Turbine Engine Transmission Gutter
First Claim
1. A gutter system for capturing lubricating fluid slung from a gear system comprising:
- a gutter extending partially circumferentially about a centerline and having a gutter first circumferential end edge;
an inlet channel having an inlet at the gutter first circumferential end edge and locally radially outboard of the gutter; and
at least one vane spaced apart from the gutter first circumferential end edge, the at least one vane positioned with a chord oriented with a component from an outboard edge to an inboard edge circumferentially in the same direction as an inlet flow direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A turbine engine case defines a centerline and a gaspath within the engine case. A fan is coupled to a fan shaft. A transmission couples the shaft to the fan shaft to drive the fan and comprises a gear system. A gutter system is positioned to capture lubricating fluid slung from the gear system. The gutter system includes a gutter extending partially circumferentially about the centerline having a first circumferential end edge. An inlet channel has an inlet at the gutter first circumferential end edge and locally radially outboard of the gutter. At least one vane is spaced apart from the gutter first circumferential end edge.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A gutter system for capturing lubricating fluid slung from a gear system comprising:
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a gutter extending partially circumferentially about a centerline and having a gutter first circumferential end edge; an inlet channel having an inlet at the gutter first circumferential end edge and locally radially outboard of the gutter; and at least one vane spaced apart from the gutter first circumferential end edge, the at least one vane positioned with a chord oriented with a component from an outboard edge to an inboard edge circumferentially in the same direction as an inlet flow direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A gutter system for capturing lubricating fluid slung from a gear system comprising:
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a gutter extending partially circumferentially about a centerline and having a first circumferential end edge; an inlet channel having an inlet at the gutter first circumferential end edge and locally radially outboard of the gutter; and means circumferentially ahead of the first circumferential end edge for diverting gas from a tangential flow of the slung lubricating fluid. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A gutter system for capturing lubricating fluid slung from a gear system comprising:
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a gutter extending partially circumferentially about a centerline and having a gutter first circumferential end edge; an inlet channel having an inlet at the gutter first circumferential end edge and locally radially outboard of the gutter; and at least one vane spaced apart from the gutter first circumferential end edge and having a leading edge and a trailing edge and oriented to form a recirculation zone.
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21. A method for operating gutter system for capturing lubricating fluid slung from a gear system, said gutter system comprising;
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a gutter extending partially circumferentially about a centerline and having a gutter first circumferential end edge; an inlet channel having an inlet at the gutter first circumferential end edge and locally radially outboard of the gutter; and at least one vane spaced apart from the gutter first circumferential end edge. wherein; the lubricating fluid is flung with a tangential/circumferential velocity component in a first direction; a portion of the flung lubricating fluid flows in the first direction along an inboard surface of the gutter; an oil-rich portion of the lubricating fluid flowing along the gutter inboard surface passes into the inlet of the inlet channel; and
.a recirculation zone behind the vane facilitates separation of an air-rich portion from the oil-rich portion.
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Specification