US 12,264,638 B2
Nozzle assembly for use with a propulsion system
Derek Muzychka, Savannah, GA (US); Donald Freund, Savannah, GA (US); Andrew Clemens, Savannah, GA (US); John Louis, Savannah, GA (US); Joseph Gavin, Savannah, GA (US); Till Gerhardt, Savannah, GA (US); William Mcfarland, Savannah, GA (US); and Benjamin Walke, Savannah, GA (US)
Assigned to GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE CORPORATION, Savannah, GA (US)
Filed by Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, Savannah, GA (US)
Filed on Apr. 26, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/307,162.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/363,823, filed on Apr. 29, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0125286 A1, Apr. 18, 2024
Int. Cl. F02K 1/09 (2006.01); B64C 7/02 (2006.01); F02K 1/72 (2006.01); F02K 1/76 (2006.01); G06F 1/16 (2006.01); G06V 40/12 (2022.01); G06V 40/13 (2022.01)
CPC F02K 1/763 (2013.01) [B64C 7/02 (2013.01); F02K 1/72 (2013.01); G06F 1/1684 (2013.01); G06V 40/1318 (2022.01); G06V 40/1324 (2022.01); G06V 40/1359 (2022.01); G06V 40/1382 (2022.01); F05D 2220/323 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A nozzle assembly for use with a propulsion system of an aircraft, the propulsion system including an engine, the engine configured to produce a mass flow, the nozzle assembly comprising:
a nacelle;
a sleeve mounted within the nacelle downstream of the engine, the sleeve configured to move between a forward position and an aft position within the nacelle and further configured to receive the mass flow from the engine and to guide the mass flow to an exit of the propulsion system, the sleeve comprised of a plurality of sleeve segments, each sleeve segment of the plurality of sleeve segments aligned longitudinally and disposed in a circumferential arrangement to form the sleeve;
a plurality of guides, each guide of the plurality of guides coupled with a sleeve segment of the plurality of sleeve segments, each guide configured to direct a movement of each sleeve segment as the sleeve moves between the forward position and the aft position; and
an actuator coupled with the sleeve and configured to move the sleeve between the forward position and the aft position;
wherein an internal surface of each sleeve segment cooperates with one another to define a pathway that guides the mass flow through the sleeve,
wherein the pathway together with an internal surface of the nacelle has a longitudinal contour that varies as the sleeve moves between the forward position and the aft position,
wherein an upstream portion of the plurality of sleeve segments move circumferentially together and a downstream portion of the plurality of sleeve segments move circumferentially apart as the sleeve moves between the forward position and the aft position in a first direction, and
wherein the upstream portion of the plurality of sleeve segments move circumferentially apart and the downstream portion of the plurality of sleeve segments move circumferentially together as the sleeve moves between the forward position and the aft position in a second direction.