Variable area fan exhaust nozzle having mechanically separate sleeve and thrust reverser actuation systems

A variable area exhaust nozzle for a gas turbine engine having a longitudinally extending axis, comprising:

• an aerodynamically streamlined outer nacelle having an upstream portion and a downstream portion, the downstream portion including:
• a thrust reverser having a moveable body and a plurality of blocker doors radially spaced apart from the moveable body, the thrust reverser being positionable at an engaged position and a disengaged position, and
• a fixed geometry translatable sleeve having a trailing edge aft of the moveable body, the sleeve being translatable between and deployable at a stowed position, a fully deployed position and a plurality of intermediate positions, the sleeve in its stowed position being nested radially intermediate the moveable body and the blocker doors so that the sleeve inhibits movement of the thrust reverser to its engaged position;
• a fixed geometry, aftwardly convergent core cowl radially spaced from the outer nacelle and cooperating therewith to define a longitudinally extending annular exhaust duct the exhaust duct having a throat defined by the core cowl and the trailing edge of the sleeve, the throat being the exclusive outlet for discharging a quantity of working medium gases from the duct for producing forward thrust, the duct having, for all positions of the sleeve, an aftwardly generally diminishing annular area including a throat area, the throat area being the minimum area of the duct;
• a sleeve actuation system including a plurality of sleeve actuators for effecting translatory movement of the sleeve, the translatory movement being the exclusive means for varying the throat area and the quantity of forward thrust producing gases discharged from the duct, aftward movement of the sleeve causing an increase in the throat area and forward movement of the sleeve causing a decrease in the throat area;
• a thrust reverser actuation system including a plurality of thrust reverser actuators for positioning the thrust reverser at the disengaged position whereby working medium gases are discharged from the duct exclusively through the throat to produce forward thrust, and at the engaged position whereby at least a portion of the working medium gases are diverted to produce reverse thrust;
• and
• the thrust reverser actuation system being mechanically independent of the sleeve actuation system so that translation of the sleeve does not actively contribute to engagement of the reverser.