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US 9,988,159 B2Granted
Ram air turbine strut with integral gearbox and drive sections
AssigneeHamilton Sundstand Corporation
InventorsDavid Russ, Stephen Bortoli, Richard Schultz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ram air turbine is provided that utilizes a one-piece strut. The strut includes an integral gearbox section and an integral drive section. Within the strut, a turbine shaft and a bevel gear engages a driveshaft and a pinion gear, which transfers rotation from the turbine to a generator. The strut may be machined from a single piece of metal, such as aluminum.
Claims15
A ram air turbine comprising:
- a turbine comprising a blade;
- a strut removably coupled to the turbine, wherein the strut comprises a gearbox section integral with a drive section, wherein the strut comprises a generator adapter section integral with the drive section, wherein the drive section comprises a first end proximate the gearbox section and a second end, opposite the first end, proximate the generator adapter section;
- a turbine shaft comprising a bevel gear oriented perpendicularly to the turbine shaft and positioned within the gearbox section;
- a pinion gear comprising a lower face and a sleeve, opposite the lower face, having an interior and an exterior surface, and a pinion bearing coupled about the exterior surface of the sleeve, wherein the pinion gear engages the bevel gear;
- a pinion retainer coupled to the drive section, proximate the pinion bearing, at the first end of the drive section;
- and
- a driveshaft comprising a flange and a keyed joint and coupled at the interior surface of the sleeve to the pinion gear that engages the bevel gear, wherein flange contacts the sleeve, wherein the driveshaft extends entirely through the sleeve and the pinion gear, wherein a portion of the driveshaft extending entirely through the sleeve comprises a spanner nut coupled to the driveshaft and in contact with the lower face of the bevel gear, wherein an interference between the spanner nut and the lower face and an interference between the sleeve and the flange retains the pinion gear axially with respect to the driveshaft, and wherein the driveshaft is positioned within the drive section and is removably coupled to a power conversion device.
4 more elements
A strut assembly comprising:
- a gearbox section integral with a drive section;
- a generator adapter section integral with the drive section, wherein the drive section comprises a first end proximate the gearbox section and a second end, opposite the first end, proximate the generator adapter section;
- a turbine shaft comprising a bevel gear oriented perpendicularly to the turbine shaft and positioned within the gearbox section;
- a pinion gear comprising a lower face and a sleeve, opposite the lower face, having an interior and an exterior surface, and a pinion bearing coupled about the exterior surface of the sleeve, wherein the pinion gear engages the bevel gear;
- a pinion retainer coupled to the drive section, proximate the pinion bearing, at the first end of the drive section;
- and
- a driveshaft comprising a flange and a keyed joint and coupled at the interior surface of the sleeve to the pinion gear that engages with the bevel gear, wherein flange contacts the sleeve, wherein the driveshaft extends entirely through the sleeve and the pinion gear, wherein a portion of the driveshaft extending entirely through the sleeve comprises a spanner nut coupled to the driveshaft and in contact with the lower face of the bevel gear, wherein an interference between the spanner nut and the lower face and an interference between the sleeve and the flange retains the pinion gear axially with respect to the driveshaft, and wherein the driveshaft is positioned within the drive section.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.