Transmission lubricating structure of helicopter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11892074-B2
Application number	US-201917277497-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2019
Priority date	Sep 21, 2018
Publication date	Feb 6, 2024
Grant date	Feb 6, 2024

Abstract

A transmission lubricating structure includes a power transmitting shaft, a main lubricating circuit, and an auxiliary lubricating circuit. The power transmitting shaft includes an ejection hole communicating an inside with an outside of the power transmitting shaft. The main lubricating circuit includes: a main nozzle having a nozzle hole through which lubricating oil supplied from a main tank is discharged to the internal space of the power transmitting shaft; and a hydraulic pump configured to supply the lubricating oil by pressure from the main tank to the main nozzle. The auxiliary lubricating circuit includes an auxiliary nozzle arranged lower than an auxiliary tank and higher than a lubrication target at the outside of the power transmitting shaft, the auxiliary nozzle being configured to drop the lubricating oil, supplied from the auxiliary tank by an own weight of the lubricating oil, toward the lubrication target.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A transmission lubricating structure of a helicopter,
the transmission lubricating structure comprising:
a hollow power transmitting shaft including an ejection hole through which an internal space of the power transmitting shaft fluidically communicates with an outside of the power transmitting shaft, the power transmitting shaft being arranged in such a posture as to be inclined relative to a horizontal direction and a vertical direction of the helicopter in a landing state;
bearings supporting the power transmitting shaft such that the power transmitting shaft is rotatable, the bearings being adjacently arranged so as to be lined up in an axial direction of the power transmitting shaft;
a main lubricating circuit including
a main tank in which lubricating oil is stored,
a main nozzle having a nozzle hole through which the lubricating oil supplied from the main tank is discharged to the internal space of the power transmitting shaft, and
a hydraulic pump configured to supply the lubricating oil by pressure from the main tank to the main nozzle; and

an auxiliary lubricating circuit including
an auxiliary tank in which the lubricating oil is stored and
an auxiliary nozzle arranged lower than the auxiliary tank and higher than the bearings at the outside of the power transmitting shaft, the auxiliary nozzle facing an uppermost one of the bearings in an alignment direction where the bearings are lined up, the auxiliary nozzle being configured to drop the lubricating oil, supplied from the auxiliary tank by an own weight of the lubricating oil, toward the uppermost one of the bearings from above in the alignment direction.

2. The transmission lubricating structure according to claim 1 , wherein a nozzle hole of the auxiliary nozzle is smaller than the nozzle hole of the main nozzle.

3. The transmission lubricating structure according to claim 1 , wherein:
the main lubricating circuit includes a main line through which the lubricating oil in the main tank is introduced to the main nozzle; and
the auxiliary lubricating circuit includes
a supply line through which the lubricating oil in the main tank is introduced to the auxiliary tank and
an auxiliary line through which the lubricating oil in the auxiliary tank is introduced to the auxiliary nozzle.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Ogasawara Kenta

Classifications

• F16H57/0442 Primary

  for supply in case of failure, i.e. auxiliary supply · CPC title

• F16H57/043

  within rotary parts, e.g. axial channels or radial openings in shafts · CPC title

• F16H57/0456

  Lubrication by injection; Injection nozzles or tubes therefor (oil mist or spray lubrication F16H57/0458) · CPC title

• F16H57/0465

  Drop-feed lubrication · CPC title

• F16N7/02

  with gravity feed or drip lubrication · CPC title