TURBINE ENGINE GEARBOX ASSEMBLY WITH SETS OF INLINE GEARS

• US 20180291818A1
• Filed: 04/11/2017
• Published: 10/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Suciu, Gabriel L., Duong, Hung, Zimmitti, Jonathan F., Sheridan, William G., McCune, Michael E., Merry, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 10,502,142 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/32 Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/31 according to the direction of their main axis or their axis of rotation
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/4031 as in toothed gearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 1/22 with a plurality of driving or driven shafts; with arrangements for dividing torque between two or more intermediate shafts

Abstract

An assembly is provided for a gas turbine engine with an axial centerline. This assembly includes a gearbox, a first torque transmission apparatus and a second torque transmission apparatus. The gearbox includes a plurality of first gears and a plurality of second gears. The first gears are meshed together and respectively rotatable about parallel first gear axes. The second gears are meshed together and respectively rotatable about parallel second gear axes. Each of the first gear axes and each of the second gear axes is non-parallel with the axial centerline. The first torque transmission apparatus is configured to drive the first gears. The second torque transmission apparatus is configured to drive the second gears.

Claims

1. An assembly for a gas turbine engine with an axial centerline, the assembly comprising:

a gearbox including a plurality of first gears and a plurality of second gears, the first gears meshed together and respectively rotatable about parallel first gear axes, and the second gears meshed together and respectively rotatable about parallel second gear axes, wherein each of the first gear axes and each of the second gear axes is non-parallel with the axial centerline;

a first torque transmission apparatus configured to drive the first gears; and

a second torque transmission apparatus configured to drive the second gears.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein

the first gears are meshed together in a first plane parallel with the axial centerline;

and

the second gears are meshed together in a second plane parallel with the axial centerline.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the second plane is parallel with and spaced from the first plane.

4. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the second plane is angularly offset from the first plane by an acute angle.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the second gears are configured rotatably independent from the first gears.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the first gear axes and each of the second gear axes is substantially perpendicular to the axial centerline.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first torque transmission apparatus comprises a first tower shaft, and the second torque transmission apparatus comprises a second tower shaft.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first torque transmission apparatus comprises a first bevel gear rotatably attached to one of the first gears, and the second torque transmission apparatus comprises a second bevel gear rotatably attached to one of the second gears.

9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the first bevel gear and the second bevel gear are arranged within the gearbox.

10. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a first rotating assembly; and

a second rotating assembly rotationally discrete from the first rotating assembly;

wherein the first torque transmission apparatus is configured to couple the first rotating assembly with the first gears, and the second torque transmission apparatus is configured to couple the second rotating assembly with the second gears.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein

the first rotating assembly includes a first compressor rotor, a first turbine rotor and a first shaft that connects the first compressor rotor with the first turbine rotor;

and

the second rotating assembly includes a second compressor rotor, a second turbine rotor and a second shaft that connects the second compressor rotor with the second turbine rotor.

12. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising

a first turbine engine accessory mounted to the gearbox, wherein one of the first gears is configured to respectively drive actuation of the first turbine engine accessory;

and

a second turbine engine accessory mounted to the gearbox, wherein one of the second gears is configured to respectively drive actuation of the second turbine engine accessory.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the first accessory comprises a generator.

14. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the first accessory comprises a pump.

15. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the first accessory comprises a transmission.

16. An assembly for a gas turbine engine with an axial centerline, the assembly comprising:

a first rotating assembly rotatable about the axial centerline and comprising a first rotor including a plurality of first rotor blades;

a second rotating assembly rotatable about the axial centerline and comprising a second rotor including a plurality of second rotor blades; and

a gearbox including a plurality of intermeshed first gears and a plurality of intermeshed second gears, each of the first gears rotatable about a respective first axis that is non-parallel with the axial centerline, and each of the second gears rotatable about a respective second axis is non-parallel with the axial centerline;

wherein the first gears are driven by the first rotating assembly, and the second gears are driven by the second rotating assembly.

17. The assembly of claim 16, further comprising:

a first torque transmission apparatus configured to transfer torque between the first rotating assembly and the first gears; and

a second torque transmission apparatus configured to transfer torque between the second rotating assembly and the second gears.

18. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the first gears are meshed together in a first plane that is parallel with the axial centerline, and the second gears are meshed together in a second plane that is parallel with the axial centerline.

19. An assembly for a gas turbine engine with a first tower shaft and a second tower shaft, the assembly comprising:

a gearbox housing;

a plurality of first gears arranged within the gearbox housing and meshed together in a first plane;

a plurality of second gears arranged within the gearbox housing and meshed together in a second plane, wherein the second plane is parallel with and spaced from the first plane;

a first torque transmission device configured to couple and transmit torque between the first tower shaft and one of the first gears; and

a second torque transmission device configured to couple and transmit torque between the second tower shaft and one of the second gears.

20. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the first plane is parallel with an axial centerline of the gas turbine engine.