Device for mounting a cable in a rotary assembly of an aircraft propulsion system

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for mounting a cable (1) in a rotary assembly of an aircraft propulsion system, the device comprising means (2) for attaching the cable (1) to a rotary cover (I) of the propulsion assembly by providing a slack strand (B) in the cable. The device comprises means (4) for positioning the cable (1) which act on the slack strand (B) so as to keep it in a predetermined position.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] TITLE: Cable mounting device in a rotating assembly of an aircraft propulsion system

[0003] technical field

[0004] The present invention relates to aircraft engines and more particularly to the attachment of a cable or a cable harness to the rotating parts of an aircraft engine.

[0005] Previous techniques

[0006] One of the major concerns of aircraft engine manufacturers is to offer engines with maximum propulsive efficiency, particularly through an unfaired architecture.

[0007] Such an architecture is a vector for significant optimization of fuel consumption, while offering the same speed performance and the same cabin experiences for passengers.

[0008] Indeed, climate change is a major concern for many legislative and regulatory bodies around the world.

[0009] Various restrictions on carbon emissions have been or will be adopted by various states.

[0010] In particular, an ambitious standard applies both to new types of aircraft and to those already in operation, requiring the implementation of technological solutions to bring them into compliance with current regulations.

[0011] Civil aviation has been actively contributing to the fight against climate change for several years now. Technological research efforts have already led to significant improvements in the environmental performance of aircraft.

[0012] The Applicant takes into consideration the factors impacting all phases of design and development in order to obtain less energy-intensive, more environmentally friendly aeronautical components and products whose integration and use in civil aviation have moderate environmental consequences with the aim of improving the energy efficiency of aircraft.

[0013] Consequently, the Applicant is constantly working to reduce its negative climate impact by using methods and operating virtuous development and manufacturing processes that minimize greenhouse gas emissions in order to reduce the environmental footprint of its activity.

[0014] An application of the invention therefore also relates to propulsion systems including electric hybridization.

[0015] Aircraft propulsion systems are conventionally equipped with cable bundles that provide electrical power to electrified devices.

[0016] For example, this could involve de-icing devices for the engine nose, which receives a power supply conveyed by a bundle of cables.

[0017] The cables are generally held by fasteners or clamps, with sufficient slack in the cables to allow for the removal of the cable connection connectors.

[0018] Managing the slack strand, particularly its length and positioning, is difficult to achieve during the assembly of the nose, which is done by rotating a hood relative to a housing between which the cable bundle is connected.

[0019] The presence of the slack strand also presents a major disadvantage related to the fact that during the rotation of the motor, the cable bundle is likely to be in various uncontrolled positions under the effect of centrifugal force.

[0020] The random positioning of the cables makes balancing the rotating propulsion assembly difficult to manage.

[0021] In addition, the lifespan of the cables is likely to be affected due to the stresses caused by centrifugal force.

[0022] Description of the invention

[0023] The aim of the invention is therefore to overcome these drawbacks and, in particular, to guarantee the position of a cable or a bundle of cables of an aircraft propulsion system during the rotation of the propulsion system.

[0024] The invention relates to a device for mounting a cable in a rotating assembly of an aircraft propulsion system, comprising means for attaching the cable to a rotating cover of the propulsion assembly while providing a slack strand in the cable. This device includes cable positioning means acting on the slack strand to maintain it in a predetermined position. During the rotation of the propulsion assembly, the slack strand is positioned within the positioning means by centrifugal force and held there in position.

[0025] Thus, the position of the slack strand is reproducible and guaranteed, avoiding any untimely movement of the slack strand that could cause its alteration.

[0026] Furthermore, with the position of the slack strand guaranteed, balancing the rotating assembly is made easier.

[0027] In one embodiment, the device includes means for connecting the cable to a housing during an assembly movement of the cover on the housing tending to tighten the slack strand.

[0028] For example, the hood has a cable guide surface for use during rotation of the rotating hood.

[0029] In a particular embodiment, the positioning means comprise a chute having a bottom in which the slack strand of the cable is housed during the rotation of the propulsion system, said chute comprising lateral walls for guiding the cable in the bottom of the chute.

[0030] For example, the chute has a V-shaped cross-section.

[0031] For example, the cable tray has a first proximal portion, with an essentially longitudinal direction, which corresponds to a portion of the cable entry into the cable tray, an intermediate angled portion, and then a distal portion with an axial direction which corresponds to the direction of the cable connection.

[0032] For example, the gutter extends in a circumferential direction in an inner face of the hood or in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the hood.

[0033] Alternatively, the chute can be radial.

[0034] In one embodiment, the device includes elements configured to apply pressure to the cable at the bottom of the cable tray. These elements facilitate the cable being held firmly in place at the bottom of the cable tray.

[0035] In one embodiment, the positioning means comprise a fairing mounted on the housing and intended to receive and radially retain an elastically deformable spiral portion of the cable. The invention also relates to an aircraft propulsion system comprising a cable mounting device as defined above, as well as an aircraft comprising such a propulsion system. Brief description of the drawings

[0036] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting examples, and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0037] [Fig 1] shows a first embodiment of a cable mounting device in a rotating assembly of an aircraft propulsion system according to the invention;

[0038] [Fig 2] shows a variant of the device in Figure 1;

[0039] [Fig 3] illustrates another variant of the mounting device in Figure 1;

[0040] [Fig 4] shows another embodiment of a cable mounting device in a rotating assembly of an aircraft propulsion system according to the invention;

[0041] [Fig 5] shows the device of figure 4 during the rotation of the propulsion system;

[0042] [Fig 6] is a cross-sectional view along line AA of figure 5, showing a detail of the implementation of the device of figures 4 and 5;

[0043] [Fig 7] is a cross-sectional view along line AA of figure 5 in another embodiment of the device of figures 4 to 6;

[0044] [Fig 8] illustrates another embodiment of a cable mounting device according to the invention.

[0045] [Fig 9] illustrates the movement of the hood as it is mounted onto the housing.

[0046] Description of at least one embodiment of the invention

[0047] We refer first to figures 1 to 3 which illustrate examples of the realization of a cable mounting device according to the invention.

[0048] Such a device is designed to secure a power cable within a rotating assembly of an aircraft propulsion system. Specifically, it is designed to secure a bundle of electrical power cables within a rotating cowling / casing assembly of an aircraft engine, also known as a barrel.

[0049] Such a system is designed to receive a set of cables or a cable harness, for example, for supplying power to engine nose de-icing devices. The cable 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3 is fixed to the cover I using clamp-type fastening means 2 and has at its end a connector 3 intended to be connected to a corresponding connector (not shown) of a cable or cable harness mounted on a rotating housing II visible in Figures 4 and 5.

[0050] The fixing means 2 are provided and, in particular, are positioned on the cover I, so as to provide in the cable 1 a slack strand B which, in particular, allows the connection and disconnection of the connector 3. The cable 1 can thus adopt a first free configuration (C1), a second configuration (C2) in which it is connected to the corresponding connector of the housing, and a third tensioned configuration (C3) resulting from the rotation of the cover during assembly and under the effect of the centrifugal force generated during the rotation of the cover / housing assembly.

[0051] In order to ensure reproducible positioning of the slack strand during rotation of the hood I, the retaining device includes cable positioning means, designated by the general numerical reference 4, which are provided in the inner face of the hood and which act on the slack strand during rotation of the hood to maintain it in a predetermined position.

[0052] The slack strand is notably held in this determined position during the rotation of the motor, under the effect of the centrifugal force produced during the rotation, while being held by the positioning means.

[0053] In the embodiment of Figure 1, these positioning means include a V-shaped channel comprising two branches 5 and 6 erected from the hood and inclined so as to form cable guidance surfaces in the bottom of the channel 4, when the hood is rotated under the effect of centrifugal force.

[0054] In the embodiment of Figure 1, the chute extends in a circumferential direction on the inner wall of the hood I.

[0055] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 2, the channel 4 extends generally in a longitudinal direction, i.e., parallel to the axis of rotation of the cover. The channel 4 is angled here to receive a loop of the slack strand of cable 1, initially free in configuration C1 and then pressed into the bottom of the channel (configuration C2). The channel thus comprises a proximal portion, with an essentially longitudinal direction, which corresponds to the cable entry point into the channel; an intermediate portion with a change of angle from the longitudinal to the axial direction; and finally a distal portion with an axial direction, which corresponds to the direction of the connection between the portion of the cable on the cover I and the portion of the cable on the housing II.

[0056] As previously mentioned, cable 1 has an end connector which connects to a corresponding connector on the engine housing.

[0057] This cover is mounted onto the housing II during assembly, by a rotational movement, for example of the order of 45 degrees.

[0058] This rotational movement of the hood relative to the casing is used to tension the slack strand in the chute 4.

[0059] With reference to figure 3, to facilitate tensioning of the slack strand, in one embodiment, the hood has a guide surface 7 on which the cable slides during rotation of the hood, during assembly.

[0060] This guide surface 7 has, for example, the shape of a comb or equivalent. It is fixed to the housing II.

[0061] We will now describe, with reference to figures 4 to 7, another embodiment of a mounting device according to the invention.

[0062] In this embodiment, the housing II includes a radial channel 8, that is to say a channel which extends over a radial surface of the housing II between a first connection point 9 located near the axis of rotation XX of the assembly and a peripheral area 10 at the level of which the cable 1 is connected to a cable of the hood I.

[0063] In Figure 4, the hood I and the housing II are shown in the open maintenance position, while in Figure 5, the hood and the housing are shown in the closed position.

[0064] As can be seen in Figure 6, the chute 8 also has a generally V-shaped cross-section and includes two lateral guide surfaces 11 and 12 to guide the cable 1 into the bottom 13 of the chute, during the rotation of the propulsion system.

[0065] As can be seen in Figure 7, in order to improve the positioning of the cable in the bottom 1 1 of the duct, magnets 15 can be provided along the duct, in the vicinity of the bottom 1 1, in order to position the cable in the bottom of the duct.

[0066] If necessary, a metal sheath can be attached to cable 1. Of course, any other element configured to stress the cable in the bottom of the trunking can be used as an alternative.

[0067] In the embodiment of figure 8, the cable positioning means include a fairing 16 fixed on the internal peripheral surface of the hood I so as to delimit a volume with a general axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the hood I in which an elastically deformable spiral portion of the cable 1 is housed to hold it radially.

[0068] This embodiment is suitable for receiving the slack strand of a cable made in the form of an elastically deformable spiral portion which spontaneously fits into the channel when the hood is closed.

[0069] Figure 9 illustrates more explicitly the rotational movement mentioned earlier during assembly. Movement 17 consists of a translation followed by a rotation, forming a displacement that can be likened to a helical movement of the hood relative to the housing.

Claims

DEMANDS 1. Device for mounting a cable (1) in a rotating assembly of an aircraft propulsion system, comprising means (2) for fixing the cable on a rotating cover (I) of the rotating assembly while providing a slack strand (B) in the cable, characterized in that it comprises means for positioning (4) the cable acting on the slack strand so as to maintain it in a predetermined position.

2. Device according to claim 1, comprising means for connecting (3) the cable to a housing (II) during an assembly movement of the cover on the housing tending to tighten the slack strand.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein the hood has a cable guide surface (7) during rotation of the rotating hood.

4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the positioning means comprise a chute (4) having a bottom in which the slack strand of the cable is housed during the rotation of the propulsion system, said chute comprising lateral walls (5, 6) for guiding the cable in the bottom of the chute.

5. Device according to claim 4, wherein the chute (4) has a V-shaped cross-section.

6. Device according to any one of claims 4 and 5, wherein the cable tray comprises a first proximal portion, with an essentially longitudinal direction, which corresponds to a portion of the cable entry into the cable tray, an intermediate angled portion, and then a distal portion with an axial direction which corresponds to the direction of the cable connection.

7. Device according to any one of claims 4 and 5, wherein the chute extends in a circumferential direction in an internal face of the hood.

8. Device according to any one of claims 4 and 5, wherein the chute extends in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the hood.

9. Aircraft propulsion system comprising a cable mounting device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. Aircraft comprising a propulsion system according to claim 9.

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