Accessory gearbox with a starter/generator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9650964-B2
Application number	US-97957910-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2010
Priority date	Dec 28, 2010
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

An assembly for a gas turbine engine comprising an accessory gearbox comprising a drive gear and pinion gear and a starter/generator mechanically mounted to the accessory gearbox. The starter/generator comprising a housing and a portion of a rotatable shaft with a safety disconnect where the safety disconnect is located within the housing of the starter/generator.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An assembly for a gas turbine engine comprising: an accessory gearbox (AGB) comprising:
an AGB housing defining a first interior and comprising a sidewall;
a first shaft portion mounted for rotation within the first interior of the AGB housing;
a first bearing mounted between the sidewall and the first shaft portion;
a pinion gear extending through the sidewall and mounted to the first shaft portion for co-rotation; and
a drive gear located within the AGB housing and enmeshed with the pinion gear;
a starter generator (S/G) comprising:
a S/G housing defining a second interior fluidly isolated from the first interior; and
a second shaft portion mounted for rotation within the second interior of the S/G housing;
a second bearing mounted between the S/G housing and the second shaft portion; and
a safety disconnect configured for predetermined failure and located within the S/G housing and disposed on the second shaft portion;
wherein the first and second shaft portions are operably coupled for co-rotation by the safety disconnect which is located completely within the S/G housing such that upon failure of the safety disconnect, the second shaft portion has a controlled failure at the safety disconnect, and any debris from the failure of the safety disconnect and second shaft portion is contained within the S/G housing;
a shroud covering an interface between the S/G and the AGB and extending between the sidewall and the S/G housing, wherein the shroud arrests particles or debris escaping from the S/G housing.

2. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a main machine, a permanent magnet generator (PMG), and an exciter carried by the second shaft portion.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the main machine, the PMG, and the exciter are located within the S/G housing.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein one of the PMG and the exciter are located on the second shaft portion in between the pinion gear and the main machine.

5. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the safety disconnect is in between the pinion gear and at least one of the PMG, the exciter, or the main machine.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the S/G further comprises an oil seal surrounding the second shaft portion and the oil seal is in between the pinion gear and the safety disconnect.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the S/G housing comprises a first S/G housing portion and a second S/G housing portion, wherein the first S/G housing portion is disposed within the AGB first interior and the second S/G housing portion is disposed outside of the AGB first interior when the S/G is mounted to the AGB.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the S/G further comprises a main machine, a permanent magnet generator (PMG), and an exciter carried by the second shaft portion, wherein at least one of the exciter and the PMG is surrounded by the first S/G housing portion.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the shroud comprises a weight bearing wall surrounding the first S/G housing portion and rotatably supporting the first shaft portion.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the AGB further comprises a pinion gear housing located within the first interior of the AGB in opposing relationship to the weight bearing wall, with the first shaft portion being rotatably supported by the pinion gear housing and the weight bearing wall.

11. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the AGB housing comprises a front and back wall, and the S/G is mounted to the front wall of the AGB housing and the pinion gear is more proximate to the back wall of the AGB housing than the front wall of the AGB housing.

12. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a mechanical coupling operably connecting the first and second shaft portions for co-rotation.

13. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the safety disconnect is one of a resettable mechanical disconnect, a sheared shaft disconnect, or a thermal disconnect.

Assignees

• Huang Hao
• Zywot Jan
• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Huang Hao
• Zywot Jan

Classifications

• F02C7/32

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

• F02C7/275

  Mechanical drives · CPC title

• F02C7/26 Primary

  Starting; Ignition · CPC title

• F16D9/00

  Couplings with safety member for disconnecting, e.g. breaking or melting member · CPC title

• F16D9/02

  by thermal means, e.g. melting member · CPC title