Continuous composite fan duct and thrust reverser
View Patent ↗A duct having a continuous C-shaped cross section slidably attached to a strut supporting an aircraft engine. The duct may comprise an inner wall, an outer wall, a first end wall, a second end wall, at least one slider, a thrust reverser, and an outer cowl panel of a thrust reverser. The inner wall may comprise a forward section and an aft section. The aft section may be integral with the first end wall, the second end wall, the outer wall, and the at least one slider. The forward section may comprise a right half and a left half which may be pivotally attached to the strut and may pivot to an open position when the rest of the fan duct is slid aftward away from the engine. The duct, excluding the forward section of the inner wall, may slide aftward on its at least one slider, providing engine access.
1. A duct for an aircraft comprising:
a forward end,
an aft end,
a first edge portion extending from the forward end to the aft end;
a second edge portion extending from the forward end to the aft end;
at least one duct wall having a substantially continuous C-shaped cross section extending circumferentially from the first edge portion to the second edge portion and configured to partially surround an engine of an aircraft, the at least one duct wall further comprising:
an inner fan duct wall extending circumferentially from the first edge portion to the second edge portion,
an outer fan duct wall positioned outward of the inner fan duct wall and integrated with at least a portion of the inner fan duct wall at or proximate the first edge portion and the second edge portion, and
an outer cowl panel, positioned outward of the outer fan duct wall, wherein the outer cowl panel converges with and is integral to the outer fan duct wall proximate the aft end of the duct; and
attachment structure for slidably attaching at least a portion of the duct to a strut of the aircraft proximate the first edge portion and the second edge portion.
2. The duct of claim 1 , the attachment structure comprising a first slider proximate the first edge portion and a second slider proximate the second edge portion, wherein the first slider and the second slider are integral with the outer fan duct wall and at least a portion of the inner fan duct wall.
3. The duct of claim 1 , wherein the inner fan duct wall further comprises:
an aft section integral with the outer fan duct wall;
a forward section, wherein the forward section includes:
a first split end,
a second split end,
a right half extending from the first edge portion of the duct to the first split end, and
a left half extending from the second edge portion of the duct to the second split end; and
structure for pivotally mounting the right half and the left half relative to the strut.
4. The duct of claim 3 , wherein the right half and the left half are operable to pivot upward when the outer fan duct wall, the aft section of the inner fan duct wall, and the outer cowl panel slide aftward away from the forward section of the inner fan duct wall.
5. The duct of claim 1 , wherein the duct is operable to slide far enough aft along the strut for engine removal while still physically attached to the aircraft and strut.
6. The duct of claim 1 , wherein the duct forms an approximately 350-degree boundary around the engine.
7. The duct of claim 1 , wherein the duct is comprised of composite parts.
8. The duct of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of cam pins circumferentially spaced around the outer fan duct wall and configured for linking the duct to a fan case of the aircraft.
9. An aircraft engine duct having a forward end, an aft end, and a substantially continuous C-shaped cross section, and configured to partially surround an engine of the aircraft, the duct comprising:
an inner fan duct wall having a substantially continuous C-shaped cross section and comprising a first edge and a second edge extending from the forward end to the aft end of the duct;
an outer fan duct wall, positioned outward of the inner fan duct wall, having a substantially continuous C-shaped cross section and comprising a first edge and a second edge extending from the forward end to the aft end of the duct;
a first end wall extending from the first edge of the inner fan duct wall to the first edge of the outer fan duct wall;
a second end wall extending from the second edge of the inner fan duct wall to the second edge of the outer fan duct wall;
an outer cowl panel, positioned outward of the outer fan duct wall, having a substantially continuous C-shaped cross section, a first edge extending from the forward end to the aft end of the duct, and a second end extending from the forward end to the aft end of the duct, wherein the outer cowl panel converges with the outer fan duct wall proximate the aft end of the engine duct; and
at least one slider attached to at least one of the first end wall and the second end wall and configured to slidably connect the inner fan duct wall, the outer fan duct wall, and the outer cowl panel to a strut supporting the engine.
10. The aircraft engine duct of claim 9 , wherein the at least one slider is integrally attached to at least one of the first end wall and the second end wall.
11. The aircraft engine duct of claim 9 , wherein the inner fan duct wall further comprises:
an aft section integral with the outer fan duct wall;
a forward section, wherein the forward section includes:
a first split end,
a second split end,
a right half extending from the first edge of the inner fan duct to the first split end, and
a left half extending from the second edge of the inner fan duct to the second split end; and
structure for pivotally mounting the right half and the left half relative to the strut.
12. The aircraft engine duct of claim 11 , wherein the right half and the left half are operable to pivot upward when the outer fan duct wall, the aft section of the inner fan duct wall, and the outer cowl panel slide aftward away from the forward section of the inner fan duct wall.
13. The aircraft engine duct of claim 9 , wherein the engine duct is operable to slide far enough aft along the strut for engine removal while still physically attached to the aircraft and strut.
14. The aircraft engine duct of claim 9 , wherein the engine duct forms an approximately 350-degree boundary around the engine.
15. The aircraft engine duct of claim 9 , wherein the engine duct is comprised of composite parts.
16. The aircraft engine duct of claim 9 , wherein the outer fan duct wall, at least a portion of the inner fan duct wall, the first end wall, the second end wall, and the at least one slider are integrally connect with each other, forming a continuous load path.
17. The aircraft engine duct of claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of cam pins circumferentially spaced around the outer fan duct wall and configured for linking the duct to a fan case of the aircraft.