Structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment in an aircraft weapons bay

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11220336-B2
Application number	US-201916567955-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2019
Priority date	Jan 6, 2014
Publication date	Jan 11, 2022
Grant date	Jan 11, 2022

Abstract

An aircraft comprises a weapons bay, the weapons bay comprising a cavity having an opening through which stores may be deployed, and a door assembly for exposing/closing the opening of the cavity. A first store is held in the cavity via a launcher and a first structure is disposed inside the cavity, for controlling the aero-acoustic environment. The first structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment is removeably mounted in the weapons bay, such that if the first store is exchanged for a second, different, store, the structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment may be unmounted from the weapons bay and removed, to be exchanged for a second, different, structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment.

First claim

We claim:

1. An aircraft comprising:
a weapons bay, the weapons bay comprising a cavity having an opening for deploying stores, and a door assembly for exposing/closing the opening of the cavity,
a first store held in the cavity via a launcher; and
a first structure, disposed inside the cavity, for controlling the aero-acoustic environment to reduce aero-acoustic effects when used in conjunction with the first store, wherein the first structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment is removably mounted in the weapons bay, such that when the first store is exchanged for a second store of a different type than the first store, the first structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment is unmounted from the weapons bay and removed, to be exchanged for a second structure of a different type than the first structure for controlling, differently than the first structure, the aero-acoustic environment to reduce aero-acoustic effects when used in conjunction with the second store.

2. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the first structure comprises a baffle, wherein the baffle is provided between the first store and a side wall of the cavity.

3. The aircraft according to claim 2 , wherein the baffle comprises a lateral wall extending in a direction across a width of the cavity and extending from the launcher towards the opening of the cavity.

4. The aircraft according to claim 2 , wherein the baffle comprises a longitudinal wall extending in a direction along a length of the cavity and extending from the launcher towards the opening of the cavity.

5. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the first structure comprises two baffles, wherein a first baffle comprises a lateral wall extending across the width of the cavity and extending from the launcher towards the opening of the cavity, and a second baffle comprises a longitudinal wall extending along the length of the cavity, and extending from the launcher towards the opening of the cavity.

6. The aircraft according to claim 5 , wherein the aircraft comprises a second store, and wherein the first baffle and the second baffle join to form a divider between the first and the second stores, thereby dividing the cavity into at least two sub-cavities, each cavity housing a store.

7. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the first structure comprises a multiplicity of baffles, and wherein each of the baffles comprises either a lateral wall extending across the width of the cavity and extending from the launcher towards the opening of the cavity, or a longitudinal wall extending along the length of the cavity and extending from the launcher towards the opening of the cavity.

8. The aircraft according to claim 7 , wherein the multiplicity of baffles join to form a plurality of dividers, thereby dividing the cavity into a plurality of sub-cavities, and wherein the aircraft comprises a plurality of stores, each store occupying a sub-cavity.

9. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the first structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment, has been designed to reduce aero-acoustic effects when the first store is held in the cavity.

10. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the first structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment is associated with the first store and/or the launcher, such that the first structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment is configured for installation in the weapons bay simultaneously with the fitting of the first store and/or the launcher.

11. A store in combination with a structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment, for use as a first store and a first structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment, in an aircraft comprising a weapons bay, the weapons bay comprising a cavity having an opening through which stores are able to be deployed, and a door assembly for exposing/closing the opening of the cavity; the first store held in the cavity via a launcher; and the first structure, disposed inside the cavity, for controlling the aero-acoustic environment to reduce aero-acoustic effects when used in conjunction with the first store, wherein the first structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment is removably mounted in the weapons bay, such that when the first store is to be exchanged for a second store of a different type than the first store, the first structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment is unmounted from the weapons bay and removed, to be exchanged for a second structure of a different type than the first structure for controlling, differently than the first structure, the aero-acoustic environment to reduce aero-acoustic effects when used in conjunction with the second store.

12. A removable structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment in a weapons bay, for use as a first structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment, in an aircraft comprising a weapons bay, the weapons bay comprising a cavity having an opening through which stores are able to be deployed, and a door assembly for exposing/closing the opening of the cavity; a first store held in the cavity via a launcher; wherein the first structure is disposed inside the cavity, for controlling the aero-acoustic environment to reduce aero-acoustic effects when used in conjunction with the first store, wherein the first structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment is removably mounted in the weapons bay, such that when the first store is to be exchanged for a second store of a different type to the first store, the first structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment is able to be unmounted from the weapons bay and removed, to be exchanged for a second structure of a different type than the first structure for controlling, differently than the first structure, the aero-acoustic environment to reduce aero-acoustic effects when used in conjunction with the second store.

Assignees

• Mbda Uk Ltd

Inventors

• Taylor Nigel John
• Newby Benjamin James

Classifications

• B64D1/08

  the articles being load-carrying devices · CPC title

• B64D1/04 Primary

  the articles being explosive, e.g. bombs · CPC title

• B64D7/08

  Arrangement of rocket launchers · CPC title

• G10K11/16

  Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general (G10K11/36 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B64D1/10

  Stowage arrangements for the devices in aircraft · CPC title