Compact Front Engine Mount Integration for Nacelle Ground Clearance

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing size of aircraft engine fans necessitates a reduction in the distance between the nacelle and the ground, requiring a new engine attachment system to minimize the height of the front engine attachment.

Innovation Solution

A front engine attachment system integrating the engine pylon and attachment, featuring a main connecting rod with a secondary ball joint connection and an outer cylinder for reduced vertical footprint, along with fail-safe secondary force paths to ensure stability and safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the fan size is increased to improve engine performance, then the distance between the nacelle and the ground is reduced, but the height of the front engine attachment must be reduced further to maintain clearance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengine performanceVSAvoidheight of front engine attachment

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the engine pylon and front engine attachment into a single integrated structure. The pylon includes both the support function and the attachment mechanism, eliminating the need for a separate attachment component and reducing the overall vertical height of the assembly while maintaining structural integrity and load-bearing capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Length of stationary object

If the front engine attachment height is reduced to move the nacelle away from the ground, then the nacelle can be positioned closer to the wing, but the structural integrity and stability must be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheight of front engine attachmentVSAvoidstructural integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of stationary objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The integrated pylon structure is segmented into functional zones: an upper attachment portion with ball joints for engine mounting, a middle section for structural reinforcement, and a lower portion for pylon support. This segmentation allows optimization of each zone for its specific function while maintaining overall structural integrity despite reduced height.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs spherical ball joint connections at critical attachment points. These spherical joints provide multi-directional load distribution and rotational freedom, enhancing structural integrity and stability while accommodating the reduced height configuration of the integrated pylon.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentEP4484297B1Front engine attachment system for an aircraft engine having a compact structure

Publication Date: 2025.08.06 AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SAS)

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AI summary

The invention relates to a front engine mounting system (150) for an engine (102) comprising a jet pylon (104) with a nose cone (110) having a main female yoke (111) and a cylindrical housing, a main connecting rod (162) attached to the engine (102) by a secondary ball joint about a secondary axis (12a), a main shaft (165) providing a main ball joint for the main connecting rod (162) in the main female yoke (111) about a main axis (10), where the main axis (10) and the secondary axis (12a) are in the same vertical plane, and an external cylinder with a vertical axis, one end of which is fixed in the cylindrical housing and the other end of which is mounted via an annular linear connection relative to the front casing (103). Such a front engine mounting system has a reduced vertical footprint because the front engine mount is integrated into the jet pylon.