# US 10,119,548 B2 · Aircraft engine with a compressor device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,119,548 B2 - Document ID: US10119548B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/863,860 - Filed: 2015-09-24 - Published: 2016-03-31 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-26 - Assignees: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG - Applicants: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG - Inventors: Gideon Venter - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119548B2 ## CPC - F04D 25/028: {the driving means being a planetary gear} - F02C 7/36: Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user ({F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and} F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H) - F02K 3/06: with front fan - F04D 19/002: {Axial flow fans} - F04D 25/04: the pump being fluid-driven {(pumps driven by exhaust gases F02B37/00, F02B39/00; turbochargers F02C6/12)} - F04D 29/053: Shafts - F04D 29/059: Roller bearings - F04D 29/321: {for axial flow compressors} - F04D 29/325: {for axial flow fans (blade mountings F04D29/34, blades F04D29/38)} - F05D 2240/62: Flexible - F05D 2260/40311: of the epicyclical, planetary or differential type - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - F02K: JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (features of jet-propulsion plants common to gas-turbine plants, air intakes or fuel supply control of air-breathing jet-propulsion plants F02C7/00, F02C9/00) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract What is described is an aircraft engine with a compressor device and with a fan device. In the area of a compressor shaft, the compressor device is connected via an epicyclic gear to a fan shaft. A planetary web is operatively connected via bearing devices to the planetary gears. A ring gear is coupled with the fan shaft and a sun gear of the epicyclic gear is coupled with the compressor shaft, while the planetary carrier is held at the housing side in a torque-proof manner. The ring gear is connected via a flexible connection device to the fan shaft and/or the planetary carrier is connected via a flexible connection device to the housing. In the area of the connection device, movements between the ring gear and the planetary gears and/or between the planetary carrier and the housing can be at least approximately compensated in the radial and the axial direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aircraft engine, comprising: a housing, a compressor including a compressor shaft, a fan shaft, a fan driven by the compressor via the fan shaft, an epicyclic gear connecting the compressor to the fan shaft in an area of the compressor shaft, the epicyclic gear including a ring gear, a sun gear, a planetary carrier, and a plurality of planetary gears, and for each of the plurality of planetary gears, a bearing device rotatably mounting the each of the planetary gears on the planetary carrier; wherein the ring gear is coupled to the fan shaft and the sun gear is coupled to the compressor shaft, while the planetary carrier is held at a housing side in a fixed manner, a flexible connection device connecting the ring gear to the fan shaft, the flexible connection device permitting movement in a radial direction and in an axial direction between the ring gear and the fan shaft. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aircraft engine according to claim 1, wherein the flexible connection device comprises an area having a cross-section that is U-shaped. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The aircraft engine according to claim 1, wherein the flexible connection device comprises an area having a cross-section that is L-shaped. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The aircraft engine according to claim 1, wherein the bearing device comprises a spherical bearing unit for compensating tilting movements between the planetary carrier and the each of the plurality of planetary gears and a further bearing unit for rotational decoupling between the planetary carrier and the each of the plurality of planetary gears. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The aircraft engine according to claim 4, and further comprising an inner bearing element arranged radially inside the each of the plurality of planetary gears, and wherein the spherical bearing unit couples the planetary carrier in an operative connection with the inner bearing element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The aircraft engine according to claim 5, wherein the inner bearing element is rotatably connected to the each of the plurality of planetary gears via the further bearing unit that is arranged respectively between the each of the plurality of planetary gears and the inner bearing element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The aircraft engine according to claim 5, wherein the planetary carrier includes a plurality of finger portions for respectively connecting to each of the spherical bearing units. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The aircraft engine according to claim 7, and further comprising a bolt fastener connecting one of the plurality of finger portions to the inner bearing element, with the bolt fastener arranged to extend in the radial direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The aircraft engine according to claim 8, wherein the spherical bearing includes a coupling element that is arranged in the area of the each of the plurality of finger portions, the coupling element including at least a partially spherical area, and wherein the bolt fastener is connected to the coupling element as well as to the inner bearing element to be approximately aligned with a middle of the each of the plurality of planetary gears. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The aircraft engine according to claim 8, wherein the bolt fastener is fixated in the radial direction in an area of the inner bearing element. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The aircraft engine according to claim 7, wherein one of the plurality of finger portions is coupled in a fixed manner the inner bearing element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The aircraft engine according to claim 7, wherein the planetary carrier is connected to the housing via the flexible connection device radially inside the plurality of finger portions. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The aircraft engine according to claim 7, wherein the planetary carrier is attached to the housing radially outwardly of the plurality of finger portions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 4) The aircraft engine according to claim 4, wherein the further bearing unit is at least one chosen from a rolling bearing and a slide bearing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The aircraft engine according to claim 1, wherein the ring gear and the sun hear each include a helically-toothed tooth area and each of the plurality of planetary gears includes two helically-toothed tooth areas which are separated from each other and are arranged at a distance from each other in the axial direction, and which respectively mesh with the helically-toothed tooth areas of the ring gear and the sun gear, wherein a helix angle of the helically-toothed tooth areas of the each of the plurality of planetary gears, the ring gear and the sun gear are embodied in a mirror-inverted manner for minimizing axial toothing forces. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The aircraft engine according to claim 1, wherein the planetary carrier include conduits for guiding fluid. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The aircraft engine according to claim 1, and further comprising a further flexible connection device connecting the planetary carrier to the housing, the further flexible connection device permitting movement in the radial direction and in the axial direction between the planetary carrier and the housing. ### Claim 18 An aircraft engine, comprising: a housing, a compressor including a compressor shaft, a fan shaft, a fan driven by the compressor via the fan shaft, an epicyclic gear connecting the compressor to the fan shaft in an area of the compressor shaft, the epicyclic gear including a ring gear, a sun gear, a planetary carrier, and a plurality of planetary gears, and for each of the plurality of planetary gears, a bearing device rotatably mounting the each of the planetary gears on the planetary carrier; wherein the ring gear is coupled to the fan shaft and the sun gear is coupled to the compressor shaft, while the planetary carrier is held at a housing side in a fixed manner, a flexible connection device connecting at least one chosen from the ring gear and the fan shaft, and the planetary carrier and the housing, the flexible connection device permitting movement in a radial direction and in an axial direction between the at least one chosen from the ring gear and the fan shaft, and the planetary carrier and the housing; wherein the bearing device comprises a spherical bearing unit for compensating tilting movements between the planetary carrier and the each of the plurality of planetary gears and a further bearing unit for rotational decoupling between the planetary carrier and the each of the plurality of planetary gears. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The aircraft engine according to claim 18, and further comprising an inner bearing element arranged radially inside the each of the plurality of planetary gears, and wherein the spherical bearing unit couples the planetary carrier in an operative connection with the inner bearing element; wherein the inner bearing element is rotatably connected to the each of the plurality of planetary gears via the further bearing unit that is arranged respectively between the each of the plurality of planetary gears and the inner bearing element.