Engine mounting assembly

• US 7,806,363 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2005
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Udall, Kenneth F, Stretton, Richard G
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins; Timothy D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bonzell; Philip J
• Application Number:
  US11/187,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20060038066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,898 Days
• Field of Search: 244/54, 244/60, 248554-557, 607/96, 607/97
• US Class Current: 244/54
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/20 within, or attached to, fuselages
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/40 Arrangements for mounting power plants in aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/404 Suspension arrangements specially adapted for supporting vertical loads
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/20 Mounting or supporting of plant; Accommodating heat expansion or creep
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/32 Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

An engine mounting assembly for an engine, e.g. a gas turbine engine comprises a plurality of carrying arrangements. Each carrying arrangement comprises a rear load absorbing assembly. Each load absorbing assembly provides a rear mounting point for an engine carrier. Each carrying arrangement further comprises first and second stabilising members extending forwardly from the rear mounting point of the rear load absorbing assembly to first and second spaced forward mounting points for an engine carrier.

Claims

1. A gas turbine engine mounting assembly connecting a gas turbine engine to a pylon, the engine comprising:

a fan casing; and

a

a core casing, the mounting assembly comprising;

a front beam mount connecting the fan casing to the pylon, the front beam mount carrying vertical load, side load and torque during operation of the engine; and

a plurality of carrying arrangements carrying thrust, lateral and vertical loads during operation of the engine, each carrying arrangement comprising a rear load absorbing assembly connected to the core casing, the rear load absorbing assembly absorbs thrust, lateral and vertical loads during operation of the engine and defines a rear mounting point, and each carrying arrangement further comprising first and second forwardly extending stabilizing struts which extend between the rear mounting point and two forward mounting points on the fan casing, said plurality of carrying arrangements being arranged adjacent each other and circumferentially surrounding said engine, each stabilizing strut of each carrying arrangement is coupled to a stabilizing strut of an adjacent carrying arrangement at each forward mounting point, wherein the rear mounting points are configured to attach to the pylon and the pylon connects to only one of the rear mounting points so that thrust is transferred from the core to the pylon through the rear mounting point via the stabilizing struts during operation of the engine.

2. An engine mounting assembly according to claim 1 wherein the spaced forward mounting points are circumferentially spaced from one another.

3. An engine mounting assembly according to claim 1 wherein the front mount beam extends between two adjacent forward mounting points.

4. An engine mounting assembly according to claim 1 wherein the rear load absorbing assemblies are substantially equispaced around the engine.

5. An engine mounting assembly according to claim 1 wherein the rear load absorbing assemblies are provided substantially at any of top dead centre of said engine, bottom dead centre of said engine, on the horizontal center line left of the engine, on the horizontal center line at the right of the engine.

6. An engine mounting assembly according to claim 1 wherein the forward mounting points are substantially equispaced around the engine.

7. An aircraft according to claim 1 wherein the engine assembly is mounted to the aircraft under side.

8. An aircraft according to claim 1 wherein the engine assembly is mounted laterally to the body of the aircraft.

9. An engine mounting assembly according to claim 1 wherein the rear load absorbing assembly comprises a pair of rear members configured to form an A-frame.

10. An engine mounting assembly according to claim 9 wherein the, or each, rear mounting point is provided at the apex of the, or each respective, A-frame.

11. An engine mounting assembly according to claim 10 wherein the, or each, A-frame leans axially of the engine.

12. An engine mounting assembly according to claim 1 wherein the engine mounting assembly comprises up to eight rear load absorbing assemblies and no less than three rear load absorbing assemblies.

13. An engine mounting assembly according to claim 12 wherein the engine mounting assembly comprises four rear load absorbing assemblies.

14. An engine mounting assembly according to claim 1 wherein the engine mounting assembly comprises up to eight forward mounting points, and no less than three forward mounting points.

15. An engine mounting assembly according to claim 14 wherein the engine mounting assembly comprises four forward mounting points.

16. An aircraft according to claim 1 wherein the engine assembly is mounted to the aircraft over an aircraft structure.

17. An aircraft according to claim 16 wherein that aircraft structure is a wing.