Flap seal for gas turbine engine movable nozzle flap
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsShawn M. McMahon, Kirk A. Shute
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas turbine engine nozzle includes a flap movable relative to a structure. A seal assembly is supported by one of the structure and the flap and includes a seal hinged about an axis. The seal has a sealing profile engaging a seal land of the other of the structure and the flap. A biasing member is configured to urge the hinged seal toward the seal land. A method of sealing a nozzle flap includes supporting a seal relative to a structure along an axis. The seal is urged toward a nozzle flap. The seal rotates about the axis to maintain engagement between the seal and the nozzle flap in response to the urging step.
Claims12
A method of sealing a cavity between a nozzle flap and a fixed structure, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a seal that extends between first and second ends, the first end provides a hinge portion, and the second end includes a laterally extending sealing profile;
- supporting the hinged portion relative to a fixed structure along an axis to provide a V-shape with the seal and the fixed structure;
- biasing the seal toward a seal land on a nozzle flap with a spring biasing member providing a spring biasing force and with pressurized fluid;
- and
- rotating the seal about the axis and relative to the nozzle flap and the fixed structure to maintain sealing engagement between the sealing profile and the seal land in response to the spring biasing step and seal the cavity between the nozzle flap and the fixed structure.
A gas turbine engine nozzle comprising:
- a static hood;
- a seal holder extending from the static hood in a first axial direction to an end providing an pivotal axis, the seal holder secured to the static hood by fastening elements to provide a fixed structure;
- a flap movable relative to the fixed structure;
- a seal hinged about the pivotal axis and extending from the pivotal axis in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction to a sealing profile engaging the flap, the seal and the seal holder configured in a V-shape, the seal rotatable about the pivotal axis and movable relative to the flap and the seal holder, the seal providing a pressurized backside facing the seal holder;
- and
- a spring biasing member arranged at the pressurized backside of the seal and configured to continuously urge the seal toward and maintain engagement with a seal land on the flap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.