The Boeing Company
Inflatable cascade assembly, system, and method for a cascade thrust reverser system

Abstract:

There is provided an inflatable cascade assembly for a cascade thrust reverser system of an engine of an air vehicle. The inflatable cascade assembly has inflatable cascade members for inflation with a pressurized fluid. The inflatable cascade members are movable between a stowed deflated state and a deployed inflated state. Each inflatable cascade member has a forward end, an aft end, and a body. The body has circumferential vanes each having a first non-inflatable rigid side attached adjacent to a second inflatable flexible side. The body further has inflatable support members that are spaced apart and longitudinally extending, and coupled in a perpendicular arrangement to the circumferential vanes. The body further has a plurality of flow openings defined between the circumferential vanes and the inflatable support members. Each inflatable cascade member further has first and second extendable side supports coupled to respective first and second side ends of the body.