Engine cowling with three-dimensionally adjustable hinge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10494112-B2
Application number	US-201615386726-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2016
Priority date	Dec 22, 2015
Publication date	Dec 3, 2019
Grant date	Dec 3, 2019

Abstract

An engine cowling includes at least one cowling part, at least one door element and at least one hinge. The hinge connects the door element to the first cowling part in an openable and closable manner. The hinge can be adjusted in a three-dimensional manner in a first direction, a second direction and a third direction in order to change a relative position of the door element with respect to the first cowling part.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An engine cowling, comprising:
a cowling part,
a door element, and
a hinge,
wherein the hinge connects the door element to the cowling part in an openable and closable manner,
wherein the hinge is three-dimensionally adjustable in a first direction, a second direction and a third direction to modify a relative position of the door element to the cowling part;
wherein the hinge comprises a first hinge element and a second hinge element, wherein the first hinge element comprises a first adjusting device for facilitating an adjustment in the first direction and the second direction, and the second hinge element comprises a second adjusting device for facilitating an adjustment in the third direction;
wherein the first hinge element includes a first base area and a first cover area, wherein the first adjusting device is connected between the first base area and the first cover area to adjust a relative position between the first base area and the first cover area;
wherein the first adjusting device includes:
a first rack and pinion arrangement with a first pinion engaging a first toothing area provided between the first base area and the first cover area for the adjustment in the first direction; and
a second rack and pinion arrangement with a second pinion engaging a second toothing area provided between the first base area and the first cover area for the adjustment in the second direction;
the first toothing area including a plurality of first teeth spaced apart from one another along the first direction and being parallel to one another, each of the plurality of first teeth extending parallel to an axis of the first pinion and parallel to the second direction;
the first pinion including a plurality of third teeth spaced apart from one another around a circumference of the first pinion, each of the plurality of third teeth extending parallel to the axis of the first pinion and parallel to the second direction to engage the first teeth in a parallel manner;
the second toothing area including a plurality of second teeth spaced apart from one another along the second direction and being parallel to one another, each of the plurality of second teeth extending parallel to an axis of the second pinion and parallel to the first direction;
the second pinion including a plurality of fourth teeth spaced apart from one another around a circumference of the second pinion, each of the plurality of fourth teeth extending parallel to the axis of the second pinion and parallel to the first direction to engage the second teeth in a parallel manner;
the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, such that 1) rotation of the first pinion to cause the first toothing area to move along the first direction and transverse to the axis of the first pinion also causes the second toothing area to slide along the second pinion in the first direction and parallel to the axis of the second pinion, and 2) rotation of the second pinion to cause the second toothing area to move along the second direction and transverse to the axis of the second pinion also causes the first toothing area to slide along the first pinion in the second direction and parallel to the axis of the first pinion;

wherein the second adjusting device includes a threaded connection.

2. The engine cowling according to claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third directions are respectively perpendicular to one other when the door element is in a closed position.

3. The engine cowling according to claim 1 , wherein the first rack and pinion arrangement comprises a first screw element by which the first pinion is driven, and the second rack and pinion arrangement comprises a second screw element by which the second pinion is driven.

4. The engine cowling according to claim 3 , wherein:
the first screw element and the second screw element each include a tool meshing area,
the engine cowling includes first and second openings, and
wherein the tool meshing areas of the screw elements are respectively arranged at the first and second openings such that the tool meshing areas are accessible from an external side of the engine cowling.

5. The engine cowling according to claim 1 , wherein the second hinge element includes a second base area and a second cover area, wherein the second adjusting device is connected between the second base area and the second cover area to adjust a relative position between the second base area and the second cover area in the third direction.

6. The engine cowling according to claim 5 , wherein the threaded connection includes a third tool meshing area arranged at a third opening in the engine cowling to be accessible from an external side of the engine cowling.

7. The engine cowling according to claim 5 , wherein the threaded connection includes a threaded bolt and an internal thread.

8. The engine cowling according to claim 7 , wherein the second base area comprises a first plate and a second plate, wherein the threaded bolt includes a head, and wherein the second plate includes a stepped recess for receiving the head of the threaded bolt.

9. An engine cowling, comprising:
a cowling part,
a door element, and
a hinge,
wherein the hinge connects the door element to the cowling part in an openable and closable manner,
wherein the hinge is three-dimensionally adjustable in a first direction, a second direction and a third direction to modify a relative position of the door element to the cowling part;
wherein the hinge comprises a first hinge element and a second hinge element, wherein the first hinge element comprises a first adjusting device for facilitating an adjustment in the first direction and the second direction, and the second hinge element comprises a second adjusting device for facilitating an adjustment in the third direction;
wherein the first hinge element includes a first base area and a first cover area, wherein the first adjusting device is connected between the first base area and the first cover area to adjust a relative position between the first base area and the first cover area;
wherein the first adjusting device includes:
a first rack and pinion arrangement with a first pinion and a first toothing area provided between the first base area and the first cover area for the adjustment in the first direction; and
a second rack and pinion arrangement with a second pinion and a second toothing area provided between the first base area and the first cover area for the adjustment in the second direction; and

wherein the first rack and pinion arrangement comprises a first screw element by which the first pinion is driven, and the second rack and pinion arrangement comprises a second screw element by which the second pinion is driven.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co Kg

Inventors

• Gonzalez Prieto Gonzalo

Classifications

• B64D29/06 Primary

  Attaching of nacelles, fairings or cowlings · CPC title

• E05D7/0415

  with adjusting drive means · CPC title

• E05D7/0423

  Screw-and-nut mechanisms (E05D7/0407, E05D7/043 take precedence) · CPC title

• B64D29/08

  Inspection panels for power plants · CPC title