Electric motor propulsion system for an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12409940-B2
Application number	US-202318209892-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2023
Priority date	Jun 14, 2023
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

An assembly for a propulsion system of an aircraft includes a gearbox module, an electric motor assembly, a first accessory load assembly, and a propulsor. The gearbox module includes a gear assembly and an output shaft. The gear assembly includes a main gear and a plurality of offset gears. The electric motor assembly includes an electric motor. The electric motor includes a rotor. The rotor is mounted to a first offset gear of the plurality of offset gears. The rotor is configured for rotation about a rotational axis to drive rotation of the gear assembly and the output shaft. The first accessory load assembly includes at least one first accessory load. The at least one first accessory load is mounted to a second offset gear of the plurality of offset gears. The propulsor is coupled to the output shaft.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An assembly for a propulsion system of an aircraft, the assembly comprising:
a gearbox module including a gear assembly and an output shaft, the output shaft includes a first axial end and a second axial end, the gear assembly includes a main gear and a plurality of offset gears, the plurality of offset gears are directly engaged with the main gear, the output shaft and the main gear are configured for rotation about an axial centerline of the gear assembly;
an electric motor assembly including an electric motor, the electric motor includes a rotor, the rotor is mounted to a first offset gear of the plurality of offset gears, the rotor is configured for rotation about a rotational axis to drive rotation of the gear assembly and the output shaft;
a first accessory load assembly including at least one first accessory load, the at least one first accessory load is mounted to a second offset gear of the plurality of offset gears;
a propulsor coupled to the first axial end of the output shaft; and
a second accessory load assembly including at least one second accessory load, the at least one second accessory load is mounted to the second axial end of the output shaft.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rotational axis is radially offset from the axial centerline.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the output shaft is fixedly mounted to the main gear.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first accessory load assembly is axially coincident with the electric motor assembly.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second accessory load assembly is axially coincident with the electric motor assembly.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the output shaft includes a bevel gear, the assembly further comprising a third accessory load assembly including at least one third accessory load, the at least one third accessory load is engaged with the bevel gear.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gear assembly further includes a ring gear engaged with each of the offset gears, the ring gear is mounted to the output shaft and configured to drive the output shaft for rotation about the axial centerline.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the gearbox module includes a gearbox housing surrounding the gear assembly and the output shaft;
the electric motor assembly includes a motor housing; and
the motor housing is mounted to the gearbox housing.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the electric motor assembly further includes a mount assembly mounting the motor housing to the gearbox housing, the mount assembly includes a motor bracket and a plurality of struts, the motor bracket is mounted to the motor housing at an aft end of the motor housing, each of the plurality of struts extends between and connects the motor bracket to the gearbox housing.

10. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first accessory load assembly includes an oil pump disposed at a vertical bottom of the gearbox module.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the gearbox module includes a gearbox housing surrounding the gear assembly and the output shaft, and the oil pump is disposed within the gearbox housing.

12. An assembly for a propulsion system of an aircraft, the assembly comprising:
a propulsor;
a gearbox module including a gear assembly and an output shaft, the gear assembly includes a main gear and a plurality of offset gears, the main gear is configured for rotation about an axial centerline of the gear assembly, the plurality of offset gears are directly engaged with the main gear, the plurality of offset gears includes a first offset gear and a plurality of second offset gears, the output shaft extends along the axial centerline in a first direction and interconnects the propulsor and the main gear;
an electric motor assembly including an electric motor, the electric motor includes a rotor, the rotor is mounted to the first offset gear, the rotor is configured for rotation about a rotational axis to drive rotation of the first offset gear;
a plurality of accessory load assemblies, each accessory load assembly of the plurality of accessory load assemblies including at least one accessory load coupled to a respective second offset gear of the plurality of second offset gears; and
a second accessory load assembly including at least one second accessory load, the output shaft extends along the axial centerline in a second direction, opposing the first direction, and interconnects the at least one second accessory load and the main gear.

13. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of accessory load assemblies are axially coincident with the electric motor assembly.

14. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein each offset gear of the plurality of offset gears is disposed radially adjacent the main gear with respect to the axial centerline.

15. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the rotational axis is radially offset from the axial centerline.

16. An assembly for a propulsion system of an aircraft, the assembly comprising:
a propulsor;
a gearbox module including a gear assembly and an output shaft, the gear assembly includes a main gear and a plurality of offset gears, the plurality of offset gears are directly engaged with the main gear, the plurality of offset gears includes a first offset gear and a plurality of second offset gears, the output shaft interconnects the propulsor and the main gear;
an electric motor assembly including an electric motor, the electric motor includes a rotor, the rotor is mounted to the first offset gear, the rotor is configured for rotation about a rotational axis to drive rotation of the first offset gear; and
a plurality of accessory load assemblies, each accessory load assembly of the plurality of accessory load assemblies including at least one accessory load coupled to a respective gear of the main gear or the plurality of offset gears, a first accessory load assembly of the plurality of load assemblies including a first accessory load, the first accessory load mounted to the output shaft.

17. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein the gearbox module includes a gearbox housing surrounding the gear assembly and the output shaft.

18. The assembly of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of accessory load assemblies includes a second accessory load assembly including a second accessory load and a third accessory load, the second accessory load disposed within the gearbox housing and the third accessory load disposed outside the gearbox housing.

19. The assembly of claim 18 , wherein the second accessory load is an oil pump disposed at a vertical bottom of the gearbox housing.

Assignees

• Pratt & Whitney Canada

Inventors

• Durocher Eric S
• Labrecque Michel

Classifications

• H02K7/116

  with gears · CPC title

• F16H2057/02082

  for application in vehicles other than propelling, e.g. adjustment of parts · CPC title

• F16H2057/02043

  for vehicle transmissions · CPC title

• F16H2057/02034

  Gearboxes combined or connected with electric machines · CPC title

• F16H2057/02026

  Connection of auxiliaries with a gear case; Mounting of auxiliaries on the gearbox · CPC title