Planetary gear system arrangement with auxiliary oil system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12428975-B2
Application number	US-202318536711-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2023
Priority date	Oct 12, 2010
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

A gas turbine engine includes a fan shaft diving a fan having fan blades. The gas turbine engine also includes a gear system including a sun gear surrounded by a plurality of intermediate gear, a carrier at least partially supporting said plurality of intermediate gears, and a ring gear surrounding said plurality of intermediate gears, wherein said sun gear is driven by a turbine. The gas turbine engine also includes a flexible coupling fixing said ring gear from rotation relative to an engine static structure and a lubricating system for said gear system. Said lubricating system includes a lubricant input, there being a stationary first bearing receiving lubricant from said lubricant input. Said bearing has an inner first race in which lubricant flows, and a second bearing for rotation within said first bearing. Said second bearing has a first opening in registration with said inner first race such that lubricant may flow from said inner first race through said first opening into a first conduit. Said first conduit is in fluid communication with said plurality of intermediate gears. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a fan shaft driving a fan having fan blades;
a gear system including a sun gear surrounded by a plurality of intermediate gear, a carrier at least partially supporting said plurality of intermediate gears, and a ring gear surrounding said plurality of intermediate gears, wherein said sun gear is driven by a turbine;
a flexible coupling fixing said ring gear from rotation relative to an engine static structure; and
a lubricating system for said gear system, said lubricating system including a lubricant input, there being a stationary first bearing receiving lubricant from said lubricant input, said first bearing having an inner first race in which lubricant flows, and a second race for rotation within said first bearing, said second race having a first opening in registration with said inner first race such that lubricant may flow from said inner first race through said first opening into a first conduit, wherein said first conduit is in fluid communication with said plurality of intermediate gears.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein said ring gear includes a recess located radially outward of gear teeth on said ring gear.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 2 , wherein said ring gear includes a radially extending fluid passage for directing lubricant from said first conduit to said flexible coupling.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 3 , wherein said ring gear comprises a first gear portion with a first set of teeth and a second gear portion with a second set of teeth, wherein said recess is configured to balance force transmitted through said ring gear and said recess comprises a first half-recess in said first gear portion and a second half-recess in said second gear portion.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 4 , further comprising a forward gutter and an aft gutter around an outer edge of said ring gear to collect lubrication used by said lubrication system.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 5 , wherein said aft gutter is spaced radially from said forward gutter.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 6 , wherein said aft gutter is in fluid communication with said forward gutter through an axially extending passage in said ring gear.

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein said first bearing further comprises a stationary second race into which lubricant flows, and said second bearing having a second opening in registration with said second race such that lubricant flows from said second race through said second opening into a second conduit.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , wherein said second conduit passes lubricant to a component of said gas turbine engine.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , wherein said first conduit passes lubricant to a first part of said gas turbine engine and said second conduit passes lubricant to a second part of said gas turbine engine different from said first part of said gas turbine engine.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein said second conduit passes lubricant to a spray bar, wherein said spray bar is disposed on said carrier and provides lubricant to said plurality of intermediate gears and to said ring gear.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein said first bearing had a third inner race and said second bearing has a third opening in registration with said third inner race and a third conduit for passing lubricant through said first spray bar.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , further comprising a second spray bar extending from said first spray bar.

14. The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , wherein said second spray bar provides lubricant to a low spool of said gas turbine engine.

15. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein said ring gear comprises a recess and a first gear portion with a first set of teeth and a second gear portion with a second set of teeth, and wherein said recess comprises a first half-recess radially outward of gear teeth in said first gear portion and a second half-recess radially outward of gear teeth in said second gear portion.

16. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a fan shaft driving a fan having fan blades;
a gear system including a sun gear surrounded by a plurality of intermediate gear, a carrier at least partially supporting said plurality of intermediate gears, and a ring gear surrounding said plurality of intermediate gears, wherein said sun gear is driven by a turbine;
said ring gear fixed from rotation relative to an engine static structure, a carrier supporting said at least one planetary gear, said carrier driving said fan; and
a flexible coupling fixing said ring gear from rotation relative to an engine static structure;
a lubricating system for said planetary gear train, said lubricating system including a stationary oil transfer bearing configured to receive lubrication for said lubricating system, and at least one gutter around an outer edge of said ring gear to collect lubrication used by said lubrication system; and
a low spool for driving said fan via said planetary gear train;
wherein said at least one gutter includes a forward gutter and an aft gutter located around an outer edge of said ring gear to collect lubrication used by said lubrication system;
wherein said aft gutter is spaced radially from said forward gutter; and
wherein said aft gutter is in fluid communication with said forward gutter through an axially extending passage in said ring gear.

17. The gas turbine engine of claim 16 , wherein said stationary oil transfer bearing is a first bearing and further comprising a second race projecting aft from said carrier about said low spool and said stationary oil transfer bearing is prevented from rotation by attachment to said at least one gutter.

18. The gas turbine engine of claim 17 , wherein said first bearing has an inner first race in which lubricant flows, and said second bearing is configured for rotation within said first bearing, said second bearing having a first opening in registration with said inner first race such that lubricant may flow from said inner first race through said first opening into a first conduit.

19. The gas turbine engine of claim 18 , wherein said stationary oil transfer bearing is attached to said at least one gutter via a link, said link attached to an oil input coupling via a tab, said oil input coupling attached to said at least one gutter.

20. The gas turbine engine of claim 19 , wherein said tab includes ears extending from said tab, and said link is attached to said ears via a pin.

21. The gas turbine engine of claim 19 , wherein said stationary oil transfer bearing includes a boss, said boss including a pair of ears, and wherein said link is attached to said boss via a ball and a pin extending through said ball and said pair of ears.

22. The gas turbine engine of claim 21 , wherein said ball allows said oil transfer bearing to flex or torque with said low spool.

23. The gas turbine engine of claim 18 , wherein said first bearing also has a stationary second race into which lubricant flows, and said second bearing having a second opening in registration with said second race such that lubricant flows from said second race through said second opening into a second conduit.

24. The gas turbine engine of claim 23 , wherein said first conduit passes lubricant to a first part of said gas turbine engine, and said second conduit passes lubricant to a second part of said gas turbine engine differen

Assignees

• Rtx Corp

Inventors

• Sheridan William G
• Mccune Michael E
• Portlock Lawrence E

Classifications

• F01N2900/1814

  Tank level · CPC title

• F01N2610/148

  Arrangement of sensors · CPC title

• F01N2610/142

  Controlling the filling of the tank · CPC title

• F01N2610/1406

  Storage means for substances, e.g. tanks or reservoirs · CPC title

• F01N2610/02

  the substance being ammonia or urea · CPC title