Dielectric elastomer device to fill steps or gaps in a thrust reverser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9920709-B2
Application number	US-201514626547-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2015
Priority date	Feb 19, 2015
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a thrust reverser of an aircraft, comprising: a wall having a first surface that partially forms a flow channel associated with an air flow, a blocker door having a second surface that partially forms the flow channel, and a dielectric elastomeric device that is configured to selectively expand and contract within a cavity formed between the wall and the blocker door where the cavity is substantially radially adjacent to the flow channel when the thrust reverser is in a stowed state.

First claim

We claim:

1. A thrust reverser of an aircraft, comprising:
a wall having a first surface that partially forms a flow channel associated with an air flow;
a blocker door having a second surface that partially forms the flow channel;
a dielectric elastomeric device that is configured to selectively expand and contract within a cavity formed between the wall and the blocker door where the cavity is substantially radially adjacent to the flow channel when the thrust reverser is in a stowed state; and
a shutter plate extending between a first end and a second end, the shutter plate hinged to the blocker door at the first end;
wherein the dielectric elastomeric device connects the blocker door to the shutter plate at the second end, and the dielectric elastomeric device is configured to pivot the shutter plate between a first position and a second position.

2. The thrust reverser of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric elastomeric device is in a first state when the thruster reverser is operated in the stowed state and in a second state when the thrust reverser is operated in a deployed state.

3. The thrust reverser of claim 2 , wherein a first size of the dielectric elastomeric device in the first state is larger than a second size of the dielectric elastomeric device in the second state.

4. The thrust reverser of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric elastomeric device comprises an elastomer located between two electrodes.

5. The thrust reverser of claim 4 , wherein the dielectric elastomeric device is in an energized state when the thruster reverser is operated in the stowed state and in a de-energized state when the thrust reverser is operated in a deployed state.

6. The thrust reverser of claim 5 , wherein the energized state and the de-energized state are based on a voltage that is applied to the two electrodes.

7. The thrust reverser of claim 6 , Wherein the voltage is based on a 28 Volt direct current aircraft power source.

8. The thrust reverser of claim 1 , wherein the shutter plate partially forms the flow channel.

9. The thrust reverser of claim 8 , wherein the first end of the shutter plate is hinged to the blocker door, and wherein the second end of the shutter plate couples to a protrusion formed in a deflector when the thrust reverser is operated in the stowed state.

10. The thrust reverser of claim 1 , wherein the shutter plate is formed from at least one of aluminum, titanium, or a composite material.

11. The thrust reverser of claim 1 , further comprising:
an actuator configured to control a deployment or stowing of the blocker door.

12. The thrust reverser of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric elastomeric device is wedge-shaped.

13. The thrust reverser of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric elastomeric device is disposed outside of the flow channel when the thrust reverser is in the stowed state.

14. The thrust reverser of claim 1 , wherein the first surface is upstream of the second surface.

Assignees

• Rohr Inc

Inventors

• Frank Joel H
• Ribarov Lubomir A

Classifications

• F02K1/72 Primary

  the aft end of the fan housing being movable to uncover openings in the fan housing for the reversed flow · CPC title

• Y02T50/672

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F02K1/66

  using reversing fan blades · CPC title

• F02K1/74

  Reversing at least one flow in relation to at least one other flow in a plural- flow engine · CPC title

• F05D2250/90

  Variable geometry · CPC title