Thrust reverser cascade systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10309341-B2
Application number	US-201614997295-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2016
Priority date	Jan 15, 2016
Publication date	Jun 4, 2019
Grant date	Jun 4, 2019

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for a formed thrust reverser cascade. The formed thrust reverser cascade may be coupled to an aircraft propulsor and may include a first portion disposed at a first angle to a portion of the aircraft propulsor and a second portion disposed at a second angle to the first portion. The formed thrust reverser cascade may be circumferentially disposed around a core engine of the aircraft propulsor. The formed thrust reverser cascades may be retrofitted to aircraft propulsors using linear thrust reverser cascade and may increase airflow through the formed thrust reverser cascade due to a greater throat area as compared to the linear thrust reverser cascade. Alternatively, the formed thrust reverser cascades may allow for shorter cascades while retaining the same performance, thus resulting in shorter nacelles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft propulsor comprising:
a nacelle comprising a thrust reverser aperture;
a thrust reverser door configured to selectively move between an open position and a closed position to selectively block the thrust reverser aperture;
a core engine circumscribed by the nacelle, wherein the nacelle and the core engine define, at least in part, a bypass flow path; and
a thrust reverser cascade comprising:
a plurality of cascade vanes arranged in a ramp shaped cross-section, disposed circumferentially around the core engine, and configured to couple to a portion of the nacelle and permit airflow from the bypass flow path through the plurality of cascade vanes, wherein the ramp shaped cross-section comprises:
a first section comprising a first section first end and a first section second end, wherein the first section first end is disposed closer to the core engine than the first section second end; and
a second section disposed at a first angle to the first section and comprising a second section first end and a second section second end, wherein the second section first end connects to the first section second end; and
a third section disposed at a second angle to the second section and comprising a third section first end and a third section second end, wherein the third section first end connects to the second section second end, and wherein the third section second end is disposed closer to the core engine than the third section first end; and

a support structure coupled to at least two of the plurality of cascade vanes.

2. The aircraft propulsor of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of cascade vanes comprises an angled cross-sectional shape.

3. The aircraft propulsor of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of cascade vanes comprise angled cross-sectional shapes.

4. The aircraft propulsor of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of cascade vanes are configured to redirect airflow to provide thrust to slow an aircraft.

5. The aircraft propulsor of claim 1 , wherein the second section is disposed within two feet of the thrust reverser door.

6. The aircraft propulsor of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the second section is disposed closer to a portion of the thrust reverser door than at least a portion of the first section when the thrust reverser door is in the closed position.

7. The aircraft propulsor of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the second section is disposed farther from a centerline of the core engine than at least a portion of the first section.

8. The aircraft propulsor of claim 1 , wherein the thrust reverser cascade is coupled to a bullnose of the nacelle at a cascade first end and coupled to a cascade support ring at a cascade second end.

9. The aircraft propulsor of claim 1 , further comprising a blocker door, the blocker door configured to move to at least a deployed position to divert at least a portion of the airflow within the bypass flow path through the plurality of cascade vanes.

10. An aircraft comprising the aircraft propulsor of claim 1 , the aircraft comprising:
a fuselage; and
a wing, wherein the aircraft propulsor is coupled to the fuselage and/or the wing.

11. A thrust reverser cascade comprising:
a plurality of cascade vanes arranged in a ramp shaped cross-section and configured to couple to a portion of an aircraft propulsor nacelle and permit airflow through the plurality of cascade vanes, wherein the ramp shaped cross-section comprises:
a first section comprising a first section first end and a first section second end, wherein the first section second end is configured to be disposed closer to at least a portion of a surface of the aircraft propulsor nacelle than the first section first end;
a second section disposed at a first angle to the first section and comprising a second section first end and a second section second end, wherein the second section first end connects to the first section second end; and
a third section disposed at a second angle to the second section and comprising a third section first end and a third section second end, wherein the third section first end connects to the second section second end, and wherein the third section first end is configured to be disposed closer to at least a portion of the surface of the aircraft propulsor nacelle than the third section second end; and

a support structure coupled to at least two of the plurality of cascade vanes.

12. The thrust reverser cascade of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of cascade vanes are configured to be disposed circumferentially around a core engine of an aircraft propulsor.

13. The thrust reverser cascade of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the plurality of cascade vanes comprises an angled cross-sectional shape.

14. The thrust reverser cascade of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of cascade vanes comprise angled cross-sectional shapes.

15. The thrust reverser cascade of claim 11 , wherein the second section is configured to be disposed within two feet of a thrust reverser door of the aircraft propulsor.

16. The thrust reverser cascade of claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the second section is configured to be disposed closer to a portion of a thrust reverser door of the aircraft propulsor than at least a portion of the first section.

17. The thrust reverser cascade of claim 11 , wherein a cascade first end of the thrust reverser cascade is configured to couple to a bullnose of the aircraft propulsor nacelle and a cascade second end of the thrust reverser cascade is configured to couple to a cascade support ring.

18. A method comprising:
energizing airflow with a core engine of an aircraft propulsor such that the energized airflow flows within a bypass flow path of the aircraft propulsor defined, at least in part, by the core engine and a nacelle of the aircraft propulsor;
moving a thrust reverser door of the aircraft propulsor to an open position, wherein the thrust reverser door is configured to selectively move between the open position and a closed position to selectively block a thrust reverser aperture disposed within the nacelle; and
diverting at least a portion of the airflow through a thrust reverser cascade, wherein the thrust reverser cascade comprises:
a plurality of cascade vanes arranged in a ramp shaped cross-section, disposed circumferentially around the core engine, and configured to couple to a portion of the nacelle and permit airflow from the bypass flow path through the plurality of cascade vanes, wherein the ramp shaped cross-section comprises:
a first section comprising a first section first end and a first section second end, wherein the first section first end is disposed closer to the core engine than the first section second end; and
a second section disposed at a first angle to the first section and comprising a second section first end and a second section second end, wherein the second section first end connects to the first section second end; and
a third section disposed at a second angle to the second section and comprising a third section first end and a third section second end, wherein the third section first end connects to the second section second end, and wherein the third section second end is disposed closer to the core engine than the third section first end; and

a support structure coupled to at least two of the plurality of cascade vanes.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein diverting at least the portion of the airflow through the thrust reverser cascade comprises diverting at least the portion of

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Harpal Naimishkumar B
• Chuck Chen

Classifications

• F05D2240/129

  Cascades, i.e. assemblies of similar profiles acting in parallel · CPC title

• F02K1/76

  Control or regulation of thrust reversers · CPC title

• F02K1/70 Primary

  using thrust reverser flaps or doors mounted on the fan housing · CPC title

• F02K1/625

  the aft end of the engine cowling being movable to uncover openings for the reversed flow · CPC title

• 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