Split torque gearbox with pivoted engine support
AssigneeSikorsky Aircraft Corporation
InventorYuriy Gmirya
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A powerplant system for a vehicle such as a hybrid UAV includes a miniature gas turbine engine and a gearbox assembly. The engine is mounted to the gearbox assembly through a support structure which provides for pivotal movement of the engine relative thereto. The input gear is engaged with two gears such that the pivoted engine arrangement permits the input gear to float until gear loads between the input gear and the first and second gear are balanced. Regardless of the gear teeth errors or gearbox shaft misalignments the input gear will float and split the torque between the two gears.
Claims19
A propulsion system comprising:
- a first gear;
- a second gear;
- a gas turbine engine pivotally mounted along a pivot axis passing through a center of gravity of said gas turbine engine;
- and
- an input gear driven by said gas turbine engine, said input gear engaged with said first gear and said second gear.
A hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
- a fuselage defining a duct;
- a coaxial transmission driving a counter-rotating rotor system within said duct;
- a gas turbine engine pivotally mounted along a pivot axis, said pivot axis passing through a center of gravity of said gas turbine engine;
- an input gear driven by said gas turbine engine, said input gear engaged with a first gear and a second gear;
- an output gear engaged with said first gear and said second gear;
- a first shaft driven by said output gear, said first shaft driving a translational propulsion system;
- and
- a second shaft driven by said output gear, said second shaft driving said coaxial transmission.
A method of splitting torque from a gas turbine engine comprising the steps of:
- (1) pivotally mounting a gas turbine engine along a pivot axis through a center of gravity of the gas turbine engine;
- (2) driving an input gear with the gas turbine engine;
- and
- (3) engaging the input gear with a first gear and a second gear.
A propulsion system comprising:
- a gearbox assembly;
- a gas turbine engine pivotally mounted to said gearbox assembly along a pivot axis;
- and
- a rotor shaft driven by said gas turbine engine, said rotor shaft engaged with said gearbox assembly such that said gas turbine engine is free to pivot about said pivot axis during operation of said gas turbine operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.