US 12,529,323 B2Granted

Variable diameter thrust link apparatus

AssigneeGeneral Electric Company

InventorsRyan T. Roehm, Brandon W. Miller, Robert Eugene Dyson, Arthur W. Sibbach, Donald S. Yeager, John C. Schilling

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Variable diameter thrust link apparatus are disclosed. A thrust link for an aircraft engine includes a forward end coupled to the aircraft engine, the forward end having a first diameter, and an aft end coupled to the aircraft engine or a pylon, the aft end having the first diameter, wherein the thrust link defines a thrust link span that extends from the forward end to the aft end, wherein a second diameter greater than the first diameter is defined between the forward end and the aft end, wherein the second diameter spans a center diameter span that is equivalent to or between 60% and 90% of the thrust link span.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A thrust link for an aircraft engine, the thrust link comprising:

a forward end coupled to the aircraft engine, the forward end having a first diameter;
and
an aft end coupled to the aircraft engine or a pylon, the aft end having the first diameter, wherein the thrust link defines a thrust link span that extends from the forward end to the aft end, wherein a second diameter greater than the first diameter is defined between the forward end and the aft end, wherein the second diameter spans a center diameter span that is equivalent to or between 60% and 90% of the thrust link span, wherein the first diameter is an end outer diameter (EOD), wherein the second diameter is a center outer diameter (COD), and wherein a span of the center diameter span relative to the thrust link span defines a center diameter span percentage (CDS %), wherein
EQ
⁢
3
=
(
COD
⁡
(
in
.
)
EOD
⁡
(
in
.
)
)
-
0.00065876152832674
*
(
COD
⁡
(
in
.
)
*
CDS
⁢
%
⁢
(
%
)
)
2
+
0.53333333333333
*
(
COD
⁡
(
in
.
)
*
(
CDS
⁢
%
⁢
(
%
)
*
100
)
)
,
and wherein EQ3 is greater than or equal to 122.2495 and less than or equal to 128.9963.

63 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/947,789Filed 14 Nov 2024 · continuation
Priority: 25 Sep 2023
Published: US 2025/0101881 A127 Mar 2025
Granted: 20 Jan 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification23 codes

F01D 25/04
Component parts, details, or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart from, other groups: antivibration arrangements
B64D 27/406
Arrangements for mounting power plants in aircraft: suspension arrangements specially adapted for supporting thrust loads, e.g. thrust links
B64D 29/06
Power-plant nacelles, fairings or cowlings: attaching of nacelles, fairings or cowlings
F02C 7/20
Features, components parts, details or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart form groups F02C1/00 - F02C6/00; Air intakes for…:…