Torque split gearbox for rotary wing aircraft
AssigneeSikorsky Aircraft Corporation
InventorTodd A. Garcia
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gearbox system for a dual coaxial counter rotating rotor assembly includes an input shaft to input a first torque into the gearbox system and a transfer shaft operably connected to the input shaft to transfer the first torque therethrough. Two gear sets are operably connected to the transfer shaft. Each gear set includes a first output gear to transfer a second torque acting in a first direction to a first rotor of a rotor assembly and a second output gear to transfer the second torque acting in a second direction opposite the first direction to a second rotor of the rotor assembly. The second torque transferred by each gear set of the two gear sets is substantially equal.
Claims20
A gearbox system connectable to an exterior shaft which relays a first torque with respect to the gearbox, the gearbox system comprising:
- an input bevel shaft operably connectable to the exterior shaft to transfer the first torque therethrough;
- and
- two gear sets operably connected to the input bevel shaft, each gear set including:
- a first output pinion to transfer a second torque acting in a first direction to a first gear;
- and
- a second output pinion to transfer the second torque acting in a second direction opposite the first direction to a second output pinion coaxial with the first output pinion;
- wherein the second torque transferred by each gear set of the two gear sets is substantially equal.
A drive system for a dual coaxial counter rotating assembly, the drive system comprising:
- an engine outputting a first torque via an input shaft;
- a gearbox assembly to reduce the first torque to a second torque and transfer the second torque to the dual coaxial counter rotating assembly, the gearbox assembly including:
- an input bevel shaft operably connected to the input shaft to transfer the first torque therethrough;
- and
- two gear sets operably connected to the input bevel shaft, each gear set including:
- a first output pinion to transfer a second torque acting in a first direction to a first rotating element of the dual coaxial counter rotating assembly;
- and
- a second output pinion to transfer the second torque acting in a second direction opposite the first direction to a second rotating element of the dual coaxial counter rotating assembly;
- wherein the second torque transferred by each gear set of the two gear sets is substantially equal.
A rotary wing aircraft comprising:
- an airframe;
- a rotor assembly including:
- a first rotor rotatable about a rotor axis in a first direction;
- and
- a second rotor coaxial with the first rotor and rotatable about the rotor axis in a second direction opposite the first direction;
- and
- a drive system including:
- an engine outputting a first torque;
- a gearbox assembly to reduce the first torque to a second torque and transfer the second torque to the rotor assembly, the gearbox assembly including:
- an input shaft to input the first torque into the gearbox assembly;
- an input bevel shaft operably connected to the input shaft to transfer the first torque therethrough;
- and
- two gear sets operably connected to the transfer shaft, each gear set including:
- a first output pinion to transfer a second torque acting in the first direction to the first rotor;
- and
- a second output pinion to transfer the second torque acting in the second direction to the second rotor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.