# US 8,784,053 B2 · Fan shield and bearing housing for air cycle machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,784,053 B2 - Document ID: US8784053B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/974,472 - Filed: 2010-12-21 - Published: 2012-06-21 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2010-12-21 - Assignees: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Applicants: Darryl A. Colson; Seth E. Rosen; Eric Chrabascz - Inventors: Darryl A. Colson; Seth E. Rosen; Eric Chrabascz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8784053B2 ## CPC - F04D 25/024: {the driving means being assisted by a power recovery turbine} - F04D 19/002: {Axial flow fans} - F04D 29/541: {Specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps (F04D29/56 takes precedence)} - Y10T 29/49321: Assembling individual fluid flow interacting members, e.g., blades, vanes, buckets, on rotary support member - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A fan shield for an air cycle machine includes a fan shield body in the general shape of a frustum of a cone having curved sides. The curved sides define a radius of curvature and a center point of curvature that corresponds to the radius of curvature. The center point of curvature is an axial distance from a large end of the fan shield body and a radial distance from the central axis such that a ratio of the radial distance to the axial distance is between 1.160 and 1.360. A bearing housing includes a body that defines a cylindrical portion and an annular flange at one end. The annular flange includes a first attachment opening, a second attachment opening and a third attachment opening that are non-uniformly circumferentially spaced around the flange. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fan shield for an air cycle machine, the fan shield comprising: a fan shield body in the general shape of a frustum of a cone having curved sides that extend around a central axis, the curved sides define a radius of curvature (RC) and a center point of curvature that corresponds to the radius of curvature, the center point of curvature is an axial distance (DA) from a large end of the fan shield body and radial distance (DR) from the central axis such that a ratio DR/DA is between 1.160 and 1.360, wherein the fan shield body includes a first attachment opening, a second attachment opening and a third attachment opening that are non-uniformly circumferentially spaced around the fan shield body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fan shield as recited in claim 1, wherein the ratio DR/DA is between 1.210 and 1.310. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fan shield as recited in claim 1, wherein the ratio DR/DA is 1.260. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fan shield as recited in claim 1, wherein a ratio DR/RC is between 1.3 and 1.5. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The fan shield as recited in claim 4, wherein the ratio DR/RC is 1.4. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The fan shield as recited in claim 1, wherein a ratio DA/RC is between 1.011 and 1.211. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The fan shield as recited in claim 6, wherein the ratio DA/RC is 1.111. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The fan shield as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the first attachment opening, the second attachment opening and the third attachment opening are located at respective angular positions that define angles, alpha, beta and theta between respective pairs of the angular positions, and a ratio of alpha:beta:theta is 21:24:27. ### Claim 9 A bearing housing for an air cycle machine, the bearing housing comprising: a bearing housing body that defines a cylindrical portion that extends around a central axis and an annular flange at one end of the cylindrical portion, the annular flange includes a first attachment opening, a second attachment opening and a third attachment opening for attaching a fan shield body thereto, and the attachment openings are non-uniformly circumferentially spaced around the annular flange. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The bearing housing as recited in claim 9, wherein the first attachment opening, the second attachment opening and the third attachment opening are located at respective angular positions that define angles, alpha, beta and theta between respective pairs of the angular positions, and a ratio of alpha:beta:theta is 21:24:27. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The bearing housing as recited in claim 9, wherein the cylindrical portion includes a first portion defining a first outside diameter and a second portion defining a second outside diameter that is less than the first outside diameter. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The bearing housing as recited in claim 9, wherein the annular flange includes a thrust bearing surface on a side opposite from the cylindrical portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The bearing housing as recited in claim 9, wherein the cylindrical portion defines a bore that includes a plurality of circumferential grooves therein. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The bearing housing as recited in claim 9, wherein the annular flange includes additional circumferentially-spaced openings that are located radially outwards of the first attachment opening, the second attachment opening and the third attachment opening. ### Claim 15 An air cycle machine comprising: a main shaft having a compressor rotor and a turbine rotor mounted for rotation thereon; a fan rotor mounted on the main shaft and operable to produce an air flow; a fan shield body mounted near the fan rotor, the fan shield body is in the general shape of a frustum of a cone having curved sides and extends around a central axis, the curved sides define a flow path for the air flow from the fan rotor, the curved sides further define a radius of curvature and a center point of curvature that corresponds to the radius of curvature, the center point of curvature is an axial distance DA from a large end of the fan shield body and a radial distance DR from the central axis such that a ratio DR/DA is between 1.160 and 1.360; and a bearing housing body that defines a cylindrical portion that extends around the central axis and an annular flange at one end of the cylindrical portion, the annular flange includes a first attachment opening, a second attachment opening and a third attachment opening by which the fan shield body is secured to the bearing housing body, and the attachment openings are non-uniformly circumferentially spaced around the annular flange. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The air cycle machine as recited in claim 15, wherein the ratio DR/DA is between 1.210 and 1.310, and the first attachment opening, the second attachment opening and the third attachment opening are located at respective angular positions around the annular flange to define angles, alpha, beta and theta between respective pairs of the angular positions, and a ratio of alpha:beta:theta is 21:24:27. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The air cycle machine as recited in claim 16, wherein the ratio DR/DA is 1.260. ### Claim 18 A method of installing a fan shield and a bearing housing on an air cycle machine, the method comprising: securing an annular flange of a bearing housing body between a fan shield body and a structure of an air cycle machine such that, together, the fan shield body and the bearing housing body establish a fan air flow path, the fan shield body is in the general shape of a frustum of a cone having curved sides that extend around a central axis, the curved sides define a radius of curvature and a center point of curvature that corresponds to the radius of curvature, the center point of curvature is an axial distance DA from a large end of the fan shield body and a radial distance DR from the central axis such that a ratio DR/DA is between 1.160 and 1.360, and the bearing housing body defines a cylindrical portion that extends around a central axis and the annular flange at one end of the cylindrical portion, the annular flange includes a first attachment opening, a second attachment opening and a third attachment opening for attaching the fan shield body thereto, and the attachment openings are non-uniformly circumferentially spaced around the annular flange.