Apparatus and methods for powering an electrical device associated with an aircraft rotor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10717543-B2
Application number	US-201715797249-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2017
Priority date	Jul 23, 2014
Publication date	Jul 21, 2020
Grant date	Jul 21, 2020

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for generating electrical power for powering a device associated with a bladed rotor driven by a gas turbine engine of an aircraft are disclosed. The apparatus includes a rotor shaft coupled the bladed rotor of the aircraft and driven by a turbine shaft of the engine via a speed-reducing gear train. A speed-augmenting power transfer device has an input coupled to the rotor shaft and an output for outputting a rotation speed higher than a rotation speed of the rotor shaft received at the input of the speed-augmenting power transfer device. An electric generator disposed in a hub of the bladed rotor is coupled to the output of the speed-augmenting power transfer device and configured to generate electrical power for the device associated with the bladed rotor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for powering an electrically-powered and rotor-mounted device of a bladed rotor driven by a gas turbine engine of an aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
a rotor shaft configured to be coupled to the bladed rotor and to be driven by a turbine shaft of the engine;
a speed-augmenting power transfer device having an input coupled to the rotor shaft and an output for outputting a rotation speed higher than a rotation speed of the rotor shaft received at the input of the speed-augmenting power transfer device;
an electric generator coupled to the output of the speed-augmenting power transfer device and configured to be disposed inside a hub of the bladed rotor and to supply electrical power to the electrically-powered and rotor-mounted device of the bladed rotor; and
an electrical conductor associated with the operation of the electrically-powered and rotor-mounted device of the bladed rotor, the electrical conductor being routed through a passage defined through the speed-augmenting power transfer device.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the electrical conductor is routed from a location within the hub of the bladed rotor to a location away from the bladed rotor.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the electrical conductor comprises an electrical wire configured to supply emergency power to the electrically-powered and rotor-mounted device of the bladed rotor.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the electrical conductor is also routed through the rotor shaft.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the electrically-powered and rotor-mounted device of the bladed rotor is a blade pitch control system.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the electrically-powered and rotor-mounted device of the bladed rotor is a de-icing system.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein hydraulic power is routed through the passage.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein a mechanical linkage is routed through the passage.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the output of the speed-augmenting power transfer device outputs rotational motion in a direction opposite that of the rotor shaft.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the output of the speed-augmenting power transfer device and the rotor shaft are substantially coaxial.

11. An aircraft engine comprising:
a bladed rotor comprising a hub and an electrically-powered and rotor-mounted device configured to carry out a function associated with the bladed rotor;
a rotor shaft coupled to drive the bladed rotor, the rotor shaft being coupled to be driven by a turbine shaft of the engine;
a speed-augmenting power transfer device having an input coupled to the rotor shaft and an output for outputting a rotation speed higher than a rotation speed of the rotor shaft received at the input of the speed-augmenting power transfer device;
an electric generator coupled to the output of the speed-augmenting power transfer device and disposed inside the hub of the bladed rotor, the electric generator being configured to supply electrical power to the electrically-powered and rotor-mounted device of the bladed rotor; and
an electrical conductor associated with the operation of the electrically-powered and rotor-mounted device of the bladed rotor, the electrical conductor being routed through a passage defined through the speed-augmenting power transfer device.

12. The aircraft engine as defined in claim 11 , wherein the rotor shaft is coupled to be driven by the turbine shaft of the engine via a speed-reducing power transfer device.

13. The aircraft engine as defined in claim 11 , wherein the electrical conductor is routed from a location within the hub of the bladed rotor to a location away from the bladed rotor.

14. The aircraft engine as defined in claim 11 , wherein the electrical conductor comprises an electrical wire configured to supply emergency power to the electrically-powered and rotor-mounted device of the bladed rotor.

15. The aircraft engine as defined in claim 11 , wherein the electrical conductor is also routed through the rotor shaft.

16. The aircraft engine as defined in claim 11 , wherein the electrically-powered and rotor-mounted device of the bladed rotor is a blade pitch control system.

17. The aircraft engine as defined in claim 11 , wherein the electrically-powered and rotor-mounted device of the bladed rotor is a de-icing system.

18. The aircraft engine as defined in claim 11 , wherein hydraulic power is routed through the passage.

19. The aircraft engine as defined in claim 11 , wherein a mechanical linkage is routed through the passage.

20. The aircraft engine of claim 11 , wherein the output of the speed-augmenting power transfer device and the rotor shaft are substantially coaxial.

Assignees

• Pratt & Whitney Canada

Inventors

• Mitrovic Lazar
• Ullyott Richard

Classifications

• B64C11/44 Primary

  electric · CPC title

• F02C7/32

  Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries · CPC title

• B64C11/02

  Hub construction · CPC title

• B64D27/10

  of gas-turbine type  (jet aircraft B64D27/16) · CPC title

• B64D15/14

  controlled cyclically along length of surface · CPC title