Front engine attachment system intended for aircraft engine and having compact structure

Abstract

The invention relates to a front engine attachment system (150) for an engine (102), having: an engine pylon (104) having a nose (110) with a male collet (111) and a cylindrical post; two links (162a-162b) fastened to the engine (102) about a second axis (12) by means of a second ball joint connection; a first shaft (165) establishing a first spherical joint connection of the link (162a-b) around the first axis (10) to the male collet piece (111), where the first axis (10) and the second axis (12) are in the same vertical plane, and where the cylindrical column is mounted so as to be movable relative to the front housing (103) via an annular linear connection. Such a front engine attachment system has a reduced vertical volume because the front engine attachment is incorporated in the engine pylon.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a front engine attachment system for an aircraft engine, wherein the front engine attachment system is compact, and to an aircraft having at least one such front engine attachment. Background Art

[0002] Aircraft usually have at least one engine, in particular a jet engine. Under each wing, the aircraft has an engine pylon (suspension) for each engine, which is fastened to the wing structure and extends under the wing, the engine being suspended under the engine pylon.

[0003] The engine is housed in the nacelle and is fastened to the engine pylon by means of an engine attachment system comprising a front engine attachment and a rear engine attachment.

[0004] Many types of front engine attachments are satisfactory from the point of view of their current use. However, in order to increase the performance of the engine, the fans of new engines are getting bigger and bigger, which correspondingly reduces the distance between the nacelle and the ground.

[0005] It was then necessary to define a new arrangement that would allow reducing the height of the front engine attachment, moving the nacelle further away from the ground and, in turn, bringing the nacelle closer to the wing. Summary of the invention

[0006] One object of the present invention is to propose a front engine attachment system which combines an engine pylon and a front engine attachment to reduce the height of the assembly.

[0007] To this end, a front engine attachment system for an engine of an aircraft is proposed, the front engine attachment system having a vertical mid-plane and having:

[0008] an engine pylon having, at the front part, a nose with a male clamp and a cylindrical post cylindrical about a vertical axis and intended to be mounted so as to be movable about the vertical axis relative to the front casing of the engine via an annular linear connection;

[0009] - two links intended to be fastened to the front housing by means of a second ball joint connection about a second axis perpendicular to the median plane, the two links being arranged on either side of the male clamping piece; and

[0010] A first axis is perpendicular to the mid-plane and establishes a first ball joint connection of the coupling member to the male collet member about a first axis, wherein the first axis and the second axis are in the same vertical plane perpendicular to the mid-plane.

[0011] Such a front engine attachment system has a reduced vertical bulk because the front engine attachment is integrated into the engine pylon.

[0012] Advantageously, the first axis is arranged behind the vertical axis.

[0013] Advantageously, each coupling element consists of two adjacent coupling elements.

[0014] Advantageously, the nose is composed of two fittings fastened to one another, the cylindrical column being composed of two half-cylinders adjoining a vertical median plane, wherein each half-cylinder belongs to one of the fittings of the nose.

[0015] Advantageously, the first shaft comprises a hollow first outer peripheral shaft and a first inner shaft fitted inside the first outer peripheral shaft.

[0016] The invention also proposes an aircraft having an engine with a front casing and a front engine attachment system according to one of the variants, wherein the coupling is fastened to the front casing by a second spherical joint connection and wherein the cylindrical column is mounted so as to be movable relative to the front casing about a vertical axis via an annular linear connection. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The above and other features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following description of an exemplary embodiment given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0018] Figure 1 is a side view of an aircraft according to the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a front engine attachment system according to the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 The front engine attachment system according to the present invention is along Figure 2 A sectional perspective view taken along line III in FIG.

[0021] Figure 4 The front engine attachment system according to the present invention is along Figure 2 A sectional stereogram taken along line IV in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] In the following description, position-related terms are considered relative to an aircraft in a forward motion position, i.e., Figure 1 As shown, where arrow F indicates the direction of forward movement.

[0023] Figure 1An aircraft 100 is shown having an engine 102 , in particular a jet engine, fastened beneath an engine pylon 104 , which is itself fastened beneath a wing 106 .

[0024] In the following description, and by convention, X designates the longitudinal direction of the engine 102, which is oriented positively in the direction of forward motion of the aircraft 100; Y designates the lateral direction of the engine 102, which is horizontal when the aircraft 100 is on the ground; and Z designates the vertical direction or vertical height when the aircraft 100 is on the ground, these three directions X, Y and Z being orthogonal to each other.

[0025] The engine 102 has a general shape exhibiting rotational symmetry about the longitudinal axis X.

[0026] exist Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the aircraft 100 has one engine 102 beneath each wing 106 of the aircraft 100 , but multiple engines may be disposed beneath each wing 106 .

[0027] Figure 2 A forward engine attachment system 150 is shown, which is secured to the structure of the aircraft 100 , in this case to the structure of the wing 106 , and extends beneath the wing 106 and supports the engine 102 , and in particular the forward portion of the engine 102 . Figures 2 to 4 Various views of the front engine attachment system 150 are shown.

[0028] The front engine attachment system 150 comprises an engine pylon 104 fastened to the structure of the wing 106 and a front engine attachment 160 fastened between the engine pylon 104 and a front casing 103 fixed to the engine 102. The front engine attachment system 150 has a vertical mid-plane XZ.

[0029] The rear engine attachment is conventionally secured between the engine pylon 104 and the rear portion of the engine 102 and may take any form known to those skilled in the art.

[0030] The engine pylon 104 is in the form of a box having, in particular, a nose 110 at a front portion 163, the nose having a male clevis 111. As described below, the male clevis 111 ( Figure 4) is arranged between two coupling elements 162a-162b, which are arranged on both sides of the male clevis element 111 and thus form a female clevis element, in which the male clevis element 111 is mounted so as to rotate freely about a first axis 10, which is oriented transversely, i.e. perpendicular to the middle plane XZ, and therefore horizontally, thereby establishing a spherical joint connection called a first spherical joint connection, whose main axis of rotation is the first axis 10 and in which the rotations about the other two axes have a reduced amplitude.

[0031] exist Figures 2 to 4 In the embodiment of the invention shown, the nose 110 is composed of two fittings 109a - 109b fastened to one another, in this case in the median plane XZ.

[0032] In the present case, the male clamping element 111 is composed of two walls 110a-110b which are parallel to each other and vertical, i.e. parallel to the median plane XZ and therefore perpendicular to the transverse direction Y. The two walls 110a-110b adjoin at the median plane XZ to form the male clamping element 111, and each wall 110a-110b constituting the male clamping element 111 belongs to one of the assembly parts 109a-109b.

[0033] Figure 4 A cross section through the male clamp member 111 and the two female clamp members 103a-103b is shown.

[0034] The engine pylon 104 has an upper wall 104a, a lower wall 104b and two side walls 104c-104d. The walls 104a-104d are fixed to each other to form a box with a substantially trapezoidal vertical cross section. The nose 110 is fastened to the front region 163 of the engine pylon 104 by any known means, such as by welding or bolts. The front region 163 corresponds to the front ends of the walls 104a-104d.

[0035] The front engine attachment 160 has two couplings 162a-162b, which are fastened to the nose 110 by means of the male clamping piece 111 and, as described above, are arranged on both sides of the male clamping piece 111 and, in this case, symmetrically with respect to the median plane XZ. The first ball joint connection of the couplings 162a-162b to the male clamping piece 111 is established by means of a first shaft 165, which is provided with a boss 170 on which the male clamping piece 111, i.e. the two walls 110a-110b forming the male clamping piece 111, are mounted in an articulated manner. Thus, the first shaft 165 passes through the male clamping piece 111 and the couplings 162a-162b through a hole provided for this purpose. Thus, the first shaft 165 is perpendicular to the median plane XZ. The first axis 10 constitutes the axis of the first shaft 165.

[0036] Each coupling 162a-162b is also fastened in an articulated manner to the front housing 103 by a second spherical joint connection, the main axis of rotation of which is the second axis 12 perpendicular to the middle plane XZ and therefore horizontal, and wherein the rotation around the other two axes has a reduced amplitude. To this end, the front housing 103 has female chuck pieces 103a-103b, which are also each composed of two walls that are parallel to each other and vertical, i.e. parallel to the middle plane XZ. In this case, the two walls that constitute the female chuck pieces 103a-103b are shared by the two female chuck pieces 103a-103b so as to form a single central wall 103c, i.e. the middle wall. The female chuck pieces 103a-103b are symmetrical with respect to the middle plane XZ.

[0037] The couplings 162a-162b are fastened to the female clamping elements 103a-103b by means of a second axis 167 which passes through the walls forming the female clamping elements 103a-103b and the couplings 162a-162b through holes provided for this purpose. The second axis 167 is therefore perpendicular to the median plane XZ. The second axis 12 constitutes the axis of the second axis 167. The second ball joint connection of the couplings 162a-162b with the front housing 103 is established by the second axis 167, which is equipped with a boss 172 on which the front housing 103 is mounted in an articulated manner, in this case by means of the central wall 103c.

[0038] The second axis 12 is vertically aligned with the first axis 10 and is below the first axis 10, i.e. the axis of the second axis 167 and the axis of the first axis 165 are in the same vertical plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X and therefore perpendicular to the middle plane XZ, or in other words the main axis of the first spherical joint connection, i.e. the first axis 10, and the main axis of the second spherical joint connection, i.e. the second axis 12, are in the same vertical plane perpendicular to the middle plane XZ.

[0039] Figure 3 A cross section through an annular linear connection, also called a “socket connection” 169 , is shown, in which the translation axis is the vertical axis 20 .

[0040] The nose 110 has a cylindrical column 502 coaxial with the vertical axis 20 and therefore oriented vertically and in this case in a vertical median plane XZ. Figure 3 In the embodiment of the invention shown, the column 502 is composed of two semi-cylinders adjoining a vertical median plane XZ so as to form the cylindrical column 502 , and each semi-cylinder belonging to one of the fittings 109 a - 109 b of the nose 110 .

[0041] The cylindrical post 502 extends downwardly and is mounted so as to be movable relative to the front housing 103 about the vertical axis 20 via an annular linear connection. Thus, between the cylindrical post 502 and the front housing 103, and therefore between the nose 110 and the front housing 103, there is a ball joint connection about a main axis, which is the vertical axis 20. There is also a sliding connection, the direction of which is parallel to the vertical axis 20.

[0042] exist Figure 3 In the embodiment of the invention shown, the ball joint connection is established by mounting bosses 506, which are mounted around the cylindrical post 502, and the front housing 103 is hingedly mounted on the bosses 506. The bosses 506 are between the cylindrical post 502 and the front housing 103, and a bore 508 is formed in the front housing 103 to allow the bosses 506 to be mounted.

[0043] A sliding connection is formed between the cylindrical post 502 and the boss 506 , so that the boss 506 is mounted so as to be free to move in translation along the cylindrical post 502 parallel to the vertical axis 20 .

[0044] The male collet piece 111 is arranged behind the socket connection 169 with respect to the longitudinal direction X, ie the first axis 10 of the first ball joint connection is behind the vertical axis 20 .

[0045] With this arrangement, the pylon 104 directly incorporates the elements ensuring the fastening of the engine 102 , in order to reduce the height required for such fastening.

[0046] When the engine 102 is running, forces are generated and transmitted to the structure of the wing through the front shell 103 and the front engine attachment system 150, namely through the links 162a-162b, the second shaft 167, the first shaft 165, the socket connection 169 and the engine pylon 104 forming the main force path.

[0047] Thus, forces in the Z direction are transmitted through the second ball joint connection and the first ball joint connection, ie vertically through the links 162a - 162b .

[0048] The forces in the X-direction and the Y-direction are transmitted via the socket connection 169 .

[0049] For safety reasons, the front engine attachment system 150 also has means for ensuring a secondary force path for compensating for the failure of the main force path, these means constituting backup safety means (or “wait-for-fail-safe” means).

[0050] In the event of a failure, it is necessary to continue to transmit the force in the Z direction. Therefore, according to a specific embodiment of the present invention, each link 162a-162b is composed of two adjacent links.

[0051] In the event of a failure at the socket connection 169, it is necessary to continue to transmit the forces in the Y direction. Therefore, as described above, the cylindrical column 502 is composed of two semi-cylinders adjoining the vertical mid-plane XZ and each semi-cylinder belongs to one of the fittings 109a-109b of the nose 110. Thus, in the event of a failure of one of the semi-cylinders, the other remains in working order.

[0052] When a failure occurs, it is necessary to continue to transmit force in the Z direction. Therefore, according to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the first shaft 165 is composed of a cylindrical and hollow first outer peripheral shaft 165a and a first inner shaft 165b assembled in the first outer peripheral shaft 165a. This arrangement can compensate for any breakage of the first outer peripheral shaft 165a.

[0053] Likewise, the second shaft 167 is composed of a cylindrical and hollow second outer peripheral shaft 167a and a second inner shaft 167b fitted inside the second outer peripheral shaft 167a. This arrangement can compensate for any breakage of the second outer peripheral shaft 167a.

Claims

1. A front engine attachment system (150) for an engine (102) of an aircraft (100), the front engine attachment system (150) having a vertical mid-plane (XZ) and having: - an engine pylon (104) having, at its front part, a nose (110) with a male clamp (111) and a cylindrical post (502) cylindrical about a vertical axis (20) and intended to be mounted so as to be movable about said vertical axis (20) relative to a front casing (103) of said engine (102) via an annular linear connection; - two links (162a-162b) intended to be fastened to the front housing (103) by means of a second spherical joint connection about a second axis (12) perpendicular to the median plane (XZ), the two links (162a-162b) being arranged on either side of the male clamping piece (111); and a first axis (165) perpendicular to said median plane (XZ) and establishing a first ball joint connection of said coupling element (162a-162b) to said male clamping element (111) about a first axis (10), wherein The first axis (10) and the second axis (12) are in the same vertical plane perpendicular to the median plane (XZ).

2. The front engine attachment system (150) of claim 1, characterized in that: The first axis (10) is arranged behind the vertical axis (20).

3. The front engine attachment system (150) of claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the coupling members (162a-162b) includes two adjacent coupling members.

4. The front engine attachment system (150) of claim 1, characterized in that: The nose (110) comprises two fittings (109a-109b) fastened to each other, wherein the cylindrical column (502) comprises two semi-cylinders adjacent to the vertical median plane (XZ), wherein each of the semi-cylinders belongs to one of the fittings (109a-109b) of the nose (110).

5. The front engine attachment system (150) of claim 1, characterized in that: The first shaft (165) includes a hollow first outer peripheral shaft (165a) and a first inner shaft (165b) fitted inside the first outer peripheral shaft (165a).

6. An aircraft (100) having an engine with a front housing (103) and a front engine attachment system (150) according to claim 1, wherein: The coupling (162a-162b) is secured to the front housing (103) by the second ball joint connection, and wherein the cylindrical post (502) is mounted so as to be movable relative to the front housing (103) about the vertical axis (20) via the annular linear connection.

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