# US 5,706,648 A · Sealing device between an air inlet and a fan frame of a turbofan engine

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- Number: US 5,706,648 A
- Document ID: US5706648A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/595,670
- Filed: 1996-02-02
- Granted: 1998-01-13
- Earliest claimed: 1995-02-03
- Assignees: Aerospatiale Societe Nationale Industrielle
- Inventors: Alain Porte; Herve Marche
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5706648A

## CPC

- F02C 7/28: Arrangement of seals
- F02K 1/805: {Sealing devices therefor, e.g. for movable parts of jet pipes or nozzle flaps}
- F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00)
- F02K: JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (features of jet-propulsion plants common to gas-turbine plants, air intakes or fuel supply control of air-breathing jet-propulsion plants F02C7/00, F02C9/00)

## Abstract

In a turbofan engine, particularly of the type in which the front end of the fan frame (26) is separate from the air inlet (24), the seal between the said two structures is provided by an elastic sleeve (32) fixed to the air inlet and fitted onto the front part of the fan frame. The diameter of the part of the sleeve before it is mounted onto the frame (26) is smaller than the external diameter of the front part of the latter. The sleeve (32) has an internal fitting preventing any relative circumferential displacement between the two ends thereof. An inflatable member (46) can be placed about that part of the sleeve which is fitted into the frame.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Sealing device between an air inlet and a fan frame of a turbofan engine, said device having an elastic sleeve, whereof a first end part is fixed to a first of the members constituted by the air inlet and the fan frame and whereof a second end is fitted on an adjacent part of the second member, so that the diameter of the second end part of the sleeve before being mounted onto the fan frame is smaller than the external diameter of the said adjacent part, a means for preventing wrinkling of the sleeve being provided to prevent any relative circumferential displacement between the two end parts of the sleeve.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Sealing device according to claim 1, wherein the anti-wrinkling means comprises a comb-shaped insert, embedded in the sleeve, having flexible leaves regularly distributed on the circumference of the sleeve and oriented in accordance with the sleeve generatrixes, and an annular shoulder carrying the flexible leaves and embedded in the first end part of the sleeve.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

Sealing device according to claim 2, wherein the comb-shaped insert is made from spring steel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

Sealing device according to claim 1, comprising an inflatable member surrounding the second end part of the sleeve.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

Sealing device according to claim 4, wherein the inflatable member is integral with the sleeve.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

Sealing device according to claim 4, wherein the inflatable member communicates by a passage with an engine fan duct downstream of a fan.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

Sealing device according to claim 1, wherein the first end part of the sleeve is fixed to the air inlet.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

Sealing device according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve is made from elastomer.