# US 11,994,204 B2 · Gear assembly for aeronautical engine with lubricant storing pockets > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,994,204 B2 - Document ID: US11994204B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/355,282 - Filed: 2021-06-23 - Published: 2022-02-17 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2020-06-23 - Assignees: GE Avio S.r.l. - Applicants: GE Avio S.r.l. - Inventors: Pietro Molesini; Saypen Baraggia Au Yeung; Miriam Manzoni - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994204B2 ## CPC - F16H 57/0423: {Lubricant guiding means mounted or supported on the casing, e.g. shields or baffles for collecting lubricant, tubes or pipes} - F16H 57/0482: {Gearings with gears having orbital motion} - F16H 57/045: {Lubricant storage reservoirs, e.g. reservoirs in addition to a gear sump for collecting lubricant in the upper part of a gear case} - F16H 57/046: {Oil-mist or spray lubrication} - F16H 57/0479: {Gears or bearings on planet carriers} - F16H 57/0495: {with fixed gear ratio} - F16H 57/082: {Planet carriers} - F05D 2220/323: for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines - F16H 57/0456: {Lubrication by injection; Injection nozzles or tubes therefor (oil mist or spray lubrication F16H57/0458)} - F16H: GEARING - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract A gear assembly for an aeronautical engine includes a first gear disposed at a centerline axis of the gear assembly, a second gear coupled to the first gear in adjacent radial arrangement to form a first mesh between the first gear and the second gear, a static portion coupled to the second gear in adjacent circumferential arrangement, the static portion defining a pocket, and a spraybar disposed within the static portion such that a supply opening of the spraybar is directed at the first mesh between the first gear and the second gear. The supply opening provides a flow of lubricant to the first mesh between the first gear and the second gear and at least a portion of the flow of lubricant is collected by the pocket. The flow of lubricant is continuously released from the pocket to the gear system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gear assembly comprising: a first gear disposed at a centerline axis of the gear assembly; a second gear coupled to the first gear to form a first mesh between the first gear and the second gear; a third gear coupled to the second gear to form a second mesh between the second gear and the third gear; a static portion coupled to the second gear, the static portion having a pocket; and a primary lubrication system providing a flow of lubricant to the first mesh during an operating condition and not providing the flow of lubricant to the first mesh during an interruption condition, the primary lubrication system comprising a spraybar disposed within the static portion, the spraybar having a supply opening providing the flow of lubricant to the first mesh during the operating condition and the pocket collecting at least a portion of the flow of lubricant during the operating condition, wherein the static portion, the second gear, the third gear, and the second mesh, define a flow aperture spaced from the pocket, the portion of the flow of lubricant flowing from the pocket through the flow aperture to simultaneously contact both the second gear and the third gear, lubricating the second mesh, such that the second gear lubricates the first mesh without the portion of the flow of lubricant first being carried on the third gear. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gear assembly of claim 1, wherein the pocket includes an inlet and an outlet, and wherein the inlet of the pocket is larger than the flow aperture so that the flow of lubricant from the supply opening is first collected by the pocket. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The gear assembly of claim 2, the pocket further including: a bottom wall; a curved flow guiding connecting wall; and a sidewall, wherein the outlet is in communication with the pocket at either the curved flow guiding connecting wall or the sidewall. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The gear assembly of claim 3, wherein the outlet is in communication with the pocket and the flow aperture, and the second gear defining the flow aperture rotates from the third gear toward the first gear. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The gear assembly of claim 1, wherein the flow of lubricant flows into the pocket via centrifugal force and windage effects between the first gear and the second gear. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The gear assembly of claim 1, wherein the flow of lubricant is released from the pocket to the second mesh also during the interruption condition via a pumping effect of the second gear. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The gear assembly of claim 1, wherein the first gear comprises a sun gear rotatable around the centerline axis of the gear assembly, the second gear comprises a planet gear coupled to the sun gear, and the third gear comprises a ring gear coupled to the planet gear. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The gear assembly of claim 1, wherein the flow aperture allows the flow of lubricant to be injected towards the second mesh between the second gear and the third gear. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The gear assembly of claim 1, wherein the flow of lubricant is released from the pocket to the second mesh during the interruption condition. ### Claim 10 A mechanical or an electro-mechanical system comprising: an aeronautical engine including a gear assembly, the gear assembly comprising: a first gear disposed at a centerline axis; a second gear coupled to the first gear to form a first mesh between the first gear and the second gear; a third gear coupled to the second gear to form a second mesh between the second gear and the third gear; a static portion coupled to the second gear, the static portion having a pocket; and a primary lubrication system providing a flow of lubricant to the first mesh during an operating condition and not providing the flow of the lubricant to the first mesh during an interruption condition, the primary lubrication system comprising a spraybar disposed within the static portion, the spraybar having a supply opening providing the flow of lubricant to the first mesh during the operating condition and the pocket collecting at least a portion of the flow of lubricant during the operating condition, wherein the static portion, the second gear, the third gear, and the second mesh, define a flow aperture spaced from the pocket, the portion of the flow of lubricant flowing from the pocket through the flow aperture to simultaneously contact both the second gear and the third gear, lubricating the second mesh, such that the second gear lubricates the first mesh without the portion of the flow of lubricant first being carried on the third gear. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the pocket includes an inlet and an outlet, and wherein the inlet of the pocket is larger than the flow aperture so that the flow of lubricant from the supply opening is first collected by the pocket. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, the pocket further including: a bottom wall; a curved flow guiding connecting wall; and a sidewall, wherein the outlet is in communication with the pocket at either the curved flow guiding connecting wall or the sidewall. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the outlet is in communication with the pocket and the flow aperture, and the second gear defining the flow aperture rotates from the third gear toward the first gear. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the flow of lubricant flows into the pocket via centrifugal force and windage effects between the first gear and the second gear. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the flow of lubricant is released from the pocket to the second mesh also during the interruption condition via a pumping effect of the second gear. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the first gear comprises a sun gear rotatable around the centerline axis of the gear assembly, the second gear comprises a planet gear coupled to the sun gear, and wherein the third gear comprises a ring gear coupled to the planet gear. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the flow aperture allows the flow of lubricant to be injected towards the second mesh between the second gear and the third gear. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the flow of lubricant is released from the pocket to the second mesh during the interruption condition.