Guiding system for aircraft nacelle maintenance

• US 8,448,896 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2009
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Safran Nacelles
• Original Assignee: Aircelle (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Caruel, Pierre, Joret, Jean-Philippe, Segat, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins, Timothy D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stehle, Jamie S
• Application Number:
  US12/864,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20100327110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,588 Days
• Field of Search: 244/53.R, 244/54, 244/110.B, 602/262, 239/265.29
• US Class Current: 244/54
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 29/08 Inspection panels for power plants

Abstract

A nacelle includes a downstream structure having an outer structure, a concentric inner structure surrounding a downstream portion and an upstream section having a relatively small diameter and a downstream section having a relatively large diameter, the inner and outer structures define an annular flow channel. The nacelle includes a guiding system for connecting the inner structure and downstream portion or a portion of a suspension mast, the system combines a translation and rotation movement of at least a portion of the inner structure between a working position, where the inner structure is used as a cowling for the turbojet downstream portion, and a maintenance position where the inner structure exposes the turbojet downstream portion and enable movement of the portion of the inner structure along the profile of the upstream section having a relatively small diameter, and the downstream section having a relatively large diameter.

Claims

1. A nacelle for turbojet of an aircraft, including a downstream structure comprising:

an outer structure,

a concentric inner structure surrounding a downstream portion of the turbojet and including an upstream section having a relatively small diameter and a downstream section having a relatively large diameter, wherein said inner structure defines together with the outer structure an annular flow channel, and

a guiding system for connecting the inner structure and the downstream portion of the turbojet engine or a portion of a suspension mast,

wherein the guiding system includes a means for combining a translation and rotation movement of at least a portion of said inner structure between a working position, in which the inner structure is used as a cowling for the turbojet downstream portion, and a maintenance position in which the inner structure exposes said turbojet downstream portion, thus enabling movement of said portion of the inner structure along the profile of the upstream section having a relatively small diameter, and then of the downstream section having a relatively large diameter,

wherein the inner structure rotates about an axis transverse to a longitudinal axis of the nacelle.

2. The nacelle according to claim 1, wherein the inner structure comprises at least two elements.

3. The nacelle according to claim 2, wherein the elements are situated on either side of a longitudinal plane of symmetry of the nacelle.

4. The nacelle according to claim 1, wherein the guiding system includes at least one upstream rod and at least one downstream rod of different lengths and designed to connect the inner structure to the downstream portion of the turbojet or to a portion of the suspension mast such that respective axes of said rods are contained in planes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the turbojet without said axes being parallel to each other.

5. The nacelle according to claim 1, wherein the guiding system includes at least one rod designed to connect the inner structure and the upper portion of the turbojet or a portion of the suspension mast, and at least one sliding means capable of sliding in a corresponding slide designed to be mounted on the turbojet or on a portion of the suspension mast.

6. The nacelle according to claim 5, wherein a pivot connects the slide to the inner structure.

7. The nacelle according to claim 5, wherein the axis of each slide is contained in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the turbojet.

8. The nacelle according to claim 1, wherein the guiding system includes at least one downstream sliding means and at least one upstream sliding means connected to the inner structure and capable of each sliding in a corresponding slide designed to be mounted on the turbojet or on a portion of the suspension mast, and at least one pivot connecting each slide to the inner structure.

9. The nacelle according to claim 1, wherein the inner structure includes at least one locking device in working position.

10. The nacelle according to claim 9, wherein said locking device can be activated through a flexible downstream actuating cable upstream of the inner structure.

11. A dual flow turbojet designed to be inserted into a nacelle according claim 1, including a downstream portion comprising an upstream section having a relatively small diameter and a downstream section having a relatively large diameter, comprising mounting means mounted on the downstream portion and configured to cooperate with the guiding system of the inner structure of the nacelle such that the inner structure moves combining a rotation and translation movement along a profile of the upstream section having a relatively small diameter, then the downstream section having a relatively large diameter between a working position in which the inner structure serves as cowling for the turbojet downstream portion and a maintenance position in which the inner structure exposes said turbojet downstream portion.

12. The turbojet according to claim 11, wherein the mounting means include rails or slides capable of cooperating with the guide system of the inner structure of the nacelle.

13. A suspension mast designed to fasten a turbojet to a wing of an aircraft, said turbojet being essentially surrounded by a nacelle according to claim 1, comprising mounting means configured to cooperate with the guiding system of the inner structure of the nacelle such that at least a portion of said inner structure combines a translation and rotation movement between a working position in which the inner structure serves as cowling for the turbojet downstream portion and a maintenance position in which said inner structure exposes said turbojet downstream portion, allowing movement of said inner structure along a profile of the upstream section having a relatively small diameter, then of the downstream section having a relatively large diameter.

14. The mast according to claim 13, wherein the mounting means include rails or slides capable of cooperating with the guiding system of the inner structure of the nacelle.

15. A propulsion assembly for aircraft comprising a turbojet according to claim 11.

16. A propulsion assembly for aircraft comprising a mast according to claim 13.

17. A propulsion assembly for aircraft comprising a corresponding nacelle according to claim 1.