Aircraft engine and associated aircraft engine cowl

• US 6,220,546 B1
• Filed: 12/29/1999
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Parham, Dean Leon, Klamka, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Best, Christian M.
• Application Number:
  US09/474,741
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 244/54, 244/129.4, 244/53.R, 244/53.B, 244/129.5, 137/15.1
• US Class Current: 244/129.4
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 29/00 Power-plant nacelles, fairings, or cowlings nacelles not otherwise provided for B64C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 29/08 Inspection panels for power plants

Abstract

An aircraft engine has opposite front and rear ends, extends in a longitudinal direction between the front and rear ends, and defines a longitudinal axis that extends between the front and rear ends. The aircraft engine includes a reference portion, and right and left cowls that extend arcuately at least partially around the longitudinal axis of the aircraft engine. The cowls are operative for covering at least a portion of the reference portion. Each cowl is movably mounted in relation to the reference portion so that the cowls move both radially away from the longitudinal axis and in the longitudinal direction as the cowls are moved from a closed configuration to an open configuration. Further, the cowls move both in the longitudinal direction and radially toward the longitudinal axis as the cowls are moved from the open configuration to the closed configuration.

Claims

1. An aircraft engine having opposite front and rear ends and having a longitudinal axis that extends between the front and rear ends, the aircraft engine comprising:

an inlet assembly positioned at the front of the aircraft engine and comprising an exterior surface that extends arcuately at least partially around the longitudinal axis of the aircraft engine;

right and left cowls, each of which respectively comprises an exterior surface that extends arcuately at least partially around the longitudinal axis of the aircraft engine;

a right attachment assembly operative so;

the right cowl is movably mounted in relation to the inlet assembly,

the right cowl is capable of being moved between a closed configuration and an open configuration, wherein the right cowl is generally rearward of the inlet assembly and proximate portions of the exterior surface of the right cowl and the exterior surface of the inlet assembly are generally flush while the right cowl is in the closed configuration, and the right cowl is generally to the right of the inlet assembly while the right cowl is in the open configuration, and

the right cowl moves both radially away from the longitudinal axis and forward as the right cowl is moved from the closed configuration to the open configuration; and

a left attachment assembly operative so;

the left cowl is movably mounted in relation to the inlet assembly,

the left cowl is capable of being moved between a closed configuration and an open configuration, wherein the left cowl is generally rearward of the inlet assembly and proximate portions of the exterior surface of the left cowl and the exterior surface of the inlet assembly are generally flush while the left cowl is in the closed configuration, and the left cowl is generally to the left of the inlet assembly while the left cowl is in the open configuration, and

the left cowl moves both radially away from the longitudinal axis and forward as the left cowl is moved from the closed configuration to the open configuration.

2. An aircraft engine according to claim 1, wherein:

the right attachment assembly comprises;

an upper right arm having opposite ends, wherein one end of the upper right arm is mounted in pivotal relation to the right cowl to define a first rotational axis, and the other end of the upper right arm is mounted in pivotal relation to the inlet assembly to define a second rotational axis, and

a lower right arm that is positioned lower than the upper right arm and has opposite ends, wherein one end of the lower right arm is mounted in pivotal relation to the right cowl to define a third rotational axis, and the other end of the lower right arm is mounted in pivotal relation to the inlet assembly to define a fourth rotational axis, and wherein the rotational axes of the upper right arm are offset from the rotation axes of the lower right arm; and

the left attachment assembly comprises;

an upper left arm having opposite ends, wherein one end of the upper left arm of the left attachment assembly is mounted in pivotal relation to the left cowl to define a fifth rotational axis, and the other end of the upper left arm of the left attachment assembly is mounted in pivotal relation to the inlet assembly to define a sixth rotational axis, and

a lower left arm having opposite ends, wherein one end of the lower left arm of the left attachment assembly is mounted in pivotal relation to the left cowl to define a seventh rotational axis, and the other end of the lower left arm of the left attachment assembly is mounted in pivotal relation to the inlet assembly to define an eighth rotational axis, and wherein the rotational axes of the upper left arm of the left attachment assembly are offset from the rotation axes of the lower left arm of the left attachment assembly.

3. An aircraft engine according to claim 2, wherein:

the right arms are curved in a manner that enhances the degree to which the right cowl is capable of moving forward; and

the left arms are curved in a manner that enhances the degree to which the left cowl is capable of moving forward.

4. An aircraft engine having opposite front and rear ends, extending in a longitudinal direction between the front and rear ends, and defining a longitudinal axis that extends between the front and rear ends, the aircraft engine comprising:

a reference portion;

a cowl that extends arcuately at least partially around the longitudinal axis of the aircraft engine and is operative for covering at least a portion of the reference portion while the cowl is in a close configuration, wherein the cowl is movably mounted in relation to the reference portion so;

the cowl is capable of being moved between the closed configuration and an open configuration, and

the cowl moves both radially away from the longitudinal axis and in the longitudinal direction as the cowl is moved from the closed configuration to the open configuration.

5. An aircraft engine according to claim 4, wherein the reference portion comprises an inlet assembly that is positioned proximate the front-end of the aircraft engine and comprises an exterior surface that extends arcuately at least partially around the longitudinal axis of the aircraft engine, wherein the cowl is generally rearward of the inlet assembly in the closed configuration, and the cowl is movably mounted in relation to the reference portion so that the cowl moves both radially away from the inlet assembly and forward relative to the inlet assembly as the cowl is moved from the closed configuration to the open configuration.

6. An aircraft engine according to claim 5, wherein:

the cowl is pivotally mounted in relation to the inlet assembly by an attachment assembly comprising an arm having opposite first and second ends;

the first end of the arm is pivotally mounted in relation to the inlet assembly at a position that is radially closer to the longitudinal axis than at least a portion of the exterior surface of the inlet assembly;

the second end of the arm is pivotally mounted in relation to the cowl;

the second end of the arm is rearward of the inlet assembly in the closed configuration; and

the arm is curved so that the second end of the arm is forward of at least a portion of the inlet assembly in the open configuration.

7. An aircraft engine according to claim 4, wherein the cowl is movably mounted in relation to the reference portion by a pivot assembly that is operative so that the cowl pivots between the closed configuration and the open configuration.

8. An aircraft engine according to claim 7, wherein the reference portion comprises a bulkhead, and the pivot assembly is pivotally mounted in relation to the bulkhead.

9. An aircraft engine according to claim 7, wherein the pivot assembly comprises:

a first arm having opposite first and second ends, wherein the first end is pivotally mounted in relation to the reference portion for pivoting about a first rotational axis and the second end is pivotally mounted in relation to the cowl for pivoting about a second rotational axis; and

a second arm having opposite first and second ends, wherein the first end of the second arm is pivotally mounted in relation to the reference portion for pivoting about a third rotational axis and the second end of the second arm is pivotally mounted in relation to the cowl for pivoting about a fourth rotational axis, and the first, second, third, and fourth rotational axes are generally parallel.

10. An aircraft engine according to claim 9, wherein:

the third rotational axis, which is associated with the first end of the second arm, is radially farther from the longitudinal axis than the first rotational axis, which is associated with the first end of the first arm;

the third rotational axis, which is associated with the first end of the second arm, and the first rotational axis, which is associated with the first end of the first arm, are spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction;

the fourth rotational axis, which is associated with the second end of the second arm, is radially farther from the longitudinal axis than the second rotational axis, which is associated with the second end of the first arm; and

the fourth rotational axis, which is associated with the second end of the second arm, and the second rotational axis, which is associated with the second end of the first arm, are spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction.

11. An aircraft engine according to claim 10, wherein:

the third rotational axis, which is associated with the first end of the second arm, is forward of the first rotational axis, which is associated with the first end of the first arm; and

the fourth rotational axis, which is associated with the second end of the second arm, is forward of the second rotational axis, which is associated with the second end of the first arm.

12. An aircraft engine according to claim 9, wherein the first arm is curved and the second arm is curved.

13. An aircraft engine according to claim 12, wherein:

the reference portion comprises an inlet assembly that is positioned at the front of the aircraft engine and comprises an exterior surface that extends arcuately at least partially around the longitudinal axis of the aircraft engine, and the cowl is generally rearward of the inlet assembly in the closed configuration;

the first and third rotational axes, which are respectively associated with the first end of the first arm and the first end of the second arm, are positioned radially closer to the longitudinal axis than at least a portion of the exterior surface of the inlet assembly;

the pivot assembly is operative so the cowl moves both radially away from the inlet assembly and forward relative to the inlet assembly as the cowl is moved from the closed configuration to the open configuration; and

the curvature of the arms is such that the second and fourth rotational axes, which are respectively associated with the second end of the first arm and the second end of the second arm, are positioned forward of at least a portion of the inlet assembly in the open configuration.

14. An aircraft comprising:

a fuselage; and

an aircraft engine operative for propelling the fuselage, wherein the aircraft engine has opposite front and rear ends, extends in a longitudinal direction between the front and rear ends, and defines a longitudinal axis that extends between the front and rear ends, and wherein the aircraft engine comprises;

a cowl that extends arcuately at least partially around the longitudinal axis and is operative for covering at least a reference portion of the aircraft engine; and

an attachment assembly operative so;

the cowl is movably mounted in relation to the reference portion of the aircraft engine,

the cowl is capable of being moved between a closed configuration and an open configuration, and

the cowl moves both radially away from the longitudinal axis and in the longitudinal direction as the cowl is moved from the closed configuration to the open configuration.

15. An aircraft according to claim 14, wherein the attachment assembly comprises:

a first arm having opposite first and second ends, wherein the first end is pivotally mounted in relation to the reference portion of the aircraft engine for pivoting about a rotational axis, and the second end is pivotally mounted in relation to the cowl for pivoting about a rotational axis; and

a second arm having opposite first and second ends, wherein the first end of the second arm is pivotally mounted in relation to the reference portion of the aircraft engine for pivoting about a rotational axis, and the second end of the second arm is pivotally mounted in relation to the cowl for pivoting about a rotational axis, and

wherein the rotational axes of the first end of the first arm, the second end of the first arm, the first end of the second arm, and second end of the second arm generally parallel.

16. An aircraft according to claim 15, wherein:

the rotational axis of the first end of the second arm is radially farther from the longitudinal axis than the rotational axis of the first end of the first arm;

the rotational axes of the first end of the second arm and the first end of the first arm are spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction;

the rotational axis of the second end of the second arm is radially farther from the longitudinal axis than the rotational axis of the second end of the first arm; and

the rotational axes of the second end of the second arm and the second end of the first arm are spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction.

17. An aircraft according to claim 16, wherein:

the rotational axis of the first end of the second arm is forward of the rotational axis of the first end of the first arm; and

the rotational axis of the second end of the second arm is forward of the rotational axis of the second end of the first arm.