Airflow vectoring member

• US 20100281874A1
• Filed: 01/08/2008
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Rice, Edward Claude
• Application Number:
  US12/006,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20100281874A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/770
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 15/02 the jets being propulsion jets
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/004 by using one or more swivable nozzles rotating about their own axis
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 3/025 the by-pass flow being at least partly used to create an independent thrust component
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/40 Movement of components
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/051 Thrust

Abstract

One embodiment is an apparatus comprising an aircraft airflow duct, and a rotatable member disposed within the duct. The rotatable member is rotatable to vector airflow and is capable of being spun in different directions at a variety of rotational rates. Some embodiments include stationary rotatable members.

Claims

5-1. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the airflow vector member is cylindrical in shape.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a gas turbine engine capable of generating an airflow;

an airflow vector assembly capable of receiving the airflow;

a spinable member disposed within the airflow vector assembly and capable of vectoring the airflow, the spinable member having an exterior; and

the airflow passes over the exterior of the spinable member.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the airflow is produced from a fan driven by the gas turbine engine.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 which further includes an electric motor, wherein the spinable member is rotatable by the electric motor.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 which further includes a rotating mechanism coupled to the airflow vector assembly, wherein the rotating mechanism is capable of rotating the airflow vector assembly about an axis.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the airflow vector assembly is coupled to an aircraft.

17. An apparatus comprising:

an airflow duct capable of flowing an flow stream generated by a gas turbine engine; and

means for vectoring the flow stream disposed within the airflow duct.

18. A method comprising:

passing a flow stream provided by a gas turbine engine through a duct; and

spinning an airflow member within the flow stream.

19. The method of claim 18 which further includes altering a direction of the flow stream downstream of the airflow member.

20. The method of claim 18 which further includes positioning a vane near the airflow member.

21. The method of claim 18 which further includes modulating the spinning of the airflow member.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the modultating the spinning includes varying the spinning rate or direction of the airflow member.

23. The method of claim 18 which further includes rotating the duct to redirect the flow stream through the duct.