Air ejection device comprising an aerodynamic profile provided with a slot obturating flexible tongue

• US 9,656,742 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2014
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Guillemaut, Julien, Hormiere, Arnaud, Colmagro, Jerome, Garnier, Cesar
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Tien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Green, Richard R
• Application Number:
  US14/561,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20150158577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 21/04 for blowing
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 29/04 associated with fuselages
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/10 Drag reduction

Abstract

An air ejection device comprises an aerodynamic profile provided with a slot and an ejection nozzle. The device comprises a flexible tongue fixed flush with the aerodynamic profile in such a way as to obstruct the slot, the tongue being able to lift under the effect of a pressure differential between the air situated in the ejection nozzle and the outside air. The tongue makes it possible for the slot made in the profile to be obstructed during phases of flight during which the ejection of the air is unnecessary, and prevents external air from entering the slot. The flow of air over the aerodynamic profile is unaffected, and there is no increase in drag. Because the tongue lifts as a result of a pressure differential, it does not require any control mechanism to lift it.

Claims

1. An aircraft component having an air ejection device, the aircraft component comprising:

a profile provided with a first opening and an ejection nozzle opening into the first opening, wherein dimensions of the first opening change over the length of the profile, and wherein a rate of air flow ejected from the first opening varies along the length of the profile; and

a flexible tongue rigidly fixed to the profile in the continuity of the profile in such a way as to obstruct the first opening during the phases of flight for which the ejection of air is unnecessary, the flexible tongue being able to flex under the effect of a pressure differential between the air situated in the ejection nozzle and outside air during the phases of flight for which air is ejected.

2. An aircraft component according to claim 1, further comprising a blowing box, the ejection nozzle constituting a narrowing of the blowing box, the narrowing being curved in such a way that the air contained in the blowing box is ejected through the first opening tangential to the profile.

3. An aircraft component according to claim 2, further comprising stiffeners extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the first opening.

4. An aircraft component according to claim 3, wherein the blowing box comprises a baffle plate situated at an inlet to the ejection nozzle arranged in the blowing box in such a way that the air entering the ejection nozzle passes through the baffle plate.

5. An aircraft component according to claim 4, wherein the blowing box, the ejection nozzle, and the baffle plate are produced as a single piece.

6. An aircraft component according to claim 5 wherein the first opening is a slot made over the entire length of the profile.

7. An aircraft component according to claim 6 wherein the cross section of the ejection nozzle in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the first opening has substantially the shape of a comma.

8. An aircraft component according to claim 7 wherein the stiffeners are uniformly distributed along the length of the profile in the region of the stiffeners.

9. An aircraft component according to claim 8, wherein the flexible tongue is made up of a plurality of parts having different rigidities along the length of the profile to thereby change the dimensions of the slot over the length of the profile and thereby vary the rate of air flow ejected along the length of the profile.

10. A pylon to attach a propulsion unit to an aircraft, the pylon comprising:

an outer surface having an aerodynamic profile, the outer surface having an opening formed therein to eject air during at least some phases of flight, wherein dimensions of the first opening change over a length of the aerodynamic profile, and wherein a rate of air flow ejected from the first opening varies along the length of the profile;

an internal chamber having a nozzle therein configured to supply the air to the opening formed in the outer surface of the pylon; and

a flexible tongue rigidly attached to the outer surface and covering the opening formed therein, wherein the flexible tongue is configured to remain flush with the aerodynamic profile of the outer surface of the pylon during phases of flight in which the air is not ejected, thereby extending the continuity of the aerodynamic profile, but wherein the flexible tongue is further configured to flex under pressure from the air during other phases of flight when the air is ejecting to thereby permit the air to escape from the opening.

11. The pylon of claim 10 wherein the flexible tongue flexes only under the pressure from the air ejected by the nozzle, without assistance from an opening mechanism.

12. The pylon of claim 10, further the internal chamber comprises a blowing box, and wherein the nozzle constitutes a narrowing of the blowing box, the narrowing being curved in such a way that the air contained in the blowing box is ejected through the opening in a direction tangential to the outer surface.

13. The pylon of claim 12, wherein the outer surface comprises stiffeners extending in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the opening.

14. The pylon of claim 13, wherein the blowing box comprises a baffle plate situated at an inlet to the nozzle arranged in the blowing box in such a way that the air entering the nozzle passes through the baffle plate.

15. The pylon of claim 14 wherein the cross section of the nozzle in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the opening has substantially the shape of a comma.

16. The pylon of claim 10 wherein the opening is a slot that extends over the entire length of the aerodynamic profile.

17. The pylon of claim 16 wherein the propulsion unit comprises a propeller having blades, and wherein the rate of air flow ejected along the length of the aerodynamic profile varies so that more air is ejected over the tips of the blades than is ejected over the bases of the blades.

18. The pylon of claim 16 wherein the flexible tongue is made up of a plurality of parts having different rigidities along the length of the aerodynamic profile of the external surface to thereby change the dimensions of the slot over the length of the aerodynamic profile and thereby vary a rate of air flow ejected along the length of the aerodynamic profile.

19. The pylon of claim 18 wherein the propulsion unit comprises a propeller having blades, and wherein the rate of air flow ejected along the length of the aerodynamic profile varies so that more air is ejected over the tips of the blades than is ejected over the bases of the blades.