Machine having a liquid lubrication system and a shaft
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorsDana Tomescu, Daniel Alecu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A machine includes a liquid lubrication system and a shaft, the shaft being rotatable about a rotation axis, the shaft including a first part, a second part engaged coaxially with the first part, and a journal bearing between the first part and the second part, the first part being rotatable relative to the second part about the rotation axis, a helical feature disposed between the first part and the second part and configured to define a helical pump between the first part and the second part, the pump being hydraulically connected to the liquid lubrication system, the journal bearing being disposed adjacent to the helical feature.
Claims17
A machine comprising a liquid lubrication system and a shaft, the shaft being rotatable about a rotation axis, the shaft including a first part defining an axial channel therein, a second part engaged coaxially with the first part so as to defined an annular gap therebetween, and a journal bearing inside the axial channel of the first part around the second part, the first part being rotatable relative to the second part about the rotation axis, a helical feature disposed in the annular gap outside the journal bearing between the first part and the second part and configured to define a helical pump between the first part and the second part, the helical pump hydraulically connected to the liquid lubrication system, the journal bearing disposed axially adjacent to the helical feature on an inboard side thereof inside the axial channel of the first part, wherein the machine further comprises a block supporting the first and the second parts of the shaft, and wherein the second part of the shaft is coupled to the block so as to be axially movable relative to the block and to the first part of the shaft along the rotation axis.
A machine comprising:
- a motor,
- a liquid lubrication system fluidly connected to the motor to lubricate the motor during operation of the motor,
- a bearing, and
- a shaft including a first part and a second part, the first part having an inner surface defining an axial channel, the second part having an appendix received in the axial channel, the inner surface of the first part and the appendix of the second part defining an annular gap therebetween, the axial channel being hydraulically connected to the liquid lubrication system via the second part, the first part being operatively connected to the motor for rotation by the motor about a rotation axis relative to the second part, a helical feature disposed in the annular gap between the first part and the second part and outside of the bearing to define a helical pump between the first part and the second part, the bearing being disposed radially between the appendix and the inner surface of the first part that defines the axial channel and axially spaced from the helical feature, the helical feature including a helical fin defined by the first part of the shaft, the helical fin having a fin direction that is opposite to the rotation of the first part of the shaft, and wherein the appendix has a smooth cylindrical outer surface that faces the helical fin.
A method of operating a machine having a liquid system circulating a liquid when the machine is in use, comprising:
- rotating a first part of a shaft of the machine about a rotation axis relative to a second part of the shaft, the first and the second parts of the shaft supported by a block, the second part of the shaft coupled to the block so as to be axially movable relative to the block and to the first part of the shaft;
- circulating at least some of the liquid through the first part and the second part of the shaft;
- passing a flow of the liquid from inside the second part of the shaft into a bearing disposed radially between the first part and the second part of the shaft inside an axial channel defined in the first part;
- and
- generating a pumping action with a helical feature disposed outside of the bearing in an annular gap between the first part and the second part of the shaft to oppose the flow into the bearing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.