DE-COUPLE GEARED TURBO-FAN ENGINE AND AIRCRAFT

• US 20140252161A1
• Filed: 02/25/2014
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Gukeisen, Robert L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,540,113 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/60
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/14 within, or attached to, fuselages
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 35/02 specially adapted for specific power plants
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/10 with another turbine driving an output shaft but not driving the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/107 with two or more rotors connected by power transmission
• 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: F02K 1/52 Nozzles specially constructed for positioning adjacent to another nozzle or to a fixed member, e.g. fairing
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/60 by blocking the rearward discharge by means of pivoted eyelids or clamshells, e.g. target-type reversers
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/70 using thrust reverser flaps or doors mounted on the fan housing
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/78 Other construction of jet pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 3/068 being characterised by a short axial length relative to the diameter
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A turbofan engine includes a core engine section including a compressor section feeding air to a combustor to generate high speed exhaust gases that drive a turbine section all disposed about an engine axis, a geartrain driven by the core engine section, a fan section driven by the geartrain about a fan axis spaced apart from the engine axis, and an accessory gearbox driven by the geartrain and mounted apart from the core engine section and the fan section.

Claims

1. A turbofan engine comprising:

a core engine section including a compressor section feeding air to a combustor to generate high speed exhaust gases that drive a turbine section all disposed about an engine axis;

a geartrain driven by the core engine section;

a fan section driven by the geartrain about a fan axis spaced apart from the engine axis; and

an accessory gearbox driven by the geartrain and mounted apart from the core engine section and the fan section.

2. The turbofan engine as recited in claim 1, including an input shaft driven by the core engine section and a first output shaft driven by the geartrain for driving the fan section, wherein the input shaft and first output shaft rotate about different axes.

3. The turbofan engine as recited in claim 2, wherein the input shaft extends axially forward of the core engine section.

4. The turbofan engine as recited in claim 2, including a second output shaft driven by the geartrain driving the accessory gearbox.

5. The turbofan engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the fan axis is spaced horizontally apart from the engine axis.

6. The turbofan engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the fan axis and the engine axis are substantially parallel.

7. The turbofan engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the fan section comprises a bypass ratio greater than about 10.

8. An aircraft propulsion system comprising:

a core engine section mounted within an aft portion of an aircraft fuselage, the core engine section including a compressor section feeding air to a combustor to generate high speed exhaust gases that drive a turbine section all disposed about an engine axis;

a geartrain mounted within the aircraft fuselage and driven by the core engine section;

a fan section externally mounted to the aircraft fuselage and driven by the geartrain about a fan axis spaced apart from the engine axis; and

an accessory gearbox supported within the aircraft fuselage and driven by the geartrain and mounted apart from the core engine section and the fan section.

9. The aircraft propulsion system as recited in claim 8, including an inlet for supplying air to the core engine section mounted to the aircraft fuselage.

10. The aircraft propulsion system as recited in claim 8, including a fan case surrounding the fan section, the fan case including a first thrust reverser movable to a position directing thrust from the fan section in a direction to slow the aircraft.

11. The aircraft propulsion system as recited in claim 8, including an exhaust nozzle disposed about the engine axis, the exhaust nozzle including a second thrust reverser for directing exhaust gases from the core engine section in a direction to slow the aircraft.

12. The aircraft propulsion system as recited in claim 8, including an input shaft driven by the core engine section for driving the geartrain, a first output shaft from the geartrain driving the fan section, and a second output shaft from the geartrain driving the accessory gearbox.

13. The aircraft propulsion system as recited in claim 8, wherein the fan axis is parallel to the engine axis.

14. The aircraft propulsion system as recited in claim 8, wherein the core engine section comprises a first core engine section and a second core engine section mounted side-by-side within the aft portion of the aircraft fuselage and the fan section comprises first and second fan sections driven by a corresponding one of the first and second core engine sections.

15. The aircraft propulsion system as recited in claim 14, wherein geartrain comprises first and second geartrains and the accessory gearbox comprises first and second accessory gearboxes driven by a corresponding one of the first and second geartrains.

16. An aircraft system comprising:

an elongated fuselage;

a wing structure extending from opposing sides of the fuselage;

a vertical stabilizer including a horizontal stabilizer surface mounted to an upper portion of the vertical stabilizer;

a core engine section mounted within an aft portion of an aircraft fuselage, the core section including a compressor section feeding air to a combustor to generate high speed exhaust gases that drive a turbine section all disposed about an engine axis;

a geartrain mounted within the aircraft fuselage and driven by the core section;

a fan section externally mounted to the aircraft fuselage and driven by the geartrain about a fan axis spaced apart from the engine axis; and

an accessory gearbox supported within the aircraft fuselage and driven by the geartrain and mounted apart from the core section and the fan section.

17. The aircraft system as recited in claim 16, wherein the core section includes first and second core sections and the fan section includes first and second fan sections driven by corresponding ones of the first and second core engine sections.

18. The aircraft system as recited in claim 17, including an air inlet supplying air to each of the first and second core engine sections.

19. The aircraft system as recited in claim 16, wherein the fan section is mounted above the wing structure.

20. The aircraft system as recited in claim 16, wherein the fan section comprises a bypass ratio greater than about 10.