US 12,006,054 B2
Aircraft nacelle inlet
David Kirk, Rowenstall (GB); Graeme Hill, Higherford (GB); David Hebden, Limecroft (GB); and Simon Furmston, Blacko (GB)
Assigned to Safran Nacelles Limited, (GB)
Appl. No. 17/766,852
Filed by Safran Nacelles Limited, Burnley (GB)
PCT Filed Oct. 14, 2020, PCT No. PCT/GB2020/052554
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 6, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/074609, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 22, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 1914916 (GB), filed on Oct. 15, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0202666 A1, Jun. 29, 2023
Int. Cl. B64D 33/02 (2006.01); B64D 29/00 (2006.01)
CPC B64D 33/02 (2013.01) [B64D 29/00 (2013.01); B64D 2033/0206 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An air inlet for an aircraft nacelle, the air inlet comprising:
a lip skin defining a curved surface of the inlet, the curved surface extending about a longitudinal axis of the inlet;
a forward bulkhead;
an inner barrel having a radially inner surface defining a surface of the inlet, a radially outer surface, and a sound attenuating layer arranged between the radially inner and radially outer surfaces; and
a joining frame fixed to the lip skin and/or to the forward bulkhead;
wherein a first portion of the joining frame extends over at least a portion of the sound attenuating layer of the inner barrel and is fixed to the radially outer surface of the inner barrel,
wherein a second portion of the joining frame is substantially perpendicular to the first portion and defines a flat surface extending over an end surface of the inner barrel,
wherein the joining frame further comprises a third portion, the third portion extending over at least a portion of the forward bulkhead, and
wherein the third portion extends from the first portion and the second portion,
wherein the joining frame is Y-shaped as viewed in cross-section, and the first, second and third portions of the joining frame respectively constitute three different legs of the Y-shape.