Cascade thrust reverser actuation assembly for a turbofan engine
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsBugra Han Ertas, Trevor Howard Wood
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cascade thrust reverser assembly is provided for a turbofan engine. The turbofan engine includes a nacelle assembly defining a bypass passage, and the cascade thrust reverser assembly includes at least one cascade assembly configured to be at least partially enclosed by the nacelle assembly. The cascade assembly may further include a plurality of cascade segments and an actuation assembly operably connected to the plurality of cascade segments, wherein the actuation assembly is configured to increase an axial extent of the cascade assembly and rotate the plurality of cascade segments.
Claims20
A cascade thrust reverser assembly for a turbofan engine, the turbofan engine comprising a nacelle assembly defining a bypass passage, the cascade thrust reverser assembly comprising:
- at least one cascade assembly configured to be at least partially enclosed by the nacelle assembly, the cascade assembly comprising a plurality of cascade segments;
- an actuation assembly operably connected to the plurality of cascade segments, wherein the actuation assembly is configured to:
- increase an axial extent of the cascade assembly;
- and
- rotate the plurality of cascade segments;
- at least one linear biasing member configured to control the axial extent of the cascade assembly;
- and
- at least one rotational biasing member configured to control rotation of the plurality of cascade segments.
A cascade thrust reverser assembly for a turbofan engine, the turbofan engine comprising a nacelle assembly defining a bypass passage, the cascade thrust reverser assembly comprising:
- at least one cascade assembly configured to be at least partially enclosed by the nacelle assembly, the cascade assembly comprising a plurality of cascade segments;
- and
- an actuation assembly operably connected to the plurality of cascade segments, wherein the actuation assembly is configured to:
- increase an axial extent of the cascade assembly;
- and
- rotate the plurality of cascade segments;
- wherein the actuation assembly comprises a linear actuator, wherein movement of the linear actuator in a first direction increases the axial extent of the cascade assembly and rotates the plurality of cascade segments;
- and
- wherein the actuation assembly further comprises a rotational actuator, wherein force generated by the linear actuator causes the rotational actuator to rotate the plurality of cascade segments.
A cascade thrust reverser assembly for a turbofan engine, the turbofan engine comprising a nacelle assembly defining a bypass passage, the cascade thrust reverser assembly comprising:
- at least one cascade assembly configured to be at least partially enclosed by the nacelle assembly, the cascade assembly comprising a plurality of cascade segments;
- and
- an actuation assembly operably connected to the plurality of cascade segments, wherein the actuation assembly is configured to:
- increase an axial extent of the cascade assembly;
- and
- rotate the plurality of cascade segments;
- wherein the actuation assembly comprises a rotational guide, the rotational guide configured to control at least one of the plurality of cascade segments between a minimum segment rotation and a maximum segment rotation;
- wherein at least one of the plurality of cascade segments comprises a plurality of cascade members, and wherein the rotational guide is configured to increase a linear extent of the plurality of cascade members when moving from the minimum segment rotation to the maximum segment rotation;
- wherein the at least one of the plurality of cascade segments further comprises a segment biasing member, wherein the segment biasing member is configured to decrease the linear extent of the plurality of cascade members;
- and
- wherein the at least one of the plurality of cascade segments comprises a leading member, a trailing member, and an intermediate member, wherein the segment biasing member comprises a spring anchored to the leading member and to the trailing member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.