Patent ID: 9328695
Filing Date: 2016-05-03
CPC Classification: B64C,F01D,F02C,F02K,F03G,F05D

Claim Text:
1. A gas turbine engine comprising: a fan disposed about an engine axis; a nacelle arranged about the fan; an engine core at least partially within the nacelle, the engine core having a compressor and a turbine; a fan bypass passage downstream of the fan between the nacelle and the engine core, for conveying a bypass airflow from the fan; a nozzle section disposed about the engine axis for controlling the bypass airflow, wherein the nozzle section includes a shape memory material disposed at least partially around an internal cavity and defining a radial inner side and a radial outer side of the internal cavity, the shape memory material having a first solid state phase that corresponds to a first nozzle position and a second solid state phase that corresponds to a second nozzle position; and an actuator at least partially within the internal cavity, the actuator having a radiant heating element that includes wires for selectively heating the internal cavity and the shape memory material.