Fan decoupler system for a gas turbine engine
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsRandy M. Vondrell, Wu-Yang Tseng, Christopher C. Glynn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A support structure for a gas turbine engine includes a support arm (214, 216) extending between a low pressure shaft (202) and a rotor. The support arm includes a fuse (220) having a low failure point. A high pressure stub shaft (270) axially and radially supports the low pressure shaft (202) after fuse failure. An axial gap (A) between a portion of the low pressure shaft and the stub shaft permits movement of the low pressure shaft after fuse failure. A radial gap (B) between the stub shaft (270) and the low pressure shaft (202) allows radial deflection of the low pressure rotor system after fuse failure.
Claims20
A fan decoupler system for a gas turbine engine, said fan decoupler system comprising:
- a low pressure shaft comprising a lip;
- a high pressure shaft including an upstream end, a stub shaft, and a rotor disk, said high pressure shaft concentric with said low pressure shaft, said stub shaft located at said high pressure shaft upstream end, said low pressure shaft lip configured to engage said stub shaft;
- a rotor connected to said low pressure shaft;
- and
- a support cone connected to said low pressure shaft, wherein said support cone is for supporting said rotor, said support cone including a fuse having a failure point below the failure point of the remaining support cone.
A support structure for a gas turbine engine, said support structure comprising:
- a high pressure shaft including a stub shaft located at an upstream end of said high pressure shaft, and a rotor disk located downstream of said stub shaft;
- a low pressure shaft concentric with said high pressure shaft, said low pressure shaft comprising a lip configured to engage said stub shaft;
- a fan frame hub;
- and
- a support arm extending between said low pressure shaft and said fan frame hub, said support arm comprising a fuse and a remaining portion, said fuse having a failure point below the failure point of said remaining portion of said support arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.