Systems and methods for restricting movement in flexible ducts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016305369-A1
Application number	US-201514689265-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 17, 2015
Priority date	Apr 17, 2015
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems for restricting movement in a flow mixer including a plurality of lobes that each includes a trough, using a stiffener mechanism, are provided. The stiffener mechanism includes a first end portion configured to be coupled to a first lobe of the plurality of lobes and a second end portion configured to be coupled to a second lobe of the plurality of lobes. The stiffener mechanism also includes a body portion coupled between the first end portion and the second end portion such that the body portion is configured to restrict movement of the first and second lobes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A stiffener mechanism for use in a flow mixer that includes a plurality of lobes that each includes a trough, said stiffener mechanism comprising:
a first end portion configured to be coupled to a first lobe of the plurality of lobes; a second end portion configured to be coupled to a second lobe of the plurality of lobes; a body portion coupled between said first end portion and said second end portion such that said body portion is configured to restrict movement of the first and second lobes.

2 . The stiffener mechanism in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said first end portion is configured to be coupled to a first trough of said first lobe, and wherein said second end portion is configured to be coupled to a second trough of said second lobe.

3 . The stiffener mechanism in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said first end portion is coupled to an inner surface of the first trough, and wherein said body portion is coupled to an outer surface of the first trough that is opposite the inner surface.

4 . The stiffener mechanism in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said first end portion and said second end portion are integrally formed with said body portion.

5 . The stiffener mechanism in accordance with claim 4 , wherein said first end portion and said second end portion are integrally formed with a respective trough.

6 . The stiffener mechanism in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said first end portion is coupled to a first sidewall of the first lobe, and wherein said second end portion is coupled to a second sidewall of the second lobe.

7 . The stiffener mechanism in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said stiffener mechanism comprises an airfoil-shaped cross-sectional profile.

8 . The stiffener mechanism in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said stiffener mechanism comprises at least one flow mixing feature.

9 . The stiffener mechanism in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said stiffener mechanism is formed from a metallic material, a metal alloy material, and a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) material.

10 . The stiffener mechanism in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising:
a first fastener coupled between said first end portion and said body portion; and a second fastener coupled between said second end portion and said body portion.

11 . The stiffener mechanism in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said body portion is substantially hollow.

12 . An aircraft exhaust system comprising:
a flow mixer comprising:
a plurality of first lobes, wherein each first lobe comprises a pair of opposing first sidewalls and an first trough extending between said pair of first sidewalls; and
a plurality of second lobes, wherein each second lobe comprises a pair of opposing second sidewalls and a second trough extending between said pair of second sidewalls, wherein each second trough is aligned with and spaced a distance from a corresponding first trough; and
a stiffener mechanism coupled between at least one pair of corresponding first lobe and second lobe such that said stiffener mechanism is configured to restrict movement of said first and second lobes.

13 . The aircraft exhaust system according to claim 12 , wherein said stiffener comprises:
a first cap coupled to said first trough; a second cap coupled to said second trough; and a body portion coupled between said first cap and said second cap.

14 . The aircraft exhaust system according to claim 12 , wherein said stiffener mechanism is integrally formed between said first trough and said second trough.

15 . The aircraft exhaust system according to claim 12 , wherein said stiffener mechanism comprises a first end and a second end, said first end coupled to an first sidewall of said pair of first sidewalls and said second end coupled to a corresponding second sidewall of said pair of second sidewalls

16 . The aircraft exhaust system according to claim 12 further comprising at least one fastener configured to coupled said stiffener mechanism to said first lobe and said second lobe.

17 . A method of increasing the resonant frequency of a flow mixer that includes a plurality of lobes that each includes a trough and a pair of sidewalls, said method comprising:
coupling a first end portion of a stiffening mechanism to a first lobe of the plurality of lobes; coupling a second end portion of the stiffening mechanism to a second lobe of the plurality of lobes; coupling a body portion of the stiffening mechanism between the first end portion and the second end portion such that the body portion restricts movement of the first and second lobes.

18 . The method in accordance with claim 17 , wherein coupling the first end portion to the first lobe comprises coupling the first end portion to a first trough of the first lobe, and wherein coupling the second end portion to the second lobe comprises coupling the second end portion to a second trough of the second lobe.

19 . The method in accordance with claim 17 , wherein coupling the first end portion to the first lobe comprises coupling the first end portion to a first sidewall of the first lobe, and wherein coupling the second end portion to the second lobe comprises coupling the second end portion to a second sidewall of the second lobe.

20 . The method in accordance with claim 17 , wherein coupling the first end portion to the first lobe comprises integrally forming the first end portion with a first trough of the first lobe, and wherein coupling the second end portion to the second lobe comprises integrally forming the second end portion with the second trough of the second lobe.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Pinney Thomas Richardson
• Best Michael
• Embler Jonathan D
• Keith William P
• Sidiropoulos Aristidis
• Tong Edward T

Classifications

• F02K1/46 Primary

  Nozzles having means for adding air to the jet or for augmenting the mixing region between the jet and the ambient air, e.g. for silencing (F02K1/28, F02K1/36, F02K1/38 take precedence) · CPC title

• F05D2260/30

  Retaining components in desired mutual position · CPC title

• F05D2220/329

  in helicopters · CPC title

• Y02T50/60

  Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft · CPC title