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US 12,729,007 B2Granted
Vehicle component with integrated engine support structure and body section
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorsLawrence A. Binek, Sean R. Jackson, Jose R. Paulino
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An assembly is provided for an aerial vehicle. This assembly includes a vehicle body, a gas turbine engine and a support structure. The vehicle body includes a body section. The gas turbine engine includes a stationary structure. The gas turbine engine is housed within the vehicle body. The support structure extends between and is connected to the body section and the stationary structure. The support structure supports the gas turbine engine within the vehicle body. The body section, the stationary structure and the support structure are included in a monolithic body.
Claims17
An assembly for an aerial vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle body comprising a body section;
- a gas turbine engine comprising a stationary structure and a rotating structure, the gas turbine engine housed within the vehicle body, the stationary structure comprising a combustor within the gas turbine engine, the rotating structure comprising a turbine rotor, and the stationary structure housing the turbine rotor within the gas turbine engine;
- a support structure extending between and connected to the body section and the stationary structure, the support structure supporting the gas turbine engine within the vehicle body, the support structure including a plurality of support members radially between the body section and the stationary structure, a first of the plurality of support members comprising a fuel reservoir for the gas turbine engine, the fuel reservoir axially overlapping and radially outboard of the combustor and the rotating structure, and the fuel reservoir configured to store a combustible fuel;
- and
- the body section spaced radially out from, extending circumferentially about and extending axially along the gas turbine engine, and the body section, the stationary structure and the support structure included in a monolithic body, the body section partially forming an outer aerodynamic surface of the aerial vehicle.
2 more elements
An assembly for an aerial vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle body;
- a gas turbine engine comprising a stationary structure, the gas turbine engine housed within the vehicle body;
- and
- a plurality of support members extending between and connected to the vehicle body and the stationary structure, the plurality of support members locating and supporting the gas turbine engine within the vehicle body, the plurality of support members comprising a first support member and a second support member, the first support member comprising a porous structure within an internal volume of the first support member, the second support member comprising a fluid fuel reservoir, the first support member and the second support member disposed within the vehicle body, and the fluid fuel reservoir extending within the second support member radially between the vehicle body and the gas turbine engine;
- at least the stationary structure and the plurality of support members formed together in a monolithic body.
2 more elements
An assembly for an aerial vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle body;
- a gas turbine engine including a stationary structure and a rotating structure at least partially housed within the stationary structure, the rotating structure comprising a compressor rotor housed within the stationary structure, the gas turbine engine housed within the vehicle body, the stationary structure comprising a combustor within the gas turbine engine, and the rotating structure configured to rotate about an axial centerline of the gas turbine engine;
- and
- a support structure extending between and connected to the vehicle body and the stationary structure, the support structure supporting the gas turbine engine within the vehicle body, and the support structure comprising an integral fluid fuel reservoir radially between the gas turbine engine and the vehicle body, wherein an axial length of the integral fluid fuel reservoir along the axial centerline is greater than an axial length of the combustor along the axial centerline, wherein the integral fluid fuel reservoir is radially outboard of and axially overlaps the rotating structure, and the integral fluid fuel reservoir includes an internal volume storing a combustible fuel source.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.