Device for driving a shaft of a jet engine for inspection purposes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11926438-B2
Application number	US-201917422208-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2019
Priority date	Jan 14, 2019
Publication date	Mar 12, 2024
Grant date	Mar 12, 2024

Abstract

A device drives a shaft of a jet engine for inspection purposes. The device has: a drive having a part co-rotating with the shaft. The co-rotating part of the unit is configured to lie against a spinner of the shaft and is secured in a non-rotatable manner to at least one fan blade arranged on the shaft using at least one strap.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for driving a shaft of a jet engine for inspection purposes, the device comprising:
a drive comprising a part co-rotating with the shaft,
wherein the co-rotating part of the unit is configured to lie against a spinner of the shaft and is secured in a non-rotatable manner to at least one fan blade arranged on the shaft using at least one strap.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the non-co-rotating part of the drive comprises a linkage assembly configured to be supported against the housing of the jet engine.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein an extension arm for a counterweight is on the non-co-rotating part of the drive, the counterweight being configured to apply a torque to the shaft.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one strap is configured to be fastened to the co-rotating part of the drive at one end, and has a hook configured to hook to the at least one fan blade at the other end.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one strap is configured to be fastened to the co-rotating part of the drive at both ends, wherein one end of the at least one strap is fixedly connected to the drive.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein a contact surface of the co-rotating part of the drive lies against the spinner and has a surface coating for improving grip or an element for improving grip and is configured to be arranged between the co-rotating part of the drive and the spinner.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the device has an angle transmitter for detecting an angle of the co-rotating part of the drive in relation to the non-co-rotating part of the drive, and a controller that is configured to control the device to approach a predefined angle position via the drive.

8. A device for driving a shaft of a jet engine for inspection purposes, the device comprising:
a drive having a clamp for a detachable and non-destructive fastening of the drive to a fan blade of the jet engine arranged on the shaft and having a friction wheel driven by the drive, the friction wheel being configured to lie against the housing of the jet engine, and
a spring configured to press the friction wheel against the housing of the jet engine.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8 ,
wherein the clamp comprises three point clamps arranged in a triangle, two clamping jaws of which are arranged on opposites sides of a U-shaped section.

10. The device as claimed in claim 8 ,
wherein the spring is configured to be fixed selectively in a compressed state for load-free mounting.

11. The device as claimed in claim 8 ,
comprising a lockable ball joint between the clamp and the spring that is configured to adjust a relative position of the clamp and the spring.

12. The device as claimed in claim 8 ,
wherein the device has a coupling configured to connect an external power supply.

13. The device as claimed in claim 8 ,
wherein the device has an angle transmitter for determining an angle of the drive in relation to the perpendicular, wherein a controller is configured to control the device for approaching a predefined angle position via the drive.

14. The device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein two clamping jaws of the three point clamps are arranged on opposites sides of a U-shaped section.

15. A device for driving a shaft of a jet engine for inspection purposes, the device comprising:
a drive having a clamp for a detachable and non-destructive fastening of the drive to a fan blade of the jet engine arranged on the shaft and having a friction wheel driven by the drive, the friction wheel being configured to lie against the housing of the jet engine,
a spring configured to press the friction wheel against the housing of the jet engine, and
a lockable ball joint between the clamp and the spring that is configured to adjust a relative position of the clamp and the spring.

Assignees

• Lufthansa Technik Ag

Inventors

• Peters Jan Oke
• Thies Michael
• Pott Johann

Classifications

• B64F5/60 Primary

  Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems · CPC title

• F01D25/285

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

• F02C7/32

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

• F05D2220/36

  specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines · CPC title

• F05D2260/402

  through friction drives · CPC title