AIRCRAFT ENGINE PYLON WITH INBUILT MULTIFUNCTIONAL FRAMEWORK

Abstract

The invention seeks to get around the problems of mass and complexity of pylons made up of assembled box sections. In order to do so, the invention effectively proposes organizing the engine-wing interface around a substantially uniform framework configured to incorporate the multiple functions (transmission, safety) and house the pylon equipment (extinguishers, heat exchanger etc.). This framework forms a structural assembly capable of transmitting load and of forming an aerodynamic fairing suited to this framework. A pylon according to the invention comprises a single structural and multifunctional framework (10) made up of main canals (11; 11a to 11e) housing equipment and transmission systems (41a to 41c) between the engine and the wing structure, and a latticework (20) of arms (12) and of nodes (13) connecting the arms together. These arms (12) and/or canals (11; 11a to 11e) being able to attach fairing cowls (14) to form an aerodynamic fairing with a configuration that is predetermined by a pre-established positioning of the arms (12) and of the canals (11; 11a to 11e).

Claims

1. An aircraft pylon adapted to serve as an interface between an engine and an aircraft wing or fuselage by of rigid attachment to the engine and to the wing of the aircraft, the aircraft pylon comprising: a single multifunctional structural framework formed of main ducts receiving equipment and transmission systems between the engine and the wing or the fuselage; and a latticework of arms and nodes connecting the arms, the arms and/or ducts being adapted to attach fairing panels to form an aerodynamic fairing in accordance with a predetermined conformation by a predefined positioning of the arms and the ducts.

2. The aircraft pylon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the framework is of a metal alloy chosen from a stainless steel containing at least 10% nickel and an alloy based mainly on nickel and chromium.

3. The aircraft pylon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the framework is produced by a technology selected from welding, molding, and/or 3D printing.

4. The aircraft pylon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the framework is produced either in one piece by the application of a molding or 3D printing technology or as a plurality of parts produced by molding and/or 3D printing and welded and/or glued together.

5. The aircraft pylon as claimed in claim 1, in which at least one of the transmission systems is integrated into the ducts in accordance with a double-skin structure.

6. The aircraft pylon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the panels are attached to the arms and/or to the ducts of the framework by demountable mechanical device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0033] Other data, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent on reading the following nonlimiting description with reference to the appended figures, which show:

[0034] FIGS. 1, 1A and 2, views of a conventional aircraft pylon (already commented on) respectively located between a turbojet and an aircraft wing, enlarged above the turbojet and in a side view;

[0035] FIGS. 3 and 4, side and top views of an example of an integrated framework pylon according to the invention;

[0036] FIG. 5, a diagram of a double-skin pipe for hydraulic flow and fuel supply; and

[0037] FIG. 6, a view of circuits integrated into this example of a pylon according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Referring to the side and top views of FIGS. 3 and 4, showing one example of an integrated framework pylon 10 according to the invention produced in this example by application of the 3D technology, there are seen main ducts 11, namely ducts 11a to 11c, connected by arms 12 forming a connecting latticework 20. The arms 12 connect the ducts 11 together and cross at nodes 13 for stiffening the whole of the framework 10.

[0039] Non-structural panels 14 are attached by demountable meansbolts, clips, flanges or the liketo the arms 12 of the latticework 20 and to the ducts 11. A portion of the panels 14 is not shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 in order to enable the pylon framework 10 to be seen, the framework 10 being entirely covered by panels 14 when installed on an aircraft wing. And the set of panels forms a fairing the aerodynamics of which are controlled by the conformation that results from the relative positioning of the ducts 11 and the arms 12 of the latticework 20.

[0040] Walls 31 of the framework 10 advantageously form a thermally insulative housing 30 for a heat exchanger (not shown). As a general rule thermally and/or electrically insulative wallsforming an integral part of the frameworkcan be provided between the ducts and latticework arms to constitute housings, for example for an extinguisher or other equipment.

[0041] With more particular reference to the ducts, a duct 11a with double skins P1 and P2, as shown in the FIG. 5 diagram, receives circuits, for example hydraulic pipes or a fuel supply circuit (cf. FIG. 6). The ducts 11d and 11e also receive air pipes for cabin air conditioning.

[0042] The FIG. 6 side view shows hydraulic pipes 41a-advantageously configured in homogeneous layers, a fuel circuit 41b and an extinguisher pipe 41c to be respectively integrated into the ducts 11a, 11b and 11c of the pylon framework 10 according to the invention (cf. FIGS. 4 and 5). These ducts are sized and configured to receive these circuits and pipes directly.

[0043] In particular, the fuel circuit 41b is integrated into the double-skin duct 11b, the conformation of the airtight external skin being governed by the structural strength and aerodynamic constraints of the framework 10 whilst conforming to the inside diameters, geometries and interfaces on the side of the wing 2 and on the side of the engine 3 (cf. FIG. 1).

[0044] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown. Accordingly the sizing of the framework advantageously integrates additional constraints linked to the temperature gradient between the wing and the engine. Moreover, the material used to produce the framework according to the invention can be a stainless steel containing nickel or an alloy based mainly on nickel and chromium, such as the INCONEL 625 or 718 alloy also containing iron, molybdenum, niobium and cobalt.

[0045] As an alternative to attaching the pylon under the wing of an aircraft, in equivalent embodiments the pylon can be attached directly to a fuselage or on top of the wing of an aircraft.

[0046] Moreover, the framework can be produced in one piece or as a plurality of parts fastened together by welding, gluing or any other means for fastening together an assembly of this kind. The basic technology used is 3D printing and/or molding.

[0047] Moreover, the attachments of a pylon with a framework according to the invention to the wing and the engine are again those used in the pylons with a multiple box section structure described with reference to FIGS. 1A and 2.

[0048] Also, the arm density in the latticework is substantially constant in the framework but can have a higher value in some parts of the pylon, for example to form a lower rear fairing.