Geared turbofan with integral front support and carrier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10280843-B2
Application number	US-201514633244-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2015
Priority date	Mar 7, 2014
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

A gas turbine engine includes a fan section including a fan hub. A speed reduction device includes a star gear system. A turbine section is connected to the fan section through the speed reduction device. A first fan bearing for supporting rotation of the fan hub is connected forward of the speed reduction device. A second fan bearing for supporting rotation of the fan hub is connected aft of the speed reduction device. A first outer race of the first fan bearing is attached to the fan hub.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a fan section including a fan hub;
a compressor section configured to rotate with the fan section;
a speed reduction device including a star gear system;
a turbine section connected to the fan section through the speed reduction device;
a first fan bearing for supporting rotation of the fan hub located axially forward of the speed reduction device;
a second fan bearing for supporting rotation of the fan hub located axially aft of the speed reduction device; and
a first outer race of the first fan bearing attached to the fan hub.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 including a first inner race of the first fan bearing fixed from rotation relative to an engine static structure and a second inner race of the second fan bearing fixed from rotation relative to the engine static structure.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 wherein the first bearing and the second bearing include at least one of roller bearings, ball bearings, or tapered bearings.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the star gear system includes a sun gear, star gears, a ring gear mechanically attached to the fan section, and a carrier fixed from rotation.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 4 , wherein each of the star gears include a star gear bearing.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 5 , wherein the carrier includes multiple flexible posts for mounting each of the star gears and the star gear bearing.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 wherein an inner race of a first bearing is fixed from rotation relative to a carrier and the carrier is fixed from rotation relative to an engine static structure.

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 wherein the speed reduction device is located radially in from a first compressor and the speed reduction device is axially aligned with the first compressor.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 including a carrier fixed from rotation relative to an engine static structure without a static flexible mount.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 wherein the speed reduction device is axially aligned with the compressor section.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 including a rotating compartment wall configured to rotate with the compressor section and form a seal with an engine static structure.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 wherein the first fan bearing is at least partially axially aligned with a fan blade of the fan section.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 wherein the compressor section includes a five stage low pressure compressor.

14. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 wherein the second fan bearing includes a second outer race and the first outer race and the second outer race are fixed relative to the fan hub and rotate with the fan hub in the same direction.

15. A fan drive gear module comprising
a sun gear;
a multitude of star gears surrounding the sun gear rotating on star gear bearings;
a carrier supporting the multitude of star gears and directly contacting each of the star gear bearings, the carrier is configured to support a fan hub with a first fan bearing located on a first side of the carrier and a second fan bearing located on a second opposite side of the carrier, wherein the carrier is configured to be fixed from rotation relative to an engine static structure without a static flexible mount; and
a first outer race of the first fan bearing and a second outer race of the second fan bearing are fixed relative to the fan hub and rotate with the fan hub in the same direction.

16. The fan drive gear module of claim 15 wherein the carrier includes multiple flexible posts for mounting each of the multitude of star gears and the star gear bearings.

17. The fan drive gear module of claim 15 including a ring gear fixed relative to the fan hub.

18. A method of designing a gas turbine engine comprising:
coupling a speed reduction device between a fan hub and a low pressure turbine drive shaft;
positioning a first fan bearing forward of the speed reduction device, wherein a first outer race of the first fan bearing is fixed relative to a fan hub and rotates with the fan hub relative to an engine static structure; and
positioning a second fan bearing aft of the speed reduction device and an outer race of the second fan bearing is fixed relative to the fan hub and rotates in the same rotational direction as the first outer race.

19. The method of claim 18 including positioning a first inner race of the first fan bearing and a second inner race of the second fan bearing are fixed from rotation relative to the engine static structure.

20. The method of claim 18 including fixing a ring gear from the speed reduction device relative to the fan hub to allow the ring gear to rotate with the fan hub.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Sheridan William G

Classifications

• F01D15/12

  Combinations with mechanical gearing (driven by multiple engines F01D13/00) · CPC title

• F05D2260/40311

  of the epicyclical, planetary or differential type · CPC title

• F05D2230/60

  Assembly methods · CPC title

• F02C7/36 Primary

  Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user ({F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and} F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H) · CPC title

• F02C3/107

  with two or more rotors connected by power transmission · CPC title