METHOD FOR THE DELIVERY OF LUBRICANT TO A ROTORCRAFT GEARBOX

• US 20160311527A1
• Filed: 04/22/2015
• Published: 10/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Poster, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,683,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/12 Rotor drives
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/04 Features relating to lubrication or cooling or heatingin hydrokinetic gearing F16H41/30; control of lubrication or cooling in hydrostatic gearing F16H61/4165
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0434 relating to lubrication supply, e.g. pumps arrangement of pumps F16H57/0441; Pressure control grooves with pumping effect for supplying lubricant F16H57/0428; generation and variation of line pressure for transmission control F16H61/0021
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0435 Pressure control for supplying lubricant; Circuits or valves therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0495 with fixed gear ratio

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a rotorcraft includes a body, a rotor blade, and a power train coupled to the body and operable to rotate the rotor blade. The power train includes an engine, a gearbox in mechanical communication with the engine, and a driveshaft in mechanical communication with the gearbox. The rotorcraft also includes a sensor operable to detect a rotorcraft parameter, and a lubrication flow calculation unit operable to receive the rotorcraft parameter, generate the flow rate based on the rotorcraft parameter, and transmit the flow rate to a lubrication system configured to deliver lubricant to the gearbox at the transmitted flow rate.

Claims

1. A rotorcraft, comprising:

a body;

a rotor blade;

a power train coupled to the body and operable to rotate the rotor blade, the power train comprising;

an engine;

a gearbox in mechanical communication with the engine; and

a driveshaft in mechanical communication with the gearbox;

a sensor operable to detect a rotorcraft parameter; and

a lubrication flow calculation unit operable to;

receive the rotorcraft parameter;

generate the flow rate based on the rotorcraft parameter; and

transmit the flow rate to a lubrication system configured to deliver lubricant to the gearbox at the transmitted flow rate.

2. The rotorcraft of claim 1, wherein the lubrication flow calculation unit generates the flow rate by calculating the flow rate based on a ratio and the rotorcraft parameter.

3. The rotorcraft of claim 1, wherein the lubrication flow calculation unit generates the flow rate by use of a look-up table, the look-up table having flow rate values for each corresponding rotorcraft parameter value.

4. The rotorcraft of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a speed sensor configured to detect a rotational speed of the driveshaft, the rotorcraft parameter is the rotational speed of the driveshaft, and the flow rate is generated based on the rotational speed of the driveshaft such that as the rotational speed of the driveshaft reduces, the flow rate is reduced.

5. The rotorcraft of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor configured to detect a lubricant pressure in the gearbox, and the rotorcraft parameter is the lubricant pressure in the gearbox.

6. The rotorcraft of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a vibration sensor configured to detect a vibration in the gearbox, and the rotorcraft parameter is the vibration in the gearbox.

7. The rotorcraft of claim 1, wherein the lubrication system is a secondary lubrication system that comprises a second lubrication reservoir and a pressurizing device;

and

the rotorcraft further comprises a main lubrication system configured to deliver lubricant to the gearbox, the main lubrication system comprising a main lubrication reservoir and a main pump.

8. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising a second sensor operable to detect a second rotorcraft parameter, wherein the lubrication flow calculation is operable to:

receive the rotorcraft parameter and the second rotorcraft parameter;

generate the flow rate based on the rotorcraft parameter and the second rotorcraft parameter; and

transmit the flow rate to the lubrication system.

9. The rotorcraft of claim 8, wherein the rotorcraft parameter is a rotational speed of the driveshaft, the second rotorcraft parameter is a temperature of the lubricant in the gearbox, and the flow rate is generated based on the rotational speed of the driveshaft and the temperature of the lubricant in the gearbox.

10. The rotorcraft of claim 1, wherein the lubrication flow calculation unit transmits the flow rate only when an oil pressure of the gearbox is less than a threshold value.

11. The rotorcraft of claim 10, wherein the threshold value is thirty pounds per square inch.

12. A method comprising:

providing a body;

providing a rotor blade;

providing a power train coupled to the body and operable to rotate the rotor blade, the power train comprising;

an engine;

a gearbox in mechanical communication with the engine;

a driveshaft in mechanical communication with the gearbox; and

a lubrication system configured to deliver lubricant to the gearbox;

providing a sensor operable to detect a rotorcraft parameter;

receiving the rotorcraft parameter from the sensor;

generating a flow rate based on the rotorcraft parameter; and

instructing the lubrication system to deliver lubricant to the gearbox at the generated flow rate.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor is a speed sensor configured to detect a rotational speed of the driveshaft, and the rotorcraft parameter is the rotational speed of the driveshaft.

14. The rotorcraft of claim 12, wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor configured to detect a lubricant pressure in the gearbox, and the rotorcraft parameter is the lubricant pressure in the gearbox.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor is a vibration sensor configured to detect a vibration in the gearbox, and the rotorcraft parameter is the vibration in the gearbox.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the lubrication system is a secondary lubrication system that comprises a second lubrication reservoir and a pressurizing device;

and

the power train further comprises a main lubrication system configured to deliver lubricant to the gearbox, the main lubrication system comprises a main lubrication reservoir and a main pump.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing a second sensor operable to detect a second rotorcraft parameter, wherein the method generates the flow rate based on the rotorcraft parameter and the second rotorcraft parameter.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the rotorcraft parameter is a speed of a mast of the rotorcraft, and the second rotorcraft parameter is a temperature of a gearbox component.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein instructing a lubrication system to deliver lubricant to the gearbox at the generated flow rate only occurs when an oil pressure of the gearbox is less than a threshold value.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the threshold value is thirty pounds per square inch.