Aircraft nacelles having adjustable chines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11235857-B2
Application number	US-201916416970-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2019
Priority date	May 20, 2019
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

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 rotatable relative to the nacelle about an axis of rotation. The axis of rotation is substantially perpendicular to a plane of the first segment defined by an outer mold line of the first segment. The second segment is fixedly coupled to the nacelle. The second segment is oriented along the fore-aft direction. The second segment is substantially coplanar with the first segment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a nacelle of an aircraft engine; and
a multi-segment chine coupled to the nacelle, the multi-segment chine including a first segment and a second segment respectively located on the nacelle, the first segment oriented along a fore-aft direction, the first segment rotatable between a deployed position and a stowed position relative to the nacelle, the stowed position angularly displaced from the deployed position, the rotation of the first segment being about an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to a plane of the first segment defined by an outer mold line of the first segment, the second segment fixedly coupled to the nacelle such that the second segment is stationary relative to the nacelle, the second segment extending outwardly from an outer surface of the nacelle, the second segment oriented along the fore-aft direction, the second segment substantially coplanar with the first segment, wherein a portion of the first segment extends outwardly from the outer surface of the nacelle when the first segment is in the deployed position, and the portion of the first segment is retracted inwardly from the outer surface of the nacelle when the first segment is in the stowed position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first segment is a leading segment of the multi-segment chine, and the second segment is a trailing segment of the multi-segment chine.

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

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first segment is positioned within a slot formed in the outer surface of the nacelle, the slot oriented along the fore-aft direction, the first segment rotatable within the slot between the deployed position and the stowed position.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the multi-segment chine is configured to:
generate a first vortex when the first segment is in the deployed position; and
generate a second vortex when the first segment is in the stowed position, the second vortex differing from the first vortex.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an actuation mechanism operatively coupled to the first segment, the actuation mechanism configured to rotate the first segment about the axis of rotation; and
a controller operatively coupled to the actuation mechanism, the controller configured to control the actuation mechanism.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to command the actuation mechanism to rotate 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.

8. A method, comprising:
rotating a first segment of a multi-segment chine coupled to a nacelle of an aircraft engine relative to a second segment of the multi-segment chine, the first segment oriented along a fore-aft direction, the first segment rotatable between a deployed position and a stowed position relative to the nacelle, the stowed position angularly displaced from the deployed position, the rotation of the first segment being about an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to a plane of the first segment defined by an outer mold line of the first segment, the second segment fixedly coupled to the nacelle such that the second segment is stationary relative to the nacelle, the second segment extending outwardly from an outer surface of the nacelle, the second segment oriented along the fore-aft direction, the second segment substantially coplanar with the first segment, the first segment and the second segment respectively located on the nacelle, wherein a portion of the first segment extends outwardly from the outer surface of the nacelle when the first segment is in the deployed position, and the portion of the first segment is retracted inwardly from the outer surface of the nacelle when the first segment is in the stowed position.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first segment is a leading segment of the multi-segment chine, and the second segment is a trailing segment of the multi-segment chine.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the fore-aft direction is substantially parallel to a central axis of the nacelle.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first segment is positioned within a slot formed in the outer surface of the nacelle, the slot oriented along the fore-aft direction, the first segment rotatable within the slot between the deployed position and the stowed position.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
generating a first vortex via the multi-segment chine when the first segment is in the deployed position; and
generating a second vortex via the multi-segment chine when the first segment is in the stowed position, the second vortex differing from the first vortex.

13. The method of claim 8 , 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 rotate the first segment about the axis of rotation.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein controlling the actuation mechanism includes commanding the actuation mechanism, via the controller, to rotate 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.

15. An aircraft, comprising:
a fuselage;
a wing coupled to and extending outwardly from the fuselage;
a nacelle of an engine, the nacelle coupled to the wing via a pylon extending downwardly from the wing, the nacelle located below the wing and spaced apart from the fuselage; and
a multi-segment chine coupled to the nacelle, the multi-segment chine including a leading segment and a trailing segment respectively located on the nacelle, the leading segment oriented along a fore-aft direction, the leading segment rotatable relative to the nacelle about an axis of rotation, the axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to a plane of the leading segment defined by an outer mold line of the leading segment, the trailing segment fixedly coupled to the nacelle such that the trailing segment is stationary relative to the nacelle, the trailing segment extending outwardly from an outer surface of the nacelle, the trailing segment oriented along the fore-aft direction, the trailing segment substantially coplanar with the leading segment.

16. The aircraft of claim 15 , wherein the leading segment is rotatable between a deployed position and a sto

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Vijgen Paul M
• Clark Adam M
• Phung Connie
• Robinson Miles Anthony

Classifications

• B64C9/36 Primary

  the members being fuselages or nacelles · CPC title

• B64C23/06

  by generating vortices · CPC title

• Y02T50/10

  Drag reduction · CPC title

• B64C7/02

  Nacelles · CPC title