Gas turbine engine mounted above wing and with camber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11970974-B2
Application number	US-202217570764-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 7, 2022
Priority date	Oct 30, 2020
Publication date	Apr 30, 2024
Grant date	Apr 30, 2024

Abstract

A gas turbine engine and engine mount structure includes a core engine including a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section mounted within a core engine housing. The fan, the compressor section and the turbine section rotate about an axis of rotation. An outer nacelle surrounds the fan, and is spaced from the core engine housing to define a bypass duct. The fan delivers air into the bypass duct and into the core engine housing. The nacelle is formed with camber so as to be curved in a first plane away from the axis of rotation in a first lateral direction. An engine mount structure extends from the nacelle at an angle that is non-parallel and non-perpendicular to the first plane, and has a component in a lateral direction that is opposed to the first lateral direction. An aircraft is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft comprising: a fuselage and a pair of wings extending laterally outwardly of said fuselage, said wings including a relatively straight portion between said fuselage and a gas turbine engine, and a swept portion laterally outwardly of said gas turbine engine relative to said fuselage, the relatively straight portion is closer to being perpendicular to a fuselage centerline of the aircraft compared to the swept portion; an engine mount structure attaching said gas turbine engine to said relatively straight portion, and vertically above said wings, said gas turbine engine having a core engine including a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section mounted within a core engine housing; a fan, said fan, said compressor section and said turbine section rotating about an axis of rotation; an outer nacelle surrounding said fan, and being spaced from said core engine housing to define a bypass duct, said fan delivering air into said bypass duct and into said core engine housing; said nacelle being formed with camber so as to be curved in a first plane defined parallel to the horizontal and away from said axis of rotation in a first lateral direction, and said engine mount structure extending from said nacelle at an angle that is non-parallel and non-perpendicular to said first plane, and having a component in a lateral direction that is opposed to said first lateral direction; and a shape of the nacelle and its camber improving a wing leading edge suction terminating in a shock wave in a forward inboard portion of the wings, and at the relatively straight section.

2. The aircraft as set forth in claim 1 , wherein a first chord distance is defined by a first chord of said swept portion of said wings immediately laterally outwardly of said nacelle on each said gas turbine engine, and a first edge distance is defined between a leading edge of said swept portion of said wing and a trailing edge of said nacelle, and a ratio of said first edge distance to said first chord distance being greater than or equal to 10% and less than or equal to 50%.

3. The aircraft as set forth in claim 2 , wherein a second chord is defined between a leading edge of said straight portion of said wings and a trailing edge of said straight portion of said wings and a second distance is defined between said leading edge of said straight portion of said wings and said trailing edge of said nacelle, and a ratio of said second distance and said second chord is greater than or equal to 5% and less than or equal to 75%.

4. The aircraft as set forth in claim 3 , wherein a second plane is defined perpendicular to said first plane and also extending through said axis of rotation, and said engine mount structure being on one side of said second plane and an auxiliary gearbox driven by said turbine section is positioned on a second side of said second plane.

5. The aircraft as set forth in claim 1 , wherein a second chord is defined between a leading edge of said straight portion of said wings and a trailing edge of said straight portion of said wings and a second distance is defined between said leading edge of said straight portion of said wings and said trailing edge of said nacelle, and a ratio of said second distance and said second chord is greater than or equal to 5% and less than or equal to 75%.

6. The aircraft as set forth in claim 1 , wherein at least one component associated with each said gas turbine engine is mounted within said straight portion of said wings.

7. The aircraft as set forth in claim 6 , wherein a drive shaft is driven by said turbine section of said gas turbine engine and drives at least said one component.

8. The aircraft as set forth in claim 6 , wherein said at least one component includes at least one of an oil tank and batteries or controllers.

9. The aircraft as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said engine mount structure extending along an angle away from said axis of rotation defined away from said first plane, and said angle being between 30 and 50 degrees.

10. The aircraft as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said nacelle including D-doors which can be pivoted outwardly away from said core housing to provide access to inside said engine.

11. The aircraft as set forth in claim 10 , wherein at least one of said D-doors has an attachment that provides a support for maintenance workers when said D-doors are in an open position.

12. The aircraft as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said nacelle is formed to be non-perpendicular to said axis of rotation at a trailing edge of said nacelle.

Assignees

• Raytheon Tech Corp
• Rtx Corp

Inventors

• Malecki Robert E
• Hahn Andrew
• Muldoon Marc J
• Chandler Jesse M
• Staubach Joseph B

Classifications

• B64D27/02

  Aircraft characterised by the type or position of power plants · CPC title

• F02C7/20 Primary

  Mounting or supporting of plant; Accommodating heat expansion or creep · CPC title

• B64D27/12 Primary

  within, or attached to, wings · CPC title

• B64C7/02

  Nacelles · CPC title

• B64D29/06

  Attaching of nacelles, fairings or cowlings · CPC title