Integral exhaust grille for nacelle of unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The utility model discloses an integral exhaust grille for a nacelle of an unmanned aerial vehicle. The integral exhaust grille comprises an upper frame, a grille body and a pipe section. The bottom of the upper frame is connected to the front end of the pipe section, the outer contour of the upper frame extends out of the outer side of the pipe section, and a plurality of grids are arranged in the upper frame in parallel at intervals; the upper frame, the grating and the pipe section are of an integrated structure, and transition fillets are designed between the grating and the upper frame and between the upper frame and the pipe section. Functional integration and structural component integration are completed, the assembly amount is small, the weight is light, and the manufacturing period is short.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model belongs to the field of exhaust grilles and relates to an integral exhaust grille for a nacelle of an unmanned aerial vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Aircraft exhaust grilles are a crucial component of an aircraft engine's exhaust system. Their unique structural design controls and directs engine exhaust airflow. In a thrust reverser with a choke, the grilles (similar to louvers) work in conjunction with a sliding shroud. When the thrust reverser is deployed, the shroud moves to block the duct, forcing the duct airflow forward through the grilles, generating reverse thrust and helping to decelerate the aircraft during landing. Certain specially designed grilles, such as the zigzag nozzles on the Boeing 787, also offer noise suppression. By altering the airflow's discharge pattern, this design reduces noise generation and transmission, thereby improving the aircraft's environmental performance.

[0003] Currently, drones are continuously developing towards lightweight, integrated, short-cycle, and low-cost manufacturing. Drone manufacturing requires an increasing number of high-performance materials, new designs, and new processes. The exhaust grille structure of a drone nacelle also needs to have exhaust functions, high-temperature resistance, and maintainability requirements. Traditional machining methods are limited by minimum thickness requirements, making weight reduction difficult. Furthermore, the spacing between multiple grilles makes overall machining very difficult. Alternatively, assembly methods can be used through welding, but this consumes materials and is time-consuming. The heavy structure cannot meet the current development needs of integrated, efficient, and rapid manufacturing. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the above-mentioned prior art and provide an integrated exhaust grille for a UAV nacelle, which completes the integration of functions and structural parts, has a small assembly volume, is light in weight, and has a short manufacturing cycle.

[0005] In order to achieve the above purpose, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] An integrated exhaust grille for a UAV nacelle, comprising an upper frame, a grille, and a pipe section;

[0007] The bottom of the upper frame is connected to the front end of the pipe section, the outer contour of the upper frame extends out of the outside of the pipe section, and multiple grilles are arranged inside the upper frame, and the multiple grilles are parallel and spaced apart; the upper frame, grilles and pipe section are an integrated structure, and transitional rounded corners are designed between the grilles and the upper frame, as well as between the upper frame and the pipe section.

[0008] Preferably, a lower flange is provided at the rear end of the pipe section.

[0009] Furthermore, a rubber seal is bonded to the lower flange.

[0010] Preferably, reinforcing ribs are provided between the plurality of grids, and the number of the reinforcing ribs is multiple and they are arranged in parallel, and the reinforcing ribs are parallel to the heading.

[0011] Preferably, each grille is a straight plate on the side close to the rear end of the pipe section, and is provided with a flange on the side close to the front end of the pipe section, with the flange direction being toward the rear wall.

[0012] Furthermore, the flanging and the straight plate adopt arc transition.

[0013] Furthermore, the angle between the straight plate of the grille and the plane of the intercooler is 80°-90°, and the angle between the straight plate of the grille and the horizontal plane is 130°-140°.

[0014] Preferably, the front wall of the pipe section and the frontmost end of the grille, as well as the rear wall and the rearmost end of the grille, are connected as one body, and a cavity is provided inside.

[0015] Preferably, powder leakage holes are provided on the front wall and the rear wall located in the cavity.

[0016] Preferably, the cross section of the pipe section is square and the side surface is trapezoidal.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] The utility model improves the structure of the exhaust grille, makes the upper frame larger than the front end of the pipe section, directly covers the upper frame on the pipe section, eliminates the existing form of overlapping upper frame and front end structure of the pipe section and providing mounting holes, and designs the upper frame, pipe section and grille as an integrated structure. Transitional rounded corners are designed between the grille and the upper frame, as well as between the upper frame and the pipe section, so that it can be suitable for 3D printing as a whole, completing the integration of functions and structural parts, with small assembly volume, light weight and short manufacturing cycle.

[0019] Furthermore, the rubber seal is used to seal the lower flange and the intercooler.

[0020] Furthermore, reinforcing ribs are arranged between the grilles, and the provision of the reinforcing ribs improves the stability of the exhaust grille.

[0021] Furthermore, an arc transition is used to connect the straight plate and the flange to facilitate the circulation of airflow.

[0022] Furthermore, the front and rear grilles are connected to the front and rear walls of the pipe section to avoid forming an incomplete air duct at the two locations, which would affect the circulation of airflow.

[0023] Furthermore, the powder leakage holes can ensure that excess powder in the closed cavity can be cleaned after manufacturing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an exhaust grille for a nacelle of a UAV according to the present invention.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a front view of an exhaust grille of a nacelle of a UAV according to the present invention.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of an exhaust grille of a UAV nacelle according to the present invention.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a bottom view of an exhaust grille of a nacelle of a UAV according to the present invention.

[0028] Explanation of numbers in the figure: 1-upper frame, 2-grid, 3-pipe section, 4-lower flange. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0030] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" and the like, indicating directions or positional relationships, are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the said features. In the description of the present invention, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0031] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, they can be fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally connected; they can be mechanically connected, electrically connected, or able to communicate with each other; they can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or they can be internally connected between two elements or an interactive relationship between two elements. The term "and / or" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this utility model can be understood according to the specific circumstances. The terms used herein in the specification of this utility model are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this utility model.

[0032] The disclosure below provides many different embodiments or examples for realizing different structures of the present invention. In order to simplify the disclosure of the present invention, the components and settings of specific examples are described below. Of course, they are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. In addition, the present invention may repeat reference numbers and / or reference letters in different examples. Such repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or settings discussed. In addition, the present invention provides examples of various specific processes and materials, but a person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, the integral exhaust grille of the UAV nacelle described in the present invention has a main structure including an upper frame 1, a grille 2, a pipe section 3 and a lower flange 4.

[0034] The bottom of the upper frame 1 is connected to the front end of the pipe section 3, and the outer contour of the upper frame 1 extends outward from the outside of the pipe section 3. Multiple grilles 2 are arranged in the upper frame 1, and the multiple grilles 2 are arranged in parallel and at intervals. A lower flange 4 is provided at the rear end of the pipe section 3; the upper frame 1, the grille 2 and the pipe section 3 are an integrated structure, and transitional rounded corners are designed between the grille 2 and the upper frame 1, as well as between the upper frame 1 and the pipe section 3.

[0035] The specific design details of the above structure are:

[0036] The cross section of the pipe section 3 is square and the side is trapezoidal. The top of the pipe section 3 is the short side of the trapezoid, which serves as the front wall of the pipe section 3 , and the bottom of the pipe section 3 is the long side of the trapezoid, which serves as the rear wall of the pipe section 3 .

[0037] The front end of the pipe section 3 is connected to the bottom of the upper frame 1. The outer contour of the upper frame 1 extends out of the outside of the pipe section 3 and is used to connect with the nacelle cover. The rear end of the pipe section 3 is provided with a lower flange 4. The lower flange 4 is a flared structure. The lower flange 4 is bonded with a rubber seal for the fit and sealing of the intercooler.

[0038] The surface shape of the upper frame 1 is consistent with the shape of the nacelle cover, and is connected by means of drag plate nuts and bolts, thereby ensuring the detachable maintenance requirements of the exhaust grille.

[0039] The upper frame 1 has a thickness of 0.8 mm and a width of 22 mm. Multiple grilles 2 are arranged in the upper frame 1. The multiple grilles 2 are parallel and spaced apart. The multiple grilles 2 are perpendicular to the heading. Reinforcing ribs are arranged between the multiple grilles 2. There are multiple reinforcing ribs, which are arranged in parallel. The reinforcing ribs are parallel to the heading. The setting of the reinforcing ribs improves the stability of the exhaust grille.

[0040] Each grille 2 is a straight plate on one side close to the rear end of the pipe section 3, and is provided with a flange on one side close to the front end of the pipe section 3. The flange is directed toward the rear wall and also toward the tail of the aircraft, that is, in the opposite direction of the heading. The flange and the straight plate adopt an arc transition to facilitate the circulation of airflow.

[0041] The straight plate of the grille 2 forms an angle of 80°-90° with the plane of the intercooler and an angle of 130°-140° with the horizontal plane. In this embodiment, the straight plate of the grille 2 forms an angle of 85.5° with the plane of the intercooler and an angle of 134.8° with the horizontal plane.

[0042] like Figure 3 As shown, the front wall of the pipe section 3 and the flange end of the frontmost grille 2, as well as the rear wall and the flange end of the rearmost grille 2, are all connected as one, and a cavity is provided inside to avoid the formation of incomplete air ducts at the two places, which affects the circulation of airflow.

[0043] The front wall and the rear wall are provided with powder leakage holes at the cavity to ensure that the excess powder in the closed cavity can be cleaned after manufacturing.

[0044] The upper frame 1, grille 2, pipe section 3 and lower flange 4 are an integrated structure. Transitional rounded corners are designed between the grille 2 and the upper frame 1, between the upper frame 1 and the pipe section 3, and between the pipe section 3 and the lower flange 4, which conform to the design specifications of 3D printed parts.

[0045] 3D printing technology is an important means for the rapid and low-cost development of drones. It adapts to the significant developments in the high-tech field of drones and has become a key technology in drone manufacturing. This utility model integrates the upper frame 1, grille 2, and pipe section 3 into a single, 0.8mm thick component, using a 3D printing process. This process, starting from a three-dimensional model of the part, eliminates the need for molds and directly adds material layer by layer in three-dimensional space. Compared to traditional methods, this method offers greater flexibility and freedom, significantly reducing material waste and process complexity. It allows for the rapid and direct manufacture of the entire component, shortening the development cycle, reducing structural weight, and lowering operating costs while still meeting design requirements.

[0046] Because exhaust grilles must withstand high temperatures, high pressures, and high-velocity airflow, the material requirements for them are extremely high. They are typically made from high-temperature, corrosion-resistant, and high-strength alloys. Therefore, in this invention, the exhaust grille for the drone nacelle is made from titanium alloy powder, which not only maintains stable performance in high-temperature environments but also effectively resists corrosive substances in the exhaust.

[0047] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as first and second, etc., are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0048] It should be understood that the above description is for illustration and not for limitation. Many embodiments and many applications beyond the examples provided will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the above description. Therefore, the scope of this patent should not be determined with reference to the above description, but rather with reference to the preceding claims and the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. For the purpose of comprehensiveness, all articles and references, including disclosures of patent applications and publications, are incorporated herein by reference. The omission of any aspect of the subject matter disclosed herein from the preceding claims is not a disclaimer of such subject matter, nor should it be considered that the applicant did not consider such subject matter to be part of the disclosed utility model subject matter.

Claims

1. An integrated exhaust grille for a UAV nacelle, characterized in that: It includes an upper frame (1), a grille (2) and a pipe section (3); The bottom of the upper frame (1) is connected to the front end of the pipe section (3), the outer contour of the upper frame (1) extends outside the pipe section (3), and a plurality of grilles (2) are arranged in the upper frame (1), and the plurality of grilles (2) are arranged in parallel and at intervals; the upper frame (1), the grilles (2) and the pipe section (3) are an integrated structure, and transitional rounded corners are designed between the grilles (2) and the upper frame (1) and between the upper frame (1) and the pipe section (3).

2. The UAV nacelle integrated exhaust grille according to claim 1, characterized in that: A lower flange (4) is provided at the rear end of the pipe section (3).

3. The UAV nacelle integrated exhaust grille according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lower flange (4) is bonded with a rubber seal.

4. The UAV nacelle integrated exhaust grille according to claim 1, characterized in that: Reinforcement ribs are provided between the plurality of grids (2), the number of the reinforcement ribs being multiple and being arranged in parallel, and the reinforcement ribs are all parallel to the heading.

5. The UAV nacelle integrated exhaust grille according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each grille (2) is formed into a straight plate on one side close to the rear end of the pipe section (3), and is provided with a flange on one side close to the front end of the pipe section (3), with the flange facing the rear wall.

6. The UAV nacelle integrated exhaust grille according to claim 5, characterized in that: The flanging and straight plate adopt arc transition.

7. The UAV nacelle integrated exhaust grille according to claim 5, characterized in that: The included angle between the straight plate of the grille (2) and the plane of the intercooler is 80°-90°, and the included angle between the straight plate of the grille (2) and the horizontal plane is 130°-140°.

8. The UAV nacelle integrated exhaust grille according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front wall of the pipe section (3) and the end of the frontmost grille (2), as well as the rear wall and the end of the rearmost grille (2), are connected as one body, and a cavity is provided inside.

9. The UAV nacelle integrated exhaust grille according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front wall and the rear wall are provided with powder leakage holes at the cavity.

10. The UAV nacelle integrated exhaust grille according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cross section of the pipe section (3) is square and the side surface is trapezoidal.

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