FIRE RESISTANT STRUCTURAL MOUNT YOKE AND SYSTEM

• US 20130015291A1
• Filed: 07/14/2011
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: DeDe, Brian C., Lau, David, Jewess, Gordon F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,882,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/54
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2041/002 Mounting arrangements for auxiliary power units (APU's)
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 41/00 Power installations for auxiliary purposes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 Converting

Abstract

A mount yoke assembly comprises a first main hanger bracket and a first anchor bracket. The first main hanger bracket includes a first receiving portion for a first auxiliary power unit (APU) mount with first and second hanger arms. The first hanger arm includes a first hanger flange extending proximate a distal end of the first hanger arm. The first anchor bracket includes a first plurality of anchor holes and a first anchor flange. The first plurality of anchor holes are disposed substantially along a length of the first anchor bracket for securing the mount yoke assembly to a component of an APU assembly. The first anchor flange extends from the first anchor bracket for hingeably securing the first anchor bracket to the first main hanger bracket.

Claims

1. A mount yoke assembly comprising:

a first main hanger bracket including a first receiving portion for a first auxiliary power unit (APU) mount with first and second hanger arms, the first hanger arm including a first hanger flange extending proximate a distal end of the first hanger arm; and

a first anchor bracket including a first plurality of anchor holes and a first anchor flange, the first plurality of anchor holes disposed substantially along a length of the first anchor bracket for securing the mount yoke assembly to a component of an APU assembly, and the first anchor flange extending from the first anchor bracket for hingeably securing the first anchor bracket to the first main hanger bracket.

2. The mount yoke assembly of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of anchor holes correspond to a first plurality of yoke connections on at least one component of the APU assembly.

3. The mount yoke assembly of claim 1, wherein the first hinge portion comprises a first hanger flange and a second hanger flange adjacent and substantially parallel to the first hanger flange defining a region between the first and second hanger flanges for receiving the first anchor flange.

4. The mount yoke assembly of claim 1, wherein the first main hanger bracket also includes a second hinge portion proximate a distal end of the second hanger arm.

5. The mount yoke assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second main hanger bracket including a second receiving portion for a second auxiliary power unit (APU) mount with third and fourth hanger arms.

6. The mount yoke assembly of claim 5, wherein the first anchor bracket includes a second anchor flange for hingeably securing the first anchor bracket to the second main hanger bracket.

7. The mount yoke assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second anchor bracket including a second plurality of anchor holes and a third anchor flange, the second plurality of anchor holes disposed substantially along a length of the second anchor bracket for securing the mount yoke assembly to an APU assembly.

8. The mount yoke assembly of claim 7, wherein the third anchor flange extends from the second anchor bracket.

9. The mount yoke assembly of claim 8, wherein the third anchor flange is disposed in a location on the second anchor bracket for hingeably securing the second anchor bracket to the first main hanger bracket.

10. The mount yoke assembly of claim 8, wherein the third anchor flange is disposed in a location on the second anchor bracket for hingeably securing the second anchor bracket to a second main hanger bracket, the second main hanger bracket including a second receiving portion for a second auxiliary power unit (APU) mount with third and fourth hanger arms.

11. The mount yoke assembly of claim 1, wherein the component of the APU assembly is a gearbox.

12. The mount yoke assembly of claim 11, wherein the component of the APU assembly is a housing for the gearbox, the housing substantially manufactured from an aluminum alloy.

13. The mount yoke assembly of claim 1, wherein the first hanger bracket and the first anchor bracket are substantially formed from one of:

an austenitic steel or a titanium alloy.

14. An auxiliary power unit (APU) mount assembly comprising:

a first APU mount;

a strut for linking the first APU mount to a rigid structure;

a first main hanger bracket including a first receiving portion removably securing the first APU mount to the first main hanger bracket, the first receiving portion with first and second hanger arms; and

a first anchor bracket including a first plurality of anchor holes and a first anchor flange, the first plurality of anchor holes disposed substantially along a length of the first anchor bracket affixing the APU mount assembly to a first plurality of yoke connections on a first component of the APU assembly, the first anchor flange hingeably securing the first anchor bracket to the first main hanger bracket.

15. The mount yoke assembly of claim 14, wherein the component of the APU assembly is a gearbox housing substantially manufactured from an aluminum alloy.

16. The mount yoke assembly of claim 14, wherein the connection between the mount yokes and the housing can withstand fire of 2000°

F. for at least 15 minutes directed proximate the mount yokes.

17. The mount assembly of claim 14 further comprising a second anchor bracket including a second plurality of anchor holes and a second anchor flange, the second plurality of anchor holes disposed substantially along a length of the second anchor bracket affixing the APU mount assembly to a second plurality of yoke connections on the first component of the APU assembly, the second anchor flange hingeably securing the second anchor bracket to the first main hanger bracket.

18. A method for retrofitting an auxiliary power unit (APU) mount assembly to an existing APU mount, the method comprising the steps of:

removing a first existing APU mount from a first component of an APU assembly at a first mounting location;

securing a first anchor bracket to the first component of the APU assembly at a first plurality of yoke connections disposed proximate the first mounting location, the first anchor bracket having a plurality of anchor holes along its length, a shape of the first anchor bracket and a location of at least one of the plurality of anchor holes corresponding to a position of at least one of the first plurality of yoke connections;

securing the first anchor bracket to a first hanger bracket at a first hinge portion disposed proximate a first distal end of the first hanger arm ; and

securing the first existing APU mount to an APU mount receiving portion of the first hanger bracket.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

modifying the existing APU mount to include an engagement portion shaped to conform to the receiving portion of the first hanger bracket.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

removing an existing APU mount from the APU assembly at a second mounting location;

securing a second anchor bracket to the APU assembly at a second plurality of yoke connections disposed proximate the second mounting location, the second anchor bracket having a plurality of anchor holes along its length, a shape of the second anchor bracket and a location of at least one of the plurality of anchor holes corresponding to a position of at least one of the second plurality of yoke connections;

securing the second anchor bracket to the first hanger bracket at a second hinge portion disposed proximate a second distal end of the first hanger arm.