Gearbox assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12129803-B2
Application number	US-202318452882-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2023
Priority date	Jan 11, 2023
Publication date	Oct 29, 2024
Grant date	Oct 29, 2024

Abstract

A gearbox assembly includes a plurality of planet gears and a planet carrier including a plurality of planet gear pockets. Each planet gear is mounted in a respective planet gear pocket about a pin. The planet carrier is characterized by a planet carrier envelope in a range of 2.7 and 4.50. The planet carrier envelope is equal to a product of a planet gear pocket aspect ratio multiplied by a planet carrier radial ratio. The planet gear pocket aspect ratio is D p /L. The planet carrier radial ratio is D/aw. D p is a planet gear pocket diameter of the plurality of planet gear pockets, L is a planet gear pocket length of the plurality of planet gear pockets, D is a planet carrier diameter of the planet carrier, and aw is a pin center distance from a longitudinal axis of the planet carrier to an axis of the pin.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gearbox assembly comprising:
a plurality of planet gears; and
a planet carrier including a plurality of planet gear pockets, each of the plurality of planet gears mounted in a respective planet gear pocket about a pin, and the planet carrier characterized by a planet carrier envelope in a range of 2.70 and 4.50, the planet carrier envelope equal to a product of a planet gear pocket aspect ratio multiplied by a planet carrier radial ratio,
wherein the planet gear pocket aspect ratio is given by D p /L, and the planet carrier radial ratio is given by D/aw, wherein D p is a planet gear pocket diameter of the plurality of planet gear pockets in a circumferential direction, L is a planet gear pocket length of the plurality of planet gear pockets in an axial direction, D is a planet carrier diameter of the planet carrier in a radial direction, and aw is a pin center distance from a longitudinal axis of the planet carrier to an axis of the pin.

2. The gearbox assembly of claim 1 , wherein the planet carrier envelope is in a range of 3.08 and 4.06.

3. The gearbox assembly of claim 1 , wherein the planet gear pocket aspect ratio is in a range of 1.00 and 1.50.

4. The gearbox assembly of claim 1 , wherein the planet gear pocket aspect ratio is in a range of 1.10 and 1.40.

5. The gearbox assembly of claim 1 , wherein the planet carrier radial ratio is in a range of 2.70 and 3.00.

6. The gearbox assembly of claim 1 , wherein the planet carrier radial ratio is in a range of 2.80 and 2.90.

7. The gearbox assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gearbox assembly has a gear ratio in a range of 6:1 and 12:1.

8. The gearbox assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of planet gear pockets includes a generally octagonal shape.

9. The gearbox assembly of claim 8 , wherein the generally octagonal shape of the plurality of planet gear pockets includes a planet gear pocket angle α in a range of 100° and 170°.

10. The gearbox assembly of claim 1 , wherein the planet carrier includes a plurality of torque fingers that absorb torque through the planet carrier.

11. The gearbox assembly of claim 10 , wherein the planet carrier includes a plurality of torque fingers and a plurality of ribs, the plurality of torque fingers connected to a plurality of ribs at a torque finger connection portion.

12. The gearbox assembly of claim 11 , wherein the torque finger connection portion is at an axial distance X TF from a midplane of the planet carrier, the axial distance X TF ±20% of the planet gear pocket length L.

13. The gearbox assembly of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of torque fingers includes a generally trapezoidal shape including a first base and a second base connected by a pair of legs.

14. The gearbox assembly of claim 13 , wherein the pair of legs extends from the first base at a torque finger angle β, the torque finger angle β in a range of 30° and 80°.

15. A turbine engine comprising:
a low pressure turbine having a low pressure shaft;
a primary fan having a fan shaft; and
a gearbox assembly coupled to the low pressure shaft and the fan shaft and transferring torque from the low pressure shaft to the fan shaft, the gearbox assembly comprising:
a plurality of planet gears; and
a planet carrier including a plurality of planet gear pockets, each of the plurality of planet gears mounted in a respective planet gear pocket about a pin, and the planet carrier characterized by a planet carrier envelope in a range of 2.70 and 4.50, the planet carrier envelope equal to a product of a planet gear pocket aspect ratio multiplied by a planet carrier radial ratio,
wherein the planet gear pocket aspect ratio is given by D p /L, and the planet carrier radial ratio is given by D/aw, wherein D p is a planet gear pocket diameter of the plurality of planet gear pockets in a circumferential direction, L is a planet gear pocket length of the plurality of planet gear pockets in an axial direction, D is a planet carrier diameter of the planet carrier in a radial direction, and aw is a pin center distance from a longitudinal axis of the planet carrier to a central axis of the pin.

16. The turbine engine of claim 15 , wherein the planet carrier envelope is in a range of 3.06 and 4.08.

17. The turbine engine of claim 15 , wherein the planet gear pocket aspect ratio is in a range of 1.00 and 1.50.

18. The turbine engine of claim 15 , wherein the planet gear pocket aspect ratio is in a range of 1.10 and 1.40.

19. The turbine engine of claim 15 , wherein the planet carrier radial ratio is in a range of 2.70 and 3.00.

20. The turbine engine of claim 15 , wherein the planet carrier radial ratio is in a range of 2.80 and 2.90.

Assignees

• Ge Avio Srl
• Ge Aviation Czech S R O

Inventors

• Romano Aurelio
• Hrubec Juraj
• Coviello Leonardo

Classifications

• F05D2260/40311

  of the epicyclical, planetary or differential type · CPC title

• F02C7/36 Primary

  Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user ({F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and} F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H) · CPC title

• F16H2057/085

  Bearings for orbital gears · CPC title

• F16H2055/176

  Ring gears with inner teeth · CPC title

• F16H2001/327

  with the orbital gear having internal gear teeth · CPC title