AUXILIARY FIRE RESISTANT MOUNT SYSTEM FOR AN AUXILIARY POWER UNIT

• US 20130320134A1
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Bell, Melissa A., Peel, Jason, Giddings, Greg R., Rollins, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,864,067 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

Abstract

An auxiliary power unit is composed of a gas turbine engine, a gearbox, and a gearbox driven generator. A mount bracket is mechanically attached to the gearbox. The bracket is for connecting to an aircraft strut system. The aircraft strut system connects to the aircraft structure. The mount bracket has an upper mechanical attachment point and a lower mechanical attachment point to the gearbox. The gearbox includes an oil reservoir, and the lower attachment point is beneath the oil level within the oil reservoir such that said lower attachment point will be cooled by oil in the oil reservoir.

Claims

1. An auxiliary power unit comprising:

a gas turbine engine, a gearbox, and a gearbox driven generator;

a mount bracket mechanically attached to said gearbox;

said mount bracket for being connected to a plurality of struts, said struts for being connected to an aircraft housing; and

said mount bracket having an upper mechanical attachment point and a lower mechanical attachment point to the gearbox, said gearbox including an oil reservoir, and the lower attachment point being beneath an upper end of the oil reservoir such that said lower attachment point will be cooled by oil in said oil reservoir.

2. The auxiliary power unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mount bracket is connected to a mount link, said mount link for being connected to said struts.

3. The auxiliary power unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein there are a pair of mount brackets on opposed sides of said gearbox.

4. The auxiliary power unit as set forth in claim 3, wherein said lower attachment points are vertically beneath an expected oil level in the oil reservoir.

5. The auxiliary power unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said lower attachment points are vertically beneath an expected oil level in the oil reservoir

6. The auxiliary power unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mount bracket has a leg extending vertically downwardly from said upper attachment point to said lower attachment point.

7. The auxiliary power unit as set forth in claim 6, wherein said leg includes an angled portion, and a straight portion.

8. The auxiliary power unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mount bracket is formed of steel.

9. An aircraft including:

an aircraft housing, a plurality of struts attached to said housing;

said struts also connected to a mount plate on an auxiliary power unit, the auxiliary power unit including a gas turbine engine, a gearbox, and a gearbox driven generator;

said mount bracket mechanically attached to said gearbox; and

said mount bracket having an upper mechanical attachment point and a lower mechanical attachment point to the gearbox, said gearbox including an oil reservoir, and the lower attachment point being beneath an upper end of the oil reservoir such that said lower attachment point will be cooled by oil in said oil reservoir.

10. The aircraft as set forth in claim 9, wherein said mount bracket is connected to a mount link, said mount link connected to said struts.

11. The aircraft as set forth in claim 9, wherein there are a pair of mount brackets on opposed sides of said gearbox.

12. The aircraft as set forth in claim 11, wherein said lower attachment points are vertically beneath an expected oil level in the oil reservoir.

13. The aircraft as set forth in claim 9, wherein said lower attachment points are vertically beneath an expected oil level in the oil reservoir

14. The aircraft as set forth in claim 9, wherein said mount bracket has a leg extending vertically downwardly from said upper attachment point to said lower attachment point.

15. The aircraft as set forth in claim 14, wherein said leg includes an angled portion, and a straight portion.

16. The aircraft as set forth in claim 9, wherein said mount bracket is formed of steel.