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US 8,702,373 B1Granted
Lubrication of journal bearing during clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsChristopher M. Valva, Brian P. Cigal
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure is applicable to all gear trains using a journal bearing as a means of supporting gear shaft rotation. It is related in some embodiments to a system and method for supplying lubricant to the journal bearings of a gear-turbofan engine gear train when the fan rotor is subjected to a wind-milling condition in both directions, either clockwise or counter-clockwise.
Claims18
A gear system, comprising:
- a shaft;
- and
- a lubrication system, the lubrication system comprising:
- a gear including a gear bearing surface, the gear operatively driven by the shaft;
- and
- a pump operatively driven by the gear, the pump including a first pump port and a second pump port;
- wherein rotation of the gear below a predetermined operational speed range in either direction causes the pump to transfer lubricant to the gear bearing surface.
4 more elements
A turbofan engine, comprising:
- a fan;
- a fan shaft operably coupled to the fan;
- a gear including a gear bearing surface, the gear operatively driven by the fan shaft;
- and
- a pump operatively driven by the gear, the pump including a pump inlet and a pump outlet;
- wherein rotation of the fan shaft in either direction causes the pump to transfer lubricant to the gear bearing surface when the engine is in a non-operational mode.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.