Aircraft airframe component with air system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12420914-B2
Application number	US-202318400416-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2023
Priority date	Dec 29, 2023
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

A system for an aircraft includes a vane and an air system. The air system includes a first air circuit and a first door assembly. The first air circuit extends in the vane to a first circuit outlet at a first side of the vane. The first door assembly is arranged at the first circuit outlet. The air system is configured to exhaust a flow of air out of the first air circuit through the first circuit outlet during a first mode and a second mode. The first door assembly is configured to direct the flow of air exhausted from the first circuit outlet longitudinally towards a leading edge of the vane during the first mode. The first door assembly is configured to direct the flow of air exhausted from the first circuit outlet longitudinally towards a trailing edge of the vane during the second mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for an aircraft, comprising:
a vane extending spanwise from a base to a tip, the vane extending longitudinally from a leading edge to a trailing edge, and the vane extending laterally between a first side and a second side; and
an air system including a first air circuit and a first door assembly, the first air circuit extending in the vane to a first circuit outlet at the first side, and the first door assembly arranged at the first circuit outlet;
the air system configured to exhaust a flow of air out of the first air circuit through the first circuit outlet during a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, the first door assembly configured to direct the flow of air exhausted from the first circuit outlet longitudinally towards the leading edge during the first mode of operation, and the first door assembly configured to direct the flow of air exhausted from the first circuit outlet longitudinally towards the trailing edge during the second mode of operation.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first door assembly is configured to block the first circuit outlet during a third mode of operation.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein
the first door assembly comprises a first door extending longitudinally along the first side between an upstream end and a downstream end;
the first door is configured to laterally displace the upstream end from the first side during the first mode of operation; and
the first door is configured to laterally displace the downstream end from the first side during the second mode of operation.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein
the first door assembly comprises a first door;
the first door is configured to pivot about a first axis to enter the first mode of operation; and
the first door is configured to pivot about a second axis to enter the second mode of operation, and the second axis is upstream of the first axis longitudinally along the first side.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first door assembly is disposed longitudinally along the first side closer to the trailing edge than the leading edge.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an airframe including a body and the vane connected to the body at the base;
the first air circuit extending within the airframe from a first circuit inlet to the first circuit outlet, and the first circuit inlet arranged with the body.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first circuit inlet is laterally offset from the vane.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the body is configured as a blended wing body.

9. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:
a first powerplant comprising a powerplant inlet and connected to the body; and
the circuit inlet disposed upstream of and laterally overlapping the powerplant inlet.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first powerplant is configured as a propulsion system for the aircraft.

11. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a second powerplant connected to the body; and
the vane longitudinally overlapping and disposed laterally between the first powerplant and the second powerplant.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein
the air system further includes a second air circuit and a second door assembly;
the second air circuit extends in the vane to a second circuit outlet at the second side;
the second door assembly arranged at the second circuit outlet; and
the air system is configured to exhaust a second flow of air out of the second air circuit through the second circuit outlet during the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation, the second door assembly is configured to direct the second flow of air exhausted from the second circuit outlet longitudinally towards the trailing edge during the first mode of operation, and the second door assembly is configured to direct the second flow of air exhausted from the second circuit outlet longitudinally towards the leading edge during the second mode of operation.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the second door assembly is spanwise offset from the first door assembly along the vane.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the second door assembly is longitudinally aligned with the first door assembly along the vane.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein, during a third mode of operation, the first door assembly is configured to close the first circuit outlet and the second door assembly is configured to close the second circuit outlet.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein
the air system is further configured to exhaust the flow of air out of the first air circuit through the first circuit outlet during a third mode of operation, and the first door assembly is configured to direct the flow of air exhausted from the first circuit outlet longitudinally towards the leading edge during the third mode of operation; and
the air system is further configured to exhaust the second flow of air out of the second air circuit through the second circuit outlet during the third mode of operation, and the second door assembly is configured to direct the second flow of air exhausted from the second circuit outlet longitudinally towards the leading edge during the third mode of operation.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein
the air system is further configured to exhaust the flow of air out of the first air circuit through the first circuit outlet during a third mode of operation, and the first door assembly is configured to direct the flow of air exhausted from the first circuit outlet longitudinally towards the trailing edge during the third mode of operation; and
the air system is further configured to exhaust the second flow of air out of the second air circuit through the second circuit outlet during the third mode of operation, and the second door assembly is configured to direct the second flow of air exhausted from the second circuit outlet longitudinally towards the trailing edge during the third mode of operation.

18. A system for an aircraft, comprising:
a vane extending spanwise from a base to a tip, the vane extending longitudinally from a leading edge to a trailing edge, and the vane extending laterally between a first side and a second side; and
an air system including a first air circuit, a second air circuit, a first door assembly and a second door assembly;
the first air circuit extending in the vane to a first circuit outlet at the first side, and the first door assembly configured to regulate flow through the first circuit outlet; and
the second air circuit extending in the vane to a second circuit outlet at the second side, and the second door assembly configured to regulate flow through the second circuit outlet;
wherein at least one of:
the first door assembly is configured to direct a first flow of air, exhausted from the first air circuit through the first circuit outlet, longitudinally towards the leading edge during a first mode of operation, and the second door assembly is configured to direct a second flow of air, exhausted from the second air circuit through the second circuit outlet, longitudinally towards the trailing edge during the first mode of operation; or
the first door assembly is configured to direct the first flow of air, exhausted from the first air circuit through the first circuit outlet, longitudinally towards the trailing edge during a second mode of operation, and the second door assembly is configured to direct the second flow of air, exhausted from the second air circuit through the second circuit outlet, longitudinally towards the leading edge during the sec

Assignees

• Rtx Corp

Inventors

• Kupratis Daniel B
• Hanrahan Paul R
• Mylrea Benjamin T

Classifications

• B64C2039/105

  of blended wing body type · CPC title

• B64C39/10

  All-wing aircraft · CPC title

• B64C21/08

  adjustable · CPC title

• B64C21/025

  for simultaneous blowing and sucking · CPC title

• B64C5/06 Primary

  Fins (B64C5/08 takes precedence) · CPC title