Adaptive deployable ramp for suppression of aircraft weapons bay acoustic loads

In an aircraft having a fuselage which includes a fuselage skin, an interior cavity, a forward end and an aft end, and at least one door attached to the fuselage and movable between an open position exposing the interior cavity and a closed position enclosing the interior cavity, a method of substantially preventing the flow of a free stream of air into the interior cavity upon the movement of the door to the open position during aircraft flight, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a ramp structure which is attached to the fuselage between the forward end and the interior cavity thereof;
• (b) moving the ramp structure from an undeployed position whereat the ramp structure is substantially continuous with the fuselage skin to a deployed position whereat the ramp structure extends angularly relative to the fuselage skin and substantially deflects the free stream of air over the interior cavity upon the movement of the door to the open position;
• and
• (c) selectively adjusting the angular orientation of the ramp structure relative to the fuselage skin during aircraft flight to accommodate different flight conditions of the aircraft.

In an aircraft having a fuselage which includes a fuselage skin, a weapons bay, a forward end and an aft end, and at least one weapons bay door attached to the fuselage and moveable between an open position exposing the weapons bay and a closed position enclosing the weapons bay, the improvement comprising a ramp mechanism for substantially mitigating turbulence within the weapons bay upon the movement of the weapons bay door to the open position during aircraft flight, the ramp mechanism comprising:

• a ramp structure pivotally connected to the fuselage between the forward end and the weapons bay thereof, the ramp structure being moveable between an undeployed position whereat it is substantially continuous with the fuselage skin and a deployed position whereat it extends angularly relative to the fuselage skin;
• an actuator mechanically coupled to the ramp structure for facilitating the movement thereof between the undeployed and deployed positions;
• and
• a control system in electrical communication with the actuator and operative to facilitate the movement of the ramp structure from the undeployed position to the deployed position upon the movement of the weapons bay door to the open position, and selectively adjust the angular orientation of the ramp structure relative to the fuselage skin during aircraft flight to accommodate different flight conditions of the aircraft;
• the movement of the ramp structure to the deployed position upon the movement of the weapons bay door to the open position facilitating the deflection of a free stream of air over the weapons bay.

An adaptive ramp mechanism for an aircraft having a fuselage which includes a fuselage skin, an interior cavity, a forward end and an aft end, and at least one door attached to the fuselage and movable between an open position exposing the interior cavity and a closed position enclosing the interior cavity, the ramp mechanism comprising:

• a ramp structure attached to the fuselage between the forward end and the interior cavity thereof, the ramp structure being movable between and undeployed position whereat it is substantially continuous with the fuselage skin such that when the door is in the closed position, a free stream of air flowing along the fuselage is attached to the fuselage skin and the door, and a deployed position whereat at least a portion thereof extends angularly relative to the fuselage skin such that when the door is in the open position, the free stream of air is deflected over the interior cavity and reattaches to the fuselage skin between the interior cavity and aft end of the fuselage;
• an actuator mechanically coupled to the ramp structure for facilitating the movement thereof between the undeployed and deployed positions;
• and
• a control system comprising a flight control computer electrically connected to the actuator and operative to move the ramp structure to the deployed position upon the movement of the door to the open position, and selectively adjust the angular orientation of the ramp structure relative to the fuselage skin to accommodate different flight conditions of the aircraft.

An adaptive ramp mechanism for an aircraft having a fuselage which includes a fuselage skin, an interior cavity, a forward end and an aft end, and at least one door attached to the fuselage and movable between an open position exposing the interior cavity and a closed position enclosing the interior cavity, the ramp mechanism comprising:

• a ramp structure attached to the fuselage between the forward end and the interior cavity thereof, the ramp structure being movable between and undeployed position whereat it is substantially continuous with the fuselage skin such that when the door is in the closed position, a free stream of air flowing along the fuselage is attached to the fuselage skin and the door, and a deployed position whereat at least a portion thereof extends angularly relative to the fuselage skin such that when the door is in the open position, the free stream of air is deflected over the interior cavity and reattaches to the fuselage skin between the interior cavity and aft end of the fuselage;
• an actuator mechanically coupled to the ramp structure for facilitating the movement thereof between the undeployed and deployed positions;
• and
• a control system comprising at least one sensor disposed within the interior cavity and operative to move the ramp structure to the deployed position upon the movement of the door to the open position, and selectively adjust the angular orientation of the ramp structure relative to the fuselage skin to accommodate different flight conditions of the aircraft.