Turboshaft engine for an aircraft equipped with an automatically-activated centraliser

• US 10,458,341 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2016
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Turbomeca
• Original Assignee: Safran Helicopter Engines
• Inventors: Lafargue, Olivier, Brotier, Sebastien
• Primary Examiner(s): Shanske, Jason D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zamora Alvarez, Eric J
• Application Number:
  US15/568,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20180298827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/12 Rotor drives
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 35/02 specially adapted for specific power plants
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 15/12 Combinations with mechanical gearing driven by multiple engines F01D13/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/10 with another turbine driving an output shaft but not driving the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/36 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 Class Codes: F05D 2220/329 in helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2230/68 using auxiliary equipment for lifting or holding
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/4031 as in toothed gearing
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/52 involving springs
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/02043 for vehicle transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/02 Gearboxes; Mounting gearing therein
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A turboshaft engine includes a casing in which is arranged a gas generator and a free turbine fitted to a power shaft. The power shaft is configured to be mechanically connected to/disconnected from a reduction gearbox.

The turboshaft engine includes at least one centralizer movable between an active position, in which the centralizer forms a bearing for the power shaft and which corresponds to a mechanical disconnection between the power shaft and the reduction gearbox, and a passive position, in which the centralizer is distanced from the power shaft and which corresponds to a mechanical connection between the power shaft the reduction gearbox.

Claims

1. A turboshaft engine comprising a casing in which is arranged a gas generator and a free turbine fitted to a power shaft configured to be mechanically connected to/disconnected from a reduction gearbox,

wherein said turboshaft engine comprises a centraliser movable between an active position, in which the centraliser forms a bearing for said power shaft and which corresponds to a mechanical disconnection between said power shaft and said reduction gearbox, and a passive position, in which the centraliser is distanced from said power shaft and which corresponds to a mechanical connection between said power shaft and said reduction gearbox.

2. The turboshaft engine according to claim 1, wherein the centraliser is configured to pass automatically from said active position to said passive position during connection of said power shaft to said reduction gearbox, and to pass automatically from said passive position to said active position during disconnection of said power shaft from said reduction gearbox.

3. The turboshaft engine according to claim 2, wherein the centraliser comprises a conical guide ramp with an axis parallel to an axis of said power shaft, and correspondingly shaped to a conical portion of said casing so that a sliding of said guide ramp on said conical portion of said casing displaces said movable centraliser relative to said power shaft.

4. The turboshaft engine according to claim 3, further comprising at least one radial spring fitted perpendicularly to said power shaft, between said casing and the movable centraliser, and at least one axial spring extending between said casing and the movable centraliser, said springs being fixed relative to the casing and slideable relative to the movable centraliser, and being configured to exert a resultant force that opposes a spontaneous sliding of said guide ramp on said conical portion of said casing, towards said casing.

5. The turboshaft engine according to claim 4, wherein the centraliser has a stop extending in a plane perpendicularly to the axis of said power shaft opposite a bearing surface of the reduction gearbox, so that the mechanical connection between said power shaft and said reduction gearbox produces a mechanical contact between said bearing surface and said stop that leads, through compression of said springs to said centraliser sliding on said conical portion of said casing, from said active position to said passive position.

6. The turboshaft engine according to claim 1, wherein the centraliser has a concave surface of contact with said power shaft so that the centraliser at least partially surrounds said power shaft in the active position.

7. The turboshaft engine according to claim 1, wherein the turboshaft engine comprises at least two movable centralisers arranged around said power shaft.

8. A helicopter comprising at least one turboshaft engine according to claim 1.