Aircraft nacelles having adjustable chines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11072416-B2
Application number	US-201916416985-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2019
Priority date	May 20, 2019
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

Aircraft nacelles having adjustable chines are described. An example apparatus includes a multi-segment chine coupled to a nacelle. The multi-segment chine includes a first segment and a second segment. The first segment is oriented along a fore-aft direction. The first segment is translatable relative to the nacelle along the fore-aft direction. The first segment includes one or more first airflow openings. The second segment is fixedly coupled to the nacelle. The second segment is oriented along the fore-aft direction. The second segment includes one or more second airflow openings. The second segment is substantially coplanar with the first segment. Translation of the first segment adjusts the transverse alignment of the first airflow openings with the second airflow openings to vary an allowable airflow through the multi-segment chine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a nacelle of an aircraft engine, the nacelle having an outer surface; and
a multi-segment chine coupled to the nacelle, the multi-segment chine including a first segment and a second segment respectively located on and extending outwardly from the outer surface of the nacelle, the first segment oriented along a fore-aft direction, the first segment translatable relative to the nacelle along the fore-aft direction, the first segment including one or more first airflow openings, the second segment fixedly coupled to the nacelle, the second segment oriented along the fore-aft direction, the second segment including one or more second airflow openings, the second segment substantially coplanar with the first segment.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fore-aft direction is substantially parallel to a central axis of the nacelle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first segment is translatable along the fore-aft direction between a first position in which a leading edge of the first segment is spaced from a leading edge of the nacelle by a first distance, and a second position in which the leading edge of the first segment is spaced from the leading edge of the nacelle by a second distance greater than the first distance.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first segment covers respective one or ones of the one or more second airflow openings when the first segment is in the first position.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the second segment covers respective one or ones of the one or more first airflow openings when the first segment is in the first position.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein respective one or ones of the one or more first airflow openings are transversely aligned with corresponding respective one or ones of the one or more second airflow openings when the first segment is in the second position.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first segment is positioned within a slot formed in an outer surface of the nacelle, the slot oriented along the fore-aft direction, the first segment translatable within the slot between the first position and the second position.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the multi-segment chine is configured to:
generate a first vortex when the first segment is in the first position; and
generate a second vortex when the first segment is in the second position, the second vortex differing from the first vortex.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an actuation mechanism operatively coupled to the first segment, the actuation mechanism configured to translate the first segment along the fore-aft direction; and
a controller operatively coupled to the actuation mechanism, the controller configured to control the actuation mechanism.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to command the actuation mechanism to translate the first segment in response to the controller detecting at least one of a first threshold parameter associated with an angle of attack of an aircraft to which the nacelle is coupled, a second threshold parameter associated with a leading edge device of a wing of the aircraft, a third threshold parameter associated with a trailing edge device of the wing, a fourth threshold parameter associated with an attitude of the aircraft, a fifth threshold parameter associated with an altitude of the aircraft, a sixth threshold parameter associated with an airspeed of the aircraft, or a seventh threshold parameter associated with a Mach number of the aircraft.

11. A method, comprising:
translating a first segment of a multi-segment chine coupled to a nacelle of an aircraft engine, the first segment oriented along a fore-aft direction, the first segment translatable relative to the nacelle along the fore-aft direction, the first segment including one or more first airflow openings, the first segment also translatable relative to a second segment of the multi-segment chine, the second segment fixedly coupled to the nacelle, the second segment oriented along the fore-aft direction, the second segment including one or more second airflow openings, the second segment substantially coplanar with the first segment, the first segment and the second segment respectively located on and extending outwardly from an outer surface of the nacelle.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the fore-aft direction is substantially parallel to a central axis of the nacelle.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein translating the first segment includes translating the first segment along the fore-aft direction between a first position in which a leading edge of the first segment is spaced from a leading edge of the nacelle by a first distance, and a second position in which the leading edge of the first segment is spaced from the leading edge of the nacelle by a second distance greater than the first distance.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first segment covers respective one or ones of the one or more second airflow openings when the first segment is in the first position.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second segment covers respective one or ones of the one or more first airflow openings when the first segment is in the first position.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein respective one or ones of the one or more first airflow opening are transversely aligned with corresponding respective one or ones of the one or more second airflow openings when the first segment is in the second position.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first segment is positioned within a slot formed in an outer surface of the nacelle, the slot oriented along the fore-aft direction, the first segment translatable within the slot between the first position and the second position.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
generating a first vortex via the multi-segment chine when the first segment is in the first position; and
generating a second vortex via the multi-segment chine when the first segment is in the second position, the second vortex differing from the first vortex.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
controlling an actuation mechanism via a controller operatively coupled to the actuation mechanism, the actuation mechanism operatively coupled to the first segment, the actuation mechanism configured to translate the first segment along the fore-aft direction.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein controlling the actuation mechanism includes commanding the actuation mechanism, via the controller, to translate the first segment in response to the controller detecting at least one of a first threshold parameter associated with an angle of attack of an aircraft to which the nacelle is coupled, a second threshold parameter associated with a leading edge device of a wing of the aircraft, a third threshold parameter associated with a trailing edge device of the wing, a fourth threshold parameter associated with an attitude of the aircraft, a fifth threshold parameter associated with an altitude of the aircraft, a sixth threshold parameter associated with an airspeed of the aircraft, or a seventh threshold parameter associated with a Mach number of the aircraft.

21. An apparatus, comprising:
a multi-segment chine coupled to a nacelle of an aircraft engine, the multi-segment chine including a first segment and a second segment, the first segment oriented along a fore-aft direction, the first segment translatable relative to the nacelle alon

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Goering Daniel Joseph
• Clark Adam M
• Phung Connie
• Robinson Miles Anthony
• Vijgen Paul M

Classifications

• B64C23/06

  by generating vortices · CPC title

• B64C9/36 Primary

  the members being fuselages or nacelles · CPC title

• Y02T50/10

  Drag reduction · CPC title

• B64C7/02

  Nacelles · CPC title