IP Library Granted Patent US 8,256,708
Granted Patent B2
US 8,256,708 · App. 12/674,555 · Granted Sep 4, 2012

Device for attaching an aircraft engine comprising a thrust force take-up device with a compact design

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,256,708
App. No.
12/674,555
Granted
Sep 4, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

An aircraft engine attachment device including a rigid structure and a mechanism attaching the engine on the rigid structure, the attachment mechanism including a rear engine attachment and a device for taking-up thrust forces generated by the engine. The rear engine attachment is attached to the rigid structure by two lateral fittings attached to the rigid structure. The force take-up device includes two connecting rods mechanically connected to a spreader beam by a mechanical connection, a connection fitting attached to the rear engine attachment and mechanically connected to the rigid structure by a thrust pin, the lateral fittings including a stop mechanism to limit pivoting of the spreader beam if a connecting rod breaks and ensuring transmission of thrust forces to the rigid structure.

Claims (67)

1. An aircraft engine attachment device comprising:

a rigid structure; and

means for attaching an engine on the rigid structure,

wherein the means for attaching comprises a rear engine attachment and a device for taking-up thrust forces generated by the engine,

wherein the rear engine attachment is attached to the rigid structure by two lateral fittings attached to the rigid structure,

wherein said device comprises two connecting rods mechanically connected to a spreader beam at a level of a rear end by a mechanical connection, a connection fitting attached to the rear engine attachment and mechanically connected to the rigid structure by a thrust pin,

wherein the spreader beam is mechanically connected to the connection fitting and the lateral fittings limit pivoting of the spreader beam if at least one of said two connection rods breaks and ensuring transmission of thrust forces generated by the engine to the rigid structure,

wherein the connection fitting comprises an external fitting and an internal fitting, and

wherein the external fitting comprises a hollow body and a first plate extending toward a front of a casing and the internal fitting comprises a body housed in the hollow body of the external fitting and comprising a second plate extending forward from the body parallel to the first plate, the first and second plates forming a clevis mounting to which the spreader beam is mechanically connected.

2. An attachment device according to claim 1 , wherein the spreader beam comprises a first and a third portion forming a clevis mounting and surrounding the clevis mounting of the connection fitting, and a second portion inserted between the first and the third portions, in which the second portion penetrates the clevis mounting of the connection fitting.

3. An aircraft engine attachment device comprising:

a rigid structure; and

means for attaching an engine on the rigid structure,

wherein the means for attaching comprises a rear engine attachment and a device for taking-up thrust forces generated by the engine,

wherein the rear engine attachment is attached to the rigid structure by two lateral fittings attached to the rigid structure,

wherein said device comprises two connecting rods mechanically connected to a spreader beam at a level of a rear end by a mechanical connection, a connection fitting attached to the rear engine attachment and mechanically connected to the rigid structure by a thrust pin,

wherein the spreader beam is mechanically connected to the connection fitting and the lateral fittings limit pivoting of the spreader beam if at least one of said two connection rods breaks and ensuring transmission of thrust forces generated by the engine to the rigid structure,

wherein the connection fitting comprises an external fitting and an internal fitting, and

wherein the external fitting comprises a body formed by a casing without a base, and a clevis mounting extends forward from a front wall of the casing; the front wall comprises a hole enabling communication between an inside of the casing and a space between branches of the clevis mounting, and the internal fitting comprises a body housed in the body of the external fitting and a plate passing through the hole of the front wall and housed between the branches of the clevis mounting, the spreader beam comprises two portions forming a clevis mounting; the clevis mounting receives the plate of the internal fitting and is received in the clevis mounting of the external fitting.

4. An attachment device according to claim 1 , wherein the bodies of the external and internal fittings each comprise means for peripheral attachment to the rear engine attachment by tension bolts, in which the means for attaching the internal fitting are clamped between the means for attaching the external fitting and the rear engine attachment.

5. An attachment device according to claim 3 , wherein the bodies of the external and internal fittings each comprise means for peripheral attachment to the rear engine attachment by tension bolts, in which said means for peripheral attachment of the internal fitting are clamped between said means for peripheral attachment of the external fitting and the rear engine attachment.

6. An attachment device according to claim 1 , wherein each lateral fitting comprises a first plate attached by fishplating to the rigid structure and a second plate orthogonal to the first plate and substantially parallel to a lower spar of the rigid structure, in which the rear engine attachment comprises a base attached by tension bolts to the rigid structure.

7. An attachment device according to claim 6 , wherein the second plate comprises at least two holes, in which the base includes projecting pins, the pins comprise bores orthogonal to their axis, the pins pass through the second plate by the holes and an internal pin is mounted in each bore of the pins.

8. An engine assembly comprising:

an engine; and

an engine attachment device, in which the attachment device comprises:

a rigid structure; and

means for attaching an engine on the rigid structure,

wherein the means for attaching comprises a rear engine attachment and a device for taking-up thrust forces generated by the engine,

wherein the rear engine attachment is attached to the rigid structure by two lateral fittings attached to the rigid structure,

wherein said device comprises two connecting rods mechanically connected to a spreader beam at a level of a rear end by a mechanical connection, a connection fitting attached to the rear engine attachment and mechanically connected to the rigid structure by a thrust pin,

wherein the spreader beam is mechanically connected to the connection fitting and the lateral fittings limit pivoting of the spreader beam if at least one of said two connection rods breaks and ensuring transmission of thrust forces generated by the engine to the rigid structure,

wherein the connection fitting comprises an external fitting and an internal fitting, and

wherein the external fitting comprises a hollow body and a first plate extending toward a front of a casing and the internal fitting comprises a body housed in the hollow body of the external fitting and comprising a second plate extending forward from the body parallel to the first plate, the first and second plates forming a clevis mounting to which the spreader beam is mechanically connected.

9. An aircraft comprising:

at least one engine assembly comprising an engine and an engine attachment device,

in which the attachment device comprises:

a rigid structure; and

means for attaching an engine on the rigid structure,

wherein the means for attaching comprises a rear engine attachment and a device for taking-up thrust forces generated by the engine,

wherein the rear engine attachment is attached to the rigid structure by two lateral fittings attached to the rigid structure,

wherein said device comprises two connecting rods mechanically connected to a spreader beam at a level of a rear end by a mechanical connection, a connection fitting attached to the rear engine attachment and mechanically connected to the rigid structure by a thrust pin,

wherein the spreader beam is mechanically connected to the connection fitting and the lateral fittings limit pivoting of the spreader beam if at least one of said two connection rods breaks and ensuring transmission of thrust forces generated by the engine to the rigid structure, assembled on a wing or on a rear portion of the fuselage of the aircraft,

wherein the connection fitting comprises an external fitting and an internal fitting, and

wherein the external fitting comprises a hollow body and a first plate extending toward a front of a casing and the internal fitting comprises a body housed in the hollow body of the external fitting and comprising a second plate extending forward from the body parallel to the first plate, the first and second plates forming a clevis mounting to which the spreader beam is mechanically connected.

10. An engine assembly comprising:

an engine; and

an engine attachment device, in which the attachment device comprises:

a rigid structure; and

means for attaching an engine on the rigid structure,

wherein the means for attaching comprises a rear engine attachment and a device for taking-up thrust forces generated by the engine,

wherein the rear engine attachment is attached to the rigid structure by two lateral fittings attached to the rigid structure,

wherein said device comprises two connecting rods mechanically connected to a spreader beam at a level of a rear end by a mechanical connection, a connection fitting attached to the rear engine attachment and mechanically connected to the rigid structure by a thrust pin,

wherein the spreader beam is mechanically connected to the connection fitting and the lateral fittings limit pivoting of the spreader beam if at least one of said two connection rods breaks and ensuring transmission of thrust forces generated by the engine to the rigid structure,

wherein the connection fitting comprises an external fitting and an internal fitting, and

wherein the external fitting comprises a body formed by a casing without a base, and a clevis mounting extends forward from a front wall of the casing; the front wall comprises a hole enabling communication between an inside of the casing and a space between branches of the clevis mounting, and the internal fitting comprises a body housed in the body of the external fitting and a plate passing through the hole of the front wall and housed between the branches of the clevis mounting, the spreader beam comprises two portions forming a clevis mounting; the clevis mounting receives the plate of the internal fitting and is received in the clevis mounting of the external fitting.

11. An aircraft comprising:

at least one engine assembly comprising an engine and an engine attachment device,

in which the attachment device comprises:

a rigid structure; and

means for attaching an engine on the rigid structure,

wherein the means for attaching comprises a rear engine attachment and a device for taking-up thrust forces generated by the engine,

wherein the rear engine attachment is attached to the rigid structure by two lateral fittings attached to the rigid structure,

wherein said device comprises two connecting rods mechanically connected to a spreader beam at a level of a rear end by a mechanical connection, a connection fitting attached to the rear engine attachment and mechanically connected to the rigid structure by a thrust pin,

wherein the spreader beam is mechanically connected to the connection fitting and the lateral fittings limit pivoting of the spreader beam if at least one of said two connection rods breaks and ensuring transmission of thrust forces generated by the engine to the rigid structure, assembled on a wing or on a rear portion of the fuselage of the aircraft,

wherein the connection fitting comprises an external fitting and an internal fitting, and

wherein the external fitting comprises a body formed by a casing without a base, and a clevis mounting extends forward from a front wall of the casing; the front wall comprises a hole enabling communication between an inside of the casing and a space between branches of the clevis mounting, and the internal fitting comprises a body housed in the body of the external fitting and a plate passing through the hole of the front wall and housed between the branches of the clevis mounting, the spreader beam comprises two portions forming a clevis mounting; the clevis mounting receives the plate of the internal fitting and is received in the clevis mounting of the external fitting.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded May 18, 2011
From: AIRBUS FRANCE
To: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
Reel/Frame 026298/0269 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2010
From: GUILLET, EMMANUEL; MARTINOU, JEAN-MARC; GARDES, PASCAL
To: AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SOCIETE PAR ACTIONS SIMPLIFIEE)
Reel/Frame 024303/0011 →