Lubricant pump system and method for aircraft engine
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorHervé Turcotte
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Lubricant pump systems and associated methods for aircraft engines are provided. The method includes receiving an input torque, dividing the input torque between a first load path receiving a first portion of the input torque, and a second load path receiving a second portion of the input torque. A first lubricant pump of the aircraft engine is driven via the first load path using the first portion of the input torque. A second lubricant pump of the aircraft engine is driven via the second load path using the second portion of the input torque. When a malfunction of the second lubricant pump occurs, the method includes ceasing to drive the first lubricant pump and the second lubricant pump using the input torque.
Claims20
A lubricant pump system for an aircraft engine, the lubricant pump system comprising:
- a source of motive power;
- a first lubricant pump drivingly connected to the source of motive power via a first load path receiving a first portion of the motive power;
- a second lubricant pump drivingly connected to the source of motive power via a second load path receiving a second portion of the motive power, the second load path being separate from the first load path;
- a coupler drivingly connected to the source of motive power and drivingly interconnecting the first lubricant pump and the second lubricant pump together;
- and
- a mechanical fuse operatively disposed between the source of motive power and the coupler, the coupler transferring motive power from the source of motive power to both the first lubricant pump and the second lubricant pump via the mechanical fuse, the mechanical fuse including a frangible connection configured to:
- transmit motive power during normal operation of the first lubricant pump and the second lubricant pump;
- and
- break during a malfunction of the first lubricant pump and/or of the second lubricant pump.
A method of driving lubricant pumps of an aircraft engine, the method comprising:
- receiving an input torque via a mechanical fuse including a frangible connection;
- dividing the input torque between a first load path receiving a first portion of the input torque, and a second load path receiving a second portion of the input torque;
- driving a first lubricant pump of the aircraft engine via the first load path using the first portion of the input torque;
- driving a second lubricant pump of the aircraft engine via the second load path using the second portion of the input torque;
- and
- when a malfunction of the second lubricant pump occurs, causing the frangible connection to break to disconnect the first load path and the second load path from the input torque and cease to drive the first lubricant pump and the second lubricant pump using the input torque.
An aircraft engine comprising:
- a lubrication load;
- a supply pump operatively connected to deliver lubricant to the lubrication load;
- a scavenge pump operatively connected to recover the lubricant from the lubrication load;
- a first drivetrain defining a first load path between a source of motive power and the supply pump, the first drivetrain being drivingly connected to the source of motive power via a frangible connection;
- and
- a second drivetrain defining a second load path between the source of motive power and the scavenge pump, the second load path being separate from the first load path, the second drivetrain being drivingly connected to the source of motive power via the frangible connection,
- wherein the frangible connection is configured to:
- transmit motive power during normal operation of the supply pump and the scavenge pump;
- and
- break during a malfunction of supply pump and/or of the scavenge pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.