# US 10,118,709 B2 · Enhanced performance jet engine mounting struts

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- Number: US 10,118,709 B2
- Document ID: US10118709B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/892,334
- Filed: 2018-02-08
- Published: 2018-06-21
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-01-07
- Assignees: The Boeing Company
- Applicants: The Boeing Company
- Inventors: Omid B. Nakhjavani; Robert H. Willie; Paul S. Park; Mohammad Ali Heidari; Leonard J. Hebert; Milan Stefanovic; Parminder Singh; Naimishkumar B. Harpal; Andrew Y. Na
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118709B2

## CPC

- B64D 27/402: {comprising box like supporting frames, e.g. pylons or arrangements for embracing the power plant}
- Y02T 50/40: Weight reduction
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

In one example, a strut for mounting a jet engine to a wing of an aircraft includes a plurality of engine mounts and a space frame truss supported from the wing and including front and aft portions, the front portion being coupled to and supporting the engine mounts, the aft portion extending upwardly and rearwardly from an aft end of the front portion. By removing the aft end of the strut from the core exhaust zone of the engine, substantial reductions in the weight and drag of the strut, and a corresponding increase in the specific fuel consumption of the associated aircraft may be achieved.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A strut for mounting a jet engine to a wing of an aircraft, the strut comprising:
a plurality of engine mounts; and
a space frame truss supported from the wing and comprising a front portion and an aft portion, wherein the aft portion is coupled to the front portion, the front portion being coupled to and supporting the engine mounts, the aft portion extending upwardly and rearwardly from an aft end of the front portion,
wherein the aft portion comprises:
a lower frame having an aft end;
an upper frame having an aft end; and
an aft frame disposed at an end of the aft portion and coupling the aft end of the lower frame to the aft end of the upper frame, wherein a lateral width of the lower frame is less than a lateral width of the upper frame.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The strut of claim 1, wherein the aft frame comprises a U-shaped aft frame.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The strut of claim 1, wherein the aft portion extends upwardly and rearwardly from the aft end of the front portion such that no part of the aft portion is disposed within a core exhaust zone of the jet engine.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The strut of claim 1, wherein the aft portion extends upwardly and rearwardly from a transverse plane of the space frame truss that is substantially coplanar with a core exit plane of the jet engine.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The strut of claim 1, wherein a plurality of sides of the lower frame taper inwardly toward the aft end of the lower frame.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The strut of claim 1, wherein a plurality of sides of the upper frame remains parallel to each other.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The strut of claim 1, wherein the upper frame comprises:
a rectangular frame comprising a plurality of chords coupled end-to-end at corners of the rectangular frame;
an upper skin disposed on an upper surface of the rectangular frame; and
a pair of stiffeners disposed on an upper surface of the upper skin.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The strut of claim 7, wherein:
the upper skin defines an X-shaped pattern extending between diagonal corners of the rectangular frame,
each stiffener has a T-shaped cross-section, and
the pair of stiffeners forms a cross extending between the diagonal corners of the rectangular frame.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The strut of claim 1, wherein a front end of the upper frame is coupled to an aft end of an upper frame of the front portion, and wherein a front end of the lower frame is coupled to an aft end of a lower frame of the front portion.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The strut of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of transverse frames distributed between front and aft ends of the front portion.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

An aircraft comprising the strut of claim 1, wherein the jet engine comprises a turbofan engine, a low-bypass turbofan engine, or a high-bypass turbofan engine.

### Claim 12

A method for mounting an engine to a wing of an aircraft, the method comprising:
supporting a space frame truss from the wing, the space frame truss comprising front and aft portions, the front portion having a plurality of engine mounts dependent therefrom, the aft portion extending upwardly and rearwardly from an aft end of the front portion, wherein the aft portion is coupled to the front portion; and
coupling the engine to the engine mounts,
wherein the aft portion of the space frame truss comprises:
a lower frame having an aft end;
an upper frame having an aft end; and
an aft frame disposed at an aft end of the aft portion and coupling the aft end of the lower frame to the aft end of the upper frame, wherein a lateral width of the lower frame is less than a lateral width of the upper frame.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the engine comprises a jet engine, and wherein the supporting comprises configuring the space frame truss such that no part of the aft portion is disposed within a core exhaust zone of the engine.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the engine comprises a turbofan engine, and wherein the supporting comprises configuring the space frame truss such that at least part of the aft portion is disposed within a fan exhaust zone of the engine.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the supporting comprises coupling the front portion to the wing by a first link and coupling the aft portion to the wing by second, third, and fourth links, and wherein the second link comprises a primary load path for transferring a thrust of the engine into the wing.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein:
a plurality of sides of the lower frame taper inwardly toward the aft end of the lower frame; and
the upper frame comprises:
a rectangular frame comprising a plurality of chords coupled end-to-end at corners of the rectangular frame;
an upper skin disposed on an upper surface of the rectangular frame; and
a pair of stiffeners disposed on an upper surface of the upper skin.

### Claim 17

An aircraft, comprising:
a fuselage;
a wing coupled to the fuselage;
an engine mounting strut supported from the wing, the engine mounting strut having an aft portion and a front portion, wherein the aft portion is coupled to the front portion, the aft portion extends upwardly and rearwardly from an aft end of the front portion; and
a jet engine supported from the engine mounting strut,
wherein the aft portion comprises:
a lower frame having an aft end;
an upper frame having an aft end; and
an aft frame disposed at an aft end of the aft portion and coupling the aft end of the lower frame to the aft end of the upper frame, wherein a lateral width of the lower frame is less than a lateral width of the upper frame.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The aircraft of claim 17, wherein the aft portion of the engine mounting strut extends upwardly and rearwardly from a position, wherein a transverse plane of the engine mounting strut is substantially coplanar with a core exit plane of the jet engine, and wherein no part of the aft portion of the engine mounting strut is disposed within a core exhaust zone of the jet engine.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The aircraft of claim 17, further comprising:
a first link coupling a front portion of the engine mounting strut to the wing;
second, third, and fourth links coupling the aft portion of the engine mounting strut to the wing;
a streamlining nacelle surrounding the jet engine; and
a streamlining fairing disposed over the engine mounting strut between the streamlining nacelle and a lower surface of the wing.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The aircraft of claim 17, wherein:
a plurality of sides of the lower frame taper inwardly toward the aft end of the lower frame; and
the upper frame comprises:
a rectangular frame comprising a plurality of chords coupled end-to-end at corners of the rectangular frame;
an upper skin disposed on an upper surface of the rectangular frame; and
a pair of stiffeners disposed on an upper surface of the upper skin.