Foldable guiding ventilator cover for an aircraft engine assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9783314-B2
Application number	US-201514811152-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2015
Priority date	Jul 31, 2014
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

For gains in terms of aerodynamic performance levels, an aircraft engine assembly includes a turbomachine, a fastening strut for the turbomachine, and at least one foldable ventilator cover which surrounds the turbomachine and which includes: a first cover sector which includes a first end portion which is mounted so as to be articulated to the fastening strut, along a first articulation axis, and a second cover sector which includes a first end portion which is mounted so as to be articulated to a second end portion of the first cover sector, along a second articulation axis parallel with the first articulation axis. The second end portion is mounted so as to be guided at one side and the other thereof by a thrust inverter cover of the engine assembly and an air inlet structure of this assembly, respectively.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aircraft engine assembly comprising:
a turbomachine;
an engine pylon configured to fasten the turbomachine to an aircraft; and
a first fan cover surrounding the turbomachine, the first fan cover having a closed position where the first fan cover is unfolded and an open position where the first fan cover is folded, the first fan cover comprising:
a first cover sector that extends circumferentially around the turbomachine in the closed position, the first cover sector comprising a first end portion mounted to the engine pylon, the first cover sector configured to hinge, along a first articulation axis at the first end portion relative to the engine pylon, the first cover sector also comprising a second end portion opposite the first end portion; and
a second cover sector that extends circumferentially around the turbomachine in the closed position, the second cover sector comprising a first end portion mounted to the second end portion of the first cover sector, the second cover sector configured to hinge relative to the first cover sector along a second articulation axis parallel with the first articulation axis, the second cover sector also comprising a second end portion opposite the first,
wherein the second end portion of the second cover sector is mounted at a rear axial position to a thrust reverser cover of the engine assembly and mounted at a forward axial position to a circumferentially extending air inlet structure of the engine assembly, the second end portion of the second cover sector is configured to be guided to and from the open and closed positions along the respective circumferences of the thrust reverser cover and air inlet structure.

2. The engine assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the thrust reverser cover comprises a first guiding rail and the air inlet structure comprises a second guiding rail, the guiding rails for the second end portion of the second cover sector.

3. The engine assembly as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first and second guiding rails each has a shape substantially in the form of a circular arc, centered on an axis of the engine assembly.

4. The engine assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first fan cover comprises a mechanism for locking the first fan cover in a closed position, the mechanism cooperating with at least one of the thrust reverser cover and the air inlet structure.

5. The engine assembly as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the mechanism for locking the first fan cover comprises a handle arranged close to an articulated connection between the first cover sector and the second cover sector.

6. The engine assembly as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the handle is arranged, in the closed position of the first fan cover, on or close to a diametral plane of the engine assembly, in a state orthogonal to a diametral plane of the engine assembly extending via the engine pylon.

7. The engine assembly as claimed in claim 1 , the first fan cover further comprising a third cover sector comprising a first end mounted to the second end portion of the second cover sector, the third cover sector configured to hinge relative to the second cover sector along a third articulation axis parallel with the first articulation axis, the third cover sector comprising a second end portion opposite the first, the third cover sector mounted so as to be guided at one side and the other thereof by the thrust reverser cover and the air inlet structure, respectively.

8. The engine assembly as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the thrust reverser cover comprises a first guiding rail and the air inlet structure comprises a second guiding rail, the guiding rails for the second end portion of the second cover sector, and
wherein the second end portion of the third cover sector cooperates, at one side and the other thereof, with the the first and second guiding rails, respectively.

9. The engine assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the cover sectors includes an inspection hatch.

10. The engine assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second cover sectors are configured to fold in the manner of a wallet along the second articulation axis when the first fan cover is moved from the closed position to the open position.

11. The engine assembly as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a second second fan cover, each of the the first fan cover and the second fan cover extending around the turbomachine over approximately 180°.

12. The engine assembly as claimed in claim 11 , wherein each of the first fan cover and the second fan cover further comprise a third cover sector comprising a first end mounted to the second end portion of the second cover sector, the third cover sector configured to hinge relative to the second cover sector along a third articulation axis parallel with the first articulation axis, the third cover sector comprising a second end portion opposite the first, the third cover sector mounted so as to be guided at one side and the other thereof by the thrust reverser cover and the air inlet structure, respectively,
wherein, in the closed positions of the the first and second fan covers, the two third cover sectors are arranged in aerodynamic continuation of each other, being substantially diametrically opposed relative to the engine pylon.

13. An aircraft comprising:
a first engine assembly comprising:
a turbomachine;
an engine pylon configured to fasten the turbomachine to a component of the aircraft; and
a first fan cover surrounding the turbomachine, the first fan cover having a closed position where the first fan cover is unfolded and an open position where the first fan cover is folded, the first fan cover comprising:
a first cover sector that extends circumferentially around the turbomachine in the closed position, the first cover sector comprising a first end portion mounted to the engine pylon, the first cover sector configured to hinge, along a first articulation axis at the first end portion relative to the engine pylon, the first cover sector also comprising a second end portion opposite the first end portion; and
a second cover sector that extends circumferentially around the turbomachine in the closed position, the second cover sector comprising a first end portion mounted to the second end portion of the first cover sector, the second cover sector configured to hinge relative to the first cover sector along a second articulation axis parallel with the first articulation axis, the second cover sector also comprising a second end portion opposite the first,
wherein the second end portion of the second cover sector is mounted at a rear axial position to a thrust reverser cover of the engine assembly and mounted at a forward axial position to a circumferentially extending air inlet structure of the engine assembly, the second end portion of the second cover sector is configured to be guided to and from the open and closed positions along the respective circumferences of the thrust reverser cover and air inlet structure.

14. The aircraft as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising a first wing, a second wing, and a second engine assembly, wherein the first engine assembly and the second engine assembly are suspended under the first wing and the second wing, respectively.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Sas

Inventors

• Pautis Olivier

Classifications

• B64D29/06

  Attaching of nacelles, fairings or cowlings · CPC title

• B64D29/02

  associated with wings · CPC title

• B64C7/02

  Nacelles · CPC title

• F02K1/085

  by transversely deforming an internal member · CPC title

• F02K1/18

  automatic · CPC title