초록 ▼

Aircraft engine comprising a pod comprising, in sequence from front to back, an air inlet structure (6), fan cowls (7), thrust inverter cowls (8), and a nozzle (9), additional stiffening means are placed either in the air inlet structure (6) or between the fan cowls (7) and the thrust inverter cowls

Aircraft engine comprising a pod comprising, in sequence from front to back, an air inlet structure (6), fan cowls (7), thrust inverter cowls (8), and a nozzle (9), additional stiffening means are placed either in the air inlet structure (6) or between the fan cowls (7) and the thrust inverter cowls (8). This arrangement limits the clearance between fan cowls (7) and thrust inverter cowls (8), despite the pressure differences applied in flight on the air inlet structure (6), due to the aerodynamic air flow. This avoids the formation of an excessive parasite drag that would increase engine fuel consumption.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An aircraft engine including a fan casing and a pod, wherein said pod comprises, in sequence along the air flow direction: an air inlet structure fixed to the fan casing; at least one fan cowl; and at least one thrust inverter cowl fixed to the fan casing, wherein the p

The invention claimed is: 1. An aircraft engine including a fan casing and a pod, wherein said pod comprises, in sequence along the air flow direction: an air inlet structure fixed to the fan casing; at least one fan cowl; and at least one thrust inverter cowl fixed to the fan casing, wherein the pod further comprises: a releasable connection mechanism configured to releasably connect a front edge of the fan cowl to a back edge of the air inlet structure; and several rigid stiffeners of which one first end is fixed to the air inlet structure close to the releasable connection mechanism, and a second end of each of said rigid stiffeners is fixed to the air inlet structure close to the location at which the air inlet structure is fixed to the fan casing. 2. An aircraft engine according to claim 1, wherein said first end of each of said rigid stiffeners is fixed to the air inlet structure at a same radial distance as the releasable connection mechanism. 3. An aircraft engine according to claim 2, wherein said second end of said rigid stiffeners is fixed to the air inlet structure at the location where the air inlet structure is fixed to the fan casing. 4. An aircraft engine according to claim 3, wherein said first end of each of said rigid stiffeners is fixed to the air inlet structure before and after the releasable connection mechanism releases the fan cowl from said air inlet structure. 5. An aircraft engine according to claim 4, wherein said second end is fixed to the air inlet structure before and after the releasable connection mechanism releases the fan cowl from said air inlet structure. 6. An aircraft engine according to claim 1, wherein said releasable connection mechanism comprises blades on said front edge of the fan cowl, and wherein said blades fit into orifices provided on the air inlet structure. 7. An aircraft engine according to claim 1, wherein said releasable connection mechanism comprises a circumferential stud on said front edge of the fan cowl, and wherein said stud fits into a circumferential groove provided on the air inlet structure. 8. An aircraft engine according to claim 1, wherein said rigid stiffeners are arranged so as to be located on a same plane approximately perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said aircraft engine. 9. An aircraft engine according to claim 1, wherein the second end of each of said rigid stiffeners is offset backwards and inwards relative to said first end. 10. An aircraft engine including a fan casing and a pod, wherein said pod comprises, in sequence along the air flow direction: an air inlet structure fixed to the fan casing, wherein the air inlet structure comprises an outer enclosure, an inner enclosure, and first stiffeners connecting the outer enclosure and the inner enclosure to each other; at least one fan cowl; and at least one thrust inverter cowl fixed to the fan casing, wherein the pod further comprises: a releasable connection mechanism configured to releasably connect a front edge of the fan cowl to a back edge of the air inlet structure; and second rigid stiffeners, of which a first end is fixed to the first stiffeners, at the mid-point along the first stiffeners' length, and a second end of said second rigid stiffeners is fixed to the air inlet structure close to the location at which the air inlet structure is fixed to the fan casing. 11. An aircraft engine according to claim 10, wherein said second end of said second rigid stiffeners is fixed to the air inlet structure at the location where the air inlet structure is fixed to the fan casing. 12. An aircraft engine according to claim 11, wherein said first end of each of said second rigid stiffeners is fixed to the air inlet structure before and after the releasable connection mechanism releases the fan cowl from said air inlet structure. 13. An aircraft engine according to claim 12, wherein said second end is fixed to the air inlet structure before and after the releasable connection mechanism releases the fan cowl from said air inlet structure. 14. An aircraft engine according to claim 10, wherein said releasable connection mechanism comprises blades on said front edge of the fan cowl, and wherein said blades fit into orifices provided on the air inlet structure. 15. An aircraft engine according to claim 10, wherein said releasable connection mechanism comprises a circumferential stud on said front edge of the fan cowl, and wherein said stud fits into a circumferential groove provided on the air inlet structure. 16. An aircraft engine including a fan casing and a pod, wherein said pod comprises, in sequence along the air flow direction: an air inlet structure fixed to the fan casing; at least one fan cowl; and at least one thrust inverter cowl fixed to the fan casing, wherein the pod further comprises: a releasable connection mechanism configured to releasably connect a front edge of the fan cowl to a back edge of the air inlet structure; and complementary elements formed on a front edge of the thrust inverter cowl and on a back edge of the fan cowl, said complementary elements being arranged so as to be inserted in each other with a small predetermined axial clearance when the releasable connection mechanism connects the fan cowl to said air inlet structure, to enable transmission of axial forces after compensation of said clearance. 17. An aircraft engine according to claim 16, wherein the complementary elements comprise several orifices formed on the front edge of the thrust inverter cowl and several studs formed on the back edge of the fan cowl, so as to penetrate into said orifices when the releasable connection mechanism connects the fan cowl to said air inlet structure, the orifices and the studs being distributed around the periphery of the engine. 18. An aircraft engine according to claim 16, wherein the complementary elements comprise a circumferential groove formed on the front edge of the thrust inverter cowl and a stud formed on at least part of the circumference of the back edge of the fan cowl, so as to penetrate into said circumferential groove when the releasable connection mechanism connects the fan cowl to said air inlet structure.