CABLE ACTUATION FOR VARIABLE VANES

• US 20170276012A1
• Filed: 03/24/2016
• Published: 09/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Chandler, Jesse M., Suciu, Gabriel L., Stack, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 10,301,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/12 arranged in stator parts
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/14 varying effective cross-sectional area of nozzles or guide conduits
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/16 by means of nozzle vanes
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/162 for axial flow, i.e. the vanes turning around axes which are essentially perpendicular to the rotor centre line F01D17/167 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/34 Turning or inching gear
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/04 forming ring or sector
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/041 using blades F01D5/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/042 fixing blades to stators fixing stator-rings in the casing or to each other F01D25/246
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 3/02 in which part of the working fluid by-passes the turbine and combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/563 specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/323 for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/40 Transmission of power
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

An actuator system including a harmonic drive operable to drive a variable vane system of a gas turbine engine.

Claims

1. A gas turbine engine, comprising:

an actuator;

a harmonic drive driven by the actuator;

a drive shaft driven by the harmonic drive, the drive shaft with a first drive gear and a second drive gear;

a first variable vane stage with a first actuator gear to direct drive one of a multiple of variable vanes, the first actuator gear meshed with the first drive gear; and

a second variable vane stage with a second actuator gear to direct drive one of a multiple of variable vanes, the second actuator gear meshed with the second drive gear.

2. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the harmonic drive includes a strain wave gearing mechanism.

3. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 2, wherein the strain wave gearing mechanism include a fixed circular spline, a flex spline attached to an output shaft, and a wave generator attached to an input shaft, the flex spline driven by the wave generator with respect to the circular spline.

4. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 3, wherein the drive arm is connected to a first unison ring.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, further comprising a link between each of a multiple of variable vanes and the first unison ring.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the second actuator gear includes a second drive arm.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the second drive arm is connected to a second unison ring.

8. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the actuator is an electric motor.

9. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the harmonic drive provides between a 30:

1-320;

1 gear ratio.

10. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, further comprising a third drive gear on the drive shaft.

11. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 10, further comprising a third variable vane stage with a third actuator gear mounted to a static structure of the gas turbine engine.

12. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 11, wherein the third actuator gear is connected to a third unison ring through a bridge mounted to the third unison ring.

13. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 11, further comprising a gearbox, the gear shaft mounted within the gearbox.

14. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 13, wherein the first actuator gear and the second actuator gear is supported by the gearbox.

18. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 13, further comprising a gearbox, the gear shaft mounted within the gearbox.

19. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 18, wherein the first actuator gear and the second actuator gear is supported by the gearbox.

15. A gas turbine engine, comprising:

an actuator;

a harmonic drive driven by the actuator;

a drive shaft driven by the harmonic drive, the drive shaft with a first drive gear and a second drive gear;

a first variable vane stage with a first actuator gear mounted to a static structure of the gas turbine engine, the first actuator gear meshed with the first drive gear; and

a second variable vane stage with a second actuator gear mounted to a static structure of the gas turbine engine, the second actuator gear meshed with the second drive gear.

16. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 15, further comprising a third drive gear on the drive shaft.

17. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 16, further comprising a third variable vane stage with a third actuator gear to direct drive one of a multiple of variable vanes, the third actuator gear meshed with the third drive gear.