AIRCRAFT TURBOJET NACELLE

• US 20140334922A1
• Filed: 05/12/2014
• Published: 11/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: BIGNOLAIS, Alain, FABRE, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 9,604,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/201
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 29/08 Inspection panels for power plants

Abstract

The invention relates to an aircraft turbojet nacelle including a cowling assembly (60) made up of four covers (62, 64, 66, 68). Each cover extends in arcuate shape around part of the longitudinal axis of the nacelle, in symmetrical manner about a vertical plane (P) containing the axis. On either side of said plane, the cowling assembly comprises a top cover (62, 66) hinged at its top portion and a bottom cover (64, 68) hinged at its bottom portion. Access to the internal space (e) of the nacelle is obtained by moving the covers away from the longitudinal axis by pivoting them about their hinge axes. A top cover is less heavy for handling purposes than is a single cover of the prior art.

Claims

1. An aircraft turbojet nacelle (36, 38) of generally elongate shape extending around and along a longitudinal central axis (X), the nacelle including a cowling assembly (60) that is pivotally movable between a closed position and an open position, with the cowling assembly in the closed position defining an internal space (e) that extends radially around said axis and parallel thereto, the transition from the closed position to the open pivoted position being obtained by moving the cowling assembly radially away from the longitudinal central axis in order to give access to said internal space, the nacelle being characterized in that the cowling assembly comprises four covers (62, 64, 66, 68) each extending in arcuate shape around part of the longitudinal central axis and in a manner that is symmetrical about a vertical plane (P) containing the longitudinal central axis, the cowling assembly comprising on either side of said plane a top cover (62, 66) hinged at its top portion and a bottom cover (64, 68), hinged at its bottom portion, the arcuate shape of the bottom cover (64, 68) extending in cross-section over an arc of length that is shorter than the length of the arc of the top cover (62, 66).

2. A nacelle according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of the arc of each bottom cover (64, 68) is arranged so that its free end (64b, 68b) lies under the nacelle when said bottom cover is open.

3. A nacelle according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the two bottom covers (64, 68) is hinged about a pivot axis (A2) lying in the vertical plane of symmetry (P) or in the proximity of said plane.

4. A nacelle according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the two top covers (62, 66) is hinged about a pivot axis that is disposed in the vertical plane of symmetry or in the proximity of said plane.

5. A nacelle according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes locking means (70, 72) for locking each top cover (62, 66) with the bottom cover (64, 68) situated on the same side of the vertical plane of symmetry.

6. A nacelle according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the two bottom covers (64, 68) is shielded.

7. An aircraft (30), characterized in that it includes at least one jet engine nacelle (36, 38) according to claim 1, wherein each bottom cover extends in arcuate shape from a fixed first end that is hinged to an opposite second end that is free, such that the difference in height (H) between the height of the fixed first end of said open bottom cover and the height of its free second end when the aircraft (30) is standing on the ground and at least one of the two bottom covers (64, 68) is in the open position, is equal to the difference in height between the height of said first end and the ground.