Translating independently mounted air inlet system for aircraft turbofan jet engine
First Claim
1. An aircraft propulsion system arrangement to determinably reduce or eliminate inlet cowl induced bending of an aircraft jet engine case during certain flight conditions, which arrangement comprises a turbofan aircraft jet engine having an engine case with a fan case portion, a nacelle structure housing the engine and having a forward generally cylindrical nacelle portion and a rearward nacelle portion, and a pylon structure to support the engine and the nacelle structure while permitting relative movement between the forward and rearward nacelle portions, wherein the pylon structure supports the forward nacelle portion independently of its support of the engine while permitting translational movement of the forward nacelle portion forwardly on the pylon structure from a locked operational position during operation of the engine to a forward servicing position during non-operation of the engine, wherein the forward nacelle portion provides an air inlet cowl portion directly coupled to said fan case portion of the engine for the supply of air to the engine and to an integral fan housing portion which surrounds the fan case portion of the engine, wherein the forward nacelle portion includes a noselip portion having an inner main skin which extends rearwardly to sealingly engage said fan case portion of the engine, and an outer generally concentric main skin which extends rearwardly to lockingly engage the rearward nacelle portion, and in the forward servicing position of the forward nacelle portion, it may be spaced forwardly from said fan case portion of the engine to uncover the outer fan case portion of the engine to give access thereto and to components mounted thereon which are inaccessible when the forward nacelle portion is secured in the operational position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An arrangement for an aircraft propulsion system to determinably reduce or eliminate inlet cowl induced bending of a turbofan aircraft jet engine case during certain flight conditions. The arrangement includes a turbofan aircraft jet engine having an engine case with a fan case portion, a nacelle structure housing the engine and having a forward nacelle portion and a rearward nacelle portion, and a pylon structure to support the engine and the nacelle structure while permitting the forward nacelle structure to be translated forwardly from an operational position to a servicing position to permit access to the engine and its components. The forward nacelle portion is independently supported from the pylon and has an inner skin portion that sealingly engages the fan case portion of the engine case and an outer skin portion that is determinably locked to the rearward nacelle portion. The sealing arrangement of the forward nacelle portion and the fan case portion is designed to determinably tailor the load transfer between the forward nacelle portion and the fan case portion to completely eliminate or to reduce such load transfer according to the particular propulsion system arrangement.
182 Citations
22 Claims
- 1. An aircraft propulsion system arrangement to determinably reduce or eliminate inlet cowl induced bending of an aircraft jet engine case during certain flight conditions, which arrangement comprises a turbofan aircraft jet engine having an engine case with a fan case portion, a nacelle structure housing the engine and having a forward generally cylindrical nacelle portion and a rearward nacelle portion, and a pylon structure to support the engine and the nacelle structure while permitting relative movement between the forward and rearward nacelle portions, wherein the pylon structure supports the forward nacelle portion independently of its support of the engine while permitting translational movement of the forward nacelle portion forwardly on the pylon structure from a locked operational position during operation of the engine to a forward servicing position during non-operation of the engine, wherein the forward nacelle portion provides an air inlet cowl portion directly coupled to said fan case portion of the engine for the supply of air to the engine and to an integral fan housing portion which surrounds the fan case portion of the engine, wherein the forward nacelle portion includes a noselip portion having an inner main skin which extends rearwardly to sealingly engage said fan case portion of the engine, and an outer generally concentric main skin which extends rearwardly to lockingly engage the rearward nacelle portion, and in the forward servicing position of the forward nacelle portion, it may be spaced forwardly from said fan case portion of the engine to uncover the outer fan case portion of the engine to give access thereto and to components mounted thereon which are inaccessible when the forward nacelle portion is secured in the operational position.
- 10. A nacelle arrangement for a turbofan aircraft jet engine having an engine case and supported by a pylon structure secured to an aircraft to determinably reduce or eliminate inlet cowl induced engine case bending during certain flight conditions, which arrangement comprises a nacelle structure housing the engine and having a forward generally cylindrical nacelle portion supported on the pylon structure supporting the engine and a rearward nacelle portion supported on the engine case while permitting relative movement between the forward and rearward nacelle portions, wherein the forward nacelle portion is supported by the pylon structure in a manner to permit translational movement of the forward nacelle portion forwardly on the pylon structure from an operational position during operation of the engine to a forward servicing position during non-operation of the engine in which the forward nacelle portion is supported by the pylon structure forwardly of the operational position, wherein the forward nacelle portion provides an air inlet cowl portion directly coupled to a fan case portion of the engine case for the supply of air to the engine and a fan cowl housing portion which surrounds said fan case portion of the engine, wherein the forward nacelle portion includes a noselip portion having an inner main skin which extends rearwardly to engage the fan case portion of the engine case and an outer generally concentric main skin which extends rearwardly to lockingly engage the rearward nacelle portion, and in the forward servicing position of the forward nacelle portion it may be spaced forwardly of the air intake of the engine to uncover the outer fan case portion of the engine to give access thereto and to components mounted thereon which are inaccessible when the forward nacelle portion is secured in the operational position.
- 16. An aircraft propulsion system for an aircraft to determinably reduce or eliminate inlet cowl induced engine case bending during certain flight conditions, which system comprises a nacelle structure housing a turbofan jet engine having an engine case and having a forward nacelle portion and a rearward nacelle portion, and a pylon structure to support independently the engine and the forward nacelle portion while permitting relative movement between the forward and rearward nacelle portions, wherein the pylon structure supports the forward nacelle portion while permitting translational movement of the forward nacelle portion forwardly on the pylon structure from an operational position during operation of the engine to a forward servicing position during non-operation of the engine in which the forward nacelle portion is supported by the pylon structure forwardly of the operational position, wherein the forward nacelle portion provides an air inlet portion directly coupled to a leading edge portion of a fan case portion of the engine case for the supply of air to the engine and a fan housing portion which surrounds said fan case portion of the engine case, wherein the forward nacelle portion includes a noselip portion having an inner main skin which extends rearwardly to engage the leading edge portion of a fan case portion of the engine case and an outer generally concentric main skin which extends rearwardly to lockingly engage the rearward nacelle portion, and in the forward servicing position of the forward nacelle portion it may be spaced forwardly of said fan case portion of the engine case to uncover the outer fan portion of the engine to give access thereto and to components mounted thereon which are inaccessible when the forward nacelle portion is secured in the operational position.
Specification