Mechanism for indicating position of a latch mechanism for an aircraft nacelle

A method for actuating a latch mechanism of a nacelle of an aircraft, the method comprising:

• moving an arm from a retracted position, in which the arm is located within an interior volume of the nacelle, into an extended position, in which a portion of the arm prevents a door from rotating into a closed position, wherein the door is located along an exterior surface of the nacelle;
• rotating a blade, located along the exterior surface of the nacelle from a stowed position to a deployed position, wherein the blade is operatively connected to the arm and is rotated into the deployed position as the arm is moved from the retracted position into the extended position;
• releasing the latch mechanism from a latched position into an unlatched position, wherein a first fan cowl and a second fan cowl of the nacelle are rotatable about their respective axes when the latch mechanism is in the unlatched position;
• and
• preventing the blade from rotating, along a path of movement, back into the stowed position, wherein a portion of the latch mechanism obstructs the path of movement of the blade.

A method of rotating a door, located along an exterior surface of a nacelle of an aircraft, into a closed position to verify a latch mechanism is engaged, the method comprising:

• moving the latch mechanism from an unlatched position into a latched position;
• moving an arm from an extended position into a retracted position within an interior volume of the nacelle, wherein a portion of the arm extends through an opening in the exterior surface of the nacelle when the arm is in the extended position and prevents the door from rotating into the closed position;
• rotating a blade from a deployed position into a stowed position, wherein the blade is operatively connected to the arm and a portion of the latch mechanism obstructs a path of movement of the blade when the latch mechanism is in the unlatched position;
• and
• rotating the door from an open position into the closed position, wherein the opening in the exterior surface of the nacelle is concealed when the door is in the closed position and is viewed along an axis that is parallel to a ground surface, on which the aircraft is parked, and perpendicular to a center axis of the nacelle.

An aircraft nacelle, having an interior volume and an exterior surface, the aircraft nacelle comprising:

• a first fan cowl, rotatable about a first axis, wherein an opening is located in the exterior surface of the first fan cowl;
• a second fan cowl, rotatable about a second axis, wherein the first axis of the first fan cowl is parallel to the second axis of the second fan cowl;
• a blade, located along the exterior surface of the aircraft nacelle on the first fan cowl and movable along a path of movement between a stowed position and a deployed position;
• a latch mechanism, movable between a latched position, where the first fan cowl and the second fan cowl are secured to each other, and an unlatched position, where a portion of the latch mechanism obstructs the path of movement of the blade;
• an arm, movable between a retracted position, where the arm is positioned within the interior volume of the aircraft nacelle, and an extended position, where a portion of the arm extends through the opening in the exterior surface of the first fan cowl;
• and
• a linkage assembly, connecting the arm to the blade,
• wherein:
• the arm is unable to move from the extended position into the retracted position when the blade is in the deployed position and when the latch mechanism is in the unlatched position,
• the linkage assembly comprises a shaft, connected to the arm, and
• the shaft has a longitudinal central axis and is configured to rotate about the longitudinal central axis to actuate the arm into the extended position.

An aircraft nacelle, having an interior volume and an exterior surface, the aircraft nacelle comprising:

• a first fan cowl, rotatable about a first axis, wherein an opening is located in the exterior surface of the first fan cowl;
• a second fan cowl, rotatable about a second axis, wherein the first axis of the first fan cowl is parallel to the second axis of the second fan cowl;
• a blade, located along the exterior surface of the aircraft nacelle on the first fan cowl and movable along a path of movement between a stowed position and a deployed position;
• a latch mechanism, movable between a latched position, where the first fan cowl and the second fan cowl are secured to each other, and an unlatched position, where a portion of the latch mechanism obstructs the path of movement of the blade;
• an arm, movable between a retracted position, where the arm is positioned within the interior volume of the aircraft nacelle, and an extended position, where a portion of the arm extends through the opening in the exterior surface of the first fan cowl, wherein the arm comprises a first end portion, a second end portion, and a bend, located between the first end portion and the second end portion;
• and
• a linkage assembly, connecting the arm to the blade, wherein the arm is unable to move from the extended position to the retracted position when the blade is in the deployed position and when the latch mechanism is in the unlatched position.