阅读说明：本技术 用于具有提升点的飞行器的驱动单元以及用于支撑该单元的托架 (Drive unit for an aircraft with a lifting point and a carrier for supporting the unit ) 是由 帕特里克·博利奥 布鲁诺·伯坦 于 2019-02-19 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种驱动单元,其包括例如涡轮喷气发动机的马达,以及机舱,机舱在围绕新鲜空气的环形流的外部从上游开始包括进气口、前侧盖(8)、具有反向格栅(6)的推力反向器以及可移动后盖,当推力反向器闭合时,前侧盖(8)围绕推力反向器的反向格栅(6),并且所述可移动后盖与所述格栅(6)一起缩回以打开反向器,所述马达具有提升点(14),提升点形成用于接收用于提升和运输驱动单元的操纵刮板的重载附接点,本发明的特征在于,提升点(14)是布置在马达上的两个上提升点(14),每个上提升点在马达的一侧上,在前侧盖(8)的径向后方,在驱动单元的水平直径(D)上方。(The invention relates to a drive unit comprising a motor, for example a turbojet engine, and a nacelle comprising, from upstream outside an annular flow of fresh air, an air inlet, a front side cover (8), a thrust reverser with a reversing grate (6), and a movable rear cover, when the thrust reverser is closed, the front side cover (8) surrounds the reversing screen (6) of the thrust reverser, and the movable back cover is retracted together with the grating (6) to open the reverser, the motor having lifting points (14) forming heavy-duty attachment points for receiving handling blades for lifting and transporting the drive units, the invention being characterized in that the lifting points (14) are two upper lifting points (14) arranged on the motor, each on one side of the motor, radially behind the front side cover (8), above the horizontal diameter (D) of the drive unit.)

1. Drive unit comprising a motor, such as a bypass turbojet engine (4), and a nacelle comprising, from upstream, outside an annular flow path around fresh air, an air intake, a lateral front cowl (8), a thrust reverser comprising thrust reverser cascades (6), and a movable rear cowl, the lateral front cowl (8) surrounding the thrust reverser cascades (6) of the thrust reverser when the thrust reverser is closed, and the movable rear cowl moving back together with these cascades (6) to open the thrust reverser, the motor comprising lifting points (14) forming stable hooking points intended to receive operating clevises allowing lifting and transport of the drive unit, characterized in that the lifting points (14) are two upper lifting points (14) provided on the motor, each upper lifting point is located on one side of the motor, radially behind the lateral front cowl (8) above the horizontal diameter (D) of the drive unit.

2. The drive unit according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a suspension point (13) to a cradle.

3. Drive unit according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each lateral front bonnet (8) comprises a removable hatch (18) which is movable between a closed position in which it is flush with the bonnet and an open position in which it opens the entrance to an upward lifting point (14), the hatch being provided radially outside the upper lifting point (14) on one side of the latter.

4. The drive unit according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises an operating clevis (24) fastened on each upper lifting point (14) when the removable hatch (18) is open and the thrust reverser (6) is open.

5. The drive unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each upper lifting point (14) is arranged in a transverse plane within an angular sector centered on the axis of the nacelle, said angular sector being comprised between 20 ° and 40 ° above the horizontal diameter (D) of the nacelle.

6. The drive unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the nacelle comprises a lower front cowl (10) and the motor, such that the turbojet engine comprises two lower support points (16), each of which is arranged radially behind the lower front cowl (10).

7. A carriage for a drive unit according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carriage is configured to have a total width in the transverse direction which is smaller than the maximum width of the drive unit.

8. A carriage in accordance with the previous claim, characterized in that it comprises on each side an articulated arm (34) comprising a lower part connected to the base of the carriage (30) by a pivot (36) and an upper part comprising a bearing point (38) fastened on the upper lifting point (14).

9. A carriage in accordance with claim 7, characterized in that it comprises on each side an upright (54) arranged behind the lateral front cowl (8), which upright is connected to an upper lifting point (14) in the upper part.

10. A carriage as claimed in the preceding claim, characterised in that each upright (54) comprises, to the rear in the longitudinal direction, a pillar (56) supported on the base of the carriage (30) behind the upright (54).

11. A carriage in accordance with claim 9 or 10, characterized in that each upright (54) comprises in the upper part, forwardly in the longitudinal direction, a forwardly extending arm (60) which is connected at its front end to an upper lifting point (14).

12. The carriage of any of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the articulated arm (34) or the upright (54) is detachable.

13. Carriage for a drive unit according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises an upstream transport transverse lower crosspiece (26) fastened below the lower support point (16) of the motor.

14. The carriage of any of claims 7 to 13 for a drive unit according to claim 6, comprising bearing points for the upper lifting point (14) and for the lower support point (16), characterized in that it comprises a connection (32) between these bearing points which allows taking up the play due to the difference in geometry between the geometry of the motor and the geometry of the carriage (30).

15. A motor transportation assembly comprising a drive unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and a carriage according to any one of claims 7 to 14 carrying the drive unit.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a drive unit for an aircraft comprising, for example, a turbojet engine motor and a nacelle equipped with cascade thrust reversers, and an operating cradle for the unit.

Background

A turbojet engine for motorizing an aircraft is arranged in the nacelle, receiving fresh air from the front side and discharging hot gases from the combustion of the fuel conveying the thrust on the rear side.

For bypass turbojet engines, fan blades arranged around the motor generate a significant secondary flow of cold air along an annular flow path passing between the engine motor and the nacelle, which adds to the high thrust.

Some nacelles include a thrust reverser system that at least partially closes the annular flow path of the cool air and discharges the secondary flow radially outward by directing the secondary flow forward to generate a braking reverse thrust of the aircraft.

A known cascade thrust reverser of the type, in particular that proposed by document US-a1-20160160799, comprises thrust reverser cascades forming a ring arranged below a front cowl, around an annular flow channel, connected to a rear movable cowl, sliding axially backwards under the action of cylinders.

In the closed position of the thrust reverser for direct flow, the rear movable cowl closes an outward transverse channel disposed around the annular flow path.

In the open position of the thrust reverser for the reverse flow, the rear cowl operated by the cylinder is moved backwards on the longitudinal guides by driving the cascades located in the lateral air channels. The closure flap at least partially closes the secondary flow behind these channels by conveying the air flow towards the cascade where the thrust is reversed.

In this case, the outer surface of the nacelle comprises, starting from the front: including the upstream section of the air intake, then the intermediate section surrounding the fan, with a removable front cowl for maintenance, then the rear or downstream section covered by a movable cowl of the thrust reverser.

The front cowls covering the circumference of the nacelle may in particular comprise side cowls, bottom cowls and top cowls, which are arranged in a continuation of the cowls of the pylon of the turbojet engine. The suspension allows the motorized device to be suspended from the wing of the aircraft.

Further, the motor includes a suspension point, typically disposed at the 12 o' clock position, configured to receive a suspension clevis, thereby allowing the suspension to be secured to the motor.

The different front cowls comprise a dismantling system which allows the front cowls to be completely rotated or removed to access the elements in the nacelle, in particular the motorization, for maintenance operations. Furthermore, the motorized device comprises lifting points arranged on its periphery, forming stable hooking points to receive the operating clevises, allowing lifting and transport of the whole motorized device and its nacelle.

A known type of transport carriage, in particular the one proposed by document US-a1-20150316197, comprises, on each side, a fastening arm mounted on a pivot provided in the longitudinal direction of the motorized means. The two arms diverge outwards from the bracket to leave a space between them for lowering a nacelle comprising the motorization on which the front cowl has been removed to free the lateral lifting point from the turbojet engine. The two arms are then closed on the nacelle by engaging the shaft fastened at the end of each arm on one of these lifting points arranged at three o 'clock or nine o' clock.

After the locking arm, the suspension of the turbojet engine and its nacelle is obtained at two diametrically opposite lateral points arranged in a horizontal direction, which maintains the balance of the motorized means.

A disadvantage of these motorized devices is that they require a considerable time to disassemble the front bonnet to allow a sufficiently large area in front of the lifting point.

Furthermore, the lifting and transport structures, such as the transport carriages described above, occupy a lateral space extending beyond the width of the nacelle, so that the arms come to the side of the nacelle to receive lateral lifting points. This occupied width causes handling and transport problems, which are all the more important, since modern motorized devices tend to increase the dilution ratio of the fan, which results in a larger diameter of the fan, and a more widely distributed arm.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is in particular to avoid these disadvantages of the prior art.

To this end, the invention proposes a drive unit comprising a motor, for example a bypass turbojet engine, and a nacelle comprising, from upstream, outside an annular flow path around the fresh air, an air intake, a front cowl surrounding the thrust reverser cascades of thrust reversers when the latter are closed, and a movable rear cowl moving rearwards with the cascades to open the thrust reversers, the motor comprising lifting points arranged to support the motor, which is remarkable in that it comprises, radially behind the lateral front cowl, two upper lifting points, each mounted on one side of the nacelle, both arranged above the horizontal diameter of the nacelle.

The lifting point forms a stable hooking point for receiving an operating clevis allowing lifting and transport of the drive unit.

The drive unit thus comprises a motor, for example a bypass turbojet engine, and a nacelle comprising, from upstream, outside an annular flow path around the fresh air, an air intake, a lateral front cowl surrounding the thrust reverser cascades of the thrust reverser when the latter are closed, a thrust reverser comprising thrust reverser cascades, and a movable rear cowl moving back together with the cascades to open the thrust reverser, the motor comprising lifting points forming stable hooking points for receiving operating clevises allowing lifting and transport of the drive unit, characterized in that the lifting points are two upper lifting points provided on the motor, each on one side of the motor, radially behind the lateral front cowl above the horizontal diameter of the drive unit.

The advantage of this drive unit is that after the lifting points provided behind the front bonnets have been released, in particular by opening hatches formed in these bonnets, the operating clevis can be mounted at each point that receives the reclaimer boom, which comes from the top or the rear, but does not protrude laterally from the horizontal outer diameter of the nacelle, since these lifting points are arranged above the horizontal diameter. An overall width dimension of the lifting or handling structure is obtained which does not exceed the width of the nacelle, which facilitates the transport of the unit.

The drive unit according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following features, which may be combined with each other.

The drive unit comprises a suspension point to the spreader.

Advantageously, each lateral front bonnet comprises a removable hatch movable between a closed position in which it is flush with the bonnet and an open position in which it opens access to the upward lifting point, the hatch being disposed radially outside the upper lifting point on one side of the latter. Each removable hatch is configured to open to provide access to the upper lift point for operating the drive unit. In this way, removal of the entire front hood for operating the drive unit is avoided. The removable hatch is a hatch that can be opened and may be, for example, a sliding or pivoting hatch or a hatch that can be removed from the bonnet.

The term "removable" refers to sliding, pivoting, or being at least partially removable.

The drive unit comprises an operating clevis fastened on each upper lifting point when the removable hatch is open and the thrust reverser is open.

Advantageously, each upper lifting point is arranged in a transverse plane within an angular sector centered on the axis of the nacelle, the angular sector being comprised between 20 ° and 40 ° above the horizontal diameter of the nacelle. At this angle, the lifting force is distributed on each side of the nacelle by allowing the mounting of the operating clevises on these radially outwardly directed lifting points, the operating clevises not protruding from the lateral space requirements of the nacelle.

Advantageously, the nacelle comprises a lower front cowl and a motor, so that the turbojet engine comprises two lower support points, each of which is arranged radially behind the lower front cowl.

The object of the invention is also a carrier for a drive unit comprising any of the aforementioned features, which is remarkable in that the carrier is configured to have a total width in the transverse direction which is smaller than the maximum width of the drive unit. In this way, the carrier does not increase the width of the nacelle during its transport.

Therefore, the total width of the carriage in the lateral direction is smaller than the maximum width of the drive unit.

According to one embodiment, the carriage comprises an articulated arm on each side, the articulated arm comprising a lower portion pivotally connected to the base of the carriage and an upper portion comprising a support point fastened to the upper lifting point.

According to another embodiment, the bracket comprises on each side a pillar arranged behind the lateral front bonnet, which pillar is connected in the upper part to the upper lifting point.

In this case, advantageously, each upright comprises, rearward in the longitudinal direction, a pillar supported on the base of the bracket rearward of the upright.

Furthermore, advantageously, each upright comprises, in the upper part, in front in the longitudinal direction, a forwardly extending arm which is connected at its front end to the upper lifting point.

Advantageously, the articulated arm or post can be disassembled.

Furthermore, the bracket may comprise an upstream transport transverse lower crossbeam fastened below the lower support point of the motor, in particular of the turbojet engine.

Advantageously, the carriage comprises bearing points for the upper lifting point and/or the lower support point. Between the bearing points it comprises a connection allowing to take up the play due to the geometrical difference between the geometry of the motor and the geometry of the bracket.

The invention also relates to a motor transportation assembly comprising a drive unit and a carriage carrying the drive unit, the drive unit comprising any of the aforementioned features.

According to one feature, the carriage comprises on each side an articulated arm or a mast connected to one of the upper lifting points via an operating clevis fastened to the upper lifting point.

Drawings

The invention will be better understood and other features and advantages will become more apparent upon reading the following description, given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a driving unit according to the present invention, according to a section through a lifting point and a supporting point provided at the rear of a front cowl;

figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 show, in the same section, different steps of using a first type of carriage suitable for the drive unit;

figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 show in sequence a side section, a front view with a small inclination and a front view of a second type of carriage suitable for the drive unit; and

fig. 10 shows a variant of the second type of carriage in cross-section, which does not comprise a lower transport beam.

Detailed Description

For purposes of clarity, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to identify the same or similar elements.

Fig. 1 shows a nacelle containing a bypass turbojet 4 supported by a pylon 2 set at 12 o' clock.

To this end, the turbojet comprises a suspension point 13 configured to receive a suspension clevis 13', allowing the turbojet to be fastened to pylon 2.

Each side of the turbojet engine 4 is surrounded by a set of thrust reverser cascades 6, which, in the closed position of the thrust reverser, are situated radially behind a front cowl 8, 10 forming the aerodynamic outer surface of the nacelle.

The front cowl comprises, symmetrically with respect to a vertical axis, a side cowl 8 covering most of the sides, a lower cowl 10 and an upper cowl 12 comprising an aerodynamic cowl in the extension of the suspension 2 fastened under the aircraft. The outer contour of the turbojet 4 comprises a lifting point 14 and a support point 16, which are firmly fixed to the turbojet to support its mass and are arranged in an upper part, significantly above the horizontal diameter, in the approximately 60 and 300 ° positions, also referred to as the 2 o 'clock and 10 o' clock positions, and in a lower part, approximately 145 and 215 °, close to the 5 o 'clock and 7 o' clock positions, respectively. These lifting points are different from the fastening points described above. The lifting points are characterized in that they are dimensioned to transfer loads below the suspension point. As will appear later in the description, these lifting points are active during the static maintenance phase of the motor and therefore in the phase of use of the drive unit the force through these points is much smaller than the force through the suspension points.

By definition, and in a manner conventional per se, the lifting point 14 is able to receive an operating clevis 24 (fig. 2), allowing the lifting and transport of the entire motorized device and its nacelle. Preferably, the operating clevis 24 is an insert to be removed once the drive unit is fastened to the suspension bar 2 at the suspension point 13.

Each side cowl 4 comprises an upper hatch 18 which is movable between a closed position, in which it is flush with the cowl, and an open position, in which it opens access to an upward lifting point 14 which is arranged radially in front of the upper lifting point 14. The removable hatch is adapted to be completely removed from the side hood 4. The lower support points 16 are disposed behind the lower hood 10.

In this way, the upper lifting point 14 can be accessed by quickly opening the removable hatch 18, which represents a small element that is easy to store. In particular, the lifting points 14 and the support points 16 represent stable fasteners that can receive technical elements that exert force, such as cylinders for moving the thrust reverser cascade 6, oppositely arranged removable hatches 18, and then facilitate the maintenance work of these technical elements.

Fig. 2 shows that after opening the hatch 18, the side cowl 8 is not removed and the thrust reverser is opened to move its cascade 6 backwards in order to release the lifting points 14 located behind, fastening the operating clevis 24 on each lifting point 14. Similarly, the lower bonnet 10 is removed to fasten the lower transverse transport beam 26 on the two lower support points 16.

The lifting block 20 fastened to the spreader 2 of the aircraft comprises on each side an arm 28 extending in width, one end of which is above the operating clevis 24 to receive the suspension cable 22 fastened thereto.

Fig. 3 shows a transport carriage 30 comprising on each side an articulated arm 34 pivoting in a transverse plane due to a pivot 36 provided at its base, having a longitudinal axis fastened on the side of the carriage.

Articulated arm 34 includes a lower portion connected to the base of carriage 30 by pivot 36 and an upper portion including a support point 38 secured to upper lifting point 14.

By unfolding the two hinge arms 34, a space is made available between these arms for moving the carriage 30 forward and placing it under the nacelle. The two arms 34 are then brought closer to the axis of the nacelle to adjust the upper anchoring point 30 of the arm on the operating clevis 24 on each side, which is then fastened thereto using a quick locking system.

The lifting block 20 can then be detached from the operating clevis 24 in order to obtain the carriage 30 placed on the moving wheel, with the front cowl of the entire motorized system undergoing minimal disassembly.

Fig. 4 shows that after removal of the articulated arm by detaching the pivot 36 holding the articulated arm 34 on the carriage, the operating carriage 30 is made to support the drive unit, which includes minimum lateral space requirements allowing it to enter in particular the minimum passage section 40. The passage section 40 may particularly denote a passage section of a cargo door of an aircraft, container or truck trailer.

During the movement of the handling carriage 30, the articulated arms 34 are carried with them to fasten them again on the carriage during the subsequent handling.

It should be noted that the operating clevis 24, which is arranged significantly higher than the horizontal diameter D of the nacelle, may project outside the profile of the nacelle, advantageously in an angular sector centred on the axis of the nacelle, including at an angle of between 20 ° and 40 ° above this diameter, in particular at an angle of 30 °, without exceeding its overall width.

Fig. 5 shows that if necessary, the side panels 8 of the nacelle are removed in order to perform maintenance operations behind these panels, which can be done by simply unfolding the articulated arms 34 to keep their position on the carriage 30, which reduces the dismantling operations.

The opening of the arms 34 is sufficient to allow the side panels 8 to be unfolded, releasing them from the operating clevis 24, and then moving them upwards or in the longitudinal direction to remove them.

Fig. 7 shows the operating bracket 30 receiving a drive unit placed on a displacement platform 48 equipped with wheels 50 and located on the rear side indicated by the arrow AR of a draw bar 52.

Fig. 6, 7, 8 and 9 show the operating bracket 30 comprising on each side a vertical upright 54 located behind the front cowl 8, at the movable rear cowl of the disassembled thrust reverser. At this level, the width of the nacelle is reduced, which allows the vertical upright 54 to be slightly behind the total external lateral space requirement of the nacelle given by the front cowl 8 remaining assembled.

Each vertical column 54 is rigidly secured at a lower portion to the base of the cradle 30 by forward facing triangular gussets 58 that are significantly below the horizontal diameter of the nacelle to remain within the lateral space requirements of these columns, and at an upper portion to the base of the cradle by rearwardly inclined struts 56.

The two upper ends of the uprights 54 are connected by an upper cross-beam 62 located above the nacelle, which provides lateral stability to these uprights.

At the upper part, the front side of each vertical upright 54 comprises two forward-facing arms 60, forming a longitudinally elongated triangle, the small base of which is fixed to the upright. The front end of the arm 60 receives the quick fastening of the upper operating clevis 24 mounted on the turbojet engine. An upstream transverse lower beam 26 is fastened to the lower support point 16. The carriage also includes a downstream transverse lower cross member 27.

Due to the front and rear support plates 58, 56, the significant reinforcement in the longitudinal direction of the vertical uprights 54 allows these uprights to bear the heavy loads of the drive unit to be applied to the front ends of the arms 60 in a cantilevered manner.

Advantageously, on the carriage 30, in the chain of elements connecting the upper lifting point 14 to the lower support point 16, there are connections that allow to take up the clearances due to the small differences between the geometry of the turbojet and the geometry of the cradle. In particular, a slightly elastic element, gap or adjustment range may be provided.

Alternatively, the vertical posts 54 may be connected to the base of the carriage 30 by longitudinal pivots, such as the hinge arms 34 shown on the first type of carriage, or may be removable.

Fig. 9 shows the minimum passage section 40 required for the drive unit, which is equivalent to the section given for the first type of carriage.

Fig. 10 alternatively shows a carriage 30 that does not use a lower cross member 26, which includes a vertical upright 54 that is sufficiently rigid to carry the front mass of the drive unit. With this bracket, there is no need to provide the lower support points 16 on the turbojet engine.