Deflector shield and support member device for an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12509211-B2
Application number	US-202418601057-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2024
Priority date	Mar 11, 2024
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

A device to control movement of fluid that is emitted from an aircraft engine that is mounted to a wing of an aircraft. The device includes a support member positioned on an exterior of the aircraft and having an elongated shape with a first end connected to the wing and a second end connected to the fuselage. The support member has a first sectional size. A deflector shield is mounted to the support member and positioned on the exterior of the aircraft. The deflector shield has a larger sectional size than the support member. The deflector shield has an outer edge that extends around the support member and is positioned radially outward from the support member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A device to control movement of fluid that is emitted from an aircraft engine that is mounted to a wing of an aircraft, the device comprising:
a support member positioned on an exterior of the aircraft and comprising an elongated shape with a first end connected to an underside of the wing aft of the engine and a second end connected to a fuselage, the support member positioned aft of the engine that is mounted to the wing and that receives the fluid that is emitted from the engine, the support member comprising a first sectional size; and a deflector shield mounted to the support member and positioned on the exterior of the aircraft completely below the wing, the deflector shield comprising a larger sectional size than the support member to extend radially outward beyond the support member, the deflector shield comprising an outer edge that extends around the support member and is positioned radially outward from the support member, the deflector shield comprising a forward height measured between the support member and a forward end and an aft height measured between the support member and a rear end; wherein the aft height is greater than the forward height for the rear end to be positioned beyond a boundary layer of the aircraft to expel the fluid into the airstream.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the rear end of the deflector shield is positioned aft of the wing.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein an outer face and an inner face of the deflector shield are each flat to enable the fluid to move in an aft direction during flight.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein a center line of the deflector shield that extends through the forward end and the rear end is aligned perpendicular to a center line of the support member.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein a center line of the deflector shield that extends through the forward end and the rear end is aligned transverse to a center line of the support member and aligned parallel to an airflow direction of the aircraft during flight.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the deflector shield has an oval shape with a height of the deflector shield greater at the rear end of the deflector shield than at an upper section of the deflector shield.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the deflector shield comprises an opening sized to receive the support member.

8 . The device of claim 7 , further comprising a seal positioned around the opening, the seal configured to fill gaps formed between the deflector shield and the support member to prevent the fluid from passing beyond the deflector shield.

9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the support member and the deflector shield comprise a one-piece unitary construction.

10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the support member is configured to be aligned at a downward angle with the first end positioned vertically above the second end during level flight of the aircraft.

11 . A device to control movement of fluid that are emitted from an aircraft engine that is mounted to a wing of an aircraft, the device comprising:
a support member connected to the wing and the fuselage and positioned on an exterior of the aircraft, the support member positioned aft of the engine and receives the fluid that is emitted from the engine; a deflector shield mounted to the support member and positioned on the exterior of the aircraft between the engine and the fuselage, the deflector shield comprising:
an outer face that faces towards the wing;
an inner face that faces towards the fuselage;
an outer edge that is positioned between the outer face and the inner face; and
channels that are recessed in an aft section of the outer face and extend between the support member and the outer edge, the channels configured to collect and direct the fluid towards the rear end; wherein the deflector shield comprises a larger sectional size than the support member with the outer edge spaced radially outward from the support member continuously around the support member.

12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the deflector shield is positioned completely below the wing.

13 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the deflector shield is a first deflector shield and further comprising a second deflector shield mounted to the support member on the exterior of the aircraft and spaced along the support member away from the first deflector shield.

14 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the deflector shield has an oval shape and extends outward in an aft direction a greater distance than in a forward direction.

15 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the support member comprises a first end that is connected to the wing and a second end that is connected to the fuselage, the support member is configured to be aligned in a downward orientation with the first end vertically higher than the second end during level flight of the aircraft.

16 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the deflector shield is aligned perpendicular to the support member.

17 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the deflector shield is aligned transverse to the support member and aligned parallel to an airflow direction of the aircraft during flight.

18 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the deflector shield is sized for the rear end of the deflector shield to be outside of a boundary layer of air flowing past the aircraft during flight.

19 . A method of preventing fluid from an engine of an aircraft that is mounted to a wing from running along a support member that supports the wing, the method comprising:
connecting a deflector shield to the support member on an exterior of the aircraft between the engine and a fuselage with the support member extending between the wing and the fuselage and with the support member extending aft of the engine; and positioning the deflector shield completely below the below the wing and with a rear edge of the deflector shield aft of the wing and outside of a boundary layer of the aircraft to enable the fluid that flows along the deflector shield to be expelled into an airflow.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising aligning channels that are recessed into a surface of the deflector shield in an airflow direction with a leading end at the channels at the support member and a trailing end of the channels at an edge of the deflector shield to enable the fluid that flows along the channels to be expelled into an airflow.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Wright Robert Steven

Classifications

• B64D45/00 Primary

  Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64C3/18 Primary

  Spars; Ribs; Stringers · CPC title