OFF-AXIS ELECTRIC ACTUATION FOR VARIABLE VANES

• US 20170276148A1
• 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: Suciu, Gabriel L., Chandler, Jesse M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,288,087 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 17/162 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 17/165 for radial flow, i.e. the vanes turning around axes which are essentially parallel to the rotor centre line F01D17/167 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 7/00 Rotors with blades adjustable in operation; Control thereof for reversing F01D1/30
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/04 forming ring or sector
• 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: F02B 37/24 by using pumps or turbines with adjustable guide vanes
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/323 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/542 Bladed diffusers fixing blades to stators F01D9/042
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/563 specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/32 in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/62 Electrical actuators
• 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 variable vane system, comprising:

an actuator;

a harmonic drive driven by the actuator;

a drive gear driven by the harmonic drive; and

an actuator gear mounted to a variable vane, the actuator gear driven by the drive gear.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the harmonic drive is operable to direct drive a variable vane via the actuator gear.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a unison ring.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, further comprising a link between each variable vane and the unison ring.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the harmonic drive includes a strain wave gearing mechanism.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, 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.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the harmonic drive provides between a 30:

1-320;

1 gear ratio.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the actuator gear is a gear segment.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the actuator gear is operable to rotate through about 90 degrees.

10. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the actuator gear is operable to rotate through about 0-40 degrees.

11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the actuator gear is mounted to a trunion of a variable vane.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the actuator gear is mounted to a unison ring.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, further comprising a link between each of a multiple of variable vanes and the unison ring.

14. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the actuator is an electric motor.

15. A gas turbine engine, comprising:

a harmonic drive operable to drive a variable vane system through a geared connection.

16. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 15, further comprising a unison ring operable to drive a multiple of variable vanes, the geared connection operable to drive the unison ring.

17. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 16, wherein the unison ring is operable to drive the multiple of variable vanes through a respective multiple of drive links.

18. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 17, further comprising an electric motor operable to drive the harmonic drive.

19. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 15, wherein the actuator gear is transverse to the drive gear.

20. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 15, wherein the harmonic drive is displaced from a structural wall of the gas turbine engine.