Thrust vectoring/reversing systems

The method of controlling motion by thrust-vectoring means in post-nozzle flows of gas-turbine operated vehicles and fluid-jet operated systems, comprising the steps of:

• a. Grouping radially-oriented thrust vectoring control means of low-drag shape in sectors according to their yaw, roll and pitch thrust-vectoring orientations with respect to the vehicle system;
• b. Connecting each of said sectors of the thrust vectoring control means with sectorially-commanded thrust-vectoring actuator means;
• c. Deploying all or some of said sectors of the thrust vectoring control means from an upstream-pointing, stowed away position downstream of flow nozzles to an upstream inclined orientation with said thrust vectoring controlling means in parallel orientation to local axial flow direction at zero thrust vectoring reference angle;
• d. Vectoring thrust in all said roll-yaw-pitch coordinates by sectorially-commanding rotations of said thrust vectoring control means away from said zero reference angle;
• e. vectoring reversing thrust by symmetric or asymmetric rotations of all or a fraction of said thrust vectoring control means in a common said roll-generating direction until all or only said asymmetric sectors block flow, thereby forcing all of said asymmetric fraction of said flow through a peripheral gap between said nozzle-end and upper end of said deployed sectors of thrust vectoring control means;
• f. Retracting said sectors of thrust vectoring control means to stowed position.

The method of controlling motion by introducing simply-shaped, semi-cylindrical, peripheral flow-ducting skin sectors into nozzle's internal skin and onto nacelle's post-nozzle skin, comprising the steps of:

• a. Selecting yaw and pitch orientations of said skin sectors with respect to the vehicle system;
• b. Splitting said skins into radially deployable sectors according to said yaw and pitch selection;
• c. Vectoring thrust by deploying only an asymmetric fraction of said sectors from their skin-stowed position to a radially-in nozzle position and radially-out upstream position;
• d. Reversing thrust by deploying all said post-nozzle sectors from their skin stowed position into a common radially-out upstream orientation;
• e. Retracting all said sectors to form a smooth nozzle skin and smooth nacelle skin;
• f. Maintaining coarse thrust-vectoring control by asymmetrically deploying into said flow one or more post-nozzle sectors of eye-lid paddle type thrust vector means at controlled angles;
• g. Symmetrically deploying all said sectors of eye-lids paddles to force flow through external peripheral openings in a radially-out upstream direction for providing thrust reversing.

A retractable roll-yaw-pitch thrust-vectoring and thrust-reversing engine-nozzle-nacelle system for use in transport jets, comprising:

• a. Retractable thrust-vectoring control means whereby each of said thrust vectoring control means is deployed from a stowed position inside said nozzle structure into engine nozzle axial flow as it also rotates around it longitudinal symmetry-line, and said rotations move said thrust vectoring control means to a radial thrust-vectoring position, whereby each of said thrust vectoring control means are oriented parallel to local axial nozzle flow direction at zero reference angle for thrust vectoring;
• b. Said thrust vectoring control means are each radially hinged at its upper edge center, and said hinge is firmly attached to a moment arm, and said hinge rotates inside a bearing-sleeve, and the sleeve of said bearing-sleeve is firmly attached to two lateral hinges, and said lateral hinges are each inserted and locked inside an axially-oriented sliding rail, and said rail is firmly attached inside said nozzle structure, and said sleeve is also pivoted to a push and pull axial actuator, and a radial bulge hinge attached to low-edge-center of each of said thrust vectoring control means is positioned inside an arresting, axial grove in the inner nacelle/nozzle skin structure, and said bulge hinge is pivoted and linked by a rod to said skin structure, and said moment arm is, by flexible sectorial pivoted-rod, attached to thrust-vectoring control actuators, and said thrust vectoring control means are collectively deployed as annular sectors, and from said reference angle, each of said thrust vectoring control means is rotatable up to 90 degrees into either direction to deflect and/or block part or the entire engine flow in roll, pitch, yaw, or forward or reversed-axial body coordinates of said engine and nacelle, and said retractable position is used during cruise flight, and said deployed vectoring position during thrust-vectoring and reversing, such as during landing, or for catastrophic failure prevention;
• c. Said thrust vectoring control means are retractable back to said stowed position;
• d. Said thrust vectoring control means are deployed into nozzle and nacelle flow without said thrust-vectoring rotation during transfer to conventional thrust-reversing operation;
• e. Said thrust vectoring control means are retracted back to stowed position without said thrust-vectoring rotation during transfer to conventional aerodynamic flight control.