Phonic wheel with output voltage tuning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10801360-B2
Application number	US-201816023072-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2018
Priority date	Jun 29, 2018
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

Herein provided is a phonic wheel for use in a gas turbine engine and associated systems and methods. The phonic wheel comprises a circular disk having first and second opposing faces. The circular disk defines a root surface that extends between and circumscribes the first and second faces. A first plurality of projections extend from the root surface and are oriented substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of the disk. The first plurality of projections are circumferentially spaced substantially equally from one another and each have a first physical configuration. At least one second projection extends from the root surface and is positioned between two adjacent first projections, the at least one second projection having a second physical configuration different from the first physical configuration.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A phonic wheel for use in a gas turbine engine, the phonic wheel comprising:
a circular disk having first and second opposing faces, the circular disk defining a root surface that extends between and circumscribes the first and second faces;
a first plurality of projections extending from the root surface and oriented substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of the disk, the first plurality of projections circumferentially spaced substantially equally from one another and each having a first physical configuration which produces a first signal pulse when detected within a sensing zone of a sensor; and
at least one second projection extending from the root surface at an angle relative to the first plurality of projections and positioned between two adjacent first projections, the at least one second projection having a second physical configuration different from the first physical configuration which produces a second signal pulse when detected with the sensing zone of the sensor, the second signal pulse being equalized relative to the first signal pulse.

2. The phonic wheel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one second projection having a second physical configuration different from the first physical configuration comprises the at least one second projection having a height greater than that the first plurality of projections.

3. The phonic wheel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one second projection having a second physical configuration different from the first physical configuration comprises the at least one second projection having a width greater than that of the first plurality of projections.

4. The phonic wheel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one second projection having a second physical configuration different from the first physical configuration comprises the at least one second projection having a shape different from that of the first plurality of projections.

5. The phonic wheel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one second projection having a second physical configuration different from the first physical configuration comprises the at least one second projection being fabricated from a material different than that from which the first plurality of projections are fabricated.

6. The phonic wheel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one second projection is positioned substantially equidistant between the two adjacent ones of the first plurality of projections.

7. The phonic wheel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one second projection is positioned closer to a particular one of the two adjacent ones of the first plurality of projections than to a second one thereof.

8. The phonic wheel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one second projection is disposed at a 45° angle relative to the first plurality of projections.

9. A phonic wheel system for a gas turbine engine, the system comprising:
a phonic wheel, comprising:
a first plurality of projections extending from a root surface of the phonic wheel and oriented substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of the phonic wheel, the first plurality of projections circumferentially spaced substantially equally from one another and each having a first physical configuration; and
at least one second projection extending from the root surface at an angle relative to the first plurality of projections and positioned between two adjacent first projections, the at least one second projection having a second physical configuration different from the first physical configuration; and

a sensor adjacent the phonic wheel and configured for:
sensing passage of the first plurality of projections and the at least one second projection as the phonic wheel rotates; and
producing, in response to sensing the first plurality of projections and the at least one second projection, a signal comprising a series of first pulses and at least one second pulse, wherein the at least one second pulse produced in response to sensing the at least one second projection are substantially equalized with the series of first pulses produced in response to sensing the first plurality of projections due to the second physical configuration being different from the first physical configuration.

10. The phonic wheel of claim 9 , wherein the sensor is configured for sensing within a sensing zone, wherein the second physical configuration being different from the first physical configuration causes a portion of the at least one second projection in the sensing zone to be substantially equivalent to a portion of one of the first projections to equalize the at least one second pulse with the series of first pulses.

11. The phonic wheel system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one second projection having a second physical configuration different from the first physical configuration comprises the at least one second projection having at least one of a height, a width, and a shape different than that the first plurality of projections.

12. The phonic wheel system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one second projection is positioned substantially equidistant between the two adjacent ones of the first plurality of projections.

13. The phonic wheel system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one second projection is positioned closer to a particular one of the two adjacent ones of the first plurality of projections than to a second one thereof.

14. The phonic wheel system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one second projection is disposed at a 45° angle relative to the first plurality of projections.

15. A method for sensing a phonic wheel in a gas turbine engine, the phonic wheel defining a root surface that extends between and circumscribes first and second faces, the method comprising:
producing a series of first signal pulses responsive to detecting, within a sensing zone of a sensor, a first plurality of projections extending from the root surface and circumferentially spaced substantially equally from one another, the first plurality of projections having a first physical configuration, the series of first signal pulses forming part of a signal; and
producing at least one second signal pulse responsive to detecting, within the sensing zone of the sensor, at least one second projection extending from the root surface at an angle relative to the first plurality of projections and positioned between two adjacent first projections, the at least one second projection having a second physical configuration different from the first physical configuration, the at least one second signal pulse forming part of the signal;
the first and second signal pulses being equalized due to a portion of the at least one second projection sensed in the sensing zone being substantially equivalent to a portion of one of the first projections sensed in the sensing zone, as a result of the first physical configuration being different from the second physical configuration.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one second signal pulse is produced responsive to detecting the at least one second projection having the second physical configuration comprising at least one of a second height, second width, and a second shape different from the first physical configuration comprising a corresponding at least one of a first height, a first width, and a first shape.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one second signal pulse is produced responsive to detecting the at least one second projection fabricated from a second material different than a first material from which the first plurality of projections are fabricated.

Assignees

• Pratt & Whitney Canada

Inventors

• Yakobov Ella

Classifications

• B64C11/301

  characterised by blade position indicating means · CPC title

• F05D2240/24

  for turbines · CPC title

• G01P3/481

  of pulse signals · CPC title

• F02C7/00 Primary

  Features, components parts, details or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart form groups F02C1/00 - F02C6/00; Air intakes for jet-propulsion plants (controlling F02C9/00) · CPC title

• F05D2270/02

  to control rotational speed (n) · CPC title