Pressure relief device for engine nacelle, engine nacelle and aero-engine

Abstract

The invention relates to a pressure relief device, comprising: a door plate fitted to a pressure relief opening of an engine nacelle; the pivoting device is used for supporting the door plate in a hinged manner so as to allow the door plate to pivot between an open position and a closed position relative to the pressure relief opening; and an elastic locking device disposed between the door panel and the support structure, the elastic locking device comprising: a bearing member having an elongated shape and a first end fixed to one of the door panel and the support structure; and an elastic winding device fixed to the other of the door panel and the support structure, the second end of the bearing member being wound via the elastic winding device to bias the door panel toward the closed position and being able to bypass to allow the door panel to move toward the open position. According to the arrangement, the impact load peak value when the pressure relief door is opened is obviously reduced, and the structural safety of the engine is improved. In addition, the invention further relates to an engine nacelle and an aero-engine comprising the pressure relief device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of aero-engine structures and relates to a pressure relief device for an engine nacelle. In addition, the present invention also relates to an engine nacelle and an aero-engine including such a pressure relief device. Background Art

[0002] The engine nacelle encloses the engine inside, provides an installation platform and necessary protection for the engine, and also forms a closed cavity. However, since there is a high-pressure air supply pipeline inside the aero-engine nacelle, when the high-pressure air supply pipeline leaks or bursts, the pressure inside the engine nacelle will rapidly increase, endangering the structural safety of the engine nacelle and even causing engine failures. Therefore, the engine nacelle pressure relief system is an important guarantee to ensure that the pressure inside the engine nacelle will not cause structural failure after the pipeline bursts, and is also an important guarantee to ensure that the engine can operate normally and safely.

[0003] A typical structural form of the engine nacelle pressure relief system is a pressure relief door, which is a generally square cover plate and is connected to the engine nacelle body by hinges. When a leak occurs inside the engine nacelle and the pressure inside the nacelle is higher than a certain value, the pressure relief door opens, and a complex flow structure including vortices, jets, and shock waves is formed at the outlet of the pressure relief door, so as to discharge the high-pressure gas inside the engine nacelle to the outside to reduce the pressure inside the nacelle.

[0004] The working pressure and temperature of early aero-engines were relatively low, so the structure of the nacelle pressure relief door was relatively simple and usually consisted only of hinges and a cover plate.

[0005] With the development of aero-engines towards high bypass ratio and high pressure ratio, the air extraction volume increases, resulting in a significant increase in the potential discharge volume of the nacelle pressure relief device. Therefore, higher requirements are put forward for the design of the nacelle pressure relief device, and the pressure relief performance of the early-designed nacelle pressure relief device can no longer meet the requirements. Especially under the action of the internal airflow, when the pressure relief door opens, the hinges may be damaged by impact, and the cover plate will also undergo irreversible plastic deformation, resulting in the inability of the pressure relief door to close or poor mating accuracy after closing, affecting the normal operation of the engine and further endangering the safety of the aircraft and its passengers.

[0006] In the invention patent titled "Spring-Loaded Pressure Relief Door" with the publication number CN102563149A and filed by Boeing on October 24, 2011, a pressure relief device for an engine nacelle having a wall and an opening in the wall is disclosed. The pressure relief device includes: a door panel arranged in an obstructive relationship with the opening in the wall of the engine nacelle; a plurality of hinges connecting the door panel to the inner surface of the wall of the engine nacelle; a spring assembly connected between each hinge and the inner surface of the wall, wherein the spring assembly includes a can with an open end and a spring element received within the can; and a support fitting mounted to the engine nacelle wall and having a portion extending toward the open end of the can for applying a compressive force to the spring element. The pressure relief device buffers a certain impact load when the pressure relief door is opened through the spring element. However, this load buffering effect is still not very satisfactory.

[0007] In addition, when the pressure relief door in the prior art is opened for pressure relief, its ability to resist deformation due to pressure relief shock is weak and it is prone to failure, resulting in a relatively low structural safety level of the nacelle pressure relief door.

[0008] Therefore, there is still a need to optimize the structure of the pressure relief device in the prior art in order to provide an improved pressure relief device that can overcome one or more drawbacks existing in the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide a pressure relief device that can significantly reduce the peak value of the impact load when the pressure relief door is opened and improve the structural safety of the engine nacelle pressure relief door and the engine nacelle.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to increase the structural reliability of the nacelle pressure relief door and reduce the ability to resist impact deformation and failure when the pressure relief door is opened without significantly increasing the overall weight of the pressure relief door.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, a pressure relief device is proposed, which may include:

[0012] A door panel, the shape of the door panel being configured to fit into the pressure relief opening of the engine nacelle;

[0013] A pivoting device, the pivoting device pivotally supporting the door panel to allow the door panel to pivot between an open position and a closed position relative to the pressure relief opening; and

[0014] An elastic locking device, the elastic locking device being arranged between the door panel and a support structure. For example, the support structure may be disposed adjacent to and separated from the door panel, wherein the elastic locking device may include:

[0015] A load-bearing member having an elongated shape extending between a first end and a second end, and the first end of the load-bearing member being fixed to one of the door panel and the support structure, such as being fixed to the support structure; and

[0016] An elastic winding device fixed to the other of the door panel and the support structure, such as being fixed to the door panel, wherein the second end of the load-bearing member is wound via the elastic winding device to bias the door panel towards the closed position and can be unwound to allow the door panel to move towards the open position.

[0017] In this way, the pressure relief device can be kept biased and closed by means of the elastic locking device, and when the internal pressure of the engine nacelle rises rapidly, it allows the pressure relief door to open, so that the high-pressure gas in the nacelle is discharged to the outside to reduce the pressure in the engine nacelle, and this setting can significantly reduce the peak impact load when the pressure relief door opens and improve the structural safety of the nacelle pressure relief door.

[0018] According to the above aspect of the present invention, preferably, the elastic winding device may include a torsion spring and a reel. The torsion spring is coupled between the other of the door panel and the support structure and the reel, such as being coupled between the door panel and the reel, and the second end of the load-bearing member is wound around the reel, so that as the door panel moves from the closed position towards the open position, the torsion spring is torsionally deformed to increase the biasing force that biases the door panel towards the closed position.

[0019] With this device, under the action of a certain force, the load-bearing member (such as a cable) is slowly pulled out, reducing the peak impact force generated after the load-bearing member is pulled to the end; after the pressure relief door opens and releases the high-pressure gas in the nacelle, the load-bearing member is reversely wound and retracted by the torsion spring to pull it back, so that the pressure relief door closes, ensuring the structural integrity of the aeroengine nacelle.

[0020] According to the above aspect of the present invention, preferably, the elastic winding device may further include a support shaft that can extend through the torsion spring and the reel and be fixed to the other of the door panel and the support structure, such as being fixed to the door panel, to allow at least a part of the reel and the torsion spring to pivot around the support shaft.

[0021] With this arrangement, on the one hand, by restricting the axial position of the torsion spring (such as preventing axial displacement or skew), the operating stability and reliability of the elastic winding device can be increased. On the other hand, by making the support shaft extend through the torsion spring and the reel, the connection strength in the length direction of the two can be ensured, so that the torque between the reel and the torsion spring dominates, and there is no or almost no tensile force in the length direction.

[0022] According to the above aspect of the present invention, preferably, the elastic locking device may further include a stop device.

[0023] The stopper device may include: a first stopper which may be fixed to the other of the door panel and the support structure and supports the support shaft, for example, fixed to the door panel, wherein the first stopper has a cylindrical first hollow portion and a first stopper portion provided on a circumferential surface of the first hollow portion, and

[0024] a second stopper, the second stopper may be fixed to the torsion spring and disposed in the first hollow portion of the first stopper, wherein the second stopper has a cylindrical outer surface and a second stopper portion disposed on the outer surface, and

[0025] In which, the first stop portion and the second stop portion can be arranged to: when the torsional force acting on the second stop portion is not greater than a predetermined threshold, the rotation of the second stop portion relative to the first stop portion is limited, and when the torsional force acting on the second stop portion is greater than the predetermined threshold, the rotation of the second stop portion relative to the first stop portion is allowed.

[0026] In this way, on the basis of absorbing the impact force via the torsion spring and the load-bearing member, the impact force is further absorbed by the stop device, thereby prolonging the action time of the impact energy, thereby further reducing the spring tension.

[0027] According to the above-mentioned aspect of the present invention, preferably, the torsion spring may include two torsion springs, and are arranged on both sides of the drum, wherein the ends of the two torsion springs facing each other are fixed to the two ends of the drum, and the ends of the two torsion springs facing away from each other are fixed to the other of the door panel and the supporting structure, for example, fixed to the door panel, or kept fixed relative to the door panel.

[0028] Through this arrangement, the impact force experienced by the elastic locking device is made more balanced and uniform, thereby further increasing the reliability and stability of the pressure relief device.

[0029] According to the above aspects of the present invention, preferably, the load-bearing member can be made of metal material or flame-retardant and high-temperature resistant thermoplastic vulcanized rubber. In this case, the load-bearing member itself can undergo a certain elastic deformation, especially when it is made of rubber, thereby further extending the opening time of the pressure relief door and the impact energy action time, thereby reducing the peak value of the impact force.

[0030] According to the above aspects of the present invention, preferably, the pivoting device may include:

[0031] a hinge support fixed to the support structure and having a mounting hole;

[0032] A pin shaft, the pin shaft is supported in a mounting hole of a hinge support;

[0033] A hinge pivotally supported on the pin;

[0034] The elastic pad is disposed between the pin shaft and the mounting hole.

[0035] With this arrangement, the peak impact load acting on the hinge and transmitted to the door panel can be further reduced, thereby further improving the reliability of the pressure relief device.

[0036] According to the above aspect of the present invention, preferably, the pivoting device may include a connecting seat, the connecting seat can fix the hinge to the door panel, and the door panel includes reinforcing ribs arranged along the inner surface of the door panel, wherein the reinforcing ribs can be dimensionally reduced (e.g., the cross-sectional dimension is reduced) and bifurcated from the first end of the door panel towards the second end of the door panel.

[0037] With this arrangement, the strength and stiffness of the pressure relief door structure can be increased, and plastic deformation of the door panel under the action of impact force during door opening can be avoided. In addition, by adding reinforcing ribs at the weak links of plastic deformation and failure, the thickness of the door panel can be reduced, so that the overall weight of the pressure relief door is reduced under the same strength or stiffness.

[0038] According to another aspect of the present invention, an engine nacelle is provided, and the engine nacelle may include the pressure relief device described in the above aspect.

[0039] According to another aspect of the present invention, an aeroengine including the engine nacelle described in the above aspect is provided.

[0040] Thus, the pressure relief device of the present invention can meet the use requirements, overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and achieve the predetermined purpose. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0041] In order to further clearly describe the pressure relief device according to the present invention, the present invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with the drawings and specific embodiments. In the drawings:

[0042] Figure 1 A schematic perspective view of an aeroengine including an engine nacelle according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0043] Figure 2 A schematic perspective view of an engine nacelle according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention is shown, in which the pressure relief device is shown;

[0044] Figure 3 A schematic perspective view of the pressure relief device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention is shown, in which the door panel is in the closed position;

[0045] Figure 4 A schematic perspective view of the door panel according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0046] Figure 5Shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a pivoting device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 6 Shows a schematic perspective view of an elastic locking device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention; and

[0048] Figure 7 Shows Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of the elastic locking device shown in

[0049] The above-mentioned drawings are merely schematic and are not drawn to scale.

[0050] List of reference numerals in the drawings and embodiments:

[0051] 1000 - Aeroengine, including:

[0052] 100 - Pressure relief device, including:

[0053] 10 - Door panel, including:

[0054] 10A - First end;

[0055] 10B - Second end;

[0056] 20 - Pivoting device, including:

[0057] 21 - Hinge support, including:

[0058] 21A - Mounting hole;

[0059] 22 - Pin shaft;

[0060] 23 - Hinge;

[0061] 23A - First extension;

[0062] 23B - Second extension;

[0063] 24 - Elastic pad;

[0064] 25 - Connecting seat;

[0065] 26 - Nacelle and pressure relief door connecting plate;

[0066] 30 - Elastic locking device, including:

[0067] 31 - Bearing member, including:

[0068] 31A - First end;

[0069] 31B - Second end;

[0070] 32 - Elastic winding device, including:

[0071] 32A - Torsion spring;

[0072] 32B - Drum;

[0073] 32C - Support shaft;

[0074] 33 - Stop device, including:

[0075] 33A - First stop member, including:

[0076] 331 - First hollow part;

[0077] 332 - First stop portion;

[0078] 33B - Second stop member, including:

[0079] 333 - Second stop portion;

[0080] 40 - Reinforcing rib;

[0081] 200 - Engine nacelle, including:

[0082] 201 - Pressure relief opening;

[0083] 300 - Support structure. Detailed implementation manner

[0084] It should be understood that unless explicitly stated to the contrary, the present invention may adopt various alternative orientations and step sequences. It should also be understood that the specific devices shown in the drawings and described in the specification are only exemplary embodiments of the inventive concept disclosed and defined herein. Thus, unless otherwise explicitly stated, the specific orientations, directions or other physical characteristics of the various disclosed embodiments should not be considered as limiting.

[0085] As used herein, the term "aeroengine nacelle" refers to the nacelle of an engine for an aircraft or other aircraft. The aeroengine nacelle may mainly consist of parts such as an engine inlet, a fairing, internal fixing devices, a thrust reverser, and a tail nozzle. The aeroengine nacelle encloses the engine inside, provides an installation platform and necessary protection for the engine, and the aircraft and the nacelle can be connected above the rear of the engine. The aeroengine nacelle needs to ensure that the engine can work properly under various usage environments and flight states, and convert the thrust of the engine into the power of the aircraft, so as to cooperate with mechanisms such as wings, rudders, and flaps to achieve operations such as propulsion and steering in the air.

[0086] As used herein, the term "pressure relief door" refers to a door that, when a leak occurs inside the nacelle and the pressure inside the nacelle is higher than a certain value, will open or be activated, forming a complex flow structure at the pressure relief door outlet, including vortices, jets, and shock waves, so as to discharge the high-pressure gas inside the engine nacelle to the outside to reduce the pressure inside the nacelle.

[0087] As used herein, the term "impact failure" refers to the damage that may occur to structures such as the engine and the pressure relief door under the action of the impact load of the outlet air flow during the opening process of the pressure relief door.

[0088] As used herein, the term "elastic lock" or "elastic locking device" may refer to a device that can extend the opening time of the pressure relief door and the action time of the impact energy by deforming an elastic element, thereby reducing the peak value of the impact force.

[0089] Figure 1 Fig. shows a schematic perspective view of an aeroengine 1000 including an engine nacelle 200 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 2 Fig. shows a schematic perspective view of an engine nacelle 200 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, in which a pressure relief device 100 is shown.

[0090] As shown and as a non-limiting example, the aeroengine 1000 may include an engine nacelle 200, which may have a generally cylindrical profile and is provided with a pressure relief device 100 on its circumferential wall.

[0091] Figure 3 Fig. shows a schematic perspective view of a pressure relief device 100 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, in which the door panel 10 is in the closed position.

[0092] As shown, the pressure relief device 100 may mainly include a door panel 10, a pivoting device 20, an elastic locking device 30, etc.

[0093] The door panel 10 may have a generally flat plate-shaped structure, and its circumferential shape may be set to fit into the pressure relief opening 201 of the engine nacelle 200, so as to form a complete profile or aerodynamic surface of the engine nacelle 200.

[0094] The door panel 10 may pivot relative to the pressure relief opening 201 between an open position and a closed position by means of the pivoting device 20. As Figure 3 shown, the pivoting device 20 may support the door panel 10 in a hinged manner.

[0095] The door panel 10 may be formed of various metal materials or composite materials, and preferably, is made of the same material as the wall panel of the engine nacelle 200.

[0096] Figure 4Fig. 0 shows a schematic perspective view of a door panel 10 according to a non - limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0097] As shown, the door panel 10 may have a generally rectangular structure, with circumferential rounded corners, and have a first end 10A and an opposite second end 10B. The first end 10A may be arranged near the pivot end, i.e., Figure 4 the generally left side in Figure 4 while the second end may be the free end or the front part of the door panel 10, i.e.,

[0098] the generally right side in Figure 4 The door panel 10 may include reinforcing ribs 40 arranged along the inner surface of the door panel 10. The door panel 10 may be strengthened by the reinforcing ribs 40 (such as radial reinforcing ribs). In

[0099] the example of

[0100] Figure 5 the generally "herringbone" - shaped reinforcing ribs 40 may decrease in size and bifurcate from the first end 10A towards the second end 10B, for example, decreasing in size in cross - section.

[0099] Fig. 19 shows a schematic cross - sectional view of a pivot device 20 according to a non - limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0101] As Figure 3 and 5 shown in

[0102] the pivot device 20 may include a hinge support 21, a pin shaft 22, a hinge 23, an elastic pad 24, etc.

[0102] The hinge support 21 may be fixed to the support structure 300 or the relief door connection plate 26 and have a mounting hole 21A. For example, the hinge support 21 and Figure 3 the short nacelle and the relief door connection plate 26 in Figure 3 may be bolt - connected. The support structure 300 or the relief door connection plate 26 may be a part of the engine wall panel or a part of the engine casing.

[0103] The pin shaft 22 can be supported in the mounting hole 21A of the hinge support 21. The hinge 23 can have a generally "J" - shaped structure, having two first extension parts 23A and second extension parts 23B that are angled with respect to each other. The first extension part 23A of the hinge 23 can be pivotally supported on the pin shaft 22, for example, at its end.

[0104] The elastic pad 24 can be arranged between the pin shaft 22 and the mounting hole 21A. Additionally, the pivoting device 20 further includes a connecting seat 25, and the connecting seat 25 can be used to fix the hinge 23 to the door panel 10, for example, at the end of the second extension part 23B.

[0105] By adding the elastic pad 24 between the hinge support 21 and the pin shaft 22, the peak value of the impact load on the hinge 23 and transmitted to the door panel 10 can be reduced. Considering the fire - prevention requirements of the engine nacelle 200, the elastic pad 24 can be made of a rubber material with a high ignition point, such as flame - retardant and high - temperature - resistant thermoplastic vulcanizate. Since the door panel 10 of the pressure - relief door only opens under specific circumstances, which is an accidental event, the elastic pad 24 can have no wear - resistance requirements.

[0106] As Figure 3 shown, the pivoting devices 20 can be symmetrically arranged in two and spaced apart. The two pivoting devices 20 are pivotally supported on the door panel 10 to allow the door panel 10 to pivot between an open position and a closed position relative to the pressure - relief opening 201.

[0107] Continuing to refer to Figure 3 , the elastic locking device 30 can be arranged between the door panel 10 and the support structure 300. The elastic locking device 30 biases the door panel 10 towards the closed position, that is, causes the door panel 10 to close to the pressure - relief opening 201 in the default state, and will allow the door panel 10 to move between the open position and the closed position.

[0108] During the process of the door panel 10 of the pressure - relief device 100 being opened by an impact force, the impact load may be very large. The elastic locking device 30 can extend the opening time of the door panel 10, thereby extending the action time of the impact energy, and further reducing the peak value of the impact force. Through this setting, when the door panel 10 is impacted and opened, the failure of the hinge 23 caused by excessive loads due to the release of the engine cavity pressure can be avoided. At the same time, by adding additional restraint devices, the possibility of the door panel 10 generating plastic deformation can be reduced.

[0109] Figure 6 Shows a schematic perspective view of the elastic locking device 30 according to a non - restrictive embodiment of the present invention.

[0110] As shown in the figure, the elastic locking device 30 can mainly include: a bearing member 31, an elastic winding device 32, etc.

[0111] The load-bearing member 31 may have an elongated shape extending between a first end 31A and a second end 31B. For example, the load-bearing member 31 may be made of a metallic material or a flame-retardant and high-temperature-resistant thermoplastic vulcanizate. As a preferred embodiment, the load-bearing member 31 may be formed as a metallic cable or a locking cable, or a material with inherent elasticity may be used, such as a cable or a locking cable made of a flame-retardant and high-temperature-resistant thermoplastic vulcanizate. However, it should be understood that the main source of elasticity for absorbing impact energy may be spring deformation, such as the torsional deformation of a torsion spring.

[0112] The first end 31A of the load-bearing member 31 may be fixed to one of the door panel 10 and the support structure 300. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the first end 31A of the load-bearing member 31 is fixed to the support structure 300, for example, by means of various connection methods conceivable by those skilled in the art, such as bolt connection, tying, riveting, welding, etc.

[0113] The support structure 300 may be provided adjacent to the door panel 10. For example, in the closed state of the door panel 10, the distance between the support structure 300 and the edge or surface of the door panel 10 is within the range of 0 - 20 cm, within the range of 0.5 - 10 cm, or within the range of 1 - 5 cm. The support structure 300 is a component separable from the door panel 10, thereby allowing a relative distance change therebetween. For example, the support structure 300 may be a part of the engine casing or the engine compartment wall, which are rigid and sufficiently strong fixed structures.

[0114] The elastic winding device 32 may be fixed to the other of the door panel 10 and the support structure 300. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the elastic winding device 32 is fixed to the door panel 10.

[0115] The second end 31B of the load-bearing member 31 is wound via the elastic winding device 32, biases the door panel 10 towards the closed position, and can be unwound to allow the door panel 10 to move towards the open position, such as pivotally opening.

[0116] In Figure 6In the illustrated example, the load-bearing member 31 is shown as including three metal cables or ropes, for example, as schematically shown by the arrow lines. The ends of the three metal cables or ropes shown by the arrows are fixed to the support structure 300, while the ends of the three metal cables or ropes opposite to the arrows are wound around the elastic winding device 32. And in the initial closed state of the door panel 10, the load-bearing member 31 has been tightened and has sufficient prestress to keep the door panel 10 closed. In addition, it should be understood that the load-bearing member 31 has sufficient length and has had sufficient length wound in the elastic winding device 32 to allow the door panel 10 to move to the extreme open position when the door panel 10 is opened. For example, when the door panel 10 is opened, the inner surface of the door panel is within the range of 60 degrees to 130 degrees, and preferably within the range of 80 degrees to 110 degrees, from the outer wall surface of the engine nacelle.

[0117] The elastic winding device 32 may include a torsion spring 32A and a drum 32B. The torsion spring 32A may be coupled between the door panel 10 and the other of the support structure 300 and the drum 32B. Figure 4 and 6 In the illustrated embodiment, the torsion spring 32A is coupled between the door panel 10 and the drum 32B.

[0118] As described above, the second end 31B of the load-bearing member 31 is wound around the drum 32B, such that as the door panel 10 moves from the closed position toward the open position, the torsion spring 32A is torsionally deformed to increase the biasing force that biases the door panel 10 toward the closed position.

[0119] As a preferred embodiment and as Figure 6 shown, there may be two torsion springs 32A, which are arranged on both sides of the drum 32B. Among them, the facing ends of the two torsion springs 32A are fixed to both ends of the drum 32B, while the departing ends of the two torsion springs 32A are fixed to the other of the door panel 10 and the support structure 300. In the embodiment shown in combination with the drawings, the departing ends of the two torsion springs 32A are fixed to the door panel 10.

[0120] Continuing to refer to Figure 6 , the elastic winding device 32 may further include a support shaft 32C. The support shaft 32C may extend through the torsion spring 32A and the drum 32B and be fixed to the other of the door panel 10 and the support structure 300 to allow at least a part of the drum 32B and the torsion spring 32A to pivot around the support shaft 32C. Figure 4 and 6 In the illustrated embodiment, the support shaft 32C may be fixed to the door panel 10.

[0121] By providing an elastic locking device 30 with a spring - type buffer energy - absorbing device, during the opening process of the door panel 10 of the pressure relief device 100, the load - bearing member 31 is acted upon by the torsion spring 32A. Under the action of a certain force, it overcomes the torsional elastic force of the torsion spring 32A and is slowly pulled out, thereby reducing the peak impact force generated after the load - bearing member 31 (such as a locking rope) reaches the end. After the door panel 10 of the pressure relief device 100 has been opened and the high - pressure gas in the nacelle has been released, the load - bearing member 31 is pulled back by the reverse winding action of the torsion spring 32A (for example, under the elastic force of the torsion spring), and wound around the drum 32B, causing the door panel 10 to close again, ensuring the structural integrity of the aero - engine nacelle 200.

[0122] During the opening process of the door panel 10 of the pressure relief device 100, the impact load may be very large. The elastic locking device 30 according to the present invention absorbs the impact energy through the buffering and energy - absorbing of the torsion spring 32A and the winding and releasing of the load - bearing member 31. It can extend the opening time of the door panel 10 and the action time of the impact energy during the rotation of the torsion spring 32A and the tensioning of the load - bearing member 31, thereby reducing the peak impact force.

[0123] According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the elastic locking device 30 may further include a stop device 33.

[0124] Figure 7 is shown Figure 6 a cross - sectional view of the elastic locking device 30 shown in, in which details of the stop device 33 are shown.

[0125] As Figure 6 and 7 shown in, the stop device 33 may mainly include: a first stop member 33A and a second stop member 33B. The first stop member 33A and the second stop member 33B cooperate with each other to further absorb the impact force experienced when the door panel 10 is impacted and opened, extend the action time of the impact energy, and further reduce the spring tension.

[0126] As a preferred embodiment, the first stop member 33A may be fixed to the other of the door panel 10 and the support structure 300 and support the support shaft 32C. The first stop member 33A may be referred to as an outer ring and has a cylindrical first hollow portion 331 and a first stop portion 332 provided on the circumferential surface of the first hollow portion. In Figure 4 and 6 the embodiment shown, the first stop member 33A is fixed to the door panel 10, for example, via welding, riveting, bolt connection, etc.

[0127] It should be understood that the first stopper 33A may have a cylindrical hollow portion, and the exterior may have various shapes, such as an outer surface that is also generally cylindrical or an outer surface having a cross-section that is generally polygonal, etc., such as a multi-prismatic shape.

[0128] The second stopper 33B may be fixed to the torsion spring 32A and disposed in the first hollow portion 331 of the first stopper 33A. At this time, the torsion spring 32A will not be directly fixed to the door panel 10.

[0129] The second stopper 33B may be referred to as an inner ring and have a cylindrical outer surface and a second stopper portion 333 provided on the outer surface. For example, the second stopper 33B may have an overall cylindrical structure, and one end of the torsion spring 32A may be fixed to the bottom of the cylinder, while the opposite end of the torsion spring 32A may be fixed to the axial end of the reel 32B.

[0130] The first stopper portion 332 and the second stopper portion 333 may be arranged such that when the torsional force acting on the second stopper 33B is not greater than a predetermined threshold value, the rotation of the second stopper 33B relative to the first stopper 33A is restricted, and when the torsional force acting on the second stopper 33B is greater than the predetermined threshold value, the rotation of the second stopper 33B relative to the first stopper 33A is allowed.

[0131] The torsional force acting on the second stopper 33B may mainly come from the impact force received when the door panel 10 is opened. This impact force drives the reel 32B to rotate via the load-bearing member 31, and the rotation of the reel 32B drives one end of the torsion spring 32A to rotate. While the torsion spring 32A is deforming torsionally itself, the torsional force is transmitted from the other end of the torsion spring 32A to the second stopper 33B.

[0132] Therefore, in this arrangement of the elastic locking device 30, the second stopper 33B can rotate as the reel 32B rotates, and at the moment when the load-bearing member 31 extends to its limit length, the impact load is the greatest.

[0133] As Figure 7As shown, the first stop portion 332 and the second stop portion 333 may be protrusions respectively provided on the inner side of the first stop member 33A and the outer side of the second stop member 33B, such as the semi-cylindrical protrusions shown in the drawings. At this time, the first stop member 33A and the second stop member 33B may be concentrically arranged. Through numerical simulation calculations, a size-impact load curve of the protrusion can be obtained. This curve can be based on the peak value of the transient impact force when the load-bearing member 31 (elastic lock) extends to the limit length. And at this time, the drum 32B can rotate relative to the support shaft 32C under this peak value. Set the size of the protrusion in this way, such as the radius of the semi-cylindrical protrusion. Through this arrangement, the impact force can be further absorbed, the action time of the impact energy can be extended, and the spring tension can be further reduced.

[0134] In addition, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, structures such as the door panel 10, the reinforcing rib 40, and the hinge 22 of the pressure relief device 100 may be made of the same material or different materials, and may be integrally formed by 3D printing, which is not limited thereto, so as to improve the connection stiffness.

[0135] As used herein, terms indicating orientation or direction and terms such as "first" and "second" used to indicate order are merely for enabling those of ordinary skill in the art to better understand the concept of the present invention shown in the preferred embodiment, rather than for limiting the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, all orders, orientations, or directions are only for the purpose of distinguishing one element / component / structure from another element / component / structure, and unless otherwise specified, do not represent any specific order, operating order, direction, or orientation. For example, in an alternative embodiment, the "first stop member" may be the "second stop member".

[0136] In addition, as used herein, the descriptions "one of..." and "the other of..." should be understood in the ordinary sense as "one" and "the other" referring to two different components of the two. For example, for the description: the first end 31A of the load-bearing member 31 is fixed to one of the door panel 10 and the support structure 300, this "one" refers to the "door panel 10", and for the related description: the elastic winding device 32 is fixed to the other of the door panel 10 and the support structure 300, this "the other" refers to the "support structure 300", and vice versa.

[0137] In summary, the pressure relief device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention overcomes the disadvantages in the prior art and achieves the expected invention purpose.

[0138] Although the pressure relief device of the present invention has been described above in conjunction with the preferred embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should recognize that the above examples are only for illustration and cannot be used as a limitation to the present invention. Therefore, various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention within the scope of the spirit of the claims, and these modifications and variations will fall within the scope required by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pressure relief device (100), the pressure relief device comprising: a door panel (10), the shape of the door panel being configured to fit into a pressure relief opening (201) of an engine nacelle (200); a pivoting device (20), the pivoting device being hingedly supported for the door panel (10) to allow the door panel (10) to pivot relative to the pressure relief opening (201) between an open position and a closed position; and an elastic locking device (30), the elastic locking device being arranged between the door panel (10) and a support structure (300), wherein the elastic locking device (30) comprises: a load-bearing member (31), the load-bearing member having an elongated shape extending between a first end (31A) and a second end (31B), and the first end (31A) of the load-bearing member (31) being fixed to one of the door panel (10) and the support structure (300); and an elastic winding device (32), the elastic winding device being fixed to the other of the door panel (10) and the support structure (300), wherein the second end (31B) of the load-bearing member (31) is wound via the elastic winding device (32), and biases the door panel (10) towards the closed position and can be bypassed to allow the door panel (10) to move towards the open position.

2. The pressure relief device (100) according to claim 1, wherein, the elastic winding device (32) comprises a torsion spring (32A) and a reel (32B), the torsion spring (32A) being coupled between the other of the door panel (10) and the support structure (300) and the reel (32B), and the second end (31B) of the load-bearing member (31) being wound around the reel (32B), such that as the door panel (10) moves from the closed position towards the open position, the torsion spring (32A) is torsionally deformed to increase the biasing force biasing the door panel (10) towards the closed position.

3. The pressure relief device (100) according to claim 2, wherein, the elastic winding device (32) further comprises a support shaft (32C), the support shaft extending through the torsion spring (32A) and the reel (32B) and being fixed to the other of the door panel (10) and the support structure (300) to allow at least a portion of the reel (32B) and the torsion spring (32A) to pivot around the support shaft (32C).

4. The pressure relief device (100) according to claim 3, wherein, the elastic locking device (30) further comprises a stop device (33), wherein the stop device comprises: a first stop member (33A), the first stop member being fixed to the other of the door panel (10) and the support structure (300) and supporting the support shaft (32C), wherein the first stop member (33A) has a cylindrical first hollow portion (331) and a first stop portion (332) provided on a circumferential surface of the first hollow portion, and a second stopper (33B) fixed to the torsion spring (32A) and disposed in the first hollow portion (331) of the first stopper (33A), wherein the second stopper (33B) has a cylindrical outer surface and a second stopper portion (333) disposed on the outer surface, and The first stop portion (332) and the second stop portion (333) are arranged such that when the torsional force acting on the second stop member (33B) is not greater than a predetermined threshold value, the rotation of the second stop member (33B) relative to the first stop member (33A) is restricted; and when the torsional force acting on the second stop member (33B) is greater than the predetermined threshold value, the rotation of the second stop member (33B) relative to the first stop member (33A) is allowed.

5. The pressure relief device (100) according to claim 3, It is characterized in that The torsion spring (32A) includes two torsion springs (32A) and are arranged on both sides of the drum (32B), wherein the ends of the two torsion springs (32A) facing each other are fixed to the two ends of the drum (32B), and the ends of the two torsion springs (32A) facing away from each other are fixed to the door panel (10) and the other of the supporting structure (300).

6. The pressure relief device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, It is characterized in that The bearing member (31) is made of metal material or flame-retardant and high-temperature resistant thermoplastic vulcanized rubber.

7. The pressure relief device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, It is characterized in that The pivoting device (20) comprises: a hinge support (21) fixed to the support structure (300) and having a mounting hole (21A); A pin shaft (22), the pin shaft being supported in the mounting hole (21A) of the hinge support (21); a hinge (23) pivotably supported on the pin (22); and An elastic pad (24) is arranged between the pin shaft (22) and the mounting hole (21A).

8. The pressure relief device (100) according to claim 7, It is characterized in that The pivot device (20) includes a connecting seat (25) which fixes the hinge (23) to the door panel (10), and the door panel (10) includes a reinforcing rib (40) arranged along the inner surface of the door panel, wherein the reinforcing rib decreases in size and bifurcates from the first end (10A) of the door panel (10) toward the second end (10B) of the door panel (10).

9. An engine nacelle (200), comprising a pressure relief device (100) according to any one of claims 1-8.

10. An aircraft engine (1000) comprising the nacelle (200) according to claim 9.

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