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US 6,183,388 B2Granted
Epicyclic face gear reduction gearbox particularly for a gas turbine engine
AssigneeAllison Engine Company, Inc.
InventorJohn M. Hawkins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gear reduction gearbox connected to a gas turbine engine to reduce the shaft speed and increase the output torque. In one form of the present invention an input shaft and an output shaft are rotatable within a mechanical housing. A face gear set connects between the shafts for changing the speed of the output shaft relative to the input shaft. The present invention, in one embodiment includes load sharing wherein a plurality of pinion gear assemblies distribute the load transmitted through the gearbox.
Claims89
In combination:
- an internal combustion engine;
- and
- a gearbox connected to said engine, comprising:
- a mechanical housing;
- an input shaft rotatable within said housing, said input shaft having a first longitudinal centerline;
- an output shaft rotatable within said housing, said output shaft having a second longitudinal centerline;
- and
- a face gear connected to and rotatable with said input shaft for changing the speed of said output shaft relative to said input shaft, said face gear positioned within said housing so as to be intersected by said first and second longitudinal centerlines and transverse to said input sand said output shafts, said face gear is a precision high capacity gear and includes a portion having a hardened surface, and wherein said face gear is permitted to float.
5 more elements
In combination:
- an internal combustion engine;
- and
- a gearbox connecting to said engine, comprising:
- a mechanical housing;
- an input shaft rotatable within said housing and coupled to said internal combustion engine;
- a first face gear rotatable within said housing and connected to said input shaft;
- a second face gear fixedly mounted within said housing;
- and
- a plurality of pinion gear assemblies interengaging with said face gears, each of said pinion gear assemblies including a rotatable shaft and a pair of gears, one of said gears coupled to each end of said shaft, at least one of said plurality of pinion gear assemblies is a floating pinion gear assembly connecting between said first face gear and said second face gear.
6 more elements
In combination:
- an internal combustion engine;
- and
- a gearbox connecting to said engine for receiving a load from said engine, comprising:
- a mechanical housing;
- a pair of spaced face gears within said housing, each of said face gears having a face including ear teeth, and wherein said faces are substantially parallel;
- and
- a plurality of pinion gear sets connecting between said pair of face gears, at least one of said plurality of pinion gear sets comprising a shaft with a first helical gear and a second helical gear connected thereto, said first gear meshing with said gear teeth of one of said pair of face gears and said second gear meshing with said gear teeth of the other of said pair of face gears, wherein said first gear and said second gear have a different hand.
4 more elements
In combination:
- an internal combustion engine;
- and
- a gearbox connected to said engine, comprising:
- a mechanical housing;
- an input shaft rotatable within said housing, said input shaft having a first longitudinal centerline;
- an output shaft rotatable within said housing, said output shaft having a second longitudinal centerline;
- a first face gear positioned within said mechanical housing and connected to and rotatable with said input shaft;
- a second face gear positioned within said mechanical housing;
- and
- at least three pinion gear assemblies positioned within said housing and interengaging with said first face gear and said second face gear, wherein each of said at least three pinion gear assemblies has a pair of gears coupled to a torsionally soft shaft.
7 more elements
In combination:
- a gas turbine engine having a fan adapted to facilitate propulsion of an aircraft;
- and
- a gearbox connecting to said engine, comprising:
- a mechanical housing:
- a first face gear rotatable within said housing for providing power to said fan;
- a second face gear fixedly mounted within said housing;
- and
- a floating pinion gear assembly connecting between said first face gear and said second face gear.
5 more elements
In combination:
- an internal combustion engine;
- and
- a gearbox connected to said engine, comprising:
- a mechanical housing;
- an input shaft rotatable within said housing, said input shaft having a first longitudinal centerline;
- an output shaft rotatable within said housing, said output shaft having a second longitudinal centerline;
- a face gear for changing the speed of said output shaft relative to said input shaft, said face gear positioned within said housing so as to be intersected by one of said first and second longitudinal centerlines and transverse to said input and said output shafts;
- and
- a plurality of pinion gear assemblies interengaging with said face gear, each of said plurality of pinion gear assemblies including a first gear and a second gear spaced therefrom, said first gear interengaging with said face gear, and
- wherein one of said first and said second gears having a right hand helix and the other having a left hand helix for developing an end thrust to partially offset the centrifugal load associated with rotating members.
7 more elements
In combination:
- an internal combustion engine;
- and
- a gearbox connected to said engine, comprising:
- a mechanical housing;
- an input shaft rotatable within said housing, said input shaft having a first longitudinal centerline;
- an output shaft rotatable within said housing, said output shaft having a second longitudinal centerline;
- a precision high capacity face gear including a portion having a hardened surface for changing the speed of said output shaft relative to said input shaft, said face gear positioned within said housing so as to be intersected by one said first and second longitudinal centerlines and transverse to said input and said output shafts;
- and
- a plurality of pinion gear assemblies meshing with said face gear, each of said plurality of pinion gear assemblies having a shaft with a first gear and second gear coupled thereto, and wherein each of said pinion gear assemblies including an elastomeric damper.
6 more elements
In combination:
- a gas turbine engine having a fan adapted to facilitate propulsion of an aircraft;
- and
- a gearbox connecting to said engine for receiving a load from said engine, comprising:
- a mechanical housing;
- a pair of spaced face gears within said housing, each of said face gears including gear teeth, one of said pair of face gears adapted for transmitting power to said fan;
- and
- a plurality of pinion gear sets connecting between said pair of face gears and contacting said teeth of each of said pair of gears for sharing the load from said engine.
4 more elements
In combination:
- an internal combustion engine;
- and
- a gearbox connecting to said engine for receiving a load from said engine, comprising:
- a mechanical housing;
- a pair of spaced face gears within said housing, each of said face gears having a face including gear teeth, and wherein said faces are substantially parallel, and, at least one of said pair of face gears is a precision high capacity gear having a hardened portion;
- and
- at least three pinion gear sets coupled between said pair of face gears, each of said at least three pinion gear sets comprising a shaft with a first gear and a second gear connected thereto, said first gear meshing with said gear teeth of one of said pair of face gears and said second gear meshing with said gear teeth of the other of said pair of face gears, wherein said first gear and said second gear have a different helix angle to develop a load to partially offset centrifugal loading associated with rotating bodies.
4 more elements
In combination:
- an internal combustion engine;
- and
- a gearbox connecting to said engine for receiving a load form said engine, comprising:
- a mechanical housing;
- a pair of spaced face gears within said housing, each of said face gears having a face including gear teeth, and wherein said faces are substantially parallel;
- and
- a plurality of pinion gear sets connecting between said pair of face gears, each of said plurality of pinion gear sets comprising a shaft with a first gear and a second gear connected thereto, said first gear meshing with said gear teeth of one of said pair of face gears and said second gear meshing with said gear teeth of the other of said pair of face gears, and wherein at least one of said pinion gear sets includes an elastomeric damper for load sharing.
4 more elements
In combination:
- an internal combustion engine;
- and
- a gearbox connecting to said engine for receiving a load from said engine, comprising:
- a mechanical housing;
- a pair of spaced face gears within said housing, each of said face gears having a face including gear teeth, and at least one of said pair of face gears is a precision high capacity gear having a hardened portion and said faces are substantially parallel, and wherein at least one of said face gears is permitted to float;
- and
- a plurality of pinion gear sets connecting between said pair of face gears, each of said plurality of pinion gear sets comprising a shaft with a first gear and a second gear connected thereto, said first gear meshing with said gear teeth of one of said pair of face gears and said second gear meshing with said gear teeth of the other of said pair of face gears.
4 more elements
In combination:
- an internal combustion engine;
- and
- a gearbox connected to said engine, comprising:
- a mechanical housing;
- an input shaft rotatable within said housing, said input shaft having a first longitudinal centerline;
- an output shaft rotatable within said housing, said output shaft having a second longitudinal centerline;
- a first face gear positioned within said mechanical housing and connected to and rotatable with said input shaft;
- a second face gear positioned within said mechanical housing;
- and
- at least three pinion gear assemblies positioned within said housing and interengaging with said first face gear and said second face gear, wherein each of said at least three pinion gear assemblies has a pair of gears coupled to shaft, and wherein at least one of said pinion gear assemblies includes an elastomeric damper.
7 more elements
In combination:
- a gas turbine engine having a fan adapted to facilitate propulsion of an aircraft;
- and
- a gearbox connected to said engine, comprising:
- a mechanical housing;
- an input shaft rotatable within said housing, said input shaft having a first longitudinal centerline;
- an output shaft rotatable within said housing and coupled to said fan to rotate said fan at an output speed that is less than one fourth of said input shaft speed, said output shaft having a second longitudinal centerline;
- and
- a face gear connected to and rotatable with said input shaft for changing the speed of said output shaft relative to said input shaft, said face gear positioned within said housing so as to be intersected by said first and second longitudinal centerlines and transverse to said input and said output shafts.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.