Patent ID: 9551298
Date: 2017-01-24
CPC Classifications: F02K,F05D

Claim:
1. A nacelle assembly for a turbofan engine having an engine centerline, the nacelle assembly comprising: a forward nacelle portion having an aft edge and defining a bypass duct that extends at least partially around the engine centerline, the bypass duct being configured to transport bypass airflow of the engine; a translatable sleeve having a forward edge that extends circumferentially at least partially around the bypass duct and that is translatable away from the aft edge of the forward nacelle portion; and a variable area fan nozzle (VAFN) airfoil having a forward end and an aft end, wherein the VAFN airfoil is movable between (a) a stowed position, (b) a VAFN flow position, and (c) a thrust reverse position, and includes one or more blocker doors coupled to the VAFN airfoil; wherein, in the stowed position, the VAFN airfoil is substantially adjacent the translatable sleeve and forms a substantially continuous outer surface extending from an outer surface of the forward nacelle portion, to the translatable sleeve, and to the aft end of the VAFN airfoil; wherein, in the VAFN flow position, the VAFN airfoil is moved aft away from the translatable sleeve to create an opening between the translatable sleeve and the VAFN airfoil, such that an airflow in the bypass duct is split into a flow through the bypass duct and a flow that may exit the bypass duct through the opening, and the one or more blocker doors are disposed radially against the VAFN airfoil; and wherein, in the thrust reverse position, the VAFN airfoil and the translatable sleeve are moved aft away from the aft edge of the forward nacelle portion to expose a cascade array comprising an opening, and the one or more blocker doors are deployed so as to move from a position adjacent an inner surface of the VAFN airfoil to a position that extends into the bypass duct, such that at least a portion of the airflow in the bypass duct is directed out the bypass duct through the cascade array.