Mounting system for aircraft engine

Abstract

A system for mounting an engine on an aircraft. The system includes a lower forward element, lateral linkages, an upper forward element, and an aft element. The lower forward element couples a forward portion of an engine core with a lower forward portion of a pylon. The linkages extend laterally between the lower forward element and the forward portion of the engine core. The upper forward element couples an outer portion of the fan case with an upper portion of the pylon. The aft element is spaced aftwardly apart from the lower and upper forward elements, and couples an aft portion of the engine core to an aft portion of the pylon. The system reacts all major moments acting on the engine, and the system does not extend beyond an outer periphery of the fan case, which eliminates the need for or minimizes the height of an aerodynamic fairing.

1 . A mounting system for mounting an engine on an aerospace vehicle, the engine comprising a fan case, having an outer portion and an outer periphery, and an engine core arranged along a centerline axis, the aerospace vehicle comprising a pylon, and the mounting system comprising:
 a lower forward element coupling a forward portion of the engine core with a lower forward portion of the pylon;
 one or more lateral linkages extending laterally between the lower forward element and the forward portion of the engine core; 
 an upper forward element spaced laterally apart from the lower forward element, and coupling the outer portion of the fan case with an upper portion of the pylon; and 
 an aft element spaced aftwardly apart from the lower and upper forward elements and coupling an aft portion of the engine core to an aft portion of the pylon, 
   wherein the mounting system does not extend beyond the outer periphery of the fan case.   
     
     
         2 . The mounting system of  claim 1 , wherein the aerospace vehicle is an aircraft, and wherein the engine is a turbofan engine mounted below a wing of the aircraft. 
     
     
         3 . The mounting system of  claim 1 , the lower forward element resisting a vertical loading (Fz), a lateral loading (Fy), and a thrust force (Fx) during operation of the engine, and limiting a side-to-side (yaw) deflection of the fan case with respect to the engine core during operation of the engine. 
     
     
         4 . The mounting system of  claim 1 , the one or more lateral linkages limiting a deflection about a vertical axis (z) of the fan case during operation of the engine. 
     
     
         5 . The mounting system of  claim 1 , the upper forward element resisting a pitching moment (My) and an engine torque (Mx) and accommodating a thermal expansion during operation of the engine. 
     
     
         6 . The mounting system of  claim 1 , the aft element resisting a vertical loading (Fz), a lateral loading (Fy), and a torque (Mx) and accommodating a thermal expansion during operation of the engine. 
     
     
         7 . The mounting system of  claim 1 , the upper forward element comprising a spherical bearing and a shear pin slidably received within the spherical bearing. 
     
     
         8 . The mounting system of  claim 1 , the lower forward element comprising a ring structure encircling the forward portion of the engine core and independently supporting the fan case and engine core. 
     
     
         9 . The mounting system of  claim 1 , the lower forward element resisting an engine torque (Mx) during operation of the engine. 
     
     
         10 . The mounting system of  claim 1 , the fan case including one or more mounting lugs, and the lower forward element including a support beam connected to the one or more mounting lugs and having a forward interface including a spherical bearing movably engaging the fan case, with the one or more mounting lugs resisting a lateral loading (Fy), and the support beam resisting a vertical loading (Fz), an engine torque (Mx), and a thrust force during operation of the engine. 
     
     
         11 . A mounting system for mounting an engine on an aerospace vehicle, the engine comprising a fan case, having an outer portion and an outer periphery, and an engine core arranged along a centerline axis, the aerospace vehicle comprising a pylon, and the mounting system comprising:
 a lower forward element coupling a forward portion of the engine core with a lower forward portion of the pylon, and comprising a ring structure encircling the forward portion of the engine core and independently supporting the fan case and engine, with the lower forward element resisting an engine torque (Mx) during operation of the engine;   one or more lateral linkages extending laterally between the lower forward element and the forward portion of the engine core, with the one or more lateral linkages limiting side-to-side (yaw) deflections of the fan case with respect to the engine core during operation of the engine;   an upper forward element spaced laterally apart from the lower forward element and coupling the outer portion of the fan case with an upper portion of the pylon; and   an aft element spaced aftwardly apart from the lower and upper forward elements and coupling an aft portion of the engine core to an aft portion of the pylon,   wherein the mounting system does not extend beyond the outer periphery of the fan case.   
     
     
         12 . The mounting system of  claim 11 , the lower forward element resisting a vertical loading (Fz), a lateral loading (Fy), and a thrust force (Fx) during operation of the engine, and limiting a side-to-side (yaw) deflection of the fan case with respect to the engine core during operation of the engine, and the one or more lateral linkages limiting a deflection about a vertical axis (z) of the fan case and resist a thrust force (Fx) during operation of the engine. 
     
     
         13 . The mounting system of  claim 11 , the upper forward element resisting a pitching moment (My) and an engine torque (Mx) and accommodating a thermal expansion during operation of the engine. 
     
     
         14 . The mounting system of  claim 11 , the aft element resisting a vertical loading (Fz), a lateral loading (Fy), and a torque (Mx) and accommodating a thermal expansion during operation of the engine. 
     
     
         15 . The mounting system of  claim 11 , the upper forward element comprising a spherical bearing and a shear pin slidably received within the spherical bearing. 
     
     
         16 . A mounting system for mounting an engine on an aerospace vehicle, the engine comprising a fan case, having one or more mounting lugs, an outer portion, and an outer periphery, and an engine core arranged along a centerline axis, the aerospace vehicle comprising a pylon, and the mounting system comprising:
 a lower forward element coupling a forward portion of the engine core with a lower forward portion of the pylon, and including a support beam connected to the one or more mounting lugs of the fan case and having a forward interface including a spherical bearing movably engaging the fan case, with the one or more mounting lugs resisting a lateral loading (Fy), and the support beam resisting a vertical loading (Fz), an engine torque (Mx), and a thrust force during operation of the engine;   one or more lateral linkages extending laterally between the lower forward element and the forward portion of the engine core;   an upper forward element spaced laterally apart from the lower forward element and coupling the outer portion of the fan case with an upper portion of the pylon; and   an aft element spaced aftwardly apart from the lower and upper forward elements and coupling an aft portion of the engine core to an aft portion of the pylon,   wherein the mounting system does not extend beyond the outer periphery of the fan case.   
     
     
         17 . The mounting system of  claim 16 , the lower forward element resisting a vertical loading (Fz), a lateral loading (Fy), and a thrust force (Fx) during operation of the engine, and limiting a side-to-side (yaw) deflection of the fan case with respect to the engine core during operation of the engine, and the one or more lateral linkages limiting a deflection about a vertical axis (z) of the fan case during operation of the engine. 
     
     
         18 . The mounting system of  claim 16 , the upper forward element resisting a pitching moment (My) and an engine torque (Mx) and accommodating a thermal expansion during operation of the engine. 
     
     
         19 . The mounting system of  claim 16 , the aft element resisting a vertical loading (Fz), a lateral loading (Fy), and a torque (Mx) and accommodating a thermal expansion during operation of the engine. 
     
     
         20 . The mounting system of  claim 16 , the upper forward element comprising a spherical bearing and a shear pin slidably received within the spherical bearing.