Integrated nozzle

Claim 2

An engine exhaust nozzle system for use in combination with a jet engine and a vehicle having a directional control system; said system having a passageway defining a generally rectangular section near the exit plane of the exhaust gases and a thrust vector control means for selectively establishing a total resultant thrust vector with an unbalanced force component normal to the direction of flow of the gases approaching said exit plane comprising: plug means extending aft of said exit plane and centrally disposed in the path of the gases exiting said passageway and having a pair of oppositely facing surface means each of which includes a primary panel independently mounted for rotation with respect to said Passageway and a secondary panel pivotally mounted on said primary panel near the trailing edge thereof, and a pair of independent actuation means for independently moving each of said surface means with respect to the other of said surface means to thereby asymmetrically change the external contour and shape of said plug means and change the direction of flow of said exhaust gases; wherein said thrust vector control means is responsive to said directional control system to selectively establish a thrust vector having an unbalanced force component tending to rotate said vehicle about one of its major axes for purposes of directional control of said vehicle.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 which additionally includes lip panels pivotally attached to said secondary panels near the trailing edge thereof, and wherein reverse thrust may be achieved by synchronous movement of each of said independent actuation means to symmetrically displace corresponding pairs of said primary, secondary, and lip panels of said oppositely facing surface means into positions wherein the gases are turned through an increasingly greater angle as they pass over each of the pivotally interconnected panels.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1 which additionally includes variable area nozzle control means located on said plug means forward of said exit plane comprising: a pair of oppositely facing area control panels each pivotally mounted near a forward edge, and means for concurrently and synchronously rotating said area control panels to thereby change the minimum area of said passageway.

Claim 5

The system of claim 3 which additionally includes a pair of oppositely facing expansion control panels each pivotally attached to a respective one of said area control panels, and means for concurrently and synchronously rotating said expansion control panels with respect to said area control panels.

Claim 6

In combination with a jet engine and a control system; an exhaust nozzle passageway having a generally rectangular section near the exit plane of the exhaust gases; deformable plug means attached to opposite walls of said passageway and centrally disposed in the path of the exhaust gases forward of said exit plane; said plug means comprising means for varying the throat area between said plug means and a wall of said passageway and independent means for changing the shape and exit area of said passageway while said throat area remains constant; wherein said means for varying the throat area within said passageway comprises: a pair of oppositely facing area control panels each pivotally mounted near a forward edge, and means for concurrently and synchronously rotating said area control panels to thereby change the area of said passageway; wherein said means for changing the shape and exit area of said passageway comprises: a pair of oppositely facing expansion control panels each pivotally attached to a respective one of said area control panels, and means for concurrently and synchronously rotating said expansion control panels with respect to said area control panels; and wherein said deformable plug means is responsive to said control system to selectively establish a desired nozzle passageway throat area, expansion shape, and exit area for maximum propulsive efficiency.

Claim 7

In combination with a jet engine and a control system; an exhaust nozzle passageway having a generally rectangular section near the exit plane of the exhaust gases; deformable plug means attached to opposite walls of said passageway and centrally disposed in the path of the exhaust gases forward of said exit plane; said plug means comprising means for varying the throat area between said plug means and a wall of said passageway and independent means for changing the shape and exit area of said passageway while said throat area remains constant; wherein said means for varying the throat area within said passageway comprises: a pair of oppositely facing area control panels each pivotally mounted near a forward edge, and means for concurrently and synchronously rotating said area control panels to thereby change the area of said passageway; wherein said means for changing the shape and exit area of said passageway comprises: a pair of oppositely facing expansion control panels each pivotally attached to a respective one of said area control panels, and means for concurrently and synchronously rotating said expansion control panels with respect to said area control panels; and wherein said deformable plug means is responsive to said control system to selectively establish a desired nozzle passageway throat area, expansion shape, and exit area for maximum propulsive efficiency.

Claim 8

In combination with a vehicle having a jet engine and a control system: an engine exhaust nozzle passageway which defines a generally rectangular section near the exit plane of the exhaust gases; thrust vector control means for selectively establishing a resultant thrust vector which has an unbalanced force component normal to the direction of flow of the exhaust gases at said exit plane comprising: plug means extending aft of said exit plane and centrally disposed in the path of the gases exiting said passageway, said plug means comprising a pair of oppositely facing surface means, each having a plurality of pivotally interconnected panels defining the external contour of said plug; means for moving said surface means to thereby change the direcTion of flow of at least a portion of said exhaust gases; variable area nozzle control means responsive to said control system centrally located in said passageway forward of said exit plane comprising: means for varying the minimum throat area within said passageway, and means for changing the shape and exit area of said passageway while said throat area remains constant; wherein said means for varying the minimum throat area within said passageway comprises: a pair of oppositely facing area control panels each pivotally mounted near a forward edge, and means for concurrently and synchronously rotating said area control panels to thereby change the minimum area of said passageway; wherein said means for changing the shape and exit area of said passageway comprises: a pair of oppositely facing expansion control panels each pivotally attached to a respective one of said area control panels, and means for concurrently and synchronously rotating said expansion control panels with respect to said area control panels; wherein said thrust vector control means includes means for thrust modulation and thrust reversal by movement of said pair of oppositely facing surface means into positions causing a symmetrical change in the direction of flow of the exhaust gases passing on each side of said plug; and wherein said thrust vector control means is responsive to said control system to selectively establish a thrust vector having an unbalanced force component tending to rotate the vehicle about one of its major axes for purposes of directional control of said vehicle.

Claim 9

In combination with a vehicle having a jet engine and a control system: an engine exhaust nozzle passageway which defines a generally rectangular section near the exit plane of the exhaust gases; thrust vector control means for selectively establishing a resultant thrust vector which has an unbalanced force component normal to the direction of flow of the exhaust gases at said exit plane comprising: plug means extending aft of said exit plane and centrally disposed in the path of the gases exiting said passageway, said plug means comprising a pair of oppositely facing surface means, each having a plurality of pivotally interconnected panels defining the external contour of said plug; means for moving said surface means to thereby change the direcTion of flow of at least a portion of said exhaust gases; variable area nozzle control means responsive to said control system centrally located in said passageway forward of said exit plane comprising: means for varying the minimum throat area within said passageway, and means for changing the shape and exit area of said passageway while said throat area remains constant; wherein said means for varying the minimum throat area within said passageway comprises: a pair of oppositely facing area control panels each pivotally mounted near a forward edge, and means for concurrently and synchronously rotating said area control panels to thereby change the minimum area of said passageway; wherein said means for changing the shape and exit area of said passageway comprises: a pair of oppositely facing expansion control panels each pivotally attached to a respective one of said area control panels, and means for concurrently and synchronously rotating said expansion control panels with respect to said area control panels; wherein said thrust vector control means includes means for thrust modulation and thrust reversal by movement of said pair of oppositely facing surface means into positions causing a symmetrical change in the direction of flow of the exhaust gases passing on each side of said plug; and wherein said thrust vector control means is responsive to said control system to selectively establish a thrust vector having an unbalanced force component tending to rotate the vehicle about one of its major axes for purposes of directional control of said vehicle.