# US 8,771,124 B2 · Carrier for planetary gear system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,771,124 B2 - Document ID: US8771124B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/350,887 - Filed: 2012-01-16 - Published: 2013-07-18 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2012-01-16 - Assignees: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Applicants: Dean A. Norem; David L. Wakefield - Inventors: Dean A. Norem; David L. Wakefield - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771124B2 ## CPC - F16H 57/082: {Planet carriers} - F16H 57/043: {within rotary parts, e.g. axial channels or radial openings in shafts} - F16H 57/0479: {Gears or bearings on planet carriers} - F16H 57/0486: {with fixed gear ratio (axle or inter-axle differentials F16H57/0483)} - F16H: GEARING ## Abstract A planetary gear system includes a sun gear rotatable about an axis. Planetary gears are circumferentially arranged about and intermesh with the sun gear and peripherally with a ring gear. Each of the planetary gears is supported by a journal bearing arranged in a bore in a carrier wall. A carrier supports the journal bearings and is configured to rotate about the axis and carry the planetary gears. The carrier wall supports the journal bearings and has spaced apart lateral surfaces. A scupper is arranged between the lateral surfaces and provides an inlet in one of the lateral surfaces, in this example facing the sun gear. The inlet has a first circumferential dimension, and a passage fluidly interconnects the scupper to one of the journal bearings via the bore. The passage has a second circumferential dimension less than the first circumferential dimension. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A planetary gear system comprising: a sun gear rotatable about an axis; planetary gears circumferentially arranged about and intermeshing with the sun gear, each of the planetary gears supported by a journal bearing; a carrier supporting the journal bearings and configured to rotate about the axis and carry the planetary gears, the carrier including a first wall supporting the journal bearings and having spaced apart interior lateral surfaces, and a scupper arranged between the lateral surfaces and providing an inlet in one of the lateral surfaces facing the sun gear, the inlet having a first circumferential dimension, and a passage fluidly interconnecting the scupper to one of the journal bearings, the passage having a second circumferential dimension less than the first circumferential dimension; a bushing arranged in the bore between the first wall and the journal bearing, the bushing and journal bearing respectively including first and second passageways fluidly connecting the passage in the carrier and the feed passage to one another; and an alignment feature rotationally fixing the journal bearing and the bushing relative to the carrier. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the scupper includes a pocket provided by parallel planar lateral interior surfaces adjoined by an arcuate interior surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system according to claim 2, wherein the carrier includes a central opening, and the scupper includes an annular pocket circumscribing the central opening and including an inner diameter at the one of the lateral surfaces, the first circumferential dimension corresponding to the inner diameter, and comprising multiple passages, each passage extending from the annular pocket to interconnect to a corresponding journal bearing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system according to claim 2, wherein the scupper includes multiple discrete arcuate pockets, and comprising multiple passages, each passage fluidly interconnecting one of the arcuate pockets to one of the journal bearings, the first circumferential dimension corresponding to a width of the arcuate pocket. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the carrier includes a second wall spaced apart from and parallel to the first wall, the first and second walls including axial pairs of circumferentially spaced bores, each pair of bores removably receiving a journal bearing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system according to claim 5, wherein the journal bearings include an outer diameter, and the planetary gears include an inner diameter mating with the outer diameter, the journal bearings including a feed passage and a radially extending feed hole fluidly interconnecting the feed passage to the outer diameter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system according to claim 6, wherein the passage in the carrier is provided by a radially extending hole. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the sun gear includes a hub with an aperture configured to direct a lubricating fluid into a cavity adjacent to the scupper inlet. ### Claim 9 A carrier for a planetary gear system comprising: a first wall having spaced apart interior lateral surfaces with circumferentially spaced bores extending through the first wall, a second wall spaced apart from and parallel to the first wall, the first and second walls including axial pairs of circumferentially spaced bores, each pair of bores configured to support a rotationally fixed journal bearing on which a gear is mounted for rotation, and a scupper arranged between the lateral surfaces and providing an inlet in one of the lateral surfaces, the inlet having a first circumferential dimension, and a passage fluidly interconnecting the scupper to one of the bores, the passage having a second circumferential dimension less than the first circumferential dimension, the journal bearing including an axially extending inner feed passage in fluid communication with the passage and the scupper; a bushing arranged in the bore between the first wall and the journal bearing, the bushing and journal bearing respectively including first and second passageways fluidly connecting the passage in the carrier and the feed passage to one another; and an alignment feature rotationally fixing the journal bearing and the bushing relative to the carrier. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The carrier according to claim 9, wherein the scupper includes a pocket provided by parallel planar lateral interior surfaces adjoined by an arcuate interior surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The carrier according to claim 10, wherein the carrier includes a central opening, and the scupper includes an annular pocket circumscribing the central opening and including an inner diameter at the one of the lateral surfaces, the first circumferential dimension corresponding to the inner diameter, and comprising multiple passages, each passage extending from the annular pocket to interconnect to a corresponding bore. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The carrier according to claim 10, wherein the scupper includes multiple discrete arcuate pockets, and comprising multiple passages, each passage fluidly interconnecting one of the arcuate pockets to one of the bores, the first circumferential width corresponding to a width of the arcuate pocket. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The carrier according to claim 9, wherein the first and second walls are provided by a one-piece structure.