US 11,719,189 B2
Flexible sleeve for adjustable fan duct nozzle
Henry Arnold Schaefer, Wichita, KS (US)
Assigned to SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS, INC., Wichita, KS (US)
Filed by SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS, INC., Wichita, KS (US)
Filed on Feb. 4, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/167,241.
Application 17/167,241 is a division of application No. 15/927,669, filed on Mar. 21, 2018, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2021/0404416 A1, Dec. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. F02K 1/72 (2006.01); F02K 1/34 (2006.01); F02K 1/09 (2006.01)
CPC F02K 1/72 (2013.01) [F02K 1/09 (2013.01); F02K 1/34 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A ducted fan housing for directing a duct flow generated by a fan in a rearward direction, the ducted fan housing comprising:
an annular cowling having an aft end and surrounding the fan and extending rearwardly of the fan to the aft end, and fluidly engaging the duct flow; and
an adjustable fan duct nozzle located at the aft end of the annular cowling and comprising a nozzle orifice and fluidly engaging the duct flow from the annular cowling, the adjustable fan duct nozzle comprising—
a flexible sleeve extending continuously around the nozzle orifice as a single seamless structure and comprising a plurality of rigid areas spaced circumferentially and non-overlappingly apart and radially moveable to change the flexible sleeve between a normal configuration in which the nozzle orifice is smaller and a dilated configuration in which the nozzle orifice is larger, wherein the flexible sleeve further comprises flexible areas that separate the rigid areas and remains the single seamless structure without gaps in and between the normal configuration and the dilated configuration, and
a drive mechanism moving at least some rigid areas of the plurality of rigid areas between the normal configuration and the dilated configuration so as to adjust the nozzle orifice and thereby control the duct flow passing through the adjustable fan duct nozzle.