US 12,460,601 B2
Plug nozzle and thrust reverser for high mach gas turbine engines
Kenneth M. Pesyna, Indianapolis, IN (US); and Andrew M. Simonich, Indianapolis, IN (US)
Assigned to Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed by Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed on Dec. 23, 2024, as Appl. No. 19/000,553.
Application 19/000,553 is a continuation of application No. 18/233,671, filed on Aug. 14, 2023, granted, now 12,228,096.
Prior Publication US 2025/0122847 A1, Apr. 17, 2025
Int. Cl. F02K 1/60 (2006.01); F02K 1/76 (2006.01)
CPC F02K 1/60 (2013.01) [F02K 1/763 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An exhaust nozzle for a turbine engine, the exhaust nozzle comprising
an outer nozzle case arranged to extend around a central axis, the outer nozzle case having an outer surface facing away from the central axis and an opposite inner surface facing toward the central axis and defining an interior space radially inwardly from the inner surface,
a nozzle plug located at least partially within the interior space and along the central axis and configured to interact with hot exhaust gases flowing through the interior space in an aft direction to guide the hot exhaust gases out of the interior space through an exhaust outlet at an aft end of the outer nozzle case, and
a thrust reverser coupled to the outer nozzle case and configured to redirect the hot exhaust gases to provide reverse thrust in a forward direction opposite the aft direction, the thrust reverser including a first thrust reverser panel coupled to the outer nozzle case and a second thrust reverser panel coupled to the outer nozzle case and located on an opposite side of the outer nozzle case from the first thrust reverser panel, the first and second thrust reverser panels being configured to move between and including a stored configuration in which the first and second thrust reverser panels are in contact with the outer surface of the outer nozzle case and a reverse-thrust configuration in which the first and second thrust reverser panels are spaced apart from the outer surface of the outer nozzle case and engage the nozzle plug aft of the exhaust outlet to direct at least a portion of the hot exhaust gases exiting the exhaust outlet in the forward direction and radially outward away from the central axis through first and second reverse thrust passageways defined between the nozzle plug and an inner surface of the first and second thrust reverser panels, respectively,
wherein the first and second thrust reverser panels each include a panel body, wherein at least one of the first and second thrust reverser panels includes a first panel retainer coupled to an aft end of the panel body, and wherein the first panel retainer is configured to engage the nozzle plug in the reverse-thrust configuration to block movement of the respective thrust reverser panel toward the stored configuration.