公开(公告)号：DE60134347D1

公开(公告)日：2008-07-17

申请号：DE60134347

申请日：2001-03-02

Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORP

Inventor： REY NANCY M ,  DUNPHY JAMES R ,  MILLER ROBIN MIHEKUN ,  CHAUDRY ZAFFIR A ,  TILMAN THOMAS G ,  PEARSON DAVID D ,  RUKUS ROBERT M ,  DREITLEIN KENNETH C ,  KETTLE JOHN L ,  LOFFREDO CONSTANTINTO ,  WYNOSKY THOMAS A

IPC: F02K1/06 ,  F02K1/12 ,  F02K3/06 ,  F02K3/075 ,  F03G7/06 ,  F04D29/56 ,  F16H21/44

Abstract: A gas turbine engine (10) includes a variable area nozzle (30) having a plurality of flaps (38). The flaps (38) are actuated by a plurality of actuating mechanisms (40) driven by shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators (68) to vary fan exist nozzle area (36). The SMA actuator (68) has a deformed shape in its martensitic state and a parent shape in its austenitic state. The SMA actuator (68) is heated to transform from martensitic state to austenitic state generating a force output to actuate the flaps (38). The variable area nozzle (30) also includes a plurality of return mechanisms (42) deforming the SMA actuator (68) when the SMA actuator (68) is in its martensitic state.