POSITION SENSOR FOR AIRCRAFT NACELLE THRUST REVERSER DOOR

Abstract

A position sensor for an aircraft nacelle thrust reverser door for an aircraft turbojet engine includes a target to be detected, a detector having a detection range and including a detection head configured to detect the target when it enters its detection range, and a target guide configured to guide the target in order to position it in the detection range of the detector. The detector is stationary relative to the target guide. In one form, the target is intended to be positioned on the door, and the detector and the target guide are intended to be positioned on a stationary structure of the thrust reverser. In another form, the target is intended to be positioned on a stationary structure of the thrust reverser, and the detector and the target guide are intended to be positioned on the door.

Claims

1. A position sensor of a nacelle thrust reverser door for an aircraft turbojet engine, the position sensor comprising: a target intended to be detected; a detector having a detection range, wherein the detector includes a detection head configured to detect the target when the target enters the detection range; and a target guide configured to guide the target in position within the detection range of the detector, wherein the detector is fixed with respect to the target guide.

2. The position sensor according to claim 1, wherein the detector is mounted on the target guide.

3. The position sensor according to claim 2, wherein the target guide comprises an opening into which the detection head of the detector is introduced so as to enable detecting the target inserted into the target guide.

4. The position sensor according to claim 1, wherein the target is configured to be located at a distance between 0 and 5 mm, from the detection head of the detector, when the target is inserted into the target guide.

5. The position sensor according to claim 1, the position sensor being a magnetic sensor.

6. The position sensor according to claim 5, wherein the target includes at least one portion made of a magnetic metallic material, the at least one portion being configured to be within the detection range of the detector when the target is inserted into the target guide, and the target guide is made of a non-magnetic material.

7. The position sensor according to claim 6, wherein the magnetic metallic material is a magnetic stainless steel.

8. The position sensor according to claim 7, wherein the magnetic metallic material is a martensitic stainless steel.

9. The position sensor according to claim 6, wherein the non-magnetic material of the target guide is an organic material.

10. The position sensor according to claim 6, wherein the non-magnetic material of the target guide is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

11. The position sensor according to claim 1, wherein the target is a flexible blade.

12. The position sensor according to claim 11, wherein the target has a thickness of about 2 mm.

13. The position sensor according to claim 11, wherein the target includes an elastic portion, wherein flexibility of the elastic portion is configured to allow the target to be inserted into the target guide.

14. The position sensor according to claim 11, wherein the target guide has a groove in which the flexible blade is adapted to be inserted.

15. The position sensor according to claim 14, wherein the groove has rounded leading edges configured to guide an introduction of the flexible blade.

16. A nacelle for an aircraft turbojet engine, the nacelle having a longitudinal axis and comprising a fixed structure and a thrust reverser, the thrust reverser comprising: a fixed structure; and at least one door movable in rotation about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the nacelle, between a closed position in which the at least one door provides aerodynamic continuity with the fixed structure of the nacelle during operation of the nacelle in direct jet and an open position in which the at least one door opens a passage intended for circulation of a secondary air flow diverted during operation of the nacelle in reverse jet, wherein the nacelle comprises at least one position sensor according to claim 1.

17. The nacelle according to claim 16, wherein the target is positioned on the door whose position is to be detected, and the detector and the target guide are positioned on the fixed structure of the thrust reverser.

18. The nacelle according to claim 16, wherein the target is positioned on the fixed structure of the thrust reverser, and the detector and the target guide are positioned on the door whose position is to be detected.

19. The nacelle according to claim 16, wherein the detector and the target guide are mounted on the fixed structure of the thrust reverser and the target is fastened on a central portion of the door.

20. The nacelle according to claim 16, including a locking system of the door in the closed position comprising a door hook disposed on the door configured to cooperate with a fixed hook disposed on the fixed structure of the thrust reverser, the target being fastened on the door hook, and the detector and the target guide being mounted on the fixed structure of the thrust reverser.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0073] In order that the disclosure may be well understood, there will now be described various forms thereof, given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0074] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a thrust reverser of a nacelle of aircraft turbojet engine in the closing position, according to the teachings of the present disclosure;

[0075] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the thrust reverser of FIG. 1 in the open position, allowing viewing a portion of the sensor according to the teachings of the present disclosure;

[0076] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of an area of FIG. 2;

[0077] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a position sensor of a door of the thrust reverser of FIG. 1, the position sensor including a target and a guide, the guide being partially represented to facilitate the visualization of the target;

[0078] FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of the position sensor according to the teachings of the present disclosure; and

[0079] FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the guide of the position sensor according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0080] The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0081] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

[0082] In the following description and in the claims, identical, similar, or equivalent components will be referred to by the same reference numerals.

[0083] FIG. 1 illustrates a thrust reverser 10 of an aircraft turbojet engine nacelle.

[0084] The thrust reverser 10 has a longitudinal axis A corresponding to a longitudinal axis of the nacelle (not represented). It includes a fixed structure 12 and two doors 14 in the closed position in which they provide aerodynamic continuity with the fixed structure 12 of the thrust reverser and with the nacelle (not represented). The doors are movable in rotation about an axis B, B′ transverse to the longitudinal axis A, between the closed position and an open position (FIG. 2) in which they open a passage intended for the circulation of a diverted secondary air flow.

[0085] The thrust reverser 10 further includes a system 16 for locking each door 14 in the closed position and a position sensor 18 of each door 14, as will be seen with regards to FIG. 2.

[0086] FIG. 2 illustrates the thrust reverser 10 of FIG. 1 in the open position and allowing viewing a portion of the locking system 16 and of the position sensor 18 of a door 14.

[0087] FIG. 3 illustrates in more detail the locking system 16 and the sensor 18 as represented in FIG. 2.

[0088] The locking system 16 comprises a door hook 20 disposed on the door 14, intended to cooperate with a fixed hook 22 (FIG. 4) disposed on the fixed structure 12 of the thrust reverser, but not visible in FIG. 3.

[0089] The position sensor 18 is a magnetic sensor. It includes a detector 24 fastened to the fixed structure 12 of the thrust reverser, a flexible blade 26 fastened to the door hook 20, and a guide 28 (FIG. 4) for the blade 26, intended to guide the blade to position it in the detection range of the detector 24 when the door 14 is in the closed position.

[0090] The blade 26 is a magnetic metallic material whereas the guide 28 (FIG. 4) is made of an organic material.

[0091] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate in more detail the position sensor 18, the blade 26 being in the position inserted into the guide 28.

[0092] The detector 24 includes a detection head 30 configured to detect the blade 26 when it enters its detection range, that is to say when it is positioned in the guide opposite the detection head 30 and at a maximum distance in the range of 5 mm from the detection head.

[0093] The position sensor is configured to send a signal to an external device (not represented) when the blade 26 is detected by the detector 24.

[0094] The blade 26 is a target of the detector 24. It has a thickness “e” of 2 mm.

[0095] The guide 28 is partially represented in order to facilitate the visualization of the detector 24. It is fastened to the fixed structure 12 of the thrust reverser via the detector 24. It has a U-shape and includes a groove 32 in each of its two parallel branches 28A, 28B (FIG. 6), into which the blade 26 is intended to be inserted.

[0096] More particularly, the detector 24 is mounted on the guide 28, and the guide 28 includes an opening 34 (FIG. 6) in which is introduced the detection head 30 so that the detection head 30 is opposite the groove 32 to be able to detect the blade 26 when it is positioned in the groove 32. The distance between the groove 32 and the detection head 30 is 3 mm.

[0097] The groove 32 has rounded leading edges 36 in order to guide the introduction of the blade into the groove 32. Furthermore, its inner walls 38 (FIG. 6) are made of a material with a very low adhesion so as to limit frictions with the blade 26.

[0098] FIG. 6 represents the guide 28 of the sensor 18 according to the present disclosure.

[0099] As indicated with regards to FIGS. 4 and 5, the guide 28 is a U-shaped block including grooves 32 in each of its parallel branches 28A, 28B. Each groove 32 has rounded leading edges 36 in order to guide the introduction of the blade into grooves 32. Furthermore, the inner walls 38 of each groove 32 are made of a material with a very low adhesion so as to limit frictions with the blade.

[0100] The guide 28 further includes an opening 34 in its base 28C, in order to enable the introduction of the detection head 30 of the detector 24 (FIGS. 4 and 5).

[0101] Unless otherwise expressly indicated herein, all numerical values indicating mechanical/thermal properties, compositional percentages, dimensions and/or tolerances, or other characteristics are to be understood as modified by the word “about” or “approximately” in describing the scope of the present disclosure. This modification is desired for various reasons including industrial practice, material, manufacturing, and assembly tolerances, and testing capability.

[0102] As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A OR B OR C), using a non-exclusive logical OR, and should not be construed to mean “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.”

[0103] The apparatuses and methods described in this application may be partially or fully implemented by a special purpose computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to execute one or more particular functions embodied in computer programs. The functional blocks, flowchart components, and other elements described above serve as software specifications, which can be translated into the computer programs by the routine work of a skilled technician or programmer.

[0104] The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the substance of the disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.