Nacelle inlet assembly with composite lipskin
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsCharles William Rust, John Alfred Weidler, III, John Henry Moselage, III, Timothy James Wheeler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An inlet assembly of a nacelle includes an inlet cowl. The inlet cowl includes a lipskin that has a front section which defines the leading edge of the inlet cowl. The front section includes a composite panel and a metallic coating disposed along an exterior surface of the composite panel to protect the composite panel from damage. The lipskin defines perforations that penetrate through the composite panel and the metallic coating at the front section to convey a liquid through a thickness of the lipskin onto an exterior surface of the inlet cowl.
Claims20
An inlet assembly of a nacelle, the inlet assembly comprising:
- an inlet cowl comprising:
- a lipskin that includes a front section that defines a leading edge of the inlet cowl, the front section including a composite panel and a metallic coating disposed along an exterior surface of the composite panel to protect the composite panel from damage, the lipskin defining perforations that penetrate through the composite panel and the metallic coating at the front section to convey a liquid through a thickness of the lipskin onto an exterior surface of the inlet cowl.
A method for providing an inlet assembly of a nacelle, the method comprising:
- forming an inlet cowl that includes a leading edge, the inlet cowl forming step comprising:
- applying a carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) material on a curved tool;
- curing the CFRP material to form a composite panel of a lipskin, the lipskin including a front section that defines the leading edge of the inlet cowl;
- applying a metallic coating along an exterior surface of the composite panel to protect the composite panel from damage;
- and
- forming perforations that continuously extend through both the composite panel and the metallic coating, the perforations located along the front section of the lipskin and configured to deliver a liquid through a thickness of the lipskin onto an exterior surface of the inlet cowl.
An inlet assembly of a nacelle, the inlet assembly comprising:
- an inlet cowl including a leading edge, an inner barrel portion, and an outer barrel portion, the inlet cowl comprising:
- a lipskin that includes a front section that defines the leading edge of the inlet cowl, the front section including a composite panel and a metallic coating disposed along an exterior surface of the composite panel to protect the composite panel from damage, the lipskin defining perforations that penetrate through the composite panel and the metallic coating at the front section to convey a liquid through a thickness of the lipskin onto an exterior surface of the inlet cowl;
- and
- an acoustic panel coupled to the lipskin and extending along the inner barrel portion;
- and
- a fluid ice protection system (FIPS), the FIPS including a plenum back wall affixed to an interior surface of the composite panel along the front section to define a plenum between the interior surface and a front surface of the plenum back wall, the FIPS including a fluid delivery conduit coupled to the plenum back wall and configured to supply an anti-ice liquid into the plenum through an aperture in the plenum back wall for the anti-ice liquid in the plenum to penetrate through the perforations onto an exterior surface of the inlet cowl.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.