Rohr, Inc.

Thomas Paolini

Johann Steven Schrell

Pablo T Sanz Martinez

Marc Schommer

Stuart James Byrne

Nicholas Hedges

A panel for an active laminar flow control arrangement may comprise a longitudinal wall and one or more division walls extending from the longitudinal wall and extending between the first end and the second end. The panel may be coupled to a nacelle outer skin via a plurality of adhesive fasteners pre-installed onto an inner surface of the outer skin and onto stiffeners and/or stringers associated with the outer skin.

Active laminar flow control plenum panel arrangements and installation methods

An assembly is provided for active laminar flow control. This assembly includes a panel, which panel includes an outer skin, an inner skin and a plurality of plenums between the outer skin and the inner skin. Each of the plurality of plenums is fluidly coupled with a respective array of perforations through the outer skin. The panel is constructed from fiber-reinforced composite material.

Active laminar flow control system with composite panel

An active laminar flow control arrangement may comprise an outer skin having an inner surface, an outer surface, and a perforated area, and a panel coupled to the inner surface. The panel may comprise a longitudinal wall, a sidewall extending from the longitudinal wall, a ridge intersecting the sidewall, a cavity disposed in the panel and at least partially defined by the sidewall and the longitudinal wall, and a division wall disposed in the cavity and extending from the longitudinal wall, wherein the division wall divides the cavity into a first plenum and a second plenum. The longitudinal wall, the sidewall, the ridge, and the division wall may comprise a single, monolithic piece.

Active laminar flow control plenum panel arrangement

An active laminar flow control arrangement may comprise a modular arrangement comprising a plurality of frames and cover panels coupled to an outer skin having a plurality of hat stiffeners and stringers. A first cover panel may be coupled between a first frame and a first hat stiffener. A second cover panel may be coupled between a second frame and a second hat stiffener. A third cover panel may be coupled between the first cover panel and the second cover panel. The cover panels may enclose associated plenums whereby a flow of air is pumped into the arrangement for maintaining a laminar flow across an aerodynamic surface of the outer skin.

Active laminar flow control structural plenums fastened

A hinge assembly may include a support structure and a panel hingedly coupled to the support structure via at least one hinge of a plurality of hinges. The plurality of hinges may include a first hinge having a first rotational axis, a second hinge having a second rotational, and a third hinge having a third rotational axis. The second rotational axis may be collinear and aligned with the third rotational axis such that the second hinge and the third hinge have a shared concentric axis. The first rotational axis may be eccentric to the shared concentric axis. The hinge assembly may be implemented in a nacelle to improve the aerodynamics of the interfaces between the fan cowl and adjacent structure.

Hinge assembly

A nacelle may include a pylon, an adjustable length beam, a first fan cowl, and a second fan cowl. The adjustable length beam may have a first end and a second end and the adjustable length beam may extend in a direction substantially normal to a centerline axis of the nacelle. The first fan cowl may be pivotally coupled to the first end of the adjustable length beam and additionally may be pivotally coupled to the pylon. The second fan cowl may be pivotally coupled to the second end of the adjustable length beam and additionally may be pivotally coupled to the pylon.

Adjustable length beam between cowl hinges

A nacelle may comprise a fan cowl and a tie rod assembly coupled to the fan cowl. The tie rod assembly may comprise a first tie rod coupled to the fan cowl and a second tie rod coupled to the first tie rod and the fan cowl. Rotational motion may be transferred between the first tie rod and the second tie rod. A retention structure may be coupled to an interior surface of the fan cowl.

Fan cowl tie rod assembly

A nacelle tensioning arrangement may comprise a fairing located between a first fan cowl and a second fan cowl, and a flexible tensioning system configured to restrain at least a portion of the fairing from moving in a radial direction in response to at least one of the first fan cowl and the second fan cowl being in a closed position.

Fan cowl fairing restraining system

A system is provided for an aircraft propulsion system. This system includes a nacelle structure, a nacelle cowl and an alignment assembly. The nacelle cowl is configured to move between a closed position and an open position. The alignment assembly includes a pair of mating components respectively arranged with the nacelle structure and the nacelle cowl. A first of the pair of mating components is configured as or otherwise includes a receptacle. A second of the pair of mating components is configured as or otherwise includes a locator. The locator is configured to mate with the receptacle and thereby locate the nacelle cowl relative to the nacelle structure when the nacelle cowl is in the closed position. The locator includes a base and a guide attached to the base. The guide is formed as a discrete body from the base.

Nacelle alignment assembly with a multi-piece locator

A strake may comprise a plate, wherein the plate extends between a forward end and an aft end along a first direction and the plate extends between a root end and a tip end along a second direction, a first tab extending from the root end of the plate, wherein a first fastening aperture is disposed in the first tab, and a second tab extending from the root end of the plate, wherein a second fastening aperture is disposed in the second tab.

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Santee, CA, United States of America

Thomas Paolini