# US 8,769,924 B2 · Gas turbine engine assembly including accessory components within the nacelle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,769,924 B2 - Document ID: US8769924B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/129,990 - Filed: 2008-05-30 - Published: 2009-12-03 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2008-05-30 - Assignees: United Technologies Corporation - Applicants: Thomas G. Cloft - Inventors: Thomas G. Cloft - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8769924B2 ## CPC - F02C 7/047: Heating to prevent icing - F01D 21/045: {special arrangements in stators or in rotors dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor} - F02C 7/05: having provisions for obviating the penetration of damaging objects or particles - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - Y10T 29/49245: Vane type or other rotary, e.g., fan - Y10T 137/0536: Highspeed fluid intake means [e.g., jet engine intake] - 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) - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A gas turbine engine assembly includes an inlet lip assembly, a fan containment case, and a front flange. The fan containment case surrounds a fan section and is positioned downstream from the inlet lip assembly. The front flange is mounted between the inlet lip assembly and the fan containment case and is positioned upstream from the fan section. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A nacelle assembly, comprising: an inlet lip assembly; a fan containment case surrounding a fan section and positioned downstream from said inlet lip assembly; a front flange mounted between said inlet lip assembly and said fan containment case, wherein said front flange is positioned upstream from a nose cone of said fan section; and said fan containment case attached to a downstream side of said front flange. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said inlet lip assembly is removably attached to an upstream side of said front flange. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The assembly as recited in claim 1, comprising an engine accessory mounted to said fan containment case at a position that is upstream from said fan section. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein said engine accessory includes an engine electronic control. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein said engine accessory is mounted within a cavity. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The assembly as recited in claim 5, wherein said cavity extends from a position upstream from said front flange to a position downstream of said fan section. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The assembly as recited in claim 5, wherein said cavity is free of bulkheads and stiffeners between said front flange and a rear flange. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein said cavity extends aft of said rear flange. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The assembly as recited in claim 1, comprising a rear flange positioned between said fan section and a fan exit guide vane. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein said fan containment case extends from said front flange to said rear flange. ### Claim 11 A method of assembling a gas turbine engine, comprising the steps of: a) positioning a front flange such that the front flange is positioned upstream from a nose cone of a fan section; b) mounting an inlet lip assembly to a first side of the front flange; c) mounting a fan containment case to a second side of the front flange; and d) mounting a rear flange downstream of the front flange at a position between the fan section and a fan exit guide vane. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said step b) includes the step of: removably mounting the inlet lip assembly to the first side of the front flange. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the fan containment case extends from the front flange to the rear flange. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method as recited in claim 11, comprising the steps of: e) disassembling the inlet lip assembly from the fan containment case at the front flange; and f) disassembling the fan containment case from a fan case at the rear flange. ### Claim 15 A nacelle assembly, comprising: an inlet lip assembly; a fan containment case surrounding a fan section and positioned downstream from said inlet lip assembly; a front flange mounted between said inlet lip assembly and said fan containment case, wherein said front flange is positioned upstream from a nose cone of said fan section; and an engine accessory mounted to said fan containment case at a position that is upstream from said fan section. ### Claim 16 A nacelle assembly, comprising: an inlet lip assembly; a fan containment case surrounding a fan section and positioned downstream from said inlet lip assembly; a front flange mounted between said inlet lip assembly and said fan containment case, wherein said front flange is positioned upstream from a nose cone of said fan section; and a rear flange positioned between said fan section and a fan exit guide vane. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein said front flange spans a distance between a radially outer wall and a radially inner wall of said nacelle assembly. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The assembly as recited in claim 16, comprising a cavity that extends from said front flange to said rear flange. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The assembly as recited in claim 18, comprising an engine accessory mounted within an open volume defined by said cavity, said open volume free of bulkheads and stiffeners between said front flange and said rear flange. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The assembly as recited in claim 19, comprising a door configured to provide access to said engine accessory.