling separated from the inlet cowling by a transverse split line, the outlet cowling including:
an outer translating sleeve configured to move aft in a longitudinal direction; and
an outer fixed structure located aft of the transverse split line, a forward portion of the outer fixed structure forming a portion of the transverse split line, the transverse split line separating the inlet cowling from the outer fixed structure; and

an access panel configured to be located outboard of a pylon, wherein the outer fixed structure is located between the access panel and the outer translating sleeve.

10. The nacelle of claim 9 , wherein the outlet cowling further comprises an inner translating sleeve configured to move with the outer translating sleeve aft in the longitudinal direction.

11. The nacelle of claim 9 further comprising an upper track beam, wherein the outer fixed structure is coupled to the upper track beam.

12. The nacelle of claim 9 further comprising a cascade located radially inward of the outer translating sleeve, wherein the cascade is not disposed underneath the outer fixed structure.

13. The nacelle of claim 9 further comprising a plurality of blocker doors, a portion of at least one blocker door being located radially inward of the outer fixed structure.

14. The nacelle of claim 9 , wherein the outer fixed structure is located outboard of the pylon.

15. The nacelle of claim 9 , wherein the outer fixed structure is located inboard of the pylon.

16. The nacelle of claim 9 , wherein the outer fixed structure is located outboard of a pylon coupling the nacelle to the underside of a wing, and further comprising a second outer fixed structure located inboard of the pylon, a clearance distance between a leading edge slat in a deployed configuration and the second outer fixed structure remaining substantially constant when the outer translating sleeve moves aft in the longitudinal direction.

17. A method of reversing thrust of an engine fitted with a nacelle on an aircraft, the nacelle comprising an access panel located outboard of a pylon, an outlet cowling including an outer translating sleeve, and an outer fixed structure located between the access panel and the outer translating sleeve, the method comprising:
moving the outer translating sleeve longitudinally from a first position to a second position aft of the first position without moving the outer fixed structure, the outer fixed structure being located aft of a transverse split line between the outlet cowling and an inlet cowling, the transverse split line extending between the inlet cowling and a forward portion of the outer fixed structure, the transverse split line separating the inlet cowling from the outer fixed structure.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising moving an inner translating sleeve from a first position to a second position aft of the first position, wherein at least a portion of the inner translating sleeve is disposed radially inward of the outer translating sleeve.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising moving a plurality of blocker doors from a first position relative to the inner translating sleeve to a second position relative to the inner translating sleeve, the second position being different than the first position.

Assignees

• Rohr Inc

Inventors

• Aten Michael Ray
• Crawford Sara

Classifications

• F02K1/72 Primary

  the aft end of the fan housing being movable to uncover openings in the fan housing for the reversed flow · CPC title

• F02K1/566

  by blocking the rearward discharge by means of a translatable member · CPC title

• F02K1/82 Primary

  Jet pipe walls, e.g. liners · CPC title

• F05D2220/36

  specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines · CPC title

• B64D29/02

  associated with wings · CPC title