Granted Patent B2

US 9,303,590 · App. 13/477,250 · Granted Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

Claims (24)

1. A nacelle of an aircraft, the nacelle comprising:

a fixed structure configured to be fixed relative to a pylon of the aircraft;

a translating thrust reverser sleeve translatable aftward, relative to the fixed structure, from a first stowed position to a first deployed position;

a translating variable area fan nozzle (VAFN) panel translatable aftward, relative to the translating thrust reverser sleeve, from a second stowed position to a second deployed position;

a VAFN actuator comprising a fixed element mounted to the translating thrust reverser sleeve and a translatable element fixed to the translating VAFN panel and configured to actuate the translating VAFN panel between the second stowed position and the second deployed position;

a VAFN drive unit mounted to the fixed structure and configured to provide at least one of electric power, hydraulic force, and mechanical force to the VAFN actuator;

a decoupling drive train configured to electrically, hydraulically, or mechanically couple the VAFN drive unit and the VAFN actuator when the translating thrust reverser sleeve is in the first stowed position and configured to decouple the VAFN drive unit from the VAFN actuator when the translating thrust reverser sleeve is in the first deployed position;

wherein the decoupling drive train comprises a first coupling component fixed to the fixed structure and operationally coupled with the VAFN drive unit and a second coupling component operationally coupled with the VAFN actuator and configured to engage with the first coupling component when the translating thrust reverser sleeve is in the first stowed position and configured to decouple and spatially separate from the first coupling component when the translating thrust reverser sleeve is ion the first deployed position;

further comprising a position locking device coupling the second coupling component with the VAFN actuator, wherein the position locking device is configured to prevent movement of the translating element of the VAFN actuator when the second coupling component is not engaged with the first coupling component; and

wherein the position locking device comprises:

a translating locking rod fixed to the second coupling component and configured to translate and rotate relative to the translating thrust reverser sleeve and to rotatably drive the VAFN actuator, the translating locking rod comprising first locking protrusions extending radially outward from the translating locking rod;

a hollow locking shaft mounted on the translating thrust reverser sleeve, the hollow locking shaft having an aft opening and a forward opening opposite of the aft opening and comprising second locking protrusions extending radially inward from the hollow locking shaft at or proximate to the forward opening thereof, wherein a portion of the translating locking rod is positioned within and extends through the hollow locking shaft and the forward and aft openings thereof; and

a locking biasing member associated with the translating locking rod and positioned within the hollow locking shaft, the locking biasing member configured to be compressed toward the aft opening by the first locking protrusions when the translating thrust reverser is in the first stowed position and to naturally bias the first locking protrusions into engagement with the second locking protrusions when the translating thrust reverser is in the first deployed position, thereby prevent rotation of the translating locking rod.

2. The nacelle of claim 1 , wherein the fixed structure is at least one of a hinge beam, a latch beam, a torque box, and a cascade support ring.

3. The nacelle of claim 1 , wherein the first coupling component and the second coupling component are configured with mating surfaces having substantially tapered shapes, such that the first coupling component and the second coupling component are substantially self-aligning.

4. The nacelle of claim 1 , further comprising a floating support configured for mounting the hollow locking shaft to the translating thrust reverser sleeve to accommodate for relative movement between the fixed structure and the translating thrust reverser sleeve.

5. The nacelle of claim 1 , further comprising a rigid or flexible drive shaft configured to rotatably connect the translating locking rod with the VAFN actuator and to rotatably drive the VAFN actuator.

6. The nacelle of claim 1 , wherein the VAFN drive unit comprises a motor and a motor controller.

7. The nacelle of claim 1 , further comprising a position sensor configured for sensing a position of at least one of the translating thrust reverser sleeve and the translating VAFN panel.

8. The nacelle of claim 7 , wherein the position sensor is a linear variable transducer (LVT) device comprising:

a translating sensor attached to the fixed structure;

a resilient member associated with the translating sensor and configured to be compressed when the translating thrust reverser sleeve is in the first stowed position and the translating VAFN panel is in the second stowed position and to be expanded to a naturally biased position when at least one of the translating thrust reverser sleeve and the translating VAFN panel are in the first or second deployed position, respectively;

a first LVT target located at an aft end of the translating sensor; and

a second LVT target mounted to the translating VAFN panel and configured to engage the first LVT target when the translating thrust reverser sleeve is in the first stowed position and the translating VAFN panel is in the second stowed or second deployed position.

Assignments (13)