Hinge assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11267578-B2
Application number	US-201816008688-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2018
Priority date	Jun 19, 2017
Publication date	Mar 8, 2022
Grant date	Mar 8, 2022

Abstract

A hinge assembly may include a support structure and a panel hingedly coupled to the support structure via at least one hinge of a plurality of hinges. The plurality of hinges may include a first hinge having a first rotational axis, a second hinge having a second rotational, and a third hinge having a third rotational axis. The second rotational axis may be collinear and aligned with the third rotational axis such that the second hinge and the third hinge have a shared concentric axis. The first rotational axis may be eccentric to the shared concentric axis. The hinge assembly may be implemented in a nacelle to improve the aerodynamics of the interfaces between the fan cowl and adjacent structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nacelle having a forward end and an aft end, the nacelle comprising:
a pylon;
a first fan cowl hingedly coupled to the pylon;
a first plurality of hinges coupled to the first fan cowl, wherein the first plurality of hinges comprises:
a first hinge attached to the first fan cowl and floating relative to the pylon, the first hinge having a first rotational axis;
a second hinge attached to the first fan cowl and the pylon and having a second rotational axis; and
a third hinge attached to the first fan cowl and the pylon and having a third rotational axis, wherein the second rotational axis is collinear and aligned with the third rotational axis such that the second hinge and the third hinge have a first shared concentric axis, wherein the first rotational axis is eccentric to the first shared concentric axis, and wherein the first rotational axis is parallel to the first shared concentric axis, and wherein the first hinge is positioned axially forward of the second hinge and the third hinge;

a second fan cowl hingedly coupled to the pylon;
a second plurality of hinges coupled to the second fan cowl, wherein the second plurality of hinges comprises:
a fourth hinge attached to the second fan cowl and floating relative to the pylon, the fourth hinge having a fourth rotational axis;
a fifth hinge attached to the second fan cowl and the pylon and having a fifth rotational axis; and
a sixth hinge attached to the second fan cowl and the pylon and having a sixth rotational axis, wherein the fifth rotational axis is collinear and aligned with the sixth rotational axis such that the fifth hinge and the sixth hinge have a second shared concentric axis, wherein the fourth rotational axis is eccentric to the second shared concentric axis, and wherein the fourth hinge is positioned axially forward of the fifth hinge and the sixth hinge; and

a beam connected to the first hinge and the fourth hinge.

2. The nacelle of claim 1 , wherein a first distance between the first rotational axis and the fourth rotational axis is less than a second distance between the first shared concentric axis and the second shared concentric axis.

3. The nacelle of claim 1 , wherein the first rotational axis is radially outward of the first shared concentric axis and the fourth rotational axis is radially outward of the second shared concentric axis.

4. The nacelle of claim 1 , wherein the second hinge, the third hinge, the fifth hinge, and the sixth hinge are directly mounted to the pylon.

5. The nacelle of claim 4 , wherein the first fan cowl is disposed on one of an inboard side and an outboard side of a gas turbine engine mounted to an aircraft and the second fan cowl is disposed on the other of the inboard side and the outboard side of the gas turbine engine mounted to the aircraft.

6. The nacelle of claim 1 , wherein the first hinge is attached to a first portion of the first fan cowl, the second hinge is attached to a second portion of the first fan cowl, the third hinge is attached to a third portion of the first fan cowl, the fourth hinge is attached to a fourth portion of the second fan cowl, the fifth hinge is attached to a fifth portion of the second fan cowl, and the sixth hinge is attached to a sixth portion of the second fan cowl.

7. The nacelle of claim 6 , wherein in response to rotation of the first fan cowl and the second fan cowl to respective closed positions, the first portion of the first fan cowl and the fourth portion of the second fan cowl experience a preload response that is different than the second portion and the third portion of the first fan cowl and the fifth portion and the sixth portion of the second fan cowl, respectively.

8. The nacelle of claim 6 , wherein the first portion is a first forward-most corner section of the first fan cowl and the fourth portion is a second forward-most corner section of the second fan cowl.

9. The nacelle of claim 8 , wherein in response to rotation of the first fan cowl and the second fan cowl to respective closed positions, the first forward-most corner section of the first fan cowl and the second forward-most corner section of the second fan cowl are configured to be substantially flush with a fan inlet structure.

10. The nacelle of claim 1 , wherein the first hinge is a first axially forward-most hinge of first fan cowl.

11. The nacelle of claim 10 , wherein the fourth hinge is a second axially forward-most hinge of second fan cowl.

Assignees

• Rohr Inc

Inventors

• Paolini Thomas
• Schommer Marc

Classifications

• B64D27/402

  comprising box like supporting frames, e.g. pylons or arrangements for embracing the power plant · CPC title

• B64D29/06 Primary

  Attaching of nacelles, fairings or cowlings · CPC title

• F01D25/265

  Vertically split casings; Clamping arrangements therefor · CPC title

• B64D29/02

  associated with wings · CPC title

• B64D27/12

  within, or attached to, wings · CPC title