Thrust Reverser System and Method with Flow Separation-Inhibiting Blades

• US 20160341150A1
• Filed: 05/21/2015
• Published: 11/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Chuck, Chen, Lau, Hin-Fan M.
• Application Number:
  US14/718,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20160341150A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/72 the aft end of the fan housing being movable to uncover openings in the fan housing for the reversed flow
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/76 Control or regulation of thrust reversers

Abstract

An aircraft thrust reverser system including a fan duct including a bullnose, a cascade positioned to direct air outward from the fan duct to generate reverse thrust with respect to a direction of travel, and a flow separation-inhibiting blade positioned within the fan duct proximate the bullnose, wherein the flow separation-inhibiting blade directs the air toward the cascade.

Claims

1. An aircraft thrust reverser system comprising:

a fan duct comprising a bullnose;

a cascade positioned to direct air outward from said fan duct to generate reverse thrust with respect to a direction of travel; and

a flow separation-inhibiting blade positioned within said fan duct proximate said bullnose, wherein said flow separation-inhibiting blade directs said air toward said cascade.

2. The aircraft thrust reverser system of claim 1 wherein said bullnose has a surface, and wherein said flow separation-inhibiting blade is substantially parallel with said surface.

3. The aircraft thrust reverser system of claim 1 wherein said bullnose has a curvature, and wherein said flow separation-inhibiting blade has a contour closely correspond to said curvature.

4. The aircraft thrust reverser system of claim 1 wherein said flow separation-inhibiting blade is capable of being deployed and withdrawn.

5. The aircraft thrust reverser system of claim 4 wherein said flow separation-inhibiting blades are deployed and withdrawn via being extended and retracted.

6. The aircraft thrust reverser system of claim 4 wherein said flow separation-inhibiting blades are deployed and withdrawn via being exposed and covered.

7. The aircraft thrust reverser system of claim 1 comprising a plurality of flow separation-inhibiting blades.

8. The aircraft thrust reverser system of claim 7 wherein said plurality of flow separation-inhibiting blades are arranged in a row, said row extending substantially parallel with a surface of said bullnose.

9. The aircraft thrust reverser system of claim 1 further comprising a second flow separation-inhibiting blade, wherein said first flow separation-inhibiting blade is positioned between said bullnose and said second flow separation-inhibiting blade.

10. The aircraft thrust reverser system of claim 1 further comprising an extension mechanism connected to said flow separation-inhibiting blade.

11. The aircraft thrust reverser system of claim 10 wherein said extension mechanism comprises at least one of an actuator and a biasing element.

12. The aircraft thrust reverser system of claim 1 wherein said cascade comprises a plurality of vanes.

13. The aircraft thrust reverser system of claim 1 wherein said flow separation-inhibiting blade has a length ranging from about 2 inches to about 20 inches.

14. The aircraft thrust reverser system of claim 1 wherein said flow separation-inhibiting blade has a thickness of at most about ¼

inch.

15. The aircraft thrust reverser system of claim 1 wherein said bullnose has a surface, and wherein said flow separation-inhibiting blade is spaced about 0.1 inches to 5 inches from said surface.

16. The aircraft thrust reverser system of claim 1 wherein said bullnose has a surface, and wherein said flow separation-inhibiting blade is spaced about 0.25 inches to 2.5 inches from said surface.

17. The aircraft thrust reverser system of claim 16 further comprising a second flow separation-inhibiting blade, wherein said second flow separation-inhibiting blade is spaced about 0.25 inches to 2.5 inches from said first flow separation-inhibiting blade.

18. The aircraft thrust reverser system of claim 1 wherein said flow separation-inhibiting blade is connected to a support arm.

19. A aircraft thrust reverser method comprising:

exposing a cascade;

positioning a flow separation-inhibiting blade proximate a bullnose upstream of said cascade; and

directing an airflow across said flow separation-inhibiting blade and to said cascade.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein a plurality of flow separation-inhibiting blades are positioned proximate said bullnose.