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US 11,072,415 B2Granted
Nacelle aerodynamic spoiler
AssigneeSpirit AeroSystems, Inc.
InventorRandall Ray West
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aircraft engine nacelle spoiler assembly including a number of spoilers and actuators. Each spoiler has a drag surface and a nacelle connection point. The spoilers are shiftable via the actuators between a stowed position and a deployed position such that the drag surfaces are substantially parallel with the direction of relative wind when the spoilers are stowed and exposed to the relative wind when the spoilers are deployed.
Claims18
An aircraft engine nacelle spoiler assembly comprising:
- a spoiler having opposing front and rear ends, a nacelle connection point near the front end, and an outer drag surface extending between the front and rear ends, the spoiler being shiftable between a stowed position and a deployed position such that the outer drag surface is substantially parallel with a direction of relative wind when the spoiler is in the stowed position and is exposed to the relative wind when the spoiler is in the deployed position such that the rear end is spaced outward when the spoiler is in the deployed position, the nacelle connection point being behind the front end, the spoiler being configured to pivot about the nacelle connection point such that the front end pivots inward;
- and
- an actuator configured to move the spoiler between the stowed position and the deployed position.
An aircraft engine nacelle comprising:
- a forward air inlet for receiving air inflow;
- a rear fan duct spaced behind the forward air inlet for expelling air outflow;
- an intermediate section extending between the forward air inlet and the rear fan duct;
- and
- a plurality of spoiler assemblies mounted on the intermediate section, each spoiler assembly comprising:
- a spoiler having opposing front and rear ends, a nacelle connection point near the front end, and an outer drag surface extending between the front and rear ends, the spoiler being shiftable between a stowed position and a deployed position such that the drag surface is substantially parallel with a direction of relative wind when the spoiler is in the stowed position and is exposed to the relative wind when the spoiler is in the deployed position such that the rear end is spaced from the intermediate section when the spoiler is in the deployed position, the nacelle connection point being behind the front end, the spoiler being configured to pivot about the nacelle connection point such that the front end pivots inward;
- and
- an actuator configured to move the spoiler between the stowed position and the deployed position.
5 more elements
An aircraft engine nacelle comprising:
- a forward air inlet for receiving air inflow;
- a rear fan duct spaced behind the forward air inlet for expelling air outflow;
- an intermediate section extending between the forward air inlet and the rear fan duct, the intermediate section including opposing left and right sides;
- and
- a plurality of spoiler assemblies pivotably mounted to the left and right sides of the intermediate section, each spoiler assembly comprising:
- a spoiler including a front end and a rear end, the spoiler having an outer drag surface and an opposing inner surface, the spoiler having an actuator connection point and a nacelle connection point on the inner surface, the nacelle connection point being near the front end for connecting the spoiler to an engine nacelle, the spoiler being pivotable between a stowed position and a deployed position such that the outer drag surface is substantially parallel with a direction of relative wind when the spoiler is in the stowed position and is exposed to the relative wind when the spoiler is in the deployed position so that the rear end is spaced from the intermediate section when the spoiler is in the deployed position, the nacelle connection point being behind the front end, the spoiler being configured to pivot about the nacelle connection point such that the front end pivots inward;
- and
- an actuator connected to the spoiler via the actuator connection point and configured to move the spoiler between the stowed position and the deployed position, the spoilers being configured to increase total drag area of the aircraft engine nacelle by at least 25 percent.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.