Aircraft nacelles having adjustable chines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11535362-B2
Application number	US-201916417104-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2019
Priority date	May 20, 2019
Publication date	Dec 27, 2022
Grant date	Dec 27, 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 oriented along a fore-aft direction. The first segment is translatable relative to the nacelle along the fore-aft direction. The multi-segment chine further includes a second segment 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, the nacelle including an outer surface and a slot formed in the outer surface, the slot oriented along a fore-aft direction of the nacelle; and
a multi-segment chine located on the nacelle, the multi-segment chine including:
a first segment oriented along the fore-aft direction and having an outer mold line extending radially outward relative to the outer surface through the slot, the first segment translatable within the slot along the fore-aft direction between a forward position and a rearward position; and
a second segment oriented along the fore-aft direction and having an outer mold line extending radially outward relative to the outer surface through the slot, the second segment substantially coplanar with the first segment, the second segment fixedly coupled to a static structure of the nacelle such that the second segment is stationary relative to the slot.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first segment is translatable within the slot relative to the second segment.

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 a leading edge of the first segment is spaced rearward from a leading edge of the nacelle by a first distance when the first segment is in the forward position, and the leading edge of the first segment is spaced rearward from the leading edge of the nacelle by a second distance greater than the first distance when the first segment is in the rearward position.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the leading edge of the first segment is transversely aligned with a leading edge of the second segment when the first segment is in the rearward position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the outer mold line of the first segment is transversely aligned with the outer mold line of the second segment when the first segment is in the rearward position.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, in response to an airflow presented at the multi-segment chine, the first segment and the second segment are configured to:
generate a first vortex when the first segment is in the forward position; and
generate a second vortex when the first segment is in the rearward position, the second vortex differing from the first vortex.

8. 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 within the slot along the fore-aft direction; and
a controller operatively coupled to the actuation mechanism, the controller configured to control the actuation mechanism.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to command the actuation mechanism to translate the first segment within the slot 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.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a wing, wherein the nacelle is coupled to the wing via a pylon extending downward from the wing, and wherein a leading edge of the nacelle and a leading edge of the first segment are located forward of and below a leading edge of the wing when the first segment is in the forward position.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first segment has a planar shape defined by the outer mold line of the first segment.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the slot includes a front end and a rear end located opposite the front end, and wherein a leading edge of the first segment is adjacent the front end when the first segment is in the forward position, the leading edge of the first segment spaced rearward from the front end when the first segment is in the rearward position.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein a trailing edge of the first segment is spaced forward from the rear end when the first segment is in the forward position, the trailing edge of the first segment adjacent the rear end when the first segment is in the rearward position.

14. A method, comprising:
translating a first segment of a multi-segment chine located on a nacelle of an aircraft engine, the nacelle including an outer surface and a slot formed in the outer surface, the slot oriented along a fore-aft direction of the nacelle, the first segment oriented along a fore-aft direction and having an outer mold line extending radially outward relative to the outer surface through the slot, the first segment translatable within the slot along the fore-aft direction between a forward position and a rearward position, the multi-segment chine further including a second segment oriented along the fore-aft direction and having an outer mold line extending radially outward relative to the outer surface through the slot, the second segment substantially coplanar with the first segment, the second segment fixedly coupled to a static structure of the nacelle such that the second segment is stationary relative to the slot.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first segment is translatable within the slot relative to the second segment.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the fore-aft direction is substantially parallel to a central axis of the nacelle.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein in which a leading edge of the first segment is spaced rearward from a leading edge of the nacelle by a first distance when the first segment is in the forward position, and the leading edge of the first segment is spaced rearward from the leading edge of the nacelle by a second distance greater than the first distance when the first segment is in the rearward position.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the leading edge of the first segment is transversely aligned with a leading edge of the second segment when the first segment is in the rearward position.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the outer mold line of the first segment is transversely aligned with the outer mold line of the second segment when the first segment is in the rearward position.

20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising, in response to an airflow presented at the multi-segment chine:
generating a first vortex via the first segment and the second segment when the first segment is in the forward position; and
generating a second vortex via the first segment and the second segment when the first segment is in the rearward position, the second vortex differing from the first vortex.

21. The method of claim 14 , 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 within the slot along the fore-aft direction.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein controlling the actuation mechanism includes commanding the actuation mechanism, via the controller, to translate the

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Konings Christopher Andrew
• Robinson Miles Anthony

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