Patent attributes
An inlet for a turbofan engine, including an inlet wall surrounding an inlet flow path. The inlet wall extends axially from an upstream end to a downstream end adjacent the fan. The inlet wall has a shape defining a plurality of teeth circumferentially spaced around the inlet. The teeth extend axially and project radially inwardly toward the central longitudinal axis. A central portion of the inlet flow path has a cross-sectional dimension measured diametrically between opposed teeth, the cross-sectional dimension varying along the axial direction. The central portion defines a geometric throat at a minimum value of the cross-sectional dimension. The inlet wall is shaped so that the geometric throat is axially spaced from the upstream end and the downstream end. A gas turbine engine and a method of shielding tips of fan blades from impact by an object having a predetermined minimum dimension are also discussed.
