Inlet section of an aircraft engine nacelle
First Claim
1. A nacelle inlet for an aircraft engine of a type having an engine fan case with a forward flange, the nacelle inlet comprising:
- an acoustic inner barrel having a forward portion and an aft portion;
an outer shell comprising a nose lip portion having a trailing inner edge and an outer barrel portion having an aft portion;
an aft mounting flange configured for attaching the inlet to the forward flange of the engine fan case; and
an aft bulkhead having an aft end and connecting the outer barrel portion of the outer shell to the aft mounting flange;
wherein the forward portion of the acoustic inner barrel is connected to the trailing inner edge of the nose lip portion, and the aft portion of the inner barrel is attached to the aft mounting flange; and
wherein the aft bulkhead connects the outer barrel portion to the aft mounting flange such that a load can be transferred from the outer barrel portion to the aft mounting flange, via the aft bulkhead, with no substantial portion of the load path passing through the acoustic inner barrel.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A nacelle inlet for an aircraft engine of a type having an engine fan case with a forward flange includes an acoustic inner barrel having a forward edge and an aft edge, an outer shell having a nose lip portion with a trailing inner edge, and an outer barrel portion having an aft portion. The nacelle inlet also includes an aft attachment flange configured to attach the inlet to the forward flange of the engine fan case, and an aft bulkhead having an aft end and connecting the outer barrel portion of the outer shell to the aft attachment flange. The forward edge of the acoustic inner barrel is connected to the trailing inner edge of the nose lip portion, and the aft portion of the inner barrel is attached to the aft attachment flange.
48 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A nacelle inlet for an aircraft engine of a type having an engine fan case with a forward flange, the nacelle inlet comprising:
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an acoustic inner barrel having a forward portion and an aft portion; an outer shell comprising a nose lip portion having a trailing inner edge and an outer barrel portion having an aft portion; an aft mounting flange configured for attaching the inlet to the forward flange of the engine fan case; and an aft bulkhead having an aft end and connecting the outer barrel portion of the outer shell to the aft mounting flange; wherein the forward portion of the acoustic inner barrel is connected to the trailing inner edge of the nose lip portion, and the aft portion of the inner barrel is attached to the aft mounting flange; and wherein the aft bulkhead connects the outer barrel portion to the aft mounting flange such that a load can be transferred from the outer barrel portion to the aft mounting flange, via the aft bulkhead, with no substantial portion of the load path passing through the acoustic inner barrel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 24)
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14. A nacelle for an aircraft engine of a type having a fan case, the nacelle having an inlet portion comprising:
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an acoustic inner barrel; an outer shell comprising a nose lip portion and an outer barrel portion; and mounting means for mounting the inlet portion to the fan case; wherein the mounting means provides a load path from an aft portion of the outer shell to the fan case through the mounting means, and wherein no substantial portion of the load path passes through the acoustic inner barrel. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 20)
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19. An aircraft engine nacelle having an inlet portion comprising:
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an outer shell having a nose lip portion and an outer barrel portion; an inner barrel; an aft bulkhead; and an aft mounting flange; wherein the outer barrel is connected to the aft bulkhead by a first connection, the aft bulkhead is connected to the aft mounting flange by a second connection, the inner barrel is connected to the aft mounting flange by a third connection, and the second connection is separate from the third connection; and wherein the second connection provides a load path from the outer barrel portion to the aft mounting flange via the aft bulkhead, such that a load can be transferred from the outer barrel portion to the aft mounting flange, via the aft bulkhead, with no substantial portion of the load path passing through the inner barrel. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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25. An aircraft engine nacelle having an inlet portion comprising:
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an outer shell having a nose lip portion and an outer barrel portion; an inner barrel having an outer skin; an aft bulkhead; and an aft mounting flange integrally formed as part of the outer skin of the inner barrel; wherein the aft bulkhead is connected to the aft mounting flange by a connection which provides a load path from the outer barrel portion to the aft mounting flange. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A nacelle inlet for an aircraft engine of a type having an engine fan case with a forward flange, the nacelle inlet comprising:
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an acoustic inner barrel having a forward portion and an aft portion; an outer shell comprising a nose lip portion having a trailing inner edge and an outer barrel portion having an aft portion; an aft mounting flange configured for attaching the inlet to the forward flange of the engine fan case; and an aft bulkhead having an aft end and connecting the outer barrel portion of the outer shell to the aft mounting flange; wherein the forward portion of the acoustic inner barrel is connected to the trailing inner edge of the nose lip portion, and the aft portion of the inner barrel is attached to the aft mounting flange; and wherein the nose lip portion, the outer barrel portion and the aft bulkhead are constructed as a single piece of material that continuously extends from the trailing inner edge of the nose lip portion to the aft end of the aft bulkhead. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A nacelle inlet for an aircraft engine of a type having an engine fan case with a forward flange, the nacelle inlet comprising:
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an acoustic inner barrel having a forward portion and an aft portion; an outer shell comprising a nose lip portion having a trailing inner edge and an outer barrel portion having an aft portion; an aft mounting flange configured for attaching the inlet to the forward flange of the engine fan case; and an aft bulkhead having an aft end and connecting the outer barrel portion of the outer shell to the aft mounting flange; wherein the forward portion of the acoustic inner barrel is connected to the trailing inner edge of the nose lip portion, and the aft portion of the inner barrel is attached to the aft mounting flange; and wherein a portion of the aft mounting flange, the aft end of the aft bulkhead and the aft portion of the inner barrel are secured together by a first plurality of fasteners, each fastener securing all three of the mounting flange, the aft end of the aft bulkhead and the aft portion of the inner barrel. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A nacelle inlet for an aircraft engine of a type having an engine fan case with a forward flange, the nacelle inlet comprising:
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an acoustic inner barrel having a forward portion and an aft portion; an outer shell comprising a nose lip portion having a trailing inner edge and an outer barrel portion having an aft portion; an aft mounting flange configured for attaching the inlet to the forward flange of the engine fan case; and an aft bulkhead having an aft end and connecting the outer barrel portion of the outer shell to the aft mounting flange; wherein the forward portion of the acoustic inner barrel is connected to the trailing inner edge of the nose lip portion, and the aft portion of the inner barrel is attached to the aft mounting flange; and wherein the aft portion of the inner barrel extends aft of the aft mounting flange. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. A nacelle inlet for an aircraft engine of a type having an engine fan case with a forward flange, the nacelle inlet comprising:
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an acoustic inner barrel having a forward portion and an aft portion; an outer shell comprising a nose lip portion having a trailing inner edge and an outer barrel portion having an aft portion; an aft mounting flange configured for attaching the inlet to the forward flange of the engine fan case; and an aft bulkhead having an aft end and connecting the outer barrel portion of the outer shell to the aft mounting flange; wherein the forward portion of the acoustic inner barrel is connected to the trailing inner edge of the nose lip portion, and the aft portion of the inner barrel is attached to the aft mounting flange; and wherein the aft bulkhead has a substantially conical shape.
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Specification