Aircraft nacelle comprising a reinforced connection between an air intake and a powerplant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9567905-B2
Application number	US-201314086314-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2013
Priority date	Nov 23, 2012
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

An aircraft nacelle comprising a first duct secured to an air intake and a second duct secured to a powerplant, the first duct comprising an exterior surface and an end portion connected to the second duct. The nacelle includes a hollow section piece in contact with the exterior surface of the first duct which extends over at least part of the circumference of that end portion of the first duct that is connected to the second duct.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aircraft nacelle comprising:
a first duct extending from an air intake of the aircraft nacelle to an end portion with a first duct annular ring flange extending away from an exterior surface of the first duct;
a second duct surrounding a powerplant and having a first end including a second duct annular ring flange fastened to the first duct annular ring flange, wherein the first duct annular ring flange and the second duct annular ring flange both run in planes that are substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction;
a hollow section piece connected to the exterior surface of the first duct, the hollow section piece extending over at least part of a circumference of the end portion of the first duct, and wherein the hollow section piece comprises a longitudinal cross section that is a hollow rectangle or a hollow square;
a rear frame fastened to the exterior surface of the first duct and,
wherein the hollow section piece is connected to the exterior surface of the first duct between the rear frame and the first duct annular ring flange.

2. The aircraft nacelle according to claim 1 , wherein the rear frame connects an exterior wall of the nacelle and the first duct at a junction zone near the end portion, wherein the hollow section piece is intercalated between the junction zone and the second duct.

3. The aircraft nacelle according to claim 1 , wherein the hollow section piece is fixed to the first duct by connecting elements.

4. The aircraft nacelle according to claim 1 , wherein the hollow section piece extends over the entire circumference of the first duct so as to encircle it.

5. The aircraft nacelle according to claim 1 , wherein the hollow section piece has sections in longitudinal planes made as a single piece.

6. The aircraft nacelle according to claim 5 , wherein the hollow section piece has rounded corners.

7. The aircraft nacelle according to claim 1 , wherein the hollow section piece is spaced from the second duct annular ring flange of the powerplant.

8. The aircraft nacelle according to claim 1 , wherein the annular ring flanges extend in transverse planes and are kept pressed firmly against one another by connecting elements.

9. The aircraft nacelle according to claim 1 , wherein the rear frame is spaced from the hollow section piece.

10. The aircraft nacelle of claim 1 further comprising:
a loose flange securing the exterior surface of the first duct to the rear frame, the loose flange comprising a first leg fixed against the exterior surface of the first duct and a second leg connected to the rear frame.

11. The aircraft nacelle of claim 10 wherein the hollow section piece is disposed on the exterior surface of the first duct between the first duct annular ring flange and the loose flange.

12. An aircraft nacelle comprising:
a first duct extending from an air intake of the aircraft nacelle to an end portion with a first duct annular ring flange extending away from an exterior surface of the first duct;
a second duct surrounding a powerplant and having a first end pressed against the end portion of the first duct, and the first end of the second duct including a second duct annular ring flange fastened to the first duct annular ring flange, wherein the first duct annular ring flange and the second duct annular ring flange both run in planes that are substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction;
a hollow section piece connected to the exterior surface of the first duct, the hollow section piece extending over at least part of a circumference of the end portion of the first duct; and,
a rear frame fastened to the exterior surface of the first duct,
wherein the hollow section piece is disposed between the rear frame and the first duct annular ring flange along the longitudinal direction, and the hollow section piece not in direct contact with either the rear frame or the first duct annular ring flange.

13. An aircraft nacelle comprising:
a first duct extending from an air intake of the aircraft nacelle to an end portion with a first duct annular ring flange extending away from an exterior surface of the first duct;
a second duct surrounding a powerplant and having a first end pressed against the end portion of the first duct, and the first end of the second duct including a second duct annular ring flange fastened to the first duct annular ring flange, wherein the first duct annular ring flange and the second duct annular ring flange both run in planes that are substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction;
a hollow section piece connected to the exterior surface of the first duct, the hollow section piece extending over at least part of a circumference of the end portion of the first duct;
a rear frame fastened to the exterior surface of the first duct; and,
a loose flange securing the exterior surface of the first duct to the rear frame, the loose flange comprising a first leg fixed against the exterior surface of the first duct and a second leg connected to the rear frame and
wherein the hollow section piece is disposed on the exterior surface of the first duct between the first duct annular ring flange and the loose flange.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Sas

Inventors

• Porte Alain
• Fargues Matthieu
• Marro Martial

Classifications

• Y02T50/672

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• B64D33/02

  of combustion air intakes · CPC title

• B64D2033/0286

  for turbofan engines · CPC title

• F01D25/243

  Flange connections; Bolting arrangements (F01D25/265 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F05D2300/603

  Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced · CPC title