Variable diameter thrust link apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12529323-B2
Application number	US-202418947789-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2024
Priority date	Sep 25, 2023
Publication date	Jan 20, 2026
Grant date	Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

Variable diameter thrust link apparatus are disclosed. A thrust link for an aircraft engine includes a forward end coupled to the aircraft engine, the forward end having a first diameter, and an aft end coupled to the aircraft engine or a pylon, the aft end having the first diameter, wherein the thrust link defines a thrust link span that extends from the forward end to the aft end, wherein a second diameter greater than the first diameter is defined between the forward end and the aft end, wherein the second diameter spans a center diameter span that is equivalent to or between 60% and 90% of the thrust link span.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A thrust link for an aircraft engine, the thrust link comprising:
a forward end coupled to the aircraft engine, the forward end having a first diameter; and an aft end coupled to the aircraft engine or a pylon, the aft end having the first diameter, wherein the thrust link defines a thrust link span that extends from the forward end to the aft end, wherein a second diameter greater than the first diameter is defined between the forward end and the aft end, wherein the second diameter spans a center diameter span that is equivalent to or between 60% and 90% of the thrust link span, wherein the first diameter is an end outer diameter (EOD), wherein the second diameter is a center outer diameter (COD), and wherein a span of the center diameter span relative to the thrust link span defines a center diameter span percentage (CDS %), wherein

EQ
⁢
3

=

(

COD
⁡
(

in
.

)

EOD
⁡
(

in
.

)

)

-

0.00065876152832674
*

(

COD
⁡
(

in
.

)

*
CDS
⁢

%
⁢

(
%
)

)

2

+

0.53333333333333
*

(

COD
⁡
(

in
.

)

*

(

CDS
⁢
%
⁢

(
%
)

*
100

)

)

,

and wherein EQ3 is greater than or equal to 122.2495 and less than or equal to 128.9963.

2 . The thrust link of claim 1 , wherein the thrust link includes a stiffness factor that is based on a wall thickness of the thrust link across the thrust link span and a material of the thrust link, wherein a first region and a second region of the thrust link have a higher value for the stiffness factor than a remainder of the thrust link span.

3 . The thrust link of claim 1 , wherein the aft end of the thrust link is coupled to the aircraft engine or the pylon via a damper.

4 . The thrust link of claim 1 , wherein a first thrust link location corresponding to 0% of the thrust link span is defined at the forward end, and wherein a second thrust link location corresponding to 100% of the thrust link span is defined at the aft end, wherein the center diameter span percentage extends from a third thrust link location corresponding to approximately 20% of the thrust link span to a fourth thrust link location corresponding to approximately 80% of the thrust link span.

5 . The thrust link of claim 1 , wherein the first diameter has a range of 2 inches to 7 inches.

6 . The thrust link of claim 1 , wherein the second diameter has a range of 3.5 inches to 6 inches.

7 . The thrust link of claim 1 , wherein the center diameter span has a range of 10 inches to 30 inches.

8 . The thrust link of claim 1 , further including a damping insert spanning a damping insert span that is less than the thrust link span.

9 . The thrust link of claim 8 , wherein the damping insert extends from the aft end of the thrust link.

10 . The thrust link of claim 8 , wherein a ratio of the damping insert span to the thrust link span is equal to or between 0.25 and 0.5.

11 . A thrust link of an aircraft engine, the thrust link comprising:
a forward end coupled to the aircraft engine, the forward end having a first diameter; an aft end coupled to the aircraft engine or a pylon, a thrust link span defined from the forward end to the aft end, the aft end having the first diameter, wherein a second diameter greater than the first diameter is defined between the forward end and the aft end, wherein the second diameter spans a center diameter span that is equivalent to or between 60% and 90% of the thrust link span, wherein the first diameter is an end outer diameter (EOD), wherein the second diameter is a center outer diameter (COD), and wherein a span of the center diameter span relative to the thrust link span defines a center diameter span percentage (CDS %), wherein

EQ
⁢
3

=

(

COD
⁡
(

in
.

)

EOD
⁡
(

in
.

)

)

-

0.00065876152832674
⋆

(

COD
⁡

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Roehm Ryan T
• Miller Brandon W
• Dyson Robert Eugene
• Sibbach Arthur W
• Yeager Donald S
• Schilling John C

Classifications

• F16F13/007

  the damper being a fluid damper · CPC title

• F16F15/023

  using fluid means · CPC title

• F16F9/19

  with a single cylinder {and of single-tube type} · CPC title

• F16F15/02

  Suppression of vibrations of non-rotating, e.g. reciprocating systems; Suppression of vibrations of rotating systems by use of members not moving with the rotating systems ({F16F15/005 takes precedence } ; layered products B32B; suppression of vibration in ships B63; {relieving load on bearings, using magnetic means F16C39/06}) · CPC title

• F16F2230/16

  used in a strut, basically rigid · CPC title