Granted Patent B2

US 7,127,880 · App. 10/919,110 · Granted Oct 31, 2006

Abstract

Claims (87)

1. A turbofan nacelle comprising:

a forward cowl adjoining an aft cowl at a joint, and including an exhaust duct having a main outlet at an aft end of said aft cowl for discharging exhaust;

a variable nozzle selectively joined in flow communication with said exhaust duct, and including a secondary outlet surrounding said main outlet;

a thrust reverser bridging said forward and aft cowls upstream from said variable nozzle;

a primary transformer coil mounted in said forward cowl at said joint; and

a secondary transformer coil mounted in said aft cowl at said joint adjacent to said primary coil for inductively receiving power therefrom, and operatively joined to said variable nozzle for providing power thereto.

2. A nacelle according to claim 1 further comprising:

a main actuator mounted in said forward cowl and fixedly joined to said aft cowl for selectively extending aft said aft cowl to open said joint and expose said thrust reverser, and retracting forward said aft cowl to close said joint and cover said thrust reverser; and

said primary and secondary coils adjoin each other at said closed joint for inductively transmitting power therebetween, and are spaced apart between said open joint for preventing inductive coupling therebetween.

3. A nacelle according to claim 2 wherein said variable nozzle comprises:

a plurality of flaps pivotally mounted in said aft cowl to selectively cover and uncover a row of radial apertures extending through said exhaust duct upstream from said main outlet;

deployment linkage operatively joined to said flaps to selectively open and close said flaps atop said apertures;

a secondary actuator joined to said linkage to selectively pivot open and closed said flaps; and

said secondary coil is joined to said secondary actuator for providing electrical power thereto.

4. A nacelle according to claim 3 further comprising:

an electrical controller operatively joined to said main actuator for selectively extending and retracting said aft cowl for deploying and stowing said thrust reverser; and

a first inductive bridge straddling said closed joint and electrically joining said controller to said secondary actuator for selectively deploying said linkage for opening and closing said flaps.

5. A nacelle according to claim 4 further comprising:

a main sensor mounted in said aft cowl for detecting when said flaps are open, and joined in feedback control to said secondary actuator; and

an auxiliary sensor mounted in said aft cowl for detecting when said flaps are closed, and joined in feedback control to said secondary actuator.

6. A nacelle according to claim 5 further comprising:

a second inductive bridge straddling said closed joint and electrically joining said main sensor to said controller for determining when said flaps are open; and

a third inductive bridge straddling said closed joint and electrically joining said auxiliary sensor to said controller for determining when said flaps are closed.

7. A nacelle according to claim 6 further comprising:

an AC generator configured for generating AC voltage at a first frequency; and

a frequency converter joining said generator to said primary coil, and configured for increasing frequency of said AC voltage to a second frequency greater than said first frequency to increase transmission efficiency between said primary and secondary coils.

8. A nacelle according to claim 6 wherein said main and auxiliary sensors comprise proximity switches correspondingly joined to said second and third inductive bridges, and additionally joined to said secondary actuator.

9. A nacelle according to claim 6 wherein said secondary actuator comprises:

an electrical motor configured to drive an extendable output rod joined to said linkage; and

an internal logic circuit for controlling said motor to extend and retract said rod in response to commands from said controller through said first bridge, and with feedback control in response from said main and auxiliary sensors.

10. A nacelle according to claim 6 wherein each of said first, second, and third inductive bridges comprises:

a proximity switch on one side of said joint; and

an inductive target on an opposite side of said joint for activating said switches only when said joint is closed.

11. A nacelle according to claim 10 wherein:

said first inductive bridge comprises a first proximity switch mounted in said aft cowl at said joint and joined to said secondary actuator, and a first inductive target mounted in said forward cowl at said joint adjacent to said first proximity switch, and joined to said controller;

said second inductive bridge comprises a second proximity switch mounted in said forward cowl at said joint and joined to said controller, and a second inductive target mounted in said aft cowl at said joint adjacent to said second proximity switch and joined to said main sensor; and

said third inductive bridge comprises a third proximity switch mounted in said forward cowl at said joint and joined to said controller, and a third inductive target mounted in said aft cowl at said joint adjacent to said third proximity switch and joined to said auxiliary sensor.

12. A nacelle according to claim 11 wherein said first, second, third, main, and auxiliary proximity switches are identical to each other.

13. A nacelle according to claim 11 wherein said first, second, and third inductive targets comprise inductive coils correspondingly joined to said controller, main proximity switch, and auxiliary proximity switch for being powered thereby.

14. A nacelle according to claim 6 wherein:

said deployment linkage comprises an arcuate unison bar mounted circumferentially around said duct, and including a plurality of cam followers spaced circumferentially apart in engagement with corresponding cams affixed to said flaps;

said secondary actuator includes an extendable output rod joined to said unison bar for selectively rotating said bar in a first direction to pivot open said flaps, and in an opposite second direction to pivot closed said flaps to cover said apertures; and

said main and auxiliary proximity switch are mounted in said aft cowl adjacent to said output rod of said secondary actuator for detecting extension and retraction thereof.

15. A nacelle according to claim 6 wherein said thrust reverser comprises:

a grid of cascade vanes fixedly mounted to said forward cowl at said joint; and

a row of blocker doors pivotally mounted to said aft cowl for deploying radially inwardly when said aft cowl is translated aft to open said joint and expose said cascade vanes for thrust reversal of said exhaust from said duct.

16. A turbofan nacelle comprising:

a forward cowl adjoining an aft cowl at a joint, and including an exhaust duct having a main outlet at an aft end of said aft cowl for discharging exhaust;

a variable nozzle selectively joined in flow communication with said exhaust duct, and including a secondary outlet surrounding said main outlet;

a thrust reverser bridging said forward and aft cowls upstream from said variable nozzle;

a main actuator mounted in said forward cowl and fixedly joined to said aft cowl for selectively extending aft said aft cowl to open said joint and expose said thrust reverser, and retracting forward said aft cowl to close said joint and cover said thrust reverser;

a secondary actuator mounted in said aft cowl to adjust said variable nozzle and selectively bypass exhaust from said duct to said secondary outlet; and

means for inductively powering said secondary actuator when said joint is closed, and being physically interrupted when said joint is open.

17. A nacelle according to claim 16 wherein said inductive powering means comprise:

a primary transformer coil mounted in said forward cowl at said joint;

a secondary transformer coil mounted in said aft cowl at said joint adjacent to said primary coil for inductively receiving power therefrom, and operatively joined to said secondary actuator for providing power thereto;

an electrical controller operatively joined to said main actuator for selectively extending and retracting said aft cowl for deploying and stowing said thrust reverser; and

a first inductive bridge straddling said closed joint and electrically joining said controller to said secondary actuator for selectively adjusting said variable nozzle.

18. A nacelle according to claim 17 wherein said variable nozzle comprises:

a plurality of flaps pivotally mounted in said aft cowl to selectively cover and uncover a row of radial apertures extending through said exhaust duct upstream from said main outlet;

deployment linkage operatively joined to said flaps to selectively open and close said flaps atop said apertures; and

said secondary actuator is joined to said linkage to selectively pivot open and closed said flaps.

19. A nacelle according to claim 18 further comprising:

a main sensor mounted in said aft cowl for detecting when said flaps are open, and joined in feedback control to said secondary actuator; and

an auxiliary sensor mounted in said aft cowl for detecting when said flaps are closed, and joined in feedback control to said secondary actuator.

20. A nacelle according to claim 19 further comprising:

a second inductive bridge straddling said closed joint and electrically joining said main sensor to said controller for determining when said flaps are open; and

a third inductive bridge straddling said closed joint and electrically joining said auxiliary sensor to said controller for determining when said flaps are closed.

21. A nacelle according to claim 20 wherein:

each of said first, second, and third inductive bridges comprises a proximity switch on one side of said joint, and an inductive target on an opposite side of said joint for activating said switches only when said joint is closed; and

said main and auxiliary sensors comprise proximity switches joined to corresponding ones of said inductive targets of said second and third inductive bridges.

22. A nacelle according to claim 21 wherein said secondary actuator comprises:

an electrical motor configured to drive an extendable output rod joined to said linkage; and

an internal logic circuit for controlling said motor to extend and retract said rod in response to commands from said controller through said proximity switch of said first bridge, and with feedback control in response from said main and auxiliary sensors.

23. A nacelle according to claim 22 wherein:

said first inductive bridge comprises a first proximity switch mounted in said aft cowl at said joint and joined to said secondary actuator, and a first inductive target mounted in said forward cowl at said joint adjacent to said first proximity switch, and joined to said controller;

said second inductive bridge comprises a second proximity switch mounted in said forward cowl at said joint and joined to said controller, and a second inductive target mounted in said aft cowl at said joint adjacent to said second proximity switch and joined to said main sensor; and

said third inductive bridge comprises a third proximity switch mounted in said forward cowl at said joint and joined to said controller, and a third inductive target mounted in said aft cowl at said joint adjacent to said third proximity switch and joined to said auxiliary sensor.

24. A nacelle according to claim 23 wherein said first, second, and third inductive targets comprise inductive coils correspondingly joined to said controller, main proximity switch, and auxiliary proximity switch for being powered thereby.

25. A method of powering a variable nozzle mounted in a translating aft cowl of a turbofan engine including a thrust reverser mounted at a joint with a forward cowl, said method comprising:

inductively powering said variable nozzle when said joint is closed; and

inductively uncoupling said variable nozzle from said forward cowl when said joint is open to operate said thrust reverser without operating said variable nozzle.

26. A method according to claim 25 further comprising inductively controlling said variable nozzle in an induction bridge between said forward and aft cowls independent of inductively powering said variable nozzle.

27. A method according to claim 26 further comprising:

monitoring open and closed positions of said variable nozzle;

controlling said variable nozzle with feedback from said monitored positions thereof; and

inductively transmitting said monitored positions to said forward cowl in corresponding induction bridges across said joint.

Assignments (12)