NACELLE FOR AN AIRCRAFT ENGINE

Abstract

NACELLE FOR AN AIRCRAFT ENGINE The invention relates to a nacelle (100) for an aircraft engine system. The nacelle (100) has a hinged front cover (102), a hinged rear cover (104) having a first guide element (106) delimiting a guide zone between a first limit (106a) and a second limit (106b), and a connecting rod (110) with a first end (110a) hinged on the front cover (102) and a second end (110b) having a second guide element (111) guided by the first guide element (106) where in the closed position of the front cover (102) and the rear cover (104), the second guide element (111) is at the first limit (106a) and where in an intermediate position of the front cover (102) between the closed position and the open position and in the closed position of the rear cover (104), the second guide element (111) is at the second limit (106b).With such an arrangement, the rear hood is opened by manipulating the front hood. Fig. 4.

Description

Title of the invention: NACELLE FOR AN AIRCRAFT ENGINE Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a nacelle for an aircraft motorization system which comprises two movable cowls connected to each other by an opening assistance rod, an aircraft motorization system comprising such a nacelle and an aircraft comprising at least one such motorization system. STATE OF THE PRIOR ART

[0002] An aircraft engine system conventionally comprises a core surrounded by a nacelle which forms, among other things, an aerodynamic surface around the core and the engine system is generally fixed under a wing of the aircraft by a mounting pylon.

[0003] The nacelle comprises hoods which are mounted articulated by means of hinges and which are locked in the closed position by a locking system accessible from the outside by a technician.

[0004] Conventionally from the front to the rear of the nacelle, in the case of a bypass turbojet, there is an air inlet, a fan and a cowl of a thrust reverser system and the air inlet and the fan are shrouded. Conventionally from the front to the rear of the nacelle. In this embodiment, each cowl of the thrust reverser system consists of a single cowl which can be relatively heavy and bulky.

[0005] In the case of an unducted fan engine called "openfan", there is a fan and a cowl which is at the rear of the fan which is not ducted.

[0006] For maintenance reasons, it is necessary to be able to open the hoods by pivoting them around the hinge axes. To open a hood, in particular the hood of the thrust reverser system, the technician unlocks the locking system and lifts the hood, the reverse maneuver allows the hood to be closed.

[0007] Cylinders can be installed to assist in opening a cowl. However, as engines increase in size, the opening angle of the cowl, particularly the cowl of a thrust reverser system, is limited by the fact that its rear part is hindered by the presence of the wing against which it abuts.

[0008] It is therefore necessary to find an arrangement which facilitates the opening of the hood. Statement of the invention

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a nacelle of an aircraft motorization system which comprises two articulated cowls connected to each other by a opening aid rod.

[0010] For this purpose, a nacelle is proposed for an aircraft motorization system, said nacelle comprising:

[0011] - a front hood mounted hinged about a front hinge axis between a position closed and an open position,

[0012] - a rear hood mounted hinged around a rear hinge axis between a closed position and an open position and having a first guide element delimiting a guide zone between a first limit and a second limit, and

[0013] - a connecting rod having a first end mounted articulated on the front cover and a second end having a second guide element arranged to be guided by the first guide element between the first limit and the second limit where in the closed position of the front cover and the rear cover, the second guide element is at the first limit and where in an intermediate position of the front cover between the closed position and the open position and in the closed position of the rear cover, the second guide element is at the second limit.

[0014] With such an arrangement, the opening of the rear hood is carried out by manipulation of the front hood and it is possible to dissociate the opening angle of the rear hood from the opening angle of the main front hood.

[0015] Advantageously, the first guide element is a guide groove extending between the first limit and the second limit and the second guide element is a shaft mounted movably in the guide groove.

[0016] Advantageously, the guide groove takes the form of an arc of a circle.

[0017] According to a particular embodiment, the rear cover is a cover of a system thrust reverser.

[0018] According to another particular embodiment, the front cover and the rear cover together form a cover of a thrust reverser system.

[0019] The invention also proposes a motorization system for an aircraft comprising a core and a nacelle according to one of the preceding variants.

[0020] The invention also proposes an aircraft comprising at least one motorization system according to the previous variant. Brief description of the drawings

[0021] The above-mentioned features of the invention, as well as others, will appear more clearly on reading the following description of an exemplary embodiment, said description being made in relation to the attached drawings, among which:

[0022] [Fig-1] is a side view of an aircraft comprising a nacelle according to the invention,

[0023] [Fig.2] is a schematic side representation of a nacelle according to the invention,

[0024] [Fig.3] is a partial rear view of a nacelle according to the invention in position closed with both hoods,

[0025] [Fig.4] is a view similar to that of [Fig.3] in the intermediate position of the front hood and in the closed position of the rear hood, and

[0026] [Fig.5] is a view similar to that of [Fig.3] in the open position of the two hoods.

[0027] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0028] In the following description, terms relating to a position are taken with reference to an aircraft in a forward position as shown in [Fig.l], and where the arrow F shows the direction of forward movement of the aircraft in flight.

[0029] [Fig.l] shows an aircraft 10 comprising a fuselage 12 on either side of which a wing 14 is fixed. Each wing 14 supports at least one motorization system 50 by means of an attachment mast 16 fixed between a structure of the wing 14 and a structure of the motorization system 50.

[0030] The motorization system 50 comprises a core 60 (in dotted lines in [Fig.l]) and a nacelle 100 according to the invention surrounding the core 60. In the various figures, only one side of the nacelle 100 is shown, but the same arrangement can be put in place on both sides of the nacelle 100.

[0031] In the following description, and by convention, X is the longitudinal axis of the nacelle 100 which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft 10 or roll axis, oriented positively in the direction of advancement of the aircraft 10, Y is the transverse axis which is parallel to the pitch axis of the aircraft 10 which is horizontal when the aircraft 10 is on the ground, and Z is the vertical axis which is parallel to the yaw axis when the aircraft 10 is on the ground, these three directions X, Y and Z being orthogonal to each other.

[0032] The nacelle 100 has a vertical median plane P of symmetry which is merged with the vertical plane XZ and, here the nacelle 100 comprises on either side of the vertical median plane P a front cover 102 and a rear cover 104. There is thus on each side of the vertical median plane P a front cover 102 and a rear cover 104.

[0033] In the case of a twin-flow turbojet, the front cowl 102 may be a fan cowl and the rear cowl 104 may be a cowl of a thrust reverser system.

[0034] According to a particular embodiment, in the case of a twin-flow turbojet, the cowl of the thrust reverser system is separated into two sub-cowls which are then the front cowl 102 and the rear cowl 104. The front cowl 102 and the rear cowl 104 thus together form the cowl of the thrust reverser system.

[0035] In the same way, according to another particular embodiment, in the case of an engine with an unducted fan called “openfan”, the cowl which is at the rear of the fan is separated into two sub-cowls which are then the front cowl 102 and the rear cowl 104. The front cowl 102 and the rear cowl 104 thus together form the cowl of the 100 nacelle.

[0036] The invention described here can therefore be applied to a fan cowl and a cowl of a thrust reverser system, or to a cowl of a thrust reverser system consisting of two cowls, or to any other types of articulated cowls of a nacelle.

[0037] The front cover 102 is just in front of the rear cover 104 and each cover 102, 104 takes the form of a half-cylinder so as to together form a cylinder surrounding the core 60. The front cover 102 and the rear cover 104 are joined at a contact plane generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X.

[0038] In the example illustrated, the core 60 takes the form of a double-flow turbojet with a fan at the front but, as seen previously, the invention applies to other types of engine.

[0039] Each front cowl 102 is mounted articulated on a structure which may be a structure of the motorization system 50 or of the attachment mast 16. The articulation of the front cowl 102 is carried out around a front hinge axis 103 and it is movable between a closed position in which the front cowl 102 is tightened around the core 60 and an open position in which the front cowl 102 is spaced from the core 60. In the closed position, the two front cowls 102 come to rest against a lower spar 62 of the nacelle 100. Each front cowl 102 thus comes on either side of the lower spar 62 which is at the level of the lower part of the nacelle 100, at 6 o'clock.

[0040] In the same way, each rear cover 104 is mounted articulated on a structure which can be a structure of the motorization system 50 or of the attachment mast 16. The articulation of the rear cover 104 is carried out around a rear hinge axis 105 between a closed position in which the rear cover 104 is tightened around the core 60 and an open position in which the rear cover 104 is spaced from the core 60. In the closed position, the two rear covers 104 come to rest against the lower spar 62 of the nacelle 100. Each rear cover 104 thus comes on either side of the lower spar 62 which is at the level of the lower part of the nacelle 100, at 6 o'clock.

[0041] The hinge axes 103 and 105 are arranged in the upper part of each cover 102, 104 and the covers 102 and 104 are mounted articulated on the attachment mast 16 around the associated hinge axis 103, 105.

[0042] To lock each hood 102, 104 in the closed position, the nacelle 100 comprises locking systems accessible from outside the nacelle 100 by a technician. Each locking system can take any form known to those skilled in the art and it alternately takes a locked position in which it locks the associated hood 102, 104 in the closed position, or an unlocked position in which it does not lock the associated hood 102, 104 which is then free to move from the closed position to the open position and vice versa.

[0043] [Fig. 2] shows the motorization system 50 in side view and Figs. 3 to 5 show the starboard part of the nacelle 100 with, for [Fig. 3], the two cowls 102 and 104 in the closed position, for [Fig. 4], the front cowl 102 in an intermediate position between the closed position and the open position and the rear cowl 104 in the closed position and for [Fig. 5], the two cowls 102 and 104 in the open position. The intermediate position corresponds to the maximum opening position that the front cowl 102 can take before the rear cowl 104 begins to open.

[0044] At its inner face, that is to say the one oriented towards the core 60, the rear cover 104 has a guide groove 106 which extends between a first limit 106a and a second limit 106b. In the closed position, the guide groove 106 is in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X, that is to say parallel to the contact plane. The first end 106a is above the second end 106b.

[0045] In the form shown in Figs. 3 to 5, the guide groove 106 takes the form of an arc of a circle around the longitudinal axis X.

[0046] For each pair of front 102 and rear 104 covers, the nacelle 100 also comprises a connecting rod 110 which has a first end 110a which is mounted articulated on the front cover 102 at its inner face, in particular by a pivot connection.

[0047] The second end 110b of the connecting rod 110 carries a shaft 111 which is mounted movably in the guide groove 106 and it can thus move freely in translation and rotation in the guide groove 106 between the two limits 106a-b which it cannot exceed. The connection between the shaft 111 and the guide groove 106 is preferably a ball joint.

[0048] When the two covers 102 and 104 are in the closed position ([Fig.3]), the second end 110b of the connecting rod 110, and more particularly the shaft 111, are at the level of the first limit 106a, that is to say at the bottom of the guide groove 106.

[0049] By opening the front cover 102 ([Fig.4]), the rear cover 104 remains in position closed, the second end 110b of the connecting rod 110 and therefore the shaft 111 move along the guide groove 106 until reaching the second limit 106b corresponding to the intermediate position of the front cover 102.

[0050] By continuing to open the front cover 102, the second end 110b of the connecting rod 110 and therefore the shaft 111 can no longer move relative to the guide groove 106, which causes the rear cover 104 to lift, which then opens.

[0051] Thus, depending on the opening angle of the front hood 102, the rear hood 104 remains closed or opens under the impulse of said front hood 102. The technician therefore no longer needs to manipulate the rear hood 104 and can open the two hoods 102 and 104 only by actuating the front hood 102. The opening of the rear hood 104 can also be offset from that of the front hood 102 and their opening angles are different.

[0052] The length of the guide groove 106 between the two limits 106a-b makes it possible to create a delay in opening the rear cover 104 and to manage the opening angle of each cover 102, 104.

[0053] Furthermore, in the case where the cowl of the thrust reverser system is separated into two cowls constituting respectively the front cowl 102 and the rear cowl 104, the manipulation of the front cowl 102 lightens the load for the technician at least until reaching the second limit 106b. Furthermore, the separation into two cowls 102 and 104 of the cowl of the reverser system makes it possible to open the front cowl 102 with a greater angle than in the state of the art because it is not blocked by the rear cowl 104 which abuts against the wing.

[0054] According to a particular embodiment, the intermediate position of the front hood 102 corresponds to an angle of 38°, the open position of the front hood 102 corresponds to an angle of 75° and the open position of the rear hood 104 corresponds to an angle of 30°.

[0055] Generally, the rear cover 104 has a first guide element 106 delimiting a guide zone between a first limit 106a and a second limit 106b and the connecting rod 110 has at its second end 110b, a second guide element 111 arranged to be guided by the first guide element 106 between the first limit 106a and the second limit 106b and where in the closed position of the front cover 102 and the rear cover 104, the second guide element 111 is at the first limit 106a and where in an intermediate position of the front cover 102 between the closed position and the open position and in the closed position of the rear cover 104, the second guide element 11 is at the second limit 106b.

[0056] In the case of the invention presented here, the first guide element is the guide groove 106 which extends between the first limit 106a and the second limit 106b and the second guide element 111 is the shaft 111 mounted movably in the guide groove 106.

[0057] Of course, it is possible to provide other arrangements, for example, it is possible to provide a slide secured to the second end 110b and mounted to slide on a rail secured to the rear cover 104 between two fixed stops on the rail and constituting the two limits.

Claims

Claims

1. Nacelle (100) for a motorization system (50) of an aircraft (10), said nacelle (100) comprising: - a front cover (102) mounted articulated about a front hinge axis (103) between a closed position and an open position, - a rear cover (104) mounted articulated about a rear hinge axis (105) between a closed position and an open position and having a first guide element (106) delimiting a guide zone between a first limit (106a) and a second limit (106b), and - a connecting rod (110) having a first end (110a) mounted articulated on the front cover (102) and a second end (110b) having a second guide element (111) arranged to be guided by the first guide element (106) between the first limit (106a) and the second limit (106b) where in position closed front cover (102) and rear cover (104),the second guide element (111) is at the first limit (106a) and where in an intermediate position of the front cover (102) between the closed position and the open position and in the closed position of the rear cover (104), the second guide element (111) is at the second limit (106b).,

2. Nacelle (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first guide element is a guide groove (106) extending between the first limit (106a) and the second limit (106b) and in that the second guide element (111) is a shaft (111) movably mounted in the guide groove (106).

3. Nacelle (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that the guide groove (106) takes the form of an arc of a circle.

4. Nacelle (100) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rear cover (104) is a cover of a thrust reverser system.

5. Nacelle (100) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the front cover (102) and the rear cover (104) together form a cover of a thrust reverser system.

6. A motorization system (50) for an aircraft (10) comprising a core (60) and a nacelle (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5 surrounding the core (60).

7. Aircraft (10) comprising at least one motorization system (50) according to claim 6.

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