Thrust reverser with continuous curved surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11719188-B2
Application number	US-201916411356-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 14, 2019
Priority date	May 15, 2018
Publication date	Aug 8, 2023
Grant date	Aug 8, 2023

Abstract

A thrust reverser for an aircraft includes a jetpipe and a thrust reverser door. The thrust reverser door has an aft end, a forward end, and an interior surface facing radially inward. The interior surface defines a continuous profile with a downstream nozzle portion directly adjacent to the aft end, a concave portion directly adjacent to the downstream nozzle portion, and a convex portion directly adjacent to the forward end and adjacent to the concave portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thrust reverser for an aircraft, the thrust reverser defining a centerline and comprising:
a jet pipe; and
a thrust reverser door having an aft end, a forward end defined entirely by a single, planar, forward end surface which faces at least radially outward in a deployed position of the thrust reverser door with respect to the centerline, and an interior surface facing radially inward with respect to the centerline and extending from the forward end to the aft end, the interior surface defining a continuously curved profile comprising:
a downstream nozzle portion directly adjacent to the aft end;
a convex portion directly adjacent to the downstream nozzle portion; and
a concave portion directly adjacent to the forward end and to the convex portion, the concave portion having a continuous concave curvature, and the continuous concave curvature of the concave portion terminating at the forward end.

2. The thrust reverser of claim 1 , wherein the convex portion defines a continuous convex curvature throughout the convex portion.

3. The thrust reverser of claim 1 , wherein the continuously curved profile is configured to retain flow attachment of an exhaust flow exiting the jet pipe when the thrust reverser door is in the deployed position.

4. The thrust reverser of claim 3 , wherein the continuously curved profile is further configured for minimizing flow separation and recirculation of the exhaust flow when the thrust reverser door is in a stowed position.

5. The thrust reverser of claim 1 , further comprising a slat coupled with the thrust reverser door, the slat defining an aft portion and a forward portion, the aft portion defining a jet pipe extension surface adjacent to and downstream of the jet pipe.

6. The thrust reverser of claim 5 , wherein the aft portion of the slat further defines a leading edge oriented to align with a reversed exhaust flow when the thrust reverser door is in the deployed position.

7. The thrust reverser of claim 6 , wherein the forward portion of the slat defines a continuously curved profile configured to retain flow attachment of the reversed exhaust flow when the thrust reverser door is in the deployed position.

8. The thrust reverser of claim 1 , wherein the downstream nozzle portion is substantially straight.

9. An aircraft, comprising:
an engine assembly; and
a thrust reverser defining a centerline and comprising:
a jet pipe; and
a thrust reverser door having an aft end, a forward end defined entirely by a single, planar, forward end surface which faces at least radially outward in a deployed position of the thrust reverser door with respect to the centerline, and an interior surface facing radially inward with respect to the centerline and extending from the forward end to the aft end, the interior surface defining a continuously curved profile comprising:
a downstream nozzle portion directly adjacent to the aft end;
a convex portion directly adjacent to the downstream nozzle portion; and
a concave portion directly adjacent to the forward end and to the convex portion, the concave portion having a continuous concave curvature, and the continuous concave curvature of the concave portion terminating at the forward end.

10. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein the convex portion defines a continuous convex curvature throughout the convex portion.

11. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein the continuously curved profile is configured to retain flow attachment of an exhaust flow exiting the jet pipe when the thrust reverser door is in the deployed position.

12. The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein the continuously curved profile is further configured for minimizing flow separation and recirculation of the exhaust flow when the thrust reverser door is in a stowed position.

13. The aircraft of claim 9 , further comprising a slat coupled with the thrust reverser door, the slat defining an aft portion and a forward portion, the aft portion defining a jet pipe extension surface adjacent to and downstream of the jet pipe.

14. The aircraft of claim 13 , wherein the aft portion of the slat further defines a leading edge oriented to align with a reversed exhaust flow when the thrust reverser door is in the deployed position.

15. The aircraft of claim 14 , wherein the forward portion of the slat defines a continuously curved profile configured to retain flow attachment of the reversed exhaust flow when the thrust reverser door is in the deployed position.

16. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein the downstream nozzle portion is substantially straight.

Assignees

• Gulfstream Aerospace Corp

Inventors

• Relf Tyler
• Oliveira Guilherme
• Garb Vyacheslav

Classifications

• F02K1/72 Primary

  the aft end of the fan housing being movable to uncover openings in the fan housing for the reversed flow · CPC title

• F02K1/58 Primary

  Reversers mounted on the inner cone or the nozzle housing {or the fuselage} · CPC title

• F02K1/60 Primary

  by blocking the rearward discharge by means of pivoted eyelids or clamshells, e.g. target-type reversers · CPC title

• F05D2250/711

  convex · CPC title

• F05D2250/712

  concave · CPC title