Multi-speed gearbox for low spool driven auxiliary component
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorDavid Everett Russ
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A turbine engine power generation system includes a gearbox that receives rotational drive from a low spool through an input gear, in one example. The gearbox includes first and second clutches that are coupled to an input shaft of an auxiliary component, such as a generator. First and second output gears are driven at different rotational speeds by the input gear and respectively associated with the first and second clutches. An actuator selectively engages at least one of the first and second clutches to select between first and second rotational speeds in response to a command from a controller.
Claims18
A gearbox for driving an auxiliary turbine engine component comprising:
- an input shaft driving at least one input gear, the input shaft configured to receive rotational drive from the turbine engine;
- an auxiliary input shaft coupled to first and second clutches, the first and second clutches providing first and second rotational speeds to the auxiliary input shaft;
- an auxiliary component configured to receive rotational drive from the auxiliary input shaft;
- a first output gear coupling the at least one input gear and first clutch, and a second output gear coupling the at least one input gear and second clutch;
- an actuator for selectively engaging at least one of the first and second clutches;
- and
- a controller programmed to command the actuator to engage the at least one of the first and second clutches based upon which of the first and second rotational speeds corresponds to a desired rotational speed for the auxiliary component.
A turbine engine power system comprising:
- a turbine engine include high and low spools;
- a gearbox coupled to the low spool and selectable between multiple speeds;
- a generator coupled to the auxiliary component and configured to receive rotational drive from the low spool through the gearbox;
- and
- a controller programmed to command the auxiliary component between one of the multiple speeds for driving the generator at a desired rotational speed.
A method of providing rotational drive from a turbine engine to an auxiliary component comprising the steps of:
- rotationally driving an auxiliary component at a first speed with a low spool;
- engaging a clutch;
- and
- rotational driving the auxiliary component at a second speed different than the first speed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.