Alignment of a bearing compartment and an engine case

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10337355-B2
Application number	US-201615004605-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2016
Priority date	Jan 22, 2016
Publication date	Jul 2, 2019
Grant date	Jul 2, 2019

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a first device coupled to a bearing compartment structure, a second device coupled to an engine case structure, and a controller. The controller is configured to: issue a command to one of the first device or the second device to generate a signal, obtain data from the other of the one of the first device or the second device, where the data is based on the signal, process the data to determine that a skew exists between the bearing compartment structure and the engine case structure in an amount that is greater than a threshold, identify at least one torqueing device to activate based on processing the data, and cause the at least one torqueing device to activate to cause the bearing compartment structure and the engine case structure to align within the threshold amount.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for aligning a bearing compartment structure relative to an engine case structure, the system comprising:
an optical transmitter that is coupled to the bearing compartment structure and transmits an optical transmit signal in response to a command signal;
an optical detector that is coupled to the engine case structure, detects the optical transmit signal and provides a detected signal indicative of position of the bearing compartment structure with respect to the engine case structure;
a controller that issues the command signal, receives the detected signal indicative of the position of the bearing compartment structure with respect to the engine case structure, and processes the detected signal to determine if a coaxial skew exists between the bearing compartment and the engine case structure, and issues at least one of a plurality of torque application command signals to position the bearing compartment and the engine case structure in coaxial alignment; and
a plurality of controllable rods, extending radially between the bearing compartment and the engine case structure, that each receives an associated one of the plurality of torque application signals.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the controllable rods includes an associated drive unit that applies torque to a nut that transfers torque to the associated control rod in response to the associated at least one of the plurality of torque application command signals.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein a first end of each of the plurality of controllable rods is coupled to the bearing compartment structure and a second end of each of the plurality of controllable rods is coupled to the engine case structure.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of controllable rods comprises an associated at least one of an electronic motor or a servomotor that applies a torque onto the associated one of the plurality of controllable rods in response to the associated at least one of the plurality of torque application command signals.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller provides an alert signal when the controller determines that the bearing compartment structure and the engine case structure are in coaxial alignment.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Witlicki Russell B
• Rosen Daniel
• Rothchild Alexander
• Amador Armando

Classifications

• F05D2260/15

  Load balancing · CPC title

• F01D25/285 Primary

  Temporary support structures, e.g. for testing, assembling, installing, repairing; Assembly methods using such structures · CPC title

• G05D17/02

  characterised by the use of electric means · CPC title

• F01D25/24

  Casings (modified for heating or cooling F01D25/14); Casing parts, e.g. diaphragms, casing fastenings (casings for rotary machines or engines in general F16M {; special arrangements in stators dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor F01D21/045}) · CPC title

• B23P19/042

  specially adapted for combustion engines (shape of casings adapted to facilitate fitting or dismantling of engine parts for combustion engines F02F7/0046) · CPC title