Alignment system for exhaust installation
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsBrett Colin Bonner, Eric Andrew Nager
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An exhaust system for an aircraft includes an exhaust duct configured to be inserted within a plurality of leaf springs of an aircraft. The exhaust duct is configured to be in fluid communication with the auxiliary power unit for conveying exhaust from the auxiliary power unit to an exhaust exit, the exhaust duct including at least one exhaust bracket for movably mounting the exhaust duct to an airframe. An alignment system is configured to be operatively connected to the exhaust duct.
Claims12
An exhaust system for an aircraft comprising:
- an exhaust duct configured to be in fluid communication with an auxiliary power unit for conveying exhaust from the auxiliary power unit to an exhaust exit, the exhaust duct including at least two exhaust brackets for movably mounting the exhaust duct to an airframe;
- and
- an alignment system configured to be operatively connected to the exhaust duct, wherein the alignment system includes, disposed between each exhaust bracket and the aircraft frame, at least one tapered shim adjacent the exhaust duct for accommodating a gap between the at least one exhaust bracket and the airframe.
A method for aligning an aircraft exhaust system, the steps comprising:
- inserting an exhaust duct into a plurality of leaf springs of a tail cone;
- identifying a gap between each of two exhaust brackets and an aircraft frame;
- operatively connecting an alignment system to the exhaust duct to secure each exhaust bracket to the aircraft frame across the each gap;
- and
- wherein the step of connecting includes inserting a tapered shim into each gap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.