System and method for detecting a lubricant-out condition in an aircraft gearbox
AssigneeSikorsky Aircraft Corporation
InventorsAdam R. Glasser, Dwaine Wint, John J. Baldyga, Michael F. Mullen, David M. Lutian, Lindsey McKan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gearbox includes a housing including a lubricant reservoir, at least one gear system arranged in the housing, at least one lubricant delivery passage operable to direct a flow of lubricant from a lubricant reservoir onto the at least one gear system, at least one lubricant return passage operable to guide the flow of lubricant to the lubricant reservoir, and a lubricant-out sensor fluidically connected to the at least one lubricant return passage. The lubricant-out sensor is operable to detect a non-pressure based parameter of the lubricant.
Claims15
A gearbox comprising:
- a housing including a lubricant reservoir;
- at least one gear system arranged in the housing;
- at least one lubricant delivery passage operable to direct a flow of lubricant from the lubricant reservoir onto the at least one gear system;
- at least one lubricant return passage operable to guide the flow of lubricant to the lubricant reservoir;
- and
- a lubricant-out sensor fluidically connected to the at least one lubricant return passage, the lubricant-out sensor being operable to detect a non-pressure based parameter of lubricant in the gearbox.
A rotary wing aircraft comprising:
- an airframe including an extending tail;
- at least one engine operatively supported to the airframe;
- a main rotor assembly operatively coupled to the at least one engine;
- a tail rotor assembly mounted at the extending tail;
- at least one gearbox operatively connecting the at least one engine and the tail rotor assembly, the gearbox comprising:
- a housing including a lubricant reservoir;
- at least one gear system arranged in the housing;
- at least one lubricant delivery passage operable to direct a flow of lubricant from a lubricant reservoir onto the at least one gear system;
- at least one lubricant return passage operable to guide the flow of lubricant to the lubricant reservoir;
- and
- a lubricant-out sensor fluidically connected to the at least one lubricant return passage, the lubricant-out sensor being operable to detect a non-pressure based parameter of a lubricant in the gearbox.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.