초록 ▼

An inlet door assembly for reducing air pressure loss and enhancing performance of an auxiliary power unit (APU) contained within an aircraft housing is provided. The inlet door assembly includes a duct and a diffuser. The duct, which is configured to be movably coupled to an aircraft and to move be

An inlet door assembly for reducing air pressure loss and enhancing performance of an auxiliary power unit (APU) contained within an aircraft housing is provided. The inlet door assembly includes a duct and a diffuser. The duct, which is configured to be movably coupled to an aircraft and to move between open and closed positions, has a flow passage extending therethrough. Air external to the aircraft flows through the duct while it is in the open position, but not while it is in the closed position. The diffuser is coupled to the duct and configured to move therewith. The diffuser has a passage extending therethrough that is in fluid communication with the duct flow passage, and is configured to diffuse the air that flows therethrough.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An inlet door assembly for an aircraft, the inlet door assembly comprising: a duct having a flow passage extending therethrough, the duct configured to be movably coupled to the aircraft and to move between an open position, in which air external to the aircraft flows through

What is claimed is: 1. An inlet door assembly for an aircraft, the inlet door assembly comprising: a duct having a flow passage extending therethrough, the duct configured to be movably coupled to the aircraft and to move between an open position, in which air external to the aircraft flows through the duct flow passage, and a closed position, in which air external to the aircraft does not flow through the duct flow passage; and a diffuser coupled to the duct and configured to move with the duct, the diffuser having a flow passage extending therethrough that is in fluid communication with the duct flow passage and configured to diffuse the air that flows therethrough, wherein the duct and the diffuser are formed as one piece. 2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the diffuser and the duct are configured to move as a single unit. 3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the duct is rotationally mounted on the aircraft. 4. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising one or more actuator assemblies configured to move the duct between the open position and the closed position. 5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the duct comprises: an outer wall; an inner wall; and two side walls, each side wall coupled to the outer wall and the inner wall and spaced apart from each other to define the duct flow passage. 6. The assembly of claim 5 further comprising a diverter coupled to the inner wall, the diverter configured to extend beyond an exterior surface of the aircraft in order to at least inhibit fluids and aircraft boundary air from entering the duct flow passage. 7. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the duct further comprises: an upstream end; a downstream end; and a duct inlet for allowing air external to the aircraft to flow into the duct flow passage through multiple angles when the duct is in the open position. 8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the duct inlet comprises: a space between the outer wall and the inner wall at the upstream end of the duct; and one or more gaps formed in the side walls. 9. The assembly of claim 7 further comprising a seal coupled to the inner wall proximate the duct upstream end. 10. An inlet door assembly for an aircraft, the inlet door assembly comprising: a duct having a flow passage extending therethrough, the duct configured to be movably coupled to the aircraft and to move between an open position, in which air external to the aircraft flows through the duct flow passage, and a closed position, in which air external to the aircraft does not flow through the duct flow passage; a diffuser coupled to the duct and configured to move with the duct, the diffuser having a flow passage extending therethrough that is in fluid communication with the duct flow passage and configured to diffuse the air that flows therethrough, wherein the duct and the diffuser are formed as one piece; and a plenum in fluid communication with the diffuser flow passage to receive air therefrom. 11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the duct is rotationally mounted on the aircraft. 12. The assembly of claim 10, further comprising one or more actuator assemblies configured to move the duct between the open position and the closed position. 13. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the duct comprises: an outer wall; an inner wall; and two side walls, each side wall coupled to the outer wall and the inner wall and spaced apart from each other to define the duct flow passage. 14. The inlet door assembly of claim 13 further comprising a diverter coupled to the inner wall, the diverter configured to extend beyond an exterior surface of the aircraft in order to at least inhibit fluids and aircraft boundary air from entering the duct flow passage. 15. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the duct further comprises: an upstream end; a downstream end; and a duct inlet for allowing air external to the aircraft to flow into the duct flow passage through multiple angles when the duct is in the open position. 16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the duct inlet comprises: a space between the outer wall and the inner wall at the upstream end of the duct; and one or more gaps formed in the side walls. 17. The assembly of claim 15 further comprising a seal coupled to the inner wall proximate the duct upstream end. 18. An inlet door assembly for an aircraft, the inlet door assembly comprising: a duct having a flow passage extending therethrough, the duct configured to be movably coupled to the aircraft and to move between an open position, wherein air external to the aircraft flows through the duct flow passage, and a closed position, wherein air external to the aircraft does not flow through the duct flow passage; a diffuser coupled to the duct and configured to move with the duct, the diffuser having a flow passage extending therethrough that is in fluid communication with the duct flow passage and configured to diffuse the air that flows therethrough, wherein the duct and the diffuser are formed as one piece; a plenum in fluid communication with the diffuser flow passage to receive air therefrom; and an APU in fluid communication with the plenum to receive air therefrom. 19. The assembly of claim 18, further comprising one or more actuator assemblies configured to move the duct between the open position and the closed position. 20. The assembly of claim 18, further comprising an APU inlet duct coupled between the plenum and the APU, through which the APU receives air from the plenum. 21. The assembly of claim 18 wherein the plenum is configured to receive cooling air, the assembly further comprising: an APU compartment for housing the APU; and an APU compartment cooling inlet duct between the plenum and the APU compartment, through which the APU compartment receives the cooling air from the plenum.