Mounting Patents (Class 244/54)
  • Patent number: 8740136
    Abstract: An aircraft engine attachment configured to be inserted between an engine and an EMS, the attachment including a plate assembly connected to a first fixing device including an end fitting with two arms and a pin passing through the plate assembly and the two arms, in each of which an orifice is formed including a first ring and a second ring respectively holding the pin. The first ring includes a bottom acting as a stop for a first end of the pin, and the first attachment device includes a mechanism to stop the pin in translation cooperating with a second end of the pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Virginie Audart-Noel, Pascal Gardes
  • Patent number: 8739552
    Abstract: The present invention relates, on the one hand, to a nacelle (1) for a double flow turboreactor (2) comprising a front air intake section (5), a median section (6) intended for surrounding a fan (3) of the turboreactor and a rear section (7), said rear section having an internal structure (7b) intended for serving as a housing to a rear portion of the turboreactor, characterized in that the internal structure possesses attachment means suitable for enabling the nacelle to be fastened to a pylon (12) intended to be connected to a fixed structure (13) of an aeroplane on at least one portion of said internal structure, and on the other hand, to a propellant assembly and to an aircraft provided with such a nacelle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Aircelle
    Inventors: Guy Bernard Vauchel, Anne-Laure Gibouin, Regis Fassier, Jean-Philippe Joret, Jerome Collier, Guillaume Lefort, Pierre-Alain Chouard
  • Publication number: 20140145026
    Abstract: Unmanned aerial device are disclosed herein which include a flight element comprising a central structural component configured to protect electronic circuitry, and structural beams, extending generally horizontally from opposing sides of the structural component, each beam being configured to contain electric wiring and a motor and to support a propeller. The device also includes a platform element, extending below the flight element, configured to support a video capturing device and a battery pack. In some implementations multiple vibration-dampening elements connect the flight element to the platform element to create a bi-deck vibration dampening system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Inventor: Hans Skjersaa
  • Patent number: 8733693
    Abstract: An aircraft engine assembly with an annular load-transfer structure surrounding the central casing (16) and mechanically connected to a plurality of substantially planar reinforcing structures (64a-c) arranged externally with respect to the annular load-transfer structure, and biasing it at a plurality of load application points (68a, 68b, 68c). At least one connecting rod is associated with a load application point, with the connecting rod positioned tangentially with respect to the casing (16), and having an inner end (62a) connected to this casing, as well as an outer end (62a) connected to the annular load-transfer structure (60) so that the outer end of the connecting rod is in an imaginary plane (66a, 66b, 66c) in which the annular load-transfer structure is located and which extends through the load application point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations S.A.S.
    Inventors: Frédéric Journade, Delphine Jalbert
  • Patent number: 8727269
    Abstract: A mounting system and method capable of reducing backbone deflection in a high-bypass turbofan engine. The system includes a rigid structure and a linkage mechanism having at least first and second links that are each pivotally connected to the rigid structure and adapted to be pivotally connected to an engine support structure of the aircraft. The first and second links are configured to define a focal point thereof at a location that is a distance from a centerline of the engine of not more than 15% of an inlet diameter at an inlet of the engine, and is located aft of a vector of an inlet load to which the engine is subjected when the aircraft is in a climb maneuver. The location of the focal point is such that a moment of a thrust load of the engine and a moment of the inlet load oppose each other, thereby reducing backbone bending of the engine during the climb maneuver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, John Robert Fehrmann
  • Patent number: 8727268
    Abstract: An attachment device for an aircraft engine including a rigid structure and an attachment mechanism of the engine onto the rigid structure. The attachment mechanism includes two thrust take-up connecting rods mechanically connected to a spreader, a connection fitting fixed to the rigid structure to which the spreader is mechanically connected by a junction fitting by a connection pin, and an additional fitting to which the connecting rods, the spreader, and the connection fitting are mechanically connected. A clearance is provided at the mechanical link between the connecting rods and the additional fitting, the link between the additional fitting and the connection fitting being made using the connection pin being inserted laterally, orthogonal to the median plane of the attachment device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations S.A.S.
    Inventors: Stephane Combes, Didier Rovatti
  • Patent number: 8722272
    Abstract: A fuel cell system module for use in an aircraft includes at least one fuel cell system component. The fuel cell system module is connectable modularly to a fuselage section of the aircraft. A housing element of the fuel cell system module is designed to form a section of an outer skin of the aircraft when the fuel cell system module is in the state connected to the fuselage section of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Westenberger, Oliver Thomaschweski, Julika Bleil
  • Patent number: 8720815
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system is disclosed herein. The aircraft propulsion system includes a core engine having an intake, a compressor section, a combustor section, and a turbine section arranged along a centerline axis. The aircraft propulsion system also includes a nacelle surrounding the core engine. The aircraft propulsion system also includes at least one free power turbine driven to rotate by exhaust gases exiting the turbine section. The aircraft propulsion system also includes at least one rotor module driven to rotate by at least one free power turbine. The aircraft propulsion system also includes first and second pylons extending away from the nacelle and operable to mount the core engine to an aircraft. The first and second pylons are spaced from one another on opposite sides of at least one plane containing the centerline axis and mirror one another across the at least one plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Kent Vetters, Robert Wayne Cedoz, David Eames
  • Patent number: 8714477
    Abstract: An aircraft support pylon designed to attach a turbomachine housed in a nacelle to an aircraft fuselage is disclosed. The pylon includes a cooler, located substantially in the vicinity of a leading edge of the pylon, and able to be heated by a hot fluid, the hot fluid intended to be cooled by heat exchange with cold air outside the cooler. The pylon also includes at least one air evacuation duct, at the exit from the cooler and extending longitudinally in an internal volume of the pylon to a trailing edge of the pylon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations S.A.S.
    Inventors: Christelle Rinjonneau, Pierre Guillaume
  • Patent number: 8714033
    Abstract: A catcher pin assembly for attachment to a catcher link of an aircraft frame, the catcher pin assembly having an engine mounting element, a catcher pin, a compressible element, and a nut, which is lockable to the catcher pin, the compressible element being compressed between the pin and the mounting element and/or between the mounting element and the nut, in the assembled condition of the assembly, such that the compressible element applies a predetermined resistance to rotation of the catcher pin relative to the mounting element. The invention also relates to a method of testing a catcher pin assembly to determine if the catcher pin is carrying load from the catcher link, the method including applying a predetermined torque to the catcher pin sufficient to overcome the resistance to rotation of the catcher pin when it is unloaded, and determining whether the catcher pin rotates relative to the mounting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Lawrence D. Foster
  • Patent number: 8714478
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is supported on an aircraft fuselage by a pylon which carries a mounting ring. The mounting ring is releasably coupled to an engine ring on the casing of the engine, centered on the engine axis. A further member extends from the pylon and is secured to a location on the engine which is axially spaced from the mounting ring. The arrangement enables the engine to be on the pylon in different orientations, to suit different mounting configurations on the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Thomas G Mulcaire
  • Publication number: 20140117152
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a core engine incorporating a turbine, and a manifold positioned downstream of the turbine. The manifold delivers gas downstream of the turbine into at least two nacelles, with each of the nacelles receiving a fan rotor. The fan rotor is fixed to rotate with a tip turbine mounted at a radially outer location of the fan rotor, with the tip turbine being in the path of gases from the manifold. An aircraft is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Jesse M. Chandler, Joseph B. Staubach, Adam Joseph Suydam
  • Publication number: 20140077027
    Abstract: A device for suspending a turbojet casing, the device including a shouldered pin extending through aligned orifices of two lugs of a clevis secured to the casing. A protection piece for providing protection against wear is mounted on each lug of the clevis and has the shouldered pin passing therethrough, the protection piece being prevented from moving in rotation on the lug by co-operating shapes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: SNECMA
    Inventors: Didier Noël Durand, Gaël Evain, Florence Irène Noëlle Leutard, Arnaud Martin
  • Patent number: 8672261
    Abstract: An engine mount of an aircraft and an aircraft are provided, which can reduce a size of an engine mount and can effectively use a space in an engine nacelle even in an engine with a high bypass ratio. An engine core section 20b at a rear of an engine 20 is supported by a rear engine mount 40 comprising an engine side mount member 41 fixed to a side of the engine 20 and a strut side mount member 42 fixed to a side of a pylon strut 11. The rear engine mount 40 is divided into the engine side mount member 41 and the strut side mount member 42, and thereby, even in the engine 20 with a high bypass ratio in which an outside diameter of the fan section 20a and the outside diameter of the engine core section 20b significantly differ, the lengths in the vertical direction of the engine side mount member 41 and the strut side mount member 42 are suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8672262
    Abstract: A vibration isolator includes an upper housing and a lower housing; an upper reservoir housing defining a upper fluid chamber; a lower reservoir housing defining a lower fluid chamber; a piston spindle resiliently coupled to the upper housing with an upper elastomer member, the piston spindle being resiliently coupled to the lower housing with a lower elastomer member; an elongated portion having a tuning passage; and a tuning fluid disposed there within. The vibration isolator cancels vibratory forces at an isolation frequency. The vibration isolator is utilized in a pylon system for mounting a transmission in an aircraft. The vibration isolator is located between a pylon structure and a roof structure. The isolator includes a spherical bearing assembly that is located near a waterline location of a rotational axis of a drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Maurice D. Griffin
  • Patent number: 8672260
    Abstract: A mounting system for a gas turbine engine assembly includes a plurality of mounting links attached the gas turbine engine along a single plane transverse to the engine centerline for separating the loads from the core engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Allan R. Penda, Brian D. Merry, Gabriel L. Suciu, Christopher M. Dye
  • Publication number: 20140061375
    Abstract: An assembly for mounting a turbine engine to a pylon includes a mounting beam, a plurality of fasteners, a first mounting linkage and a second mounting linkage. The mounting beam includes a mount beam fitting that extends axially between a first mount beam end and a second mount beam end, and a mount beam flange that extends radially out from the mount beam fitting at the first mount beam end. A first fastener aperture extends radially through the mount beam fitting, and a second fastener aperture extends axially through the mount beam flange. The fasteners connect the mounting beam to the pylon. A first of the fasteners is mated with the first fastener aperture, and a second of the fasteners is mated with the second fastener aperture. The first mounting linkage connects the first mount beam end to a first engine attachment. The second mounting linkage connects the second mount beam end to second engine attachments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: David F. Sandy, Zhijun Zheng, Stephen P. Dailey, Joseph P. Foster
  • Patent number: 8662440
    Abstract: This invention relates to an aft pylon fairing (30) for a suspension system of an aircraft engine, comprising two side panels (44) assembled to each other by inner cross stiffening ribs (46) spaced at intervals from each other along a longitudinal direction (X) of the fairing, and also comprising a heat protection deck (32) designed to delimit an engine core flow (36). According to the invention, it also comprises two longitudinal connecting walls (58) offsetting the deck (32) from the ribs (46), each of these two longitudinal walls (58) being provided with a first side end (62) fixed to one or the other of the two side ends (60, 60) of the deck (32), and a second side end (64) rigidly fixed to the ribs (46).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations S.A.S.
    Inventors: Frederic Journade, Eric Renaud, Delphine Jalbert
  • Publication number: 20140054413
    Abstract: An aeroplane comprising a fuselage elongated in a longitudinal direction of the aeroplane is provided. The aeroplane includes a wing attached to the fuselage in a midsection of said fuselage in the longitudinal direction, such that part of the fuselage extends forward of the wing toward a front extremity of the fuselage, and part of the fuselage extends from the rear of the wing toward a rear extremity of the fuselage. A rear fuselage section includes at least one engine attached to the fuselage and located to the rear of the wing. The one or more engines attached to the fuselage are attached in a rear position such that only parts of the aeroplane located in a projection space of the one or more engines attached to the fuselage and the rear fuselage does not include any aerodynamic surfaces intended to assure stability and/or aerodynamic control of the aeroplane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Inventors: Olivier Cazals, Alexis Manneville
  • Patent number: 8655508
    Abstract: A method of aircraft engine thermal threat mitigation includes detecting an airflow thermal profile at a location on the aircraft forward of an aircraft engine inlet and transmitting the thermal profile to an aircraft control system. The thermal profile is compared to a catalog of thermal threat profiles at the aircraft control system and a determination is made if a thermal threat is present based on the comparison. A thermal threat mitigation measure is initiated to reduce an effect of the thermal threat on aircraft engine performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventor: David H. Sweet
  • Patent number: 8651426
    Abstract: Noise generated by a gas turbine engine 6 supported by a pylon 8 on a wing 2 of an aircraft is reduced by influencing a shear layer generated between the free-stream flowfield and flow from the engine 6. The shear layer is influenced by means of one or more winglets 18, 20, 22 which interact with the free-stream flowfield to deflect the shear layer 14 downwardly, to avoid interaction with a flap 4 on the wing 2, or to reduce the strength of the shear layer 14.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Romuald Morvant, Kevin M Britchford
  • Patent number: 8651416
    Abstract: An engine is mounted on a structure by an intermediate structure assembled by flanges, to the structure and to the engine, where a rigid structure connects the flanges. This arrangement enables design of the structure to be simplified while allowing a substantial overhang when it is sought to mount the engine by the plane of its center of gravity, while being obliged to move the mounting structure away from it. The intermediate structure is resistant to forces resulting from the overhang, and also allows assemblies that are favorable to a balanced transmission of forces to the structure and a satisfactory ability to filter vibrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations S.A.S.
    Inventors: Frederic Journade, Laurent Lafont, Laurent Agostini, Eric Renaud, Delphine Jalbert
  • Patent number: 8651414
    Abstract: An airplane, including a fuselage having an elongate shape along a longitudinal axis of the airplane, and at least one wing attached to the fuselage between front and back ends of the fuselage and a substantially cylindrical central portion and a rear scaleable portion on which a vertical tail assembly and a rear propulsion assembly are attached. Between a section for connecting the rear portion to the central portion of the fuselage and the back end: the maximum width of each fuselage section is constant or increases towards the rear up to a maximum fuselage width L; the height of each fuselage section decreases towards the rear, such that the back end of the fuselage forms a thin trailing edge substantially horizontal in the indicating line of the airplane and substantially rectilinear; a reactor for the propulsion assembly is provided in a so-called semi-buried configuration in the fuselage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations S.A.S.
    Inventors: Olivier Cazals, Jaime Genty De La Sagne
  • Publication number: 20140042268
    Abstract: A shear pin connection for use in a difficult to access location has a bolt head to be positioned at an inner end of a bearing. A bushing is received between the bolt and an inner periphery of the bearing. A lock member is positioned between an inner end of the bushing and the bolt head. The lock member is radially expandable, and has a free radially outer dimension that is smaller than an inner dimension of the inner bore. The lock member is expandable to have an expanded radially outer dimension that is greater than the inner dimension of the inner bore. A nut is tightened on the outer end of the bolt. The nut causes the bushing to move relative to the bolt, and causes the lock member to expand radially. A shackle connection for a gas turbine engine and an aircraft are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Inventor: David F. Sandy
  • Patent number: 8646724
    Abstract: An attaching system for attaching two components together, such as an aircraft engine and a mounting pylon, includes front trunnions and rear trunnions for supporting the aircraft engine. In this attaching system, at least two of the front or rear trunnions are vibration damping type trunnions that include a suspension assembly with an elastic element and resonant mass. The suspension assembly is shaped as a bent arm carrying the resonant mass on a free end and associated with the elastic element on another end. The vibration damping type trunnions also include a shackle attached between the engine and the suspension assembly so that the vibration damping type trunnions minimize any vibrations and efforts that would otherwise be applied to aircraft structure via the pylon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (SAS)
    Inventors: Mathieu Bonnet, Eric Renaud
  • Patent number: 8646725
    Abstract: An engine assembly for an aircraft including a dual-flow turbomachine and an attachment strut. The turbomachine includes a structural case extending downstream of the hub of an intermediate casing, the case contributing to the internal radial delimitation of a passage for a secondary flow of the turbomachine. Also, the primary structure includes a structural case, assembled on the structural case and positioned directly downstream of the structural case such that it also contributes to the internal radial delimitation of the passage for the secondary flow. The primary structure also includes an offset structure positioned in the passage, and configured to connect the case to an element of the aircraft. The structural case also includes a thrust reversal system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations S.A.S.
    Inventor: Laurent Lafont
  • Patent number: 8640987
    Abstract: An engine is suspended from a main linear portion of a structure mounted on a fuselage or a wing surface of an aircraft. A connection includes flat symmetrical wings at an angle to one another, to support an attaching flange on which the engine is mounted, directly or through a mounting element. The flat shape of the wings makes them easy to manufacture, and enables them to resist the forces satisfactorily. The intermediate element resists overhang forces of the mounting satisfactorily. Flexible connections filter the engine's vibrations and prevent irregular forces being transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations S.A.S.
    Inventors: Frederic Journade, Laurent Lafont, Laurent Agostini, Eric Renaud, Delphine Jalbert
  • Publication number: 20140021292
    Abstract: An intermediate structure of an aircraft configured to mechanically attach an engine core and an engine fan module to each other and to the aircraft. The intermediate structure may have a ring-shaped portion and/or an elongated mount beam extending substantially perpendicularly from the ring-shaped portion. The ring-shaped portion may have a forward edge and an aft edge opposite of the forward edge, and may include a first attachment portion for attaching to a flange of the engine core, a second attachment portion for attaching to a flange of the engine fan module, and a mounting portion configured for mounting directly to a pylon or airframe of an aircraft. The engine core and/or the engine fan module may independently mechanically attach to and detach from the intermediate structure. The intermediate structure may have a gearbox mounted thereto for interfacing with rotary components of the engine core and the engine fan module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Randall Ray West
  • Patent number: 8632032
    Abstract: An aircraft including a wing and a pylon, wherein the pylon provides an airfoil inverted for an airfoil of the wing, and an improvement and method for improved flight dynamics for 20 and 30 Series LEARJET® is provided. The improvement includes an increased distance between a leading edge of a wing and an intake of an engine of the aircraft, which reduces drag and increases lift for improved flight dynamics of the aircraft. The inverted airfoil of the pylon negates an influence of the pylon on flight dynamics for improved overall flight dynamics of the aircraft. The method includes steps of removing an original engine from an original pylon, removing the original pylon from the fuselage of the aircraft, and mounting a new pylon in a new location adjacent to the fuselage, wherein the new location is aft of the original location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Inventors: Clark M. Butler, Ian J. Gilchrist
  • Patent number: 8628040
    Abstract: An aircraft configuration that may reduce the level of roaring jet exhaust noise, infrared radiation, sonic boom, or combination thereof directed towards the ground from an aircraft in flight. The aircraft's nacelles are mounted to the aircraft higher than the wings, with substantially vertical stabilizers outboard of the outermost engine. Noise shifting means are provided such as, for each nacelle, primary chevrons at the core nozzle, secondary chevrons at the fan nozzle, a partial bypass mixer, a long duct full flow mixer, or a combination thereof to provide a shift in spectrum distribution of jet exhaust noise from lower to higher frequency. Variable geometry chevrons may be used with increased immersion to provide such a shift just during noise-restricted portions of an aircraft flight profile. The aircraft aerodynamic structural surfaces serve as noise shielding barriers that more effectively block or redirect the frequency shifted noise up and away from communities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Matthew D. Moore, Kelly L. Boren, Edward C. Marques, Justin Lan
  • Patent number: 8622341
    Abstract: A suspension rudder bar has the shape of a bar with a transversal axis (Y?Y), symmetrical with respect to a plane (PS) intersecting the rotation axis (X?X) of the engine, and includes links with transmission connecting rods between a rear casing for ejecting gases and a front casing hub of the fan, and a central link to a fastening fixation to an engine fastening pylon. The links of the rudder bar to the transmission connecting rods are arranged on the transversal ends of the rudder bar, and the rudder bar extends, perpendicularly to the axis of the bar (Y?Y), with spars over a sufficient portion and at a determined distance from the edges of the plate to act as an abutment to the plate in the case of a torsion around the central link or of a connecting rod breaking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Yoann Marechal
  • Patent number: 8621874
    Abstract: A coupling assembly for an engine core of a turbomachine is provided. The coupling assembly comprises a duct having a substantially circular shape and surrounding the engine core, and a plurality of coupling struts, each coupling strut extending only in a substantially vertical direction relative to the direction of gravity when the engine core is at a rest position with zero pitch and zero roll, each of the plurality of coupling struts coupling the engine core to the duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Bill Russell Watson, Max Warden
  • Patent number: 8613405
    Abstract: An assembly for an aircraft including: a mechanism attaching a primary structure of an attachment strut to a wing, forming an isostatic system; an attachment housed in a leading edge of the wing and configured to only take up forces exerted along the transverse and longitudinal directions; and an attachment including a connecting rod extending rearwardly, of which one end is connected to the primary structure and the other end is connected to the wing element, the connecting rod being offset along the vertical direction of the attachment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations S.A.S.
    Inventor: Laurent Lafont
  • Patent number: 8613404
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a take-up device for thrust forces (14) for an aircraft engine attachment pylon (4), comprising a first fitting (194) attached to a rigid structure (108) of the attachment pylon, and two lateral connecting rods (14a) for take-up of thrust forces. It also comprises an axis system (190) bearing three first ball joint organs (192a, 196a) arranged along the latter and belonging respectively to a primary ball joint (192) and two secondary ball joints (196) arranged on either side of the primary ball joint, the first fitting (194) integrating a second ball joint organ (192b) cooperating with the first organ (192a) of the primary ball joint (192), and an end of each of the two connecting rods (14a) integrating a second ball joint organ (196b) cooperating respectively with the first organs (196a) of the two secondary ball joints (196).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: AIRBUS Operations S.A.S.
    Inventors: Laurent Lafont, Stephane Combes, Stephane Levert
  • Patent number: 8607453
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacture of a group of transverse internal stiffening ribs (46) for an aerodynamic fairing of an engine mounting device, including: production, for each rib (46), of a given rib preform (46a) by superplastic forming; and in respect of at least one of the ribs (46) of the group having a smaller size than that of the preform (46a), division of the latter into four preform parts (56a-56d) each incorporating one of the four corners of the quadrilateral formed by the preform, followed by the joining of the four parts to one another so as to obtain the rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: AIRBUS Operations S.A.S.
    Inventors: Stephane Machado, Fabien Raison, Stephane Romani
  • Publication number: 20130327885
    Abstract: An actuator for a ram air turbine includes a housing that supports a piston rod arranged in a cylinder. The piston rod and the cylinder are slideably moveable relative to one another between retracted and deployed positions. A can surrounds the cylinder and is loosely fixed relative to the housing. The can is permitted to pivot relative to the housing and cylinder relative to the cylinder in a radial direction during operation. In operation, the ram air turbine is deployed by initiating a deploy sequence. The piston rod and the cylinder are extended relative to one another to the deployed position. The method includes pivoting a can that surrounds the cylinder and the piston rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventor: Gary Sasscer
  • Publication number: 20130327886
    Abstract: A nacelle configured to be coupled to an underside of a wing so as to form a clearance space therebetween includes at least a lip defining an inlet and a first cowling disposed aft of the lip. The first cowling has an outer surface with at least one concave region that is depressed relative to another region of the outer surface. In some aspects, the depressed region can be disposed on an inboard side of the wing, for example, on an upper surface of the first cowling facing a wing. The nacelle can include a second cowling disposed between the lip and the first cowling and the first cowling can translate in a longitudinal direction relative to the second cowling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Rohr, Inc.
    Inventor: Norman John James
  • Publication number: 20130320134
    Abstract: An auxiliary power unit is composed of a gas turbine engine, a gearbox, and a gearbox driven generator. A mount bracket is mechanically attached to the gearbox. The bracket is for connecting to an aircraft strut system. The aircraft strut system connects to the aircraft structure. The mount bracket has an upper mechanical attachment point and a lower mechanical attachment point to the gearbox. The gearbox includes an oil reservoir, and the lower attachment point is beneath the oil level within the oil reservoir such that said lower attachment point will be cooled by oil in the oil reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventors: Melissa A. Bell, Michael J. Rollins, Jason Peel, Greg R. Giddings
  • Publication number: 20130320135
    Abstract: An aft aerodynamic fairing for a pylon for attaching an aircraft propelling assembly, including a caisson structure, a heat-shield floor, as well as a support structure for this floor comprising linking parts arranged to link two side edges of this floor to the caisson structure. The linking parts of each side edge of the floor are configured so as to allow travelling motion of the side edge relative to the caisson structure in a corresponding direction included in a plane orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the fairing. The linking parts form a sliding link between the floor and the caisson structure, reducing the stresses induced by the deformations of these elements in use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SAS)
    Inventor: AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SAS)
  • Patent number: 8596574
    Abstract: A streamlined profile reducing the speed deficit in a wake, a pylon with such a profile, a propulsion assembly including such a pylon and an aircraft including this assembly. The profile has a device for suction of air from the boundary layer formed on this profile. This suctioned air is discharged with the aid of a nozzle the outlet of which is situated close to the trailing edge of the profile. Suction of the air and discharge thereof contribute to reducing the speed deficit downstream from the profile and therefore to reducing the turbulences in this zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations S.A.S.
    Inventors: Damien Prat, Camil Negulescu, Frederic Barrois, Bastien Caruelle
  • Patent number: 8596603
    Abstract: A device for assembly of a connecting rod on the casing of a turbo-engine including: a clevis fixed to the casing and including at least two coaxially bored lugs; a shaft traversing the bores of the lugs to which the suspension member is fixed, in a manner which is mobile in radial rotation, via a ball joint surrounding the shaft; and a connecting device which holds the shaft in place in the lugs of the clevis and is capable of being driven in rotation about the axis of the bores, is disclosed. The ball joint and the connecting device are configured such that the rotation of the connecting device about the axis of the bore of the lugs causes an offset of the axis of rotation of the connecting rod in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the bores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Francois Gallet, Daniel Thomas Gerard Riviere
  • Patent number: 8579231
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacture of a stiffening transverse internal rib (46) for an aerodynamic fairing of an engine mounting device, including: the production of a rib preform by superplastic forming having an outline of a broadly quadrilateral shape, and a central opening (52) traversing this preform; the division of the preform into two parallel straight-line segments (56, 60), which are diagonally opposed, causing the separation into two half-parts (46a?, 46a?) of the rib preform; and fishplating of the two rib preform half-parts (46a?, 46a?) by bolting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: AIRBUS Operations S.A.S.
    Inventors: Stephane Machado, Fabien Raison, Stephane Romani
  • Patent number: 8579230
    Abstract: An aircraft engine assembly including a turboshaft engine with a propeller and an attachment pylon intended to be laterally attached on a rear portion of the structure of the aircraft is disclosed. The pylon has an outer surface forming an aerodynamic profile incorporating a trailing edge which is arranged upstream of the propeller of the turboshaft engine. The pylon includes a mobile rear flap at least partially defining the trailing edge and a controller which steers the incidence of the flap according to a law depending on the incidence of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: AIRBUS Operations S.A.S.
    Inventors: Lionel Diochon, Steve Bedoin, Damien Prat
  • Patent number: 8573848
    Abstract: A ball slide bearing (18) includes an inside ring (19) and an outside ring (21), whereby the inside ring (19) is provided with an essentially cylindrical inner surface (19A) and a spherical outer surface (19B), and whereby the outside ring (21) is provided with a cylindrical outer surface (21B) and a cylindrical inner surface (21A). The bearing (18) includes an intermediate ring (20) that is inserted between the outside ring (21) and the inside ring (19), whereby the intermediate ring is provided with a spherical inner surface (20A) that can work with the outer surface of the inside ring (19) to allow the rotation along the three axes of rotation and an outer surface that defines at least one curved sliding surface (20B) in a direction that can work with a corresponding inside sliding surface (21A) of the outside ring (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations S.A.S.
    Inventors: Jean Larrochelle, François Peyruseigt
  • Patent number: 8573531
    Abstract: An aircraft has at least two jet-propulsion engines mounted laterally on the fuselage in a symmetrical design in the aft part of the fuselage. Each jet engine is mounted on the fuselage some distance from the vertical plane of symmetry of the aircraft, so that the jet engine, in a so-called half-buried configuration, is partly inside an envelope surface of a theoretical fuselage. The half-buried, jet engines are mounted on a main boom fitted on the vertical plane of symmetry of the aircraft, inside the fuselage in back, of a forward main frame. The tail sections are mounted on the main boom and the boom is integral with structures for transmitting forces into the forward part of the fuselage. The structure is advantageously made of fiber-reinforced composite materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Olivier Cazals, Alexis Manneville
  • Patent number: 8573530
    Abstract: A rear tail assembly for an aircraft, including a fuselage, a wing and at least one propulsion engine attached in the rear portion of the fuselage located behind the wing along the X longitudinal axis of the aircraft, wherein the aforementioned assembly includes aerodynamic surfaces connected in the rear portion of the fuselage. The tail assembly essentially includes horizontal aerodynamic surfaces and essentially vertical aerodynamic surface arranged so as to form an annular structure including at least one ring attached to the fuselage. At least one engine is held in the ring formed by the tail assembly. In one embodiment, a central fin is used for defining two rings in the annular structure. In particular embodiments of an aircraft including such a tail assembly, one or two engines can be fitted in the ring area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Olivier Cazals, Thierry Druot
  • Patent number: 8573532
    Abstract: An aircraft provided with turbojet engines of which the nacelles are partially embedded in the fuselage of the aircraft is disclosed. The aircraft includes an internal space at engine nacelles. The internal space includes a platform capable of supporting personnel and maintenance equipment, with the portions of the nacelles located inside the aircraft comprising trapdoors or devices for accessing inside the engines from the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Snecma
    Inventors: Jean-Loic Herve Lecordix, Marc Patrick Tesniere, Stephane Jacques Francois Thomas
  • Patent number: 8567745
    Abstract: A flanged apparatus includes an apparatus body and a flanged mount, which includes a support pylon, a first mounting flange and a second mounting flange. The support pylon includes a first pylon segment, a second pylon segment and a routing notch. The first pylon segment is cantilevered from the apparatus body, and extends to the first mounting flange. The second pylon segment is cantilevered from the first pylon support, and extends from the first mounting flange to the second mounting flange. The routing notch extends vertically between the first pylon segment and the second pylon segment. The first mounting flange and the second mounting flange extend laterally from the support pylon, and the first mounting flange is separated from the second mounting flange by a longitudinal distance and a vertical distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Joey Wong, Constantino V. Loffredo, Fernando K. Grant
  • Patent number: 8561941
    Abstract: A connection assembly of an engine pylon underneath an aircraft wing, the wing being provided with a fitting, the engine pylon being provided with a fork joint nested in the fitting and fixed to the said fitting by means of a traversing pin system, including: an external primary pin, a secondary pin mounted inside the primary pin, a primary shoulder mounted directly around the primary pin, at a blind end of the pin system, to block the said pin in translation, a secondary shoulder mounted around one end of the secondary pin, at a blind end of the pin system, to block the system in rotation, and an interlocking assembly mounted around the primary pin and the secondary pin, at a free end of the pin system, to block the pin system in translation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations S.A.S.
    Inventors: Stephane Combes, Pascal Gardes
  • Patent number: 8561943
    Abstract: An aircraft engine pylon comprises a top wall, a bottom wall, a left side wall, and a right side wall. The left side wall includes a left truss structure along with a left upper ledge and a left lower ledge. The right side wall includes a right truss structure along with a right upper ledge and a right lower ledge. The top wall is joined with the left upper ledge and the right upper ledge and an upper truss structure is formed in the left upper ledge, the right upper ledge, and the top wall. The bottom wall is joined with the left lower ledge and the right lower ledge and a lower truss structure is formed in the left lower ledge, the right lower ledge, and the bottom wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Gordon R. Crook, Randall R. West, George Larimore Huggins